A Beginner's Guide on How to PC Music
Read this guide if you want to learn how to make music on personal computers
So you’ve caught the production bug and want to start making music on your computer?
If you’re like me—a musician relatively new to the world of digital production—you’re likely equally excited and overwhelmed by the endless possibilities.
This guide started as a Reddit comment, but after getting some great feedback, I realized there was much more worth digging into. Producing music on a computer, especially within the avant-pop “PC Music” aesthetic, can feel like a daunting journey. But with the right tools, mindset, and a bit of guidance, it can be incredibly rewarding. (:
In this guide, I’ll walk you through key steps and essential resources to start your production journey. If you’re drawn to the idea of striving for a maximal impact with a minimalist setup—just a laptop, speakers, and a microphone—this post will help you get going on your journey to producing music on a computer.
Step 1: Pick a DAW
When it comes to music production, your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) is your home base. It’s where ideas turn into fully-fledged tracks. With so many options out there—Pro Tools, FL Studio, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Cubase, and more—the big question is: which one should you choose?
In my experience, your choice of DAW should boil down to two main factors: price and your role models.
Let’s talk price. If you’re looking for the best value, it’s hard to beat Logic Pro. At just $199, it offers a fully-featured suite of tools because it’s developed by Apple, which prioritizes selling hardware over software. Essentially, Logic Pro is more of a gateway into the Apple ecosystem than a standalone product. The catch? You’ll need a Mac to run it.
Other DAWs are priced higher because they’re sold as standalone products. For example, FL Studio offers four different tiers, ranging from $99 to $539, while Ableton Live has three versions, with the top-tier setting you back a hefty $749. Given these prices, it’s clear why Logic Pro stands out as a great deal—if you’re already in the Apple camp.
The second factor? Who do you want to sound like? Your DAW choice can shape your sonic identity. By picking the same DAW as the producers you admire, you get access to the same stock instruments, effects, and workflows that they use. I personally gravitated toward Logic Pro because it’s the go-to for A. G. Cook and Danny L Harle, two producers whose sound I wanted to emulate. But if you’re more inspired by the sound design of SOPHIE or umru, Ableton Live is likely the better fit.
Once you’ve picked your DAW, the next step is getting comfortable with it. Here’s a two-part approach:
Find one reliable YouTube channel and go deep. If you’re using Logic Pro, I can’t recommend Jono Buchanan’s channel enough—his videos are polished, well-organized, and incredibly detailed.
Use ChatGPT as a quick reference guide. Whenever you’re stuck or want to learn how to do something specific, ask ChatGPT. It’s like having a 24/7 assistant that can provide tips, workflows, and troubleshooting advice in seconds.
Don’t skip the manual. It might not be the most exciting read, but it’s often the quickest way to find shortcuts and solutions to specific issues.
It takes about six months of consistent use before opening your DAW starts feeling as comfortable as entering your bedroom. By then, you’ll know what all the buttons do, and you’ll likely have picked up a few useful shortcuts along the way.
Step 2: Watch the Producers at Work
Once you’re familiar with your DAW, the next step is to learn from the pros. Watching footage of producers you admire at work can be incredibly insightful. While there isn’t a ton of material out there, I’ve compiled a small list of resources that can help.
To start, definitely check out Danny L Harle on Against the Clock. In this video, you’ll see him dragging and dropping samples into his Logic project, experimenting with the Arpeggiator, and selecting presets from third-party plugins like Lennar Digital’s Sylenth1 and reFX’s Nexus 2.
Danny L Harle also offers an online masterclass (via Mix with the Masters) where he breaks down his work on Caroline Polachek’s “Fly to You” (feat. Dido). Although it’s paywalled, I’ve seen it and can’t definitively say whether it’s worth the price, but if you’re a fan, it might be worth considering.
Next, don’t miss the recent interviews A. G. Cook did on the podcast Tape Notes. He explains his creative process on several tracks from BRAT in one episode and explores the making of his album Britpop in another. Here are some YouTube highlights from the podcast:
The full episodes are available on Spotify and other platforms, while the complete video interviews are paywalled on Patreon. I’ve listened to the podcast, and it’s definitely worth it.
Unlike other PC Music producers, SOPHIE cultivated a sense of mystery around her work, almost treating her production as a form of sorcery. However, you can catch a rare glimpse of her creative process in this short documentary on Arte, where you’ll see her using Ableton and the software synth Serum.
