Nils
What iz Musik
May 28, 2007
For as long as I can remember, I have loved music. I started off liking hip-hop and eventually grew to enjoy R&B, Jazz, Brazilian, Reggae, and Funk. I learned to appreciate many different genres and not be tied down to just one. Around the age of 13, I felt I had the potential to make my own music. I became interested in Music Generator 3 for PS2. It was cheap and easy to use but I soon wanted a more advanced program. Then I moved up to Magix Music Maker 2005 Deluxe. I used this program for most of the music I put together, moving away from the wav loops and samples, and advancing to drum machines and synthesizers. Although I put together some of my best work using that program, the sound quality was poor and my music would sometimes disappear when re-opening a saved file. Next came Fruity Loops, more expensive but an excellent program I still use. The only problem was the sounds seemed artificial. That was easily fixed by using sound fonts from the internet. I have recently begun using a 71-key Yamaha Piano which I find very easy to come up with melodies. I also use it sometimes to play already created music which I learn by ear.
My school in DC, Wilson SHS, offered a class in computer music. There I learned about MIDI cables, wav files, mixers, Protools, etc. The classroom was a studio, so there was a good deal of hands-on learning. Our final project was to make a song. I produced a beat and other students rapped over it. During the summer, I got a chance to work in a studio with professional equipment. A friend and I made several songs with Magix Music Maker, a mixer, and a keyboard. A few of the beats were exceptionally good. We both rapped verses and performed them at “Busboys & Poets.” Everyone who heard us thought we were professionals. Living in Austria, I became familiar with a wide range of ethnic music while studying at Vienna International School. I recently created a music myspace, where I posted several songs and received lots of positive feedback. (www.myspace.com/headphoneproductions).
I have also begun using samples from old funk/jazz songs. I take parts from a song and compose a beat around the loop. For the most part, I put together a beat from scratch and put a rap or an R&B accapella over it, then put it on the internet or radio as a song. I worked as a DJ for several radio shows while attending VCU, learning to use the mixer and adjust sound levels. My love for music keeps growing and I know that this is what I want to do with my life.
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