How To Make Music In Soundtrap

You’ve got great taste, plenty of ideas, and a desire to make something great - but getting those ideas into motion is the tricky bit. Nowadays, there are a mountain of resources available for learning Music Production and how to be a top producer. The problem is, where to start?

With Soundtrap, things are made accessible for everyone. This guide will run through how to get started making your first piece of music using Soundtrap. It’ll go through everything, from where to start, onto how you can progress. Let’s get started!

Project Page Overview

When you log into Soundtrap, you'll find a user-friendly navigation bar on the left side, allowing easy access to various sections such as Projects, Messages, Podcasts, Learn, and Soundtrap for Education (available for school accounts only).

Key Features

• Soundtrap Originals: At the bottom left, you’ll see the latest release of Soundtrap Originals, featuring bi-weekly Sound Packs in diverse genres. Feel free to suggest new genres or styles!

• Demo Projects: In the top right corner, explore a selection of demo projects. These are valuable resources for learning about music composition, loops, and arrangement best practices. They serve as excellent inspiration for your own creations.

• Collaboration & Recent Projects: Below the demo projects, you’ll find collaboration invitations and recent projects, followed by your complete projects page.

Enter Studio Options

When entering the studio, you have two main options:

• Music: This mode organizes your session into beats and bars, essential for arranging loops and tracks. Ensure you choose this option if you plan to record, as samples and loops will align to the grid.

• Podcast: This option measures time in a more straightforward manner, suitable for podcasting or freeform recording.

Additionally, there’s a Demo Project tab, where you can access all demo tracks from the Soundtrap Originals packs to experiment with.

Making Music

The Arrangement Window

The arrangement window is where all the magic happens. It’s here you’ll be able to make music, record podcasts and bring your ideas to life. It’s arguably the most important part, so keep this guide handy for future reference!

Overview of the Studio Interface

• Transport Bar (Bottom):

  • Controls playback and recording (Play, Record, Restart, Stop).

  • Adjust the Master Volume (note: this won’t affect exported files).

  • Set Tempo, Key, and use the Metronome for recording timing. You can also set a count-in. 

• Track Headers (Left Side):

  • Add new tracks by clicking + Add New Track.

  • Use Record Enable to determine which track will record.

  • Use Automation Lane to automate effects over time (e.g., fade-outs, sweeps).

  • Solo and Mute buttons help isolate or silence tracks during playback.

Working in the Arrange Window

• Arrange Window (Main Area):

  • This is where your tracks and regions (red segments of audio) are displayed.

  • Use the Loop Bar to loop specific sections of your project.

• Snap to Grid:

  • Allows you to align your edits to the grid for precise timing.

  • Adjust the grid size or turn it off for freeform editing.

Working with Software Instruments & MIDI

• Use the Patterns Beatmaker for step-sequencing drum beats.

• Play Synth: Use your computer keyboard or a MIDI controller to play virtual instruments.

• Chord Features: Soundtrap automatically adjusts chords to your project’s key, allowing you to play and experiment easily.

• Piano Roll: Edit MIDI notes, adjust their pitch, duration, and velocity (how hard the notes are played).

Adding Tracks

• Click Add New Track and select your instrument (e.g., Grand Piano).

• You can add multiple tracks for different instruments or audio recordings.

Using Loops

• Click Browse for Loops to open the loop library.

• Soundtrap Originals offer pre-made loops that can be filtered by instrument or genre, with the stems separated from the instrumental tracks. 

• You can search for specific sounds, like sound effects (e.g., dog barks) using keywords. Soundtrap has an amazing integrated library with Freesound, so the possibilities are endless. 

Recording & Collaborating

• Collaboration: Invite collaborators by sending them a link or email. You can also video chat while working together, and your collaborators can listen in to what you’re making. 

• You can make comments on certain tracks and regions. 

• Recording: Set your microphone and calibrate it to ensure proper recording levels.

  • Go to Settings > MIDI Settings to set up your MIDI controller for playing virtual instruments.

Using Effects

Soundtrap offers various effects to enhance your tracks. These effects are categorized:

• Distortions (Purple): Add grit or overdrive.

• Modulations (Pink): Modulating means moving over time. These time-based effects include auto-pan or auto sidechain. 

• Space Effects (Blue): Delays and reverb to add depth.

• Equalizers/Compressors (Yellow): Fine-tune your sound.

• Utility Effects (Green): Specialized effects like noise gates and vocal clarity.

To add effects:

• Select a track and go to the FX section.

• Add, remove, or reorder effects in the Effects Rack.

• Adjust the Mix of dry (unaffected) and wet (processed) signals for each effect.

• EQing your FX will only affect the wet signal. 

• Turn the FX on using the on button, remove them by using the cross, and click and drag the knob clockwise or anticlockwise to increase or decrease the amount of wet signal. 

• You can also change the order of your signal chain by dragging and dropping the effects to different places.

Exporting Your Project

Once you’re ready to export your project:

• Click Export in the upper-right corner.

• Choose between MP3, WAV, OGG, or MIDI formats.

• Enable or disable Automastering (Soundtrap’s built-in mastering feature) based on your needs.

Using Presets

• Soundtrap offers presets for instruments and effects that you can quickly apply to tracks.

• You can also save your own custom presets by going to Save Preset after making adjustments.

Pro Tips

• Use Loop Bar: For refining specific sections of your song or podcast, looping is essential.

• Snap to Grid: Keep it on for precise editing, especially when working with MIDI or loops.

• Use Collaboration Features: Make use of the integrated video chat for live collaboration with others.

• Calibrate Microphone: Ensure that your mic’s levels are correctly set to avoid distorted recordings.

Advanced Features:

• Automation: Automate effects like volume fades or panning.

• MIDI Editing: Use the piano roll to perfect your performance.

• Automastering: Once you feel confident, you can take automastering off and pass on your polished tracks to the mastering engineer. 

Conclusion

So there you have it! A comprehensive guide to making music in Soundtrap. Feel free to save this guide to use in the future, in conjunction with the Soundtrap 101 video! 

About the author

Max McLellan is a composer, songwriter, and audio engineer with credits ranging across film, TV and radio. He provides composition, mixing, and mastering services through his company MKM Audio.