(in other words, just keep at it and read stuff online like this thread here, and check out other forums, and keep practicing and learning, and play stuff on different systems at friends houses, mastering is a consensus of how many things you've heard it on... I too use cheap sennheisers, some decent earbuds, and just some JBLs to monitor, gotta use what you got and upgrade when possible)

Hmm.. well. as far as making songs.. its good to know a little bit of theory, but dont let it dominate you. Try reading through something like http://www.musictheory.net/

reaper is free aside from a short nag screen.. it is a full featured DAW.. as for plugins.. well. there are thousands of free plugins that are just as good as the commercial ones.. just search around on KVR..
here (these are all free): [url]http://www.kvraudio.com/q.php?search=1&pr[]=f[/url]

MusicTheory.net is awesome. Also, cTrix I am so incredibly jealous of your studio, it looks amazing!

It's a good thread. I've been checking it out when I can, but haven't had the time to write an epic post about my own production techniques. A lot of stuff has been covered and it's a good read.

This is a topic I'm always curious about, thanks for starting Phil.

A lot of points mentioned got me thinking about how I approach production and mixing, and how even over the past year a few techniques have changed for me.

Since this is a pretty deep subject, I'll try not to write a book here but just kind of reflect back at the previous posts.

I use a similar approach as Phil Harmonic, sequencing with FL10 then using external synths, analog as much as possible.
I noticed that even though I know how to use side-chaining, and even have an external hardware compressor I can side chain with, I never use it. Instead I'll use volume clip envelopes for any thing I want to cut, but then I always have some pretty strong compression on the FLS master buss, and get pumping that way.

I've listened to a lot of other mixers talk about keeping off masterbuss compression and using it mostly on your group channels, but I'll admit I have a fetish for the LA2A (or optical style compressor), and then follow it up with a kind of limiting type of compression on the main buss.

I use to use LA2A (waves) into two different soundgoodizers, both soundgoodizers on different settings (B,A or C,A), and backed off to just a small amount of limiting on each soundgoodizer. For those not familiar with Fruity Soundgoodizer its basically FL Studios version of a kind of (Waves) "One Knob" modern multiband compressor, (Maximus). So the result would be like having a LA2A feeding into a L3 multiband kind of thing. Though to be honest I like the soundgoodizer / maximus sound just a sliver more than the L2 / L3 sound.

The thing is lately, I've really been trying to get more of that 70s' early 80's sound so I've been using LA2A into Kramer Master Tape, and it really gets you 95% of the way there.

I guess I'm just addicted to getting the pumping of the LA2A, for me its like the total sound of the 70s, then using a limiter or modern multiband compressor after it to bring back the over all level and get a modern frequency response.

On the compression issue, another thing that I've never really been happy with is parallel compression with FL Studio, theres always a latency issue, and even after correcting (theres manual compensation on channels in FLS), it just doesn't seem to phase right or something.
I think if I had a real analog mixing desk and the actual gear I'd probably use more parallel compression, or parallel techniques in general, but for now I just prefer using a single compressor and an eq directly on a channel if I need to beef something up.

But ya, instead of using L2 on your masterbuss check out the Kramer Master Tape, or any of the new tape emulation plugs that have been coming out the past year or three, they're pretty amazing at giving more body but without that blocky L2 Ultra setting sound.

I don't use Pro-Tools, but I've heard that Heat is supposed to do something similar.

I do all my work at 24Bit 44.1k /32B within FLS or rendering stems. If I ever get signed then maybe I'll think about 96k , but till then I'd rather conserve drive space.

There are a couple plugs I really like, that really do work magic that you might want to check out,

1st the waves API550B and 560?graphic eq on snare, the API eq is so damn musical, just check out the snare presets its pretty amazing.
2nd, the FL Convolver (or any convolution reverb) with spring reverb impulses. I'm really choosy with reverb, but the Fokke van Saane impulses are awesome. I found some king tubby impulses at Dubbhism a week or two ago that are really impressive!
I like turning off any normalization on the convolver and turn off any eq, to try and get the pure impulse without any pre-shaping.
3rd CLA vocals, the only thing the plugin is missing is a de-esser, but aside from that its really amazing.
4th FL Flangus, not as a flanger, but use it like a very short slap delay, its in one of the preset menu settings (deep chorus), its like an instant stereo / 80s delayish sound, really great on vocs.

For monitoring, I've actually been getting use to the EX-29 extreme isolation headphones, the frequency response is pretty poor, but they're loud. And the barrier / noise reduction between the phones and the outside world is awesome.
No mic bleed, and any outside traffic, trains, or dog noise is pretty much blocked. The lack of deep lows in the headphones kind of makes you give it a little more boost and attention in the mix. But I only really use the phones for recording and editing, any kind of level balance or compression and eq I use my JBL Pro monitor.
Usually if I get it sounding balanced on the mains, and it sounds ok in the phones, I'll render it out to mp3 and give a listen on the way to the store in the car. If there is any problem with the mid range it will usually be really obvious in the car.
Its kind of like my makeshift ns10.