EDM, or electronic dance music, is one of the most popular music genres, with famous music producers producing chart-topping hits that feature in nightclubs worldwide.
If you’ve ever dreamed about your music being danced to by millions of people, then you may be wondering what you need to work on before you start producing beats in this genre.
EDM is the type of genre that allows you to constantly learn and grow while you practice, but there’s no harm in learning some of the following things first.
Familiarize Yourself With Musical Instruments
From learning how to hold a guitar to producing a beat on a drum set, there is undoubtedly value in familiarizing yourself with musical instruments. While electronic dance music is generally created on electronic equipment, experimenting with musical instruments can help you gain insight into the types of sounds you’re capable of making.
Even if you’ve never played a musical instrument before, strumming a guitar, beating a drum, and pressing the keys of a piano may all be the welcome introduction you need into the world of electronic dance music production.
Learn Music Theory
It’s easy to assume that music theory doesn’t apply to EDM because you’re using electronic equipment to produce sounds. However, the same musical concepts in traditional music can apply to EDM when you’re compiling various sounds and rhythms.
Learn about ear training to recognize, imagine, and remember musical sounds, and don’t underestimate the value of the rhythm section that can teach you how to write and arrange music. Reading and writing music notation to provide a sound, theoretical base for the tunes you produce may also serve you well throughout your EDM career or journey.
Understand Music Structure and Arrangement
Music structure and arrangement become even more critical when you understand the basics of music theory and instrument use. You’ve got all this knowledge in your head to use but very little information on how to create full-length songs that have been seamlessly structured and arranged.
There are many sources you can tap into to learn about electronic music composition, but you can also learn by listening to several different EDM artists to see how they composed their pieces. Many EDM producers also become masters of musical structure simply by practicing and listening to feedback.
Learn How to Operate a Digital Audio Workstation
The majority of the music you produce will be on a digital audio workstation (DAW). These workstations are software applications for computers that let you create, edit, and record music. There is an overwhelming number of options, so take your time to read reviews before purchasing one and learning how to use it.
Start Mixing
Mixing is something that you can become good at with time, so there’s no time like the present to get started and produce some of your first electronic dance tracks. Kick and snare will be some of the most crucial elements of the mixing process, followed by drums, bass, and vocals.
Using your other freshly-learned skills like theory and structure, you can begin producing better and better songs that people start to pay attention to.
The beauty of music is that you never stop learning, and electronic dance music is no exception.
Once you familiarize yourself with musical instruments like guitars and begin mixing your very first track, you’ll continuously learn new skills that can take your musical talents from strength to strength.
