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-- "Creativity without constraints is irrelevant." Do you really need all you have?
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"Creativity without constraints is irrelevant." Do you really need all you have?

I'm reading a book on mixing. It's recent and it has a great DVD to go along with it. It's definitely up-to-date. "Mixing Audio: Concepts, Practices and Tools"

Now, as I'm reading this book and gaining more skills in an objective sense, I begin to wonder... just why the fuck do I need so much software and hardware to accomplish what I need to accomplish?

How many producers out there use software/hardware that has less features than what you're using, but still make better songs than you? What does that say about the amateur community? (That we're amateurs, of course... but will we ever be professionals