5 Tips for Music production beginners: End.User

Lynn Standafer, better known as End.User, has gone on to release 9 official full length LP’s, numerous singles, and create a wealth of remixes for artists spanning a wide range of genres including metal, hip-hop, industrial, and breakcore.  

Q.How to choose the DAW that suits me?

To me it’s about using anything that you feel comfortable with, both from a workflow perspective and also something that will allow you to easily collaborate with others if that’s something you want to do.

I have been using trackers for years which allowed me to easily send one file to people that wanted to work together, but when I wanted to collaborate with people in other software I had to bounce stems or use sample kits from the track. Over the last few years I have been using Ableton more and rewiring renoise into it - which allows me to use some of the detail-based features that I like in renoise and then use the sequencer in Ableton for more of the overall arrangement.

Q.What should I get next after buying a DAW? 

I move around a lot, so to me headphones were always a priority when working on the road. I can write on my mobile setup and then when I have access to a studio or when I’m back home I can mix things down.

After buying a DAW I think the most important thing is to check out tutorials or work with a friend who can show you the ropes. Also check out what effects and instruments come native in the software first before jumping into the VST world and overwhelming yourself with tons of stuff that you may be able to achieve out of the box.

Q.What is the practice method of making songs? 

It comes down to the user and also the song. I go back and forth depending on where the idea comes from. Lately I make more of the overall song structure and then go back in to add details. I used to do the opposite and jump right in just making a bunch of crazy edits and building around it. I’m sure that will change over time with everyone. You never want to get bored when creating and you never want to push yourself to do things a certain way. Being flexible with your writing process is necessary I think.

Q.What is your recommended Sample Pack or FREE material?

A lot of artists release free packs on their bandcamp, and I’m also a fan of ISR sample packs and Fragment audio. I’m currently working on one for ISR, which will be available on Splice as well, which is a monthly subscription service for downloading single samples from a pack rather than the entire library. Its good for finding single hits you may need like drum hits or a specific instrument. If you need an accordion in a specific key, you can probably find it there. They also have synth presets / patches for a lot of software synths.

Q.How to keep enjoy music production?

I’d say never stick to the same sound or writing process. Never be to hard on yourself and work on a few things at once. If you get bored or stuck, try to remix someone else’s work. There are so many resources out there for collaboration now, it’s always a great way to try new things and learn.