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I really don't have much experience with music creation. I am a motion designer (I make computer animation) and want to be able to create some simple beats, loops, simple basic music, etc. for some of my projects. I often work with Audition for editing, but I want to start creating more than just editing. Also, I am on a mac.

So, after some research, I have come to the conclusion that a good and not too expensive way to get going was to:

  1. Buy a simple midi keyboard. I was considering the Arturia Minilab, which seemed like a good and portable solution.

  2. Start with Garage Band to get the basics and then move to Logic Pro X when I will need more power. It looked like a good idea, since they are both designed by Apple and Logic seems to be like a Garage Band for grown ups.

Would these choices make sense?

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Just buy a program that will help you record your music and start! You don't even need a keyboard! (in fact, a keyboard may slow you down because sometimes you won't be able to play what you imagine) You could start with a program like Reason or Cubase and take advantage of VST instruments to write various instruments and drums by programming them.

Start making simple loops and play with melodies over a bass and you will start to get the process of composition.

Also listen to music that you like and try to isolate the bass, the drums and the melodies to see how the songs were built and then try to do something similar yourself.

This is the simplest and the most fun way to get introduced to writing and composing songs. I reccomend practicing an instrument and learning some music theory as well though because they will help you a lot.

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  • Okay thanks. These are some very good tips. On the software part is there any reason you would go with Cubase or Reason instead of Logic?
    – Sébastien Lavoie
    Jul 13, 2016 at 14:36
  • No, not at all. I haven't used Logic so I have no idea what it can do. If It supports VST instruments and some nice maps for drum and keyboard programming, it should be fine
    – papakias
    Jul 13, 2016 at 14:38
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If playing keyboards is your thing, then do not get something too mini. To get good enough at creating music, you are going to have to learn music theory. The best way to learn music theory is to start playing something. Keyboards are good because it is easier to learn music theory on and the learning curve (physical hand movement, placement of notes and chords, etc.) tend to be easier to master than guitar. Many people think, like I did a long time ago, that you can just hook up a midi keyboard to a computer and be on your way. You can to a certain extent but will never get the loop that you want to apply to a specific scenario. It will always feel and sound substandard than if you really know music and can tweak musically with strong theory and playing knowledge.

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with no experience like not having a gcse in music is to get what you think is right for you you dont always need to have a qualification to get good a playing music i would suggest just getting a good keyboard that you can play other sounds with and start of with that

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  • Hello and welcome to Music.SE! Reading over the Sebastian's two items, this question appears to be is about devices/software for creating music. Could you elaborate on your answer--what makes a keyboard good? What are the qualities you would look for in a keyboard so that Sebastian can achieve the goals he has described? Do you recommend a MIDI keyboard (as Sebastian described), or something else? To help readers quickly and easily understand the information in your post, adding in some punctuation would also be really helpful.
    – jdjazz
    Jun 24, 2017 at 22:19

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