40 Sounds Every Producer Should Know (HOW TO RECOGNIZE ANY SOUND FROM ANY SONG)

In this video, Austin shows you 40 different sounds and instruments that are extremely common in genres such as pop, hip hop, r&b, and electronic! Having these sounds memorized can speed up your workflow and transform your sound design / sound selection process!
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My Gear:
DAW: Cubase 12 Pro
Desk: AZ Studio Workstations
Main Microphone: Lauten Audio LT-386 Eden, Lewitt LCT1040
Voiceover Mic: Lauten LS-208
Monitors: Focal Shape 65s with Focal Sub6
Interface: RME UFX ii
Compressor: AudioScape 76D
MIDI Keyboard: M-Audio Code 61
Keyboards: Roland Juno DS88, Roland Juno 106, Arturia PolyBrute
Guitars: Fender American Professional Stratocaster, Gibson Les Paul Studio, Taylor 214 CE Plus
Preamps: Heritage Audio HA81A & Audient ASP800
Extra Microphones: Advanced Audio 251, Slate ML-1, Shure SM7B, JZ BH-1, JZ V67, Lauten Audio LA-320, Lauten Audio LA-220, Lauten Audio LA-120, AKG P170, Sterling ST59
Camera: Sony A7iv
Lens: Sony 24-70mm f2.4
Camera Lights: Aperture Amaran 100Xs
Timestamps:
Intro 0:00
Key Sounds You Should Know 1:20
Bass Sounds You Should Know 6:56
Plucks and Chromatic Percussion 11:25
Essential Synth Sounds 14:55
Different Guitar Sounds 25:17
Iconic Synths You Should Recognize 28:27
Outro 34:11

[@atmoksh]

THIS IS CONTENT

[@Itsanasmusic]

It's insane to me how basic of a tutorial this is yet SO important! Thank you for this!

[@rpenguinboy]

Yh I’m gonna be rewatching this so msny times

[@MakePopMusic]

Thank you!!

[@g.o.9513]

Thought it was insane how a handful of plug-ins is responsible for over 30+ sounds.

[@nofood1]

making music 15+ years, still needed this.

[@Foges]

For myself 8:29 Reese Bass 9:39 M1 Bass 28:59 Mellotron 31:16 Triton

[@realraven2000]

10:15 - 7 semitones = a perfect fifth. this is used psychoacoustically as it is the same as the 2nd overtone and it pretends to the ear that there is a lower fundamental (the octave below the note played) that isn't actually there... this way you perceive more bass even on smaller speakers. A lot of the subbass plugins use this technique.

[@mindssky1510]

This is something that stumped me pretty hard in the beginning of my production journey and still does. Thank you so much.

[@sahithakellamusic]

Thank you so much Austin! I've been trying to remake songs so that I can learn from them, but I was having a hard time finding those sounds. This will make it much easier for me :)

[@robertoalekohl]

Austin - thanks so much for this man. It's crazy but this is such an important video that is really gracious to those who have a different background of approaching production. If you were ever able to - i could see a video very similar to this but on drum sounds being so very helpful. Thanks for everything

[@thatproducer]

Great work Austin - as a full-time producer I can honestly say this was also an excellent refresher of how to approach sounds - I feel like it took me years and many sessions to learn all of this so you're doing a great service here!!

[@lilwombat]

Wow i never thought of this as a video idea but this would have been crazy helpful way back in the day. It would speed up that trying to get idea out of your head process so much. Great video

[@chintandoshi1614]

This is your best tutorial. So much value 🙏🏻

[@bnjmnwst]

Austin, this was great! I'm thinking back to when I was just starting our. KZbin didn't exist then, but something like this, & all your other videos, would've been gamechangers for me. Thank you for all you do, man.

[@cekirdekci32]

this was a helpful one Austin.i like you give examples from genres and tie the sounds to the genres.

[@burtonrider08]

Awesome video. Much needed! Thank you! 🤘😎

[@DopamineOverload]

Crucially important video. Absolutely essential. Nice job, Austin.

