Each of us can create

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Most people see the act of music making as something complex and far beyond their capabilities. After all, professional musicians can draw on the skills of sound engineers, who will record, mix and master their material. Seems too deep for amateurs.
Actually, it’s not. I myself have been dabbling in the field for a few years now and have to admit the devil is not so black as he’s painted. There is a lot of things attainable by average person. It only requires a bit of doggedness and willingness to stay the course. That one can only make music in a professional studio while being surrounded by a group of specialist is a myth I’d like to deal with once and for all.
Therefore, let’s get down to the brass tacks.
Host
The indispensable gadget in music-making is a so called "host", software that enables manipulation of sound through a set of options. The program allows to put the previously recorded tracks together and see to the quality of the final product. Insofar as one is a multi-instrumentalist (or a minimalist confined to a single instrument) he can easily get down to music making at this stage. It boils down to buying a wire set and connecting the instruments to your computer.
However, most people can’t play several instruments, if any, which brings us to the next and crucial function the host carries out – the ability to emulate real instruments. Admittedly, unaided host is not capable of this, if it attempts, the quality is a far cry from the real equivalents. That’s why "additional software" has to be hooked up in order to exploit the unlimited opportunities the sound affords.
VST plugs
That is the aforementioned "additional software". VST is short for "Virtual Studio Technology". These plugs carry out a number of functions that the host itself is not capable of. These include high quality effects which can be superimposed and adjusted to the recorded tracks. This software also allows to generate effects imitating a real instrument's sound. Of course, there is no substitute for a real musician but these plugs help to make it as close as one can get. Indeed, it requires a considerable amount of work to approximate a genuine artist. Persistence and a bent for experimenting come in handy here. VST plugs can also act as samplers, which means software that enables a real-time play of the sounds previously recorded in the studio.
Sound libraries
It’s a collection of sounds recorded in a studio to be later used with samplers in order to emulate a real instrument. Aided by such technique, the music is virtually indiscernible from that recorded by real musicians. Libraries available on the market afford a full range of instruments (from guitars through violins and percussion), each note of which has been recorded separately and often in different ways. This type of technology, combined with adequate mastering and selection of effects, helps to create a high standard music without the necessity of engaging a team of musicians and engineers.
Actually, it’s not. I myself have been dabbling in the field for a few years now and have to admit the devil is not so black as he’s painted. There is a lot of things attainable by average person. It only requires a bit of doggedness and willingness to stay the course. That one can only make music in a professional studio while being surrounded by a group of specialist is a myth I’d like to deal with once and for all.
Therefore, let’s get down to the brass tacks.
Host
The indispensable gadget in music-making is a so called "host", software that enables manipulation of sound through a set of options. The program allows to put the previously recorded tracks together and see to the quality of the final product. Insofar as one is a multi-instrumentalist (or a minimalist confined to a single instrument) he can easily get down to music making at this stage. It boils down to buying a wire set and connecting the instruments to your computer.
However, most people can’t play several instruments, if any, which brings us to the next and crucial function the host carries out – the ability to emulate real instruments. Admittedly, unaided host is not capable of this, if it attempts, the quality is a far cry from the real equivalents. That’s why "additional software" has to be hooked up in order to exploit the unlimited opportunities the sound affords.
VST plugs
That is the aforementioned "additional software". VST is short for "Virtual Studio Technology". These plugs carry out a number of functions that the host itself is not capable of. These include high quality effects which can be superimposed and adjusted to the recorded tracks. This software also allows to generate effects imitating a real instrument's sound. Of course, there is no substitute for a real musician but these plugs help to make it as close as one can get. Indeed, it requires a considerable amount of work to approximate a genuine artist. Persistence and a bent for experimenting come in handy here. VST plugs can also act as samplers, which means software that enables a real-time play of the sounds previously recorded in the studio.
Sound libraries
It’s a collection of sounds recorded in a studio to be later used with samplers in order to emulate a real instrument. Aided by such technique, the music is virtually indiscernible from that recorded by real musicians. Libraries available on the market afford a full range of instruments (from guitars through violins and percussion), each note of which has been recorded separately and often in different ways. This type of technology, combined with adequate mastering and selection of effects, helps to create a high standard music without the necessity of engaging a team of musicians and engineers.
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