Lastly, for the most comprehensive resource, check out umru’s live streams, which he hosted shortly after releasing his EP comfort noise. Originally streamed on Twitch, these sessions are now available on the YouTube channel flashmemories, offering a deep dive into his production techniques.
These are some great starting points for diving into the production styles behind PC Music. If you know of any other resources, feel free to share them in the comments below.
Step 3: Pick a Path
Once you’ve gotten comfortable with your DAW, you’ll notice there are two primary paths in electronic music production: synthesis and sound design or chord-writing and presets. A. G. Cook, in his tribute to SOPHIE, beautifully captured these two specialties:
We were opposites in many ways, and naturally complementary. At that time I was a total MIDI chord and preset junkie, obsessed with layering music and striving for an emotional impact, but essentially terrified of synthesis. Sophie was already a sound design virtuoso and could mould pretty much anything out of thin air, but avoided chords which got in the way of the limited space that the audio spectrum provided. We were intrigued by each other’s approaches and would trade a lot of those skills over the years, but when we worked together we tended towards that original formation, bringing elements together almost instantaneously. My chords, her sounds, done.
In simpler terms, SOPHIE’s genius lay in crafting sounds from scratch, shaping them out of thin air. Music theory and chord-writing were secondary—sound always came first. On the other hand, A. G. Cook focused more on creating emotionally impactful chord progressions, often relying on factory presets for the sounds.
1: Synthesis & Sound Design (The SOPHIE Path)
If you’re drawn to sound creation and sculpting unique tones from the ground up, this is your path. The SOPHIE approach involves mastering the fundamentals of synthesis—oscillators, filters, envelopes, LFOs, and more—to create custom sounds.
Start simple. Your DAW likely comes with basic synthesizers that are perfect for learning the ropes. For example, Logic Pro includes the ES series—classic, pared-down subtractive synths that look a bit like spaceships:
If you want a beginner’s introduction to subtractive synthesis I highly recommend these two videos which explain how oscillators, filters, and the like, function:
Once you’re comfortable with your DAW’s stock synths, consider “graduating” to more advanced third-party options. Here are three essential synths worth exploring:
There’s a wealth of tutorials online for Serum, and the concepts you learn will translate easily to other synths. As you dive deeper, you’ll discover different types of synthesis—wavetable, subtractive, additive, FM, and beyond. If you’re curious about the hardware and software SOPHIE used toward the end of her career, this article is a great resource.
2: MIDI & Presets (The A. G. Cook Path)
If you’re more interested in the emotional impact of chord progressions and melodies, focusing on MIDI and presets might be your route. This approach emphasizes understanding music theory and experimenting with what chords and progressions pull the hearstrings.
If you have some piano knowledge, you’re already a step ahead. The piano roll in your DAW is essentially a digital keyboard with a time component. Start by listening to tracks you’d like to emulate and try to replicate their chords and basslines in the piano roll. A great exercise is to reverse-engineer a song by dragging it into your DAW, syncing it to the grid (BPM), and transcribing the key elements like the bassline, chords, and melody. This method gives you a sense of how the music is built.
When it comes to writing PC Music-style MIDI, here are a few classic techniques:
Using an arpeggiator
Using triplets and syncopated rhythms
Doubling octaves for the bass notes and highest notes
Including Scale Degrees 1 and 5 in your chords
If you want to dive deeper, check out the MIDI from PC Music Volume I and II, available for free download. You can also explore MIDI files for tracks like “Shy,” “Paradise,” and “I.D.L.” in the 7G Deluxe Files. The MIDI for the Britpop track “The Weave” can be found on Wandcamp.
When it comes to what software instrument presets have been used by PC producers, take a look at this masterpost that surfaced some years ago. It lists a ton of presets that PC producers relied on in the early days. You’ll want to be a bit careful about copying them though—best practice is to find your own instruments and look for presets that you like, then make them your own by tweaking the parameters ever so slightly.
A Final Thought
Eventually, you’ll want to become proficient in both synthesis and MIDI/chord writing, but starting with the area that feels more intuitive will prevent overwhelm. Mastering one path first will give you confidence before expanding into the other.
So, which path resonates with you? Let me know in the comments below!
I found this super useful - thanks!