[@kaikaminski9860]

Great video idea! Nowadays i know all of this but a few years back this would have been really helpful. Thank you for your content!

[@alexanderadeyinka9483]

Amazing, this takes the guesswork out for most of us. Great video!

[@crazygamer241]

Definitely bookmarking this. Thanks!

[@kayahanli]

Great coverage of sounds! Thanks! Subscribed.

[@yahsyout5450]

one of the best videos on KZbin. thanks man!

[@ColouredPaperShapes]

Thanks Austin, really practical and informative information, love the way you presented it and referencing how these sounds have been deployed by different artists. There’s something for everyone to learn from in here 👏

[@trepap.]

This was mad helpful, especially for someone wanting to do multiple genres!!

[@leonid.kiriyanov]

Thank you so much! You’re making amazing work. For me it’s super huge information

[@prodjxnas]

Amazing as always. Love your new cut btw

[@djontheweather]

Yo this is IT! Thanks so much, incredibly useful!

[@filmlanguage2276]

this is so great to have, thank you. would LOVE a follow-up of additional instruments/sounds (drums, horns, instruments from other countries)

[@Zama.]

Great video I didn’t know I needed ;) well done mate

[@weareLolaJak]

Thank you for this!!!

[@defectiveresistor]

As a hobbiest I’ve found that getting an understanding of what types of effects have been used on a sound has been the biggest learning curve.

[@constmusic1]

MORE VIDEOS LIKE THIS!!! This is EXACTLY WHAT EVERY NEW PRODUCER NEEDS!!

[@KirtanFi]

Absolute gem of a video. Thank you so much! 💛🙏🏽

[@SpeedmetalSha]

Thank you for such informative video!

[@loome]

I found the synth shapes super helpful! Thank you MPM!

[@CasenWatson]

This is BRILLIANT and such a great tool and reference. Thank you for this.

[@DodaGarcia]

This is a fantastic video! And I'm off right now to get Synergy, I've purchased other libraries from MPM and they've all packed a ton of value.

[@megawaatthedj]

I roc wit u ⚡been looking for a video like this for a while ⚡Thank You

[@Dane_Riazer]

really cool video, thank you for sharing, some of those I just didn't put together where they come from (like the Kalimba)

[@divemusick]

Thanks a ton! Its soo useful❤

[@MLaurence]

Very cool man - never really heard a breakdown of kinds of synths, thanks!

[@alexholly7046]

Would love to see a full synthesis video. Nice video 🤙

[@CapelloProductions]

Great video, thanks so much.

[@squirelova1815]

Wonderfully entertaining presentation as well. Very educational too of course.

[@AndrewMasters]

Great video Austin!

[@delight8888]

AustinPowered now!!…Thanks bro.. you’re a Gemstar!!!

[@stephenbarrette610]

What a really great simple video. I can identify all the sounds, but your knowledge of the different genres and styles they are in and your description of each was brilliant. I learnt a ton. Thanks! And if you want to make it 42, may I suggest an ARP Odyssey and an MS-20, they are pretty unique sounding synths. (And the DX7 came out in 1983. I have an original Mark IID and it’s so cool - a total pain to program, but good fun!)

[@miguelluismusic4181]

Well done Austin... watch this twice people... so much to learn from this joint

[@miguelluismusic4181]

And Austin I have hits ready...we should connect...

[@pw6002]

"It's called 'this', it sounds like 'that' ". It's as straightforward as you can get it. Yet it's the first video I see that does it. Congrats , and thank you !!

[@Kipp274]

Damn, finally. The title is exactly what I was having trouble with. Naming any sound really. I'm gonna save this vid and watch it every now and then to memorize all of this.

[@Mooli]

Great work Austin

[@butterflymsc]

The exact important thing to start 💗💯🔥⚡🌊

[@DanYannay]

you rock bro thanks!

[@blingdogphotographybg3448]

To all of us beginners thank you Austin 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

[@_simon__says]

Hey Austin, great video, love your channel. Just a quick note...: Xylophones are wooden, glockenspiels are metal. The difference between the two is not in their size but their material. For a long, long time I had the two confused, even the words; 'xylophone' sounds metallic to me while 'glockenspiel' sounds wooden but it is the other way around. A common confusion I think. Keep up the great work. Thanks x

[@afsaudio9177]

„Glocke“ means „Bell“ in German - maybe that helps as a little memory aid.

