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How to Make Music on Your Computer

By Elizabeth Wasserman

These days, when guitar teacher Tomas Cataldo instructs students in Westchester County, N.Y., he often brings along a computer in addition to a musical instrument. Using GarageBand, Apple's free music program for Macs, Cataldo can have different instruments play “backup” via his computer so that his live guitar students aren't playing solo.

"Within a lesson, I'll use it to teach guitar. For instance, if I'm teaching a student how to play a bit of a rhythm, I can quickly set up something to add a bass guitar and drums -- then they're playing with a band," says Cataldo, a professional musician who also composes commercial music.

In other words, your computer can be more than just a gateway to the Internet or a tool to help your kids write term papers; it can also be your very own music studio. With the help of a few software programs and web sites, all the tools you need to compose music, play instruments, record songs and mix sound can be at your fingertips. Here's how to use software and web tools to learn -- or teach your children -- how to make your own tracks.

Step No. 1: Find what you need to make music
If you bought a computer in the past few years, you might already have the basic equipment to get started making music. Here’s what you’ll need, along with options for those who want a more professional sound:

• The right computer Russell Dean Vines, author of Composing Digital Music for Dummies (For Dummies 2008), says that Macs have traditionally been the best computer for composing and recording music. That reputation has been helped by the availability of music-oriented software programs designed for the Mac, such as GarageBand. However, because of the popularity of Microsoft Windows, there is more music-making software available for your PC these days, Vines says. He recommends using a newer PC with either Windows XP or Vista operating systems, a core duo processor, a CD/DVD drive and a lot of computer memory (aka RAM) because music files tend to be large.

• Sound card Most computers come with sound cards these days, but most also aren't geared for making -- or playing -- music. Vines suggests upgrading to a higher-quality sound card if you want to experiment with music. The sound card should be ASIO-compatible. ASIO stands for Audio Stream Input/Output, which expands on the basic capabilities of run-of-the-mill sound cards. The ASIO standard is also being used in software and can allow users to record more tracks at the same time.

• Microphone To record vocals or your own nonelectric instruments, such as an acoustic guitar, you will want a microphone that plugs into your computer. Most computers today have built-in microphones, but again, those are not necessarily high quality. For better sound and recordings, Cataldo recommends upgrading to at least a dynamic microphone, which can run from a low of $90 and up. If you're a more sophisticated musician and you want to record a live band, for example, you may want to upgrade to an audio interface. An audio interface is a stand-alone hardware unit with several audio inputs and outputs that plugs into your computer with a USB or firewire.

• Software While some web sites exist to help children write simple musical numbers that can be played back, aspiring adult musicians will likely need to invest in a type of software tool called a digital audio workstation (DAW). Many DAW programs give you the tools of professional recording studios right in your home computer. For example, with DAW you can get the ability to record and edit audio or record and edit Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) data, the latter of which allows you to synchronize your electronic instruments and computer-generated music. Some examples of DAW programs include GarageBand, Digidesign's Pro Tools, Apple's Logic Pro, MOTU's Digital Performer, Steinberg's Cubase, Cakewalk Sonar and Ableton Live.

Step No. 2: Compose your own tunes
If you have a melody in mind, you can use several programs to learn how to write music on the computer. For those of you with some musical training, Vines suggests two music notation software programs, Sibelius and Finale, which are used by professionals to create scores involving multiple instruments. Using these programs, with a few clicks of the mouse, you can transpose parts of your composition and make sure the instruments are all in the right keys and register.

For helping your children learn to write music, there are other software and web tools. FlexiMusic Kids Composer, which is created for the Windows platform, runs at $15 and has a "pick, paint and play" style interface to help children learn to compose and record music. Creating Music is a free web site, created by electronic music pioneer Morton Subotnick, that allows children to "sketch" out a composition by clicking on a pencil and making a few dots on an open scale. With the help of Apple's QuickTime program, which is free to download on the web, you can then listen back to your child's composition, speed it up or try different instruments. The site also features games that children can play to get exposed to the different qualities in music, such as tempo, dynamics and notation.

Step No. 3: Record and mix tracks
It used to be that recording studios were equipped with very expensive hardware -- recording devices, mixing boards and sequencers. But as the computer revolution occurred, software started replacing many of these hardware components in the music production business. Today, a DAW can often provide even the professionals who make radio hits with the tools they need to make music.

GarageBand, for example, comes with dozens of samples of synthesized instruments that allow you to use your keyboard and make it sound like a trumpet, trombone, violin or another instrument. You can also use these programs to add a drum loop or rhythm track. Some DAWs are cross-platform, such as Cubase, and provide all the tools you need to record your music, mix and edit your tracks, and add these loops and other sounds, Vines says. He adds that two popular programs for recording and mixing music are Reason and Ableton, both of which can be used for mixing a variety of tracks. "It's a virtual studio," Vines says.

Step No.4: Publish your music
If you go to all the trouble to make original music, you’ll most likely want others to hear your songs. A variety of web sites let you upload music files and "self-publish" your music. Check out sites such as Publish My Music, LuLu, CDBaby, and CreateSpace. Some sites let you post your music online, and you can decide how much to charge for your songs or whether to give your music away for free. Other sites help you burn CDs of your music and price and then sell those to the public.

A word of caution to parents: When it comes to your kids, make sure that you check out music publishing sites in advance because some contain songs with lyrics that are not appropriate for children. Also, for information about copyrights and royalties, consider contacting one of the performing rights organizations in the U.S., such as ASCAP, BMI and SESAC.

The computer may be blurring the line between professional and aspiring musicians these days, but Cataldo knows one thing for certain: When it comes to teaching a student how to play guitar, playing with a computer-generated band -- sometimes nothing more than a drum loop and virtual bass -- can be "a lot more motivational."