From Pen to Production:
Unleashing the Power of Music Production for the Songwriter
Americanafest 2024
Starter Resources
In this panel, songwriters explore the music production tools that can elevate their creative process and enhance the impact of their work. Led by industry experts, seasoned music producers and working songwriter-artists, this panel will provide an understanding of how to get started in a DAW, how to grow from DIY engineer-producers to an empowered creator, and how to stay on top of current sonic industry trends. We plan to share and discuss the positive impact that even a basic knowledge of music production can have as artists move through their own productions.
We aim to make music production feel less intimidating and out of reach by showing how to bridge the gap between songwriting and production tools, highlighting technical resources and delving into how implementing those can propel a career forward.
Kyshona Armstrong
Rachael Moore
Helena Hallberg
Mary Bragg
LEARNING
Alex Wong
Microphones
Interfaces
Starter Bundles
Hardware
Hardware refers to physical equipment used in music production, such as microphones, audio interfaces and studio gear.
Software
DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)
A software application that allows musicians and producers to record, edit, and mix audio tracks on a computer.
Some popular DAWs:
Logic X (Apple)
Ableton Live (Apple/ Microsoft)
Soundtrap (cloud-based)
ProTools (Apple/Microsoft)
Plugins
Software components that can be added to a DAW to enhance its functionality, providing additional virtual instruments, effects, and processing capabilities.
Templates for your DAW
Using and creating templates within your DAW can shorten your set-up time significantly, so you can get right to recording. When making your own template, here are a few things you can keep in mind when creating your template:
How many tracks to you usually use?
What does your preferred plug-in processing chain on a track look like? (as a standard I have an EQ and a compressor on each one of my tracks)
Color-coding each instrument can increase visibility and make your project easier to navigate.
Pre-made templates are a great place to start: