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10. Ignore forums! No, seriously: for more general questions and debates, they’re a hive of ill-informed and subjective speculation masquerading as knowledge! For example, never rely solely on buying advice from a forum – you’ll get 30 answers, even if there are only ten products to choose from. But also…

11. Use forums! They’re great for helping you with your problems, because somebody somewhere will almost certainly have had the same issue you’re having. Got latency troubles with your soundcard? A plug-in won’t open any more? Google it and you’ll almost certainly find a helpful forum post somewhere.

12. Don’t blow all your money on gear until you know you have at least a passion for music production and, ideally, some aptitude. Not every great musician is a great producer and vice versa – they’re different skill sets. Begin with some free software – it’ll certainly be good enough to get you started.

13. If you’re a DJ or aspiring producer, consider going into a pro studio to finish your first couple of tracks. It’s best to wait until you’ve started a few on your own and know the basics, then go in with your idea to watch a pro at work and ask them questions.

14. If you want to make music your life, don’t waste time on intense recording courses. These are designed to teach production and engineering, while you should be concentrating on writing and playing. If you love the technical side, though, they can be a great way in.

15. Don’t try to run before you can walk. It’s easy to have grand ideas, but if you set your sights too high you’ll almost certainly fall short, and there’s nothing more demoralising than that. Begin with an open mind and no expectations – let things happen naturally.

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