That leads to something I call “option anxious”. Not always more is better. Many of the greatest electronica productions were created with a restricted range of tools. These are all early works of Brian Eno. Or William Orbit’s Strange Cargo Series, which was made before anyone knew how to sequence on a computer.
That music was great partly because of the limitations it had to work with. There were only a handful of synthesizers and limited sound options. Sometimes less IS more.
There are a few major electronic music platforms available today, such as Reason, Logic, Cubase and Logic. However, each platform suffers greatly from choice overload. You don’t have to know what kinda sound you want before you start creating a track.
In other words: Knowing your goals before you start is half of it. The other half of the job is to learn how to do it. While this can take a lot of time, you will find many tutorials on all the major platforms. Youtube videos, blogs, and forums all add to the wide range of self-training options available. Compare it with the old processes, and the digital age will win.
Another advantage to electronica music production today is that you can “try before purchasing”. Each of these producers have a downloadable version of the program. You can download the demos quickly and test them before you purchase, provided that you have internet access. Take your future software for a test drive. This is crucial as you’re about to put a significant amount of your time and money into it.
After having used Reason for about four years, a friend recommended Ableton Live. I was stubbornly determined to keep my ways. Ableton took me several more years to get used to. I was so struck by the feeling of synthesis, that I regretted not giving Ableton a closer look when it first appeared to me three years prior. My production process has accelerated three-fold. These days, I rarely, or never, crack open Reason.
But that doesn’t mean Ableton is better than Reason. Many things come down to personal choice. But you need to make sure that you choose wisely. You can try the demos and talk to people who love that particular platform. You can then DIVE IN.
The end of the day… less talking, more dancing