LWMR Wiki

Beginner FAQ

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Beginner FAQ

Info

The most commonly asked beginner questions from newbie-questions, paired with curated expert answers. This page exists to prevent repeat questions — if you’re new, start here.

Source: 1,173 Q&A pairs extracted from newbie-questions (9,859 messages, Feb 2021 – Feb 2026). All answers come from verified experts or community-endorsed responses (15+ reactions).

Getting Started

Where do I start with music production?

Discord Source — NoahNeedleman (2023-09-22) — 5 reactions

“Everyone is actually self-taught. Curiosity and tenacity are the only skills required. Everything else is a google search away.”

Discord Source — hyanrarvey (2023-05-03) — 9 reactions

“You’ll learn more about mixing by recording an album and then mixing that album than any youtube video or class. Ya gotta do the thing.”

See Getting Started with Music Production for the full guide.

Do I need expensive gear to make good music?

Discord Source — cian riordan (2022-01-01) — 23 reactions (pinned)

“Be critical of everything. Be critical of things that are expensive for the sake of being expensive. Things that are just instagram ads shilling to newbies.”

Discord Source — BatMeckley (2025-08-20) — 18 reactions (pinned)

“Most decent mics CAN get you where you want to go, they just take a little different approach.”

I feel intimidated by how much there is to learn. Is that normal?

Discord Source — Slow Hand (2022-05-28) — 11 reactions

“When you were young and learning your native language, nobody put you in a room and expected you to learn the language by conversing with a bunch of inexperienced two year-olds who couldn’t speak. Instead, you were surrounded by expert speakers and learned through interactions with people who were leagues ahead of you.”

Discord Source — BatMeckley (2022-05-29) — 21 reactions

“No one gives you a plaque that says ‘you’re a producer’ or ‘you’re an artist.’ You just start doing it.”

Monitoring & Headphones

Can I mix on headphones?

Yes, but with caveats. Closed-back headphones are poor for mixing decisions about stereo imaging and low end.

Discord Source — cian riordan (2021-02-16) — 6 reactions

“These are awesome headphones but — like any closed back headphone — it’s going to be hard to get a real sense of how things are going to translate in the real world… especially when it comes to low end.”

Discord Source — Bryan DiMaio (2025-02-16) — 4 reactions

“Better monitoring might just take you from point A to B quicker. If I have to mix on closed backs it ends up being a slower process even if the end result may be similar.”

How do I know if my mix translates?

Discord Source — oaklandmatt (2024-07-25) — 7 reactions

“The ‘car test’ is a staple mostly because both sonically and psychologically, the car is a great counterbalance to the context and precision of the studio.”

I just got new headphones — how long until I can trust them?

Discord Source — Adam Thein (2025-02-18) — 4 reactions

“Swapping headphones feels like getting a new prescription on your glasses. The signatures can be so wildly different and it typically takes me 6-8 weeks of listening to them regularly before I really trust my decisions on them.”

See Reference Mixing and Translation and Sonarworks SoundID for more.

Microphone Selection

What’s a good first microphone?

Expert consensus: an SM57 or SM58 is the most versatile starting point. Budget condensers (AT2020, Rode NT1) work for vocals in a treated room.

Discord Source — oaklandmatt (2021-08-18) — 4 reactions

“SM7 is all I’ve used for things like this and it works great. Anything too fancy and you’re running the risk of a lot of plosives / bad mic technique.”

Discord Source — cian riordan (2025-08-20) — 3 reactions

“I can’t tell an SM7 and SM7b apart.”

Do I need phantom power?

Yes, if you’re using a condenser microphone. Dynamic mics (SM57, SM7B) do not require it. See Phantom Power.

Recording Basics

What is gain staging and why does it matter?

Discord Source — Slow Hand (2022-10-31) — 11 reactions

“Gain staging is about finding the optimal amount of gain at every stage of the recording and mixing process. Good gain staging allows you to get the best fidelity out of a recording by preventing things from creating unwanted distortion or amplifying unwanted noise.”

See Gain Staging for the full explanation.

How loud should I record?

