I’m in the same boat as you and if you hadn’t posted this, I would have. The replies to this post are worth their (bit) weight in gold. Absolute kudos and many, many thanks to everyone commenting here. <3

Hi.

So what I’m going to tell you is just my opinion. I’m no professional, though one of my projects peaked at 9k monthly listeners. And I’m also using Linux exclusively.

If I were you, I would start with arranging samples and sound designing them together. Get free sample packs at cymatics.fm and either ardour (free open source), reaper (closed source nagware) or bitwig studio (the demo to try if you like it, it is somewhat expensive but a great daw very similar to ableton.

Get all the free native linux plugins you can get, especially the ones from the linux studio project, vital, helm, surge-xt, cardinal, rough rider 2, master_me, tis-lea 1294, chow tape, byod and maybe some others i forgot. Your fistro might have a package group or a metapackage, arch linux has one, i think proaudio is the name.

Try to match up the different samples, look for key (Amin, Cmaj and stuff like that, you will learn later what that means) and use samples in the same key. Examine drum loops and try to build them with undividual samples.try making your own drum loops. Try things you know from listening, like snare build ups, risers, etc.

Become familiar with effects and what they do. You should know what EQ, Compressor, Limiter, Reverb, Delay and Saturation are and how to use them on a rudimentary level.

Then you should learn the basics of music theory. I will add some links later on, but I already know, that there are great videos from underdog school for electronic music. Oscar explains this and other thing really well and has generally really high quality videos that will help you a lot. He focuses on techno and electronic music in general, but there is a lot to learn regardless of genre.

Then you can learn sound synthesis, if you want. But there are shittons of free samples and presets out there, just look at bedroomproducerblog for plugins (you can run yabridge to use windows vsts) and freesamplepacks (or else) for samples.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to contact me.

Edit: Links from Oscars youtube channel, these are important ones but imo every video on his channel is worthwhile:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcjT7zgs6cs
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLI3TZB9lpg
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu0zpa7OiYA
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqtD1ufCYps

Edit2: Here is a Ardour Tutorial from unfa, he makes music on Linux and FOSS mainly on his channel, lots of tutorials, tips and tricks regarding that:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfTAKv4htDE

Okay, so there’s hardware, software, and skills to learn. I’ll briefly explore each one.

Hardware:

• You want a computer with an i7 processor, min 16GB of RAM, and an SSD drive. The computer should be newer than 5 years old preferably but in truth you can still do a lot with an 8-10 year old machine.

• A USB audio interface with 24\192 specs is a good idea but not required. It works as an external soundcard. If you use it, make sure your DAW has the

• Good monitoring headphones and\or speakers.

Software:

I use a DAW with piano roll for writing midi tracks that run through VST instrument plugins and fx. If you’re using linux then you can set up something more complicated and home made with the jack audio system, but that’s really not the best way IMO.

• DAW: I use Reaper because it lets me do time signature changes. But I like the piano roll in FLStudio more. I know Reaper runs on linux.

• Drum machine or sampler VST: I use a sampler and load individual drum hit samples so that each key in the piano roll (midi track) is a drum hit, so I can write drum loops instead of melodies. This is the most fun part of the process for me. On windows I used the tx16wx but on Linux I haven’t discovered any that I like as much (tell me if you find a great one!).

• Synth VSTs: you can find many free or paid ones on kvaudio or plugin boutique. Again my faves are not available for linux. Make sure you search for linux compatible ones. Again, load the vst onto the track and then write your melody loops in the midi piano roll.

• FX VSTs: apply them to your instrument tracks. It’s easy to go overboard here.

• Drum samples. I never use somebody else’s loops, but I do like to buy kits of samples in WAV format. I usually have one heavy/metal kit and another jazz kit. Load the samples into a sampler or drum machine and save the kit.

Skills:

• Writing melodies: pick a musical scale for each track. Use the same scale across all melodic tracks (bass, lead synth, etc). Some DAWs allow you to apply a scale in the piano roll.

• Writing drum loops: study rhythmic structures. Pay attention to what the high hats, snares, and kicks are doing. Drums and snares make the beat. HH often make the rhythm.

