Cheap Hardware
The opposite of what you see in the magazines! Get down to the local second-hand music shop and see what they've got. The weirder the better - a random old bass guitar amplifier is great for running your drum track through to get a crunchy lo-fi edge. Guitar pedals offer a wealth of options - distortion and overdrive for those filthy basses, delays for pads and drones, envelope filters for inspiring new sounds. If you find something really strange looking, pounce - it could be the thing that gives your tracks that distinctive sound you've always been looking for! If not, you can always put it on Ebay and make your money back...
Get A Microphone
Great microphones don't come cheap, but decent ones can. Companies like Red5 Audio can supply surprisingly good condenser and dynamic microphones for less than £50, leaving you with enough cash left over to buy a couple of cheap shakers and tambourines. Then you can get busy making your own unique percussion loops, start recording some crazy found sounds, or even get a local singer or MC in to start getting some decent vocals into your tracks. It doesn't need to be a full vocal - just start making some loops and chops!
Go and buy some music. That's what this one is all about - as a music fan you probably do that anyway but by broadening your horizons you can really get some fresh ideas going. If you're a vinyl junkie then get down to the local second hand shop and start digging, especially in genres you generally don't listen to. If you don't do wax then just get on Amazon and buy yourself a couple of those 3-disc compilations - Greatest Motown Hits, Latin Jazz For Beginners, Blaxploitation Soundtrack Classics - anything like that. This way, not only are you exposing yourself to a new genre which may give you some new ideas, but also giving yourself the chance to learn more about how great music works. What makes those Motown records so catchy? How did those soundtrack guys get such an exciting sound out of just a few violins? By learning from the best, you can discover new musical techniques to take into your own productions. And even better, you also get a stack of classic tunes to sample!
Knowledge Is The Key
Speaking of learning, one of the best things you can do to improve your music-making skills is to take some music instrument lessons. Whether it's guitar, piano, or anything else doesn't matter so much (although of course brushing up on your keyboard skills will help no end when jamming out riffs on the MIDI controller keyboard) – just learning more about the nuts and bolts of music will give you an insight into the basics of melody, harmony and how things fit together. Fifty quid won't get you to Carnegie Hall, but it should be enough for a few weeks of 30 minute lessons. Combine that with some daily practise and you'll be surprised how much difference it can make...
Free Plugins
Apparently, there are even some free software plugins for your DAW out there! OK, so this isn't going to be news to many, but there really are some gems to be had out there. From old favourites like the Kjaerhus processing suite and Yohng's W1 Limiter to newer pretenders like Scythe, which is a DAW port of the popular iPad synth Grainbender, you'll always be able to find something that fits neatly with your requirements. Check out our new Plugins site where you can get top plugin Oscillator for FREE! Grab it here.
Hopefully these tips will help even the most cash-strapped producers out there, and remind us that you don't need the best, most expensive kit to write great music!