Aim for peaks around -12 to -6 dBFS. You want enough signal to stay well above the noise floor, but enough headroom that loud moments don’t clip.

Discord Source — oaklandmatt (2023-01-27) — 13 reactions

“Always think about what you’re trying to accomplish at any given stage. Then go after that thing specifically.”

Mixing Basics

How do I get started mixing?

Discord Source — cian riordan (2023-07-21) — 21 reactions

“Silly and obvious answer, but it’s the only one I think will really get you there: just do the reps. Mix your stuff, mix your friends’ stuff.”

Discord Source — BatMeckley (2022-05-25) — 13 reactions

“10% skill, 90% people actually wanting to be around you. No matter how well you know compression or EQ, if you’re not in the room you can’t make the music.”

What should I learn first — EQ or compression?

Both are fundamental, but start with EQ. Understanding frequency balance is the foundation of mixing.

Discord Source — Slow Hand (2022-05-18) — 9 reactions

“It comes down to ear training, lots of repetition (mixes), and focused practice. He’s very familiar with the characteristic sound that each frequency zone imparts on a given instrument.”

See Compression Techniques and Mixing in the DAW.

How do I make my mix louder?

Discord Source — Nomograph Mastering (2024-08-13) — 12 reactions

“Most of your perceived loudness comes from the arrangement and mid range focus (2k to 8k). Too much low end will sound bad when you limit. Make sure the relationship between 80, 160 and 320 makes sense.”

Vocal Production

What’s a good beginner vocal chain?

Discord Source — BatMeckley (2024-10-20) — 4 reactions

“Bounce all your vocals from beat 1. Make a stereo instrumental bounce. Open up standalone. Put the aforementioned bounces in the session. Tune and de-ess and re-consonant and time to your hearts content.”

How do I improve my vocal recordings?

Discord Source — oaklandmatt (2025-08-26) — 6 reactions

“1. Sing a lot every day. If you don’t, no other advice matters. 2. Hire a decent vocal coach and do a few sessions.”

Discord Source — chrissorem (2024-10-23) — 6 reactions

“Most people hear tuning/intonation better with a bass element in the mix. If I’m tuning multiple vocals, I tune the lead and mute other melodic instruments that might be distracting.”

See Vocal Chain and Vocal Mixing.

Gear Recommendations

What audio interface should I buy?

For beginners, the community consistently recommends:

  • Budget: Focusrite Scarlett Solo/2i2, PreSonus AudioBox
  • Mid-range: Audient iD14, MOTU M2/M4, SSL2+
  • Investment: Universal Audio Apollo Solo, RME Babyface

Discord Source — oaklandmatt (2021-02-16) — 7 reactions

“There’s no gear that will make you a better musician or engineer. The gear is just a tool. The most important things are: 1) your ears 2) your taste 3) your work ethic.”

See Budget Gear Guide for full recommendations.

Plugin Recommendations

What plugins should a beginner get?

Expert consensus: start with your DAW’s stock plugins. They’re more than capable.

Discord Source — Slow Hand (2022-11-24) — 11 reactions

“I would rule out the Izotope production bundle. I think Izotope is the least musical and hit-or-miss of the options.”

Discord Source — Rollmottle (2022-11-24) — 8 reactions

“For production and mixing, Soundtoys all the way. For finishing, my money would go to FabFilter.”

When you’re ready to expand beyond stock:

  • FabFilter Pro-Q — surgical EQ (see FabFilter)
  • Soundtoys — creative effects (see Soundtoys)
  • Analog Obsession — free analog-modeled plugins
  • Tokyo Dawn Labs — free compressors and EQs

DAW Workflow

Which DAW is “the best”?

None. They all do the same fundamental things. Pick one based on your genre and workflow preferences.

Discord Source — Ross Fortune (2024-07-18) — 8 reactions

“Solidarity with my pro tools brothers and sisters who find themselves in Logic and keep recording every time they try to zoom out.”

See DAW Comparison for detailed discussion.

Mastering Basics

How loud should my master be?