• Mixing/mastering: I am bad at this. It’s a technical skill that I struggle with. FX VSTs are essential to this process, with compressors and filters. Make sure each instrument occupies its own space in the audio spectrum and doesn’t overstep its boundaries into the other instruments’ zones. Sometimes a light touch is needed.

• Musical structure: Does this track flow like a dance track? A rock track? Something else entirely?

• Create a kit or band. I used to create a whole new instrument set for each track. But that was too time consuming. Now I create an instrument set for each album. Save it as a track that becomes the base for future tracks.

If you want to start simple, just use LMMS to make electro-drum’n bass music by messing around. When you understand most of it, move to a proper DAW (Ardour and such) and try doing the same thing with it. Start with a few plugins (the preinstalled ones) and add new ones when you feel limitated.

Feel free to ask me questions.

Just gonna give it to you exactly like it is.

Download some samples pop then into your DAW, have fun!

Build on that for a bit. Chuck it and start a new one if it feels like you are forcing it/getting demotivated.

Once you have something you like it will probably be waaaay too much of everything so start removing parts, see you that starts a progression/arrangement and follow that until you reach a point.

Slowly start making your own samples, maybe pick up some gear to make your own loops with. Fall in love with a synthesiser.

Don’t pressure yourself, just enjoy being creative and make something you like.

Most of the other replies have you covered on DAW and free plugin suggestions (and they’re all good/valid ideas), so I’ll come from the perspective of mindset. I picked up production/sound design/synth patching/etc as a hobby in mid-2020 so I’m nothing more than a hobbyist, but one of the main things about the overall subject of music production that has kept me in it (vs. dropping it within a few months like most other hobbies) is that its so varied. If I get bored with trying to make catchy loops, I can go try to build some interesting synth patches that i can save for later, or I can spend some time building drumkits so that doesn’t bog me down when I want to actually make something, or I can play around with drum patterns, or whatever.

The main draw to all of this - for me specifically - is the ability to explore and the huge amount avenues I can explore. This method of approach has probably slowed me down as opposed to like… a targeted/structured way of learning the things, but I’ve found that I have the freedom to deep-dive all sorts of sub topics without any constraints.

What I’m trying to say is: have fun, explore, dive down rabbit holes as questions come up. We’re living in a time where there are more resources for music creation - both in terms of educational resources and tools, both free and paid - than any other time in history. Pick something that feels most interesting to you and just start running with it (for me, it was synthesis/synth patching that really pulled me in - Vital would be an outstanding free software synth that will help you understand what the knobs are doing because its very visual and there should be a number of youtube videos going over it out there).

As you learn more (independent of what you’re specifically learning about on any given day), you’ll start wondering more and that’ll allow you to ask your preferred search engine better and more detailed questions.

Once your have your feet under you and are feeling comfortable with the tools (your DAW, synthesizers, etc), if you’re absolutely dead set on learning a genre, you’ll be able to pick up the knowledge you need by watching genre-specific production videos, of which there are plenty, especially in regards to the genres you mentioned in your OP.

EDIT: I’ll add that I didn’t come from a musical background other than a short stint taking piano lessons when I was a kid and about 6 months of trying to self-teach myself guitar in like 2015 or so. I find the piano layout much easier to understand than the guitar and much easier to plonk around on to come up with interesting melodies. If you’re a genuinely a curious and driven person and music production really ends up resonating with you, you can be cranking out music in a matter of months… and within a year or two, it can even sound good (once you get some time with mixing and everything that goes along with that).

As with any creative field, the proces is:

1. Try something
2. Get stuck
3. Overcome the problem
4. Repeat

So the key part is to do things that are fun to you so you stay motivated.

My route started with learning an instrument (trumpet and drums) from a teacher. That way I learned the basic music theory. But everyone’s path is different. I don’t think there is a general way to learn.

For example: If you want to learn to make beats. That’s a skill you can develop without a complicated DAW. I would but Koala Sampler for Android or iPhone, record some simple sounds from your environment and try to recreate drums from songs you like.

Then you have learned one of the skills needed to progress to the next step. And when you start to learn a DAW, you’ll already have the drum programming skill available to apply there.