As someone who loves to create music and wants to make a living off of it, understanding how to turn that passion into a sustainable way of living can sometimes be complicated and stressful. There’s no reason why anyone should feel unnecessarily overstimulated when the process can be broken down into a clear and simple guide, especially when building from the ground up. This list displays some of the top five items that are essential to confidently start producing.
1. Hard Drive
The number one thing you need when it comes to music production is storage space to keep your projects backed up in a safe place. Unfortunate things happen to computers, and it’s always a shame to lose everything that you’ve worked so hard on. A portable 1TB Solid State Drive is a great way to start, as SSDs are stable and provide fast performance to ensure a smooth workflow. It also allows your computer to run faster since it frees up internal storage. If you’re looking for a solid option, here’s one you can check out:
2. DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)
DAWs are the powerhouse of today’s music creation. They capture audio and MIDI recordings, allowing for processing effects, editing, and mixing, just to name a few of their capabilities. Two free and beginner-friendly DAWs to use are GarageBand for Apple users and BandLab. Most DAWS are easy to use, however, tutorials on how to use them can be found on YouTube.
3. Studio Monitors/Headphones
Monitors and headphones are great for making sure that you can hear the music accurately, compared to just using your computer’s speakers. It also helps to have them when making mixing decisions. Typically, monitors are better for mixing overall, but for production, headphones are a great starting point. A great budget pair of headphones to start with is linked below:
4. Interface
Interfaces act as bridges between your ideas and your computer. With their included preamps, they keep noise and low-quality audio to a minimum, making it easy to record voice and instruments into clean digital audio with no latency. You can also connect your monitors and headphones with easy access to volume control. Here’s an interface that I love using:
5. MIDI Controller
MIDI controllers are super helpful when it comes to creating music. Instead of having tons of different instruments in your room, you can just have one keyboard that is able to play any virtual instruments. Whether you’re laying down drums, synth, or strings, the process is easy with a MIDI controller, especially for getting a more comfortable feel rather than clicking in each note. Start creating with this controller:
With the right storage, a reliable DAW, accurate monitoring, a solid audio interface, and a MIDI controller, you can create a setup that supports both your creativity and growth. These tools work together to help you record, produce, and refine your music with confidence while keeping your workflow simple and efficient. As your skills develop, this foundation makes it easier to upgrade and expand without starting over.