Top Ten Pieces of Advice for Aspiring Music Producers

The Top Ten
1 Learn music theory

Very important - you don't have to reinvent the wheel.

2 Software/hardware does not matter for the most part

You do not need a lot of expensive gear to make music. Of course, there are a few basic things that are highly recommended for anyone who wants to get into music production. A computer, a DAW, a decent pair of headphones or studio monitors, and preferably a midi keyboard are all things I would recommend to someone just starting out. But with enough patience, you could make something good with Garageband on an iPad if you wanted. If you are just starting out, I'd advise you to not spend a fortune on hardware. You can always upgrade later.

I tried making a song with a really old and dusty piano that I don’t know how to play and it was the worst song ever

3 Practice makes perfect

This is such a good list! It was really helpful and I agree with every item!

4 Google, Youtube, and your DAW's manual are your best friends

Once I make an actually okay song, I might put it on YouTube

5 Don't worry too much about becoming famous
6 Find a group of like-minded producers to receive feedback from
7 Using presets/samples/loops is not inherently "cheating"

Don't cross legal boundaries when using samples, loops, etc. Besides that, don't feel like using presets or samples is "cheating" or makes you a lesser producer in any way, because it does not. I like using presets and samples as a starting place to modify to my liking later.

8 Don't pirate your software
9 Don't compare yourself to others too much
10 Don't be afraid to break the rules

Try crazy and experimental things, they may end up being really creative and original ideas.

The Contenders
11 Don't make metal

Another completely unrelated tip: don't feed trolls

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