[@purplereverb5104]

this was super helpful. Wish I had seen this video when I was more of a beginner!

[@mrcego1309]

Great video! thanks :)

[@davidraksin9694]

I feel like every beginner should incorporate these base sounds when they learn producing. I went in just trying things while also starting in synthesis and this kind of slowed my growth. Although once I got through this journey of understanding the different sounds and their unique harmonics (truly important for noobs), a lot of my sound selection became a lot more "fluid." Although the second challenge is combining different instruments or adding unique fx for more movements. For awhile, I thought the sounds I liked from my favorite producers was just "one" sound only to realize how well they stacked other sounds together. Especially synths and organic instruments. Thanks for the video, it definitely solidified some of the little holes I had in my thought process.

[@sakariheikkila]

Thanks for the great video!! Good idea to have this palette in mind while producing. I think you could replace xylophone with vibraphone, cause marimba and xylophone are quite similar wooden instruments, while vibraphone is metallic and has a recognizable jazzy sound, softer than glockenspiel. Also, ukulele would be a great add to the stringed instruments.

[@Plant_Based_Riffs]

I'm only 50 seconds in, but based on the content this promises to cover and the production quality of the intro, I'm already subbed. Looking forward to it.

[@elarzita]

exact same here!

[@skrabio]

What I spent about a year sorting out all boiled down into one badass video.

[@hiddenhippo7338]

Much epic'ness as always, "the sound that makes the sound" perfect lol :-)

[@francisguyman3819]

Great topic, thanks Austin! Even if you know how to recreate these or find them, for communication purposes knowing the actual name helps a lot haha.

[@MakePopMusic]

Exactly!!! I just saw someone say they think of “Unforgettable” when they think of a kalimba, but that song uses a steel drum. Common and simple mix up, but could mess up workflow and communication. If an artist requested that sound and I kept looking for Kalimbas, I’d never get the right sound. Knowing different sounds and instruments is CRUCIAL!

[@44anze]

Could you make a similar video for effects and drums? Would be super helpful!

[@aleksamrkela831]

This will definitely help those who want to spend less time furrowing through presets to get common sounds! :D

[@andresnusspaumerpilon3773]

amazing! thanks

[@MusokeMSK]

The video i didn't know i needed, but i did🙈

[@nottieru]

Great tutorial! Wish I came across it five years ago

[@Chamaenerion-angustifolium]

amazing thanks

[@vitor_music]

Yo, amazing content as always… very informative! You could do one focused on drum sounds! Like typical pop/hip hop/ EDM drum sounds.. keep it up man

[@leonpelka]

Great review even for people who usally have them heard already. Greetings from germany and another Cubase-Head! :D

[@pallencheung5519]

this help me a lot, thy very much

[@timba2647]

Wow Amazing!

[@BraveTheStorm]

This should be required viewing for anybody starting out in music production

[@XDDiegop]

at 15:48 i almost started singing sza’s verse on telekinesis lmao great video

[@piyushkhanna9554]

DID NOT SEE THIS COMING... THE SOUND THAT MAKES THE SOUND..... 😂

[@MakePopMusic]

i'm gonna fire miranda if she keeps up these antics....

[@piyushkhanna9554]

@@MakePopMusic wait… Miranda is replying this? ( coz she handles the Mail and Replies…)

[@antondhondt9851]

Basically, General Midi stuff - GM standart has quite a neat list of instruments' categories. The same stuff was being used in some ancient synths - think of Kawai synths and so on. Morphine VST synth from FL Studio has splendid categories nowadays - in bass and keys sections especially.

[@AlexKosSaheli]

Ty, very useful. I now have lots of Vital presents. If you could kindly let me know how to recreate Sleep Token - Chokehold synth that would've been amazing. Amazing Saw, but I'm yet to find how to recreate it, tho people do that.

