Creating music used to be a daunting endeavor, requiring a professional recording studio and expert assistance in order to produce something high-quality. Today, the game has changed dramatically. Now, things like computers, mics, and music production software are much more accessible, meaning that almost anyone can transform their bedroom into a recording studio. Steve Lacy, the musician behind the popular songs “Dark Red” and “Bad Habit”, began his music production journey at just 15 with a high school jazz bandmate. Two years later, using only headphones, an iPhone, and the free music app GarageBand, Lacy produced Kendrick Lamar’s “PRIDE,” which now has 679 million Spotify streams. His success story proves that with minimal equipment, time, dedication, and talent, anyone can create chart-topping music.
In addition to GarageBand, numerous other Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) offer enhanced capabilities, often at a fraction of the cost of a professional recording studio. FL Studio, one of the most popular DAWs, provides several plugins and presets that elevate your music’s uniqueness and quality. The price of FL studio ranges between $100-$500 depending on the version you get. FL Studio is a favorite among artists and producers like Metro Boomin, who has worked with major names such as 21 Savage, Kendrick Lamar, and Future. Other acclaimed artists, including Tyler the Creator, Childish Gambino, and Billie Eilish, use DAWs like FL Studio, Ableton Live, and Logic Pro X. With a laptop and some investment, these powerful tools are accessible to anyone aspiring to create professional-grade music.
The internet has revolutionized the way musicians collaborate. Platforms like SoundCloud, Bandcamp, and YouTube allow artists to share their work with a global audience. Collaboration tools like Splice and online communities make it easy to work with other musicians and producers from around the world, all from your home studio. This global connectivity opens up endless possibilities for creative partnerships and exposure. It also means that learning the skill of music production is much easier; there are countless YouTube tutorials for any DAW out there. If you want to take inspiration from a musician, there are even tutorials explaining how to make beats in the style of a specific artist.
So if you want to make music, what’s stopping you? The world of music is more accessible than ever before, you can make the next song of the summer all from your bedroom. Whether you dream of topping the charts or you simply want to express yourself through music, there’s never been a better time to dive into music production. With dedication, creativity, and the vast resources available online, there are no limits to who can and can’t make music.
