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Electronic Music Production Dictionary

DICTIONARY KEYWORD SEARCH

Click on the blue dictionary terms to see all tutorials and articles about a topic.


(Key Concept)

Samples are audio recordings used to create larger music productions. Virtually every type of instrument and effect has been recorded and is available in sample form.

Some forms of electronic music are intrinsically linked to samples. Hip-hop, rap, and house music are often produced using sampled material. Often, the legality of sampling causes headaches for electronic music producers.

There are large sample CD collections with genre-specific samples. You can use these to assist your music production. Some major producers use nothing but samples to create their work.

Sampling

Sampling is the art of creating samples.

Sequencing is the art of arranging MIDI and audio notes. This skill can be improved by copying other artist's patterns (a.k.a. transcription), studying music theory, and learning to use arrangement plugins.

Side chain inputs are used to feed an additional audio (or MIDI) signal into an effect or instrument. When most people refer to "sidechaining", they are usually talking about side chain compression. This is a popular dance music technique that produces a "push/pull" ducking sound.

A skin editor allows to you build your own custom skins. SonicTransfer released the world's first Ableton Live Skin Editor in 2006.

A skin library contains a collection of installable skins for music software.

Skins allow you to change the look and feel of software. It can be useful to skin your music software for easier viewing during long work sessions and live performance.

The SonicTransfer Ableton Live Skin Library provides an enormous collection of Ableton Live Skins. Ableton Live Skins can be used to change the colors used by in Live.

The process of songwriting involves either creating lyrics or melody, or both. Songwriting is typically contrasted with the recording, mixing, and mastering phases of productions.

A spectral analyzer allows you to see the frequencies used by an audio signal. This tool, in combination with a filter or EQ, allows you to visually sculpt audio frequencies. It is an essential mixing tool for electronic music producers.

Song structure is a song's composition and arrangement. It is a general term that can refer to both the very small details in addition to the overall progression. Song structure analysis is a good way to improve your songwriting abilities. The study of song structure is part of music theory.

Sub bass is a term used to describe frequencies below 90hz. They are often used in dance music to fill up the low end of a song. A subwoofer is generally required to actually reproduce sub-bass frequencies. They are generally felt more than heard.


(Key Concept)

(a.k.a. Channel Group, Subgroup) Submixing occurs when several audio tracks are fed into a new track within a mixer. This new submix track can then be used to apply volume, panning, and effects to all of the inputs tracks at the same time. This is a very efficient method of mixing. Submixes are essential for drum and bass mixing. (See "Submixing" and "Kick Drum & Bass Mixing Techniques" in Premium).

(A.k.a. shuffle, groove). Swing is used to introduce a rhythmic delay in between notes. Most often, this delay occurs between 16th notes. Swing is a vital element of most types of dance music.

Synthesizers (a.k.a. synths) are used to create completely electronic sounds. In some cases, they are used to create all the sounds in a song. Synths typically feature oscillators, filters, amplifiers, LFO's, and effects units.
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