Discord Source — Nomograph Mastering (2022-10-22) — 59 reactions (pinned)

“If I was asked ‘What sample rate should people make records at in 2022?’ And was forced to choose then the answer would be 48k.”

For loudness targets, the expert guidance is:

  • Streaming: -14 LUFS integrated is Spotify’s normalization target, but many masters are louder
  • Don’t chase a number — focus on the music sounding good
  • Leave headroom — -1 dBTP true peak ceiling for streaming

Discord Source — LAPhill (2023-07-26) — 18 reactions (pinned)

“This is such an important lesson to anyone following along who’s either a mixer or especially a mastering engineer. You can send someone spiraling with doubt based off of one comment.”

See LUFS, Mastering Workflows, and Loudness Normalization.

Should I master my own music?

If you’re learning, yes — it builds understanding. For releases, consider hiring a mastering engineer.

Discord Source — cian riordan (2024-07-27) — 13 reactions

“Every time I sit down and fire up Spotify to listen to some new music, the first thought that enters my head isn’t ‘I wonder how these folks managed their drum editing?‘”

Music Theory & Arrangement

Do I need to know music theory?

It helps but isn’t required. Many successful producers learn theory informally through practice.

Discord Source — BatMeckley (2024-01-17) — 24 reactions

“A great writer’s block technique is to just drop a song you dig into your DAW and use it as a kind of scaffold. Build on top of it, find your own melodies and ideas, then remove the original.”

Discord Source — Rollmottle (2023-12-16) — 11 reactions

“I have a couple distinct phases of my workflow. The ‘technical’ phase is all about letting my brain objectively search for the very specific kinds of things that are distracting.”

Career & Learning

How do I get clients?

Discord Source — cian riordan (2024-06-18) — 13 reactions

“Start thinking about the ‘work’ that brings the least value to your career (and your life) and figure out ways to get that off your docket.”

Discord Source — cian riordan (2023-02-01) — 16 reactions

“I would rather be slammed busy mixing below my ideal rate than making a higher rate doing less work. I realize it’s silly, but I take comfort in staying busy and keeping my ‘pirate ship’ afloat.”

Should I go to audio school?

Discord Source — cian riordan (2024-01-09) — 5 reactions (pinned)

“I started getting serious about recording while I was in college (studying chemistry). I was playing bass in a band at the time and I was the only one who could figure out how to hook up a computer to an interface.”

See Music Business Pricing and Rates and Marketing and Networking for Engineers.

File Management

What format should I deliver files in?

WAV, 24-bit, at the session’s native sample rate. Label clearly.

Discord Source — cian riordan (2022-06-28) — 16 reactions

“I say ‘stems’, because that’s what we fucking call everything now apparently.”

Discord Source — cian riordan (2023-01-20) — 13 reactions (pinned)

“If you change the zero to a 1 at the end of a Dropbox link, it defaults to download when you send it out.”

See Audio File Management and Bounce and Export Workflows.

Acoustic Treatment

Does acoustic foam work?

No. Thin foam only absorbs high frequencies, creating an unbalanced, boxy room.

Discord Source — cian riordan (2022-01-01) — 23 reactions (pinned)

“Recommending a 4k converter based on ‘audible conversion quality’ isn’t helpful if the consumer doesn’t have a million other ducks in a row first — room treatment, adequate monitoring, proper gainstaging.”

See Acoustic Treatment Guide for what actually works.

Troubleshooting

Why am I getting clicks, pops, or crackles?

Usually a Buffer Size issue. Increase your buffer size during mixing (512 or 1024 samples). Use a lower buffer (64-128) only when tracking with monitoring through the DAW.

I’m getting a hum or buzz in my recordings

Likely a Ground Loop. Try:

  1. Plugging all audio gear into the same power strip
  2. Using a DI Box with ground lift
  3. Checking cable connections

Discord Source — BatMeckley (2022-06-23) — 12 reactions

“I would open up the UAD console, go over to line inputs, check for cue, then chuck the interface out the window of a moving vehicle. Hardware inserts not their forte unless you love phasing or time alignment issues.”

See Troubleshooting DAW Issues for more.

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