Beginner's Guide to Music Production Hardware
Adam Pollard aka Multiplier presents an in-depth video series for those just getting into making music and the endless options for studio gear. Save endless hours of research trying to find answers to the most basic questions, when setting up your first studio and all the gear that goes with it!
Videos
• Introduction (00:41) - Adam welcomes you to the course and talks about what he will be covering.
• What Do You Need to Make Music? (07:41) - Starting right at the beginning, what hardware do you need to make music? You can technically make the best track in the world with just headphones and a laptop, but in what order should you consider other devices?
• Digital vs Analog (04:31) - Learn about MIDI controllers, and how they differ to "analog" devices.
• Should You Get Analog Gear? (05:08) - Analog (or more precisely, "external") gear is more expensive, less flexible, less reliable, less easy to use, and doesn't sound any better.. And so, why do we love it so much? And should you consider it?
• Audio Interfaces (04:22) - What are audio interfaces? When do you need them? How should you choose which to get? If you just have a simple setup (laptop and headphones, say), do you really need one?
• Headphones vs Monitors (02:49) - Let me explain why you should buy mid-priced headphones, before buying studio monitors.
• Do You Need a Sub? (04:21) - Sub woofers are fun! But they don't help you understand what you're creating, and can often times cause more trouble then they're worth.. Find out why in this video.
• Acoustic Treatment (02:33) - Let me dispel some myths and misconceptions about acoustic (foam) treatment. This will help you decide whether or not you should get studio monitors.
• Open vs Closed Back Headphones (04:24) - In this video find out about the difference between open backed and closed backed headphones. Learn in which situations open backed is better, and which closed backed is better.
• On Ear vs Over Ear Headphones (02:13) - What should you get? On ear headphones? Or over ear? Get this wrong, and it'll be painful.. Find out why.
• Headphone Impedance (03:40) - Learn about headphone impedance. Get this wrong, and you may find yourself needing to buy an additional piece of gear, a headphone pre-amp.
• Headphone Cable Length (01:59) - Find out why some headphones come with counter-intuitively long cables, and why you should always consider cable length when buying headphones.
• Keyboard Size (04:25) - What size keyboard should you get? I explore every dimension (number of keys, key width, key depth), and the non-obvious implications of going bigger or smaller in each.
• Touch Strips or Rockers? (01:31) - Most people don't think to consider this when buying a keyboard - learn about the differences between touch strips and rockers for keyboard pitch bend and mod wheels. Sometimes one is better, but usually the other is better.
• External Metering (02:00) - This is probably my favorite category of music production hardware. Find out what it is, how it works, and why it's seamless to use, and perfect.
• Physical Interfaces for Digital Plug-ins (01:37) - Learn about a category of device, you probably don't know exists - physical interfaces for digital plugins. Control plugins with a physical device, automatically, without having to configure or map anything. It's so much more enjoyable!
• Gear Stands (02:17) - I've spent a lot of time trying different ways to place gear in my studio. Most "proper" or "professional" solutions don't actually work very well, so let me tell you a few secrets.. Ironically, it involves using music stands, but not in the way they're intended!
• Customizing (02:50) - Let me explain three reasons why customizing your gear is easy, and beneficial. Almost nobody does it, yet it can be cheap, effective, and a great way to stand out.
• How to Protect & Transport Your Gear (02:26) - What's the best way to protect and transport your gear? I've explored all the options, so let me share with you my preferred approach.
• Buy What You Love (02:39) - Buy what you love. Ignore what may be "technically" better. Explore the way gear "feels", and how it may (or may not) inspire you. Discover why this is maybe the most important thing.
• Keep It Simple (02:01) - It sounds obvious, but don't over complicate your audio routing. The more things you have in the processing chain, the more likely it is something goes wrong - and the harder it is to troubleshoot. I share a perfect example to illustrate the idea.
• Having Too Much Gear (04:07) - This may sound a bit mad, but sometimes it can be worse to have more gear, rather than less.. Obviously there are some advantages to having lots of stuff (as I explain), but there are also some serious problems with having too much.
• Check the Manual First (02:45) - It may sound obvious, but almost nobody does this. Before buying something, read the manual (or watch some tutorials). Often times things just don't quite work like the marketing person described it.
• When to Buy (03:40) - It may be tempting, but, if possible, don't buy hardware when it first comes out. Find out why, in this video.
• USB Hubs (06:58) - USB hubs are a nightmare. Outside of super simple situations, they rarely work correctly. I share a few cautionary stories, as well as a few principles for using them effectively.
• Balanced vs Unbalanced Cables (03:05) - At a glance, they look the same, and they both fit into the same holes.. but, there's an important difference. Learn everything you need to know (apart from the math/physics underpinning it), in this video.
• Insurance (02:53) - What would you do if someone stole your gear? Or maybe there was a fire? You probably haven't thought about it (most people haven't). And even if you have, there's a good chance you aren't actually covered.. Let me explain.