Music Production
Your laptop is a recording studio, drop the beat
creativedigitalFree1 hourdifficulty 2/5
Create beats, melodies, and full songs right from your computer. Modern music production software (DAWs) puts professional-grade tools at your fingertips for free. Layer drum patterns, synths, and samples to build tracks that slap. You don't need to know music theory, just drag, drop, and vibe until it sounds right.
How to start
- 1Download a free DAW like BandLab, GarageBand (Mac), or the LMMS open-source DAW
- 2Watch a 'make a beat in 10 minutes' tutorial for your chosen DAW
- 3Experiment with built-in loops and samples to create a simple 4-bar loop
- 4Learn the basics of arrangement: intro, verse, chorus, drop
- 5Export your first track and share it with friends or on SoundCloud
What you'll need
- Computer or tabletEssentialFree
- Free DAW (BandLab/GarageBand/LMMS)EssentialFree
- HeadphonesEssential~$30
- MIDI keyboard controllerNice to have~$50
- Audio interfaceNice to have~$60
Where to learn more
Plot twists
Ways to spice this up when the basics get boring.
- Sample sounds from your kitchen and turn them into a beat
- Produce a track using only your voice and effects
- Make a lo-fi hip hop track to study to
- Remix your favorite song with a totally different genre
- Produce a 1-minute track in under 30 minutes as a speed challenge
ADHD notes
Loop-based production is perfect for ADHD, you get instant audio gratification. No waiting, no setup. Drag in a drum loop and you're already making music within 60 seconds.
Fun fact
Billie Eilish's debut album, which won five Grammys, was produced entirely in a small bedroom using Logic Pro.
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