[@cetaceous_rex]

you are a king

[@hellakidz1898]

nice cut broooooooooo!!!

[@prodbytendon]

Hey Austin! Would you be able to do a tutorial on new jack swing? (Bruno Mars, Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, Teddy Riley, EXO, SHINee, etc.)

[@DJBathtub]

Nice!❤

[@dafingaz]

Yep!

[@buckriderbeats]

Looks like a CPU heavy project to me, haha. Great tutorial!

[@MakePopMusic]

Nah. This barely touched my CPU 😂 they don’t have any midi info being processed so all the plugins are decently inactive.

[@g.o.9513]

Display Monitor information is missing from "Gear" section in description. How many inches is the display monitor?

[@MakePopMusic]

49 inches wide!

[@MarioRiveraIII]

What plugins did you use for the electronic sounds besides Serum?

[@MakePopMusic]

Vital and the Analog bundle from Arturia!

[@dancegod1691]

An easy trick for a trap vibe is to make it in the Dorian mode, where you play on the white keys but pretend the D note is the root.

[@MakePopMusic]

Yep! Dorian and Harmonic Minor are EVERYWHERE in trap

[@oscar.thegreattube]

may you please do Drum sounds too

[@tenor335]

Hi, I have a question for you. How would you handle doubles and panning for a highly harmonized song like we would see from vocal groups like NSYNC and Boyz II Men? If there were a five part harmony, would you have the melody doubled in the middle with a double panned left and right, with the other four harmonies each panned once to the left and once to the right for a total of 12 vocal tracks? What would you recommend in that scenario? What do you think someone like Justin Timberlake does on a typical track? Thank you.

[@transformationgeneration]

I'm starting on a new project tomorrow morning - in studio at 9am. The track is a ballad as in Bad Wolves ZOMBIES, Disturbeds, Sound of Silence. Male vocals - is there a tip you have to get that deep warm but still crisp vocal (besides a great vocalist :) ? The date on these sessions is week of Oct 24 - 30th 2024 in case you're reading this in July of 2025. Any suggestions or ideas for a new song like this to be current in 2024/2025.

[@EBMZEQUENZER]

We call this GM - general midi banks : Cheers 🥂

[@HongFeiHo]

Nice video! Don't think I heard the M1 piano - mb it's just a UK thing(?) Thanks

[@NeuroPete]

I think he is referring to the piano sound from this synth: "The Korg M1 is a synthesizer and music workstation manufactured by Korg from 1988 to 1995. According to Sound on Sound, it is one of the bestselling synthesizers, selling an estimated 250,000 units." (Wikipedia)

[@producing8996]

Do another video but with percs

[@ciamgranda5786]

There is this Brass not sure if it's a Polysynth or Brass but it's in songs like Hanne Mjoen - Sounds Good To Me and at the beginning of Ava Max - Million Dollar Baby...if anyone knows where i can find the exact sounds i would really appreciate it, it just sounds magical, nostalgic.

[@TylerWaveBeats]

Second this

[@Niven42]

DX7 piano is sometimes called FM piano, since the Yamaha DX7 used FM synthesis, and not all FM keyboards were made by Yamaha. So look for that on your plugin if you can't find DX7.

[@MakePopMusic]

Yeah! Great addition!!

[@RE.D.mp3]

I hope there's PART 2 for this

[@MakePopMusic]

oh you're gonna be stoked in 15 hours

[@CanaanWhitston]

16:22 is dope

[@user-mf7ue9nu4s]

triton extreme plugin is nice

[@bsmith8166]

Great content, but what vsts are you using for those real instrument sounds? Eg keyboards, Kalimba, bass guitar, etc.??

[@MakePopMusic]

most of they keys were keyscape. Most of the mallet stuff was Halion Sonic SE

[@bsmith8166]

@@MakePopMusic Thanks! Do I need Kontakt for those?

[@contraspower6302]

🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@realraven2000]

How do you know the name of a beat in groove agent? "like a Pony" isn't exactly descriptive :P

[@Blakeishitta_FD]

17:41 hitting F1 opening in Nintendo Style

[@ladka3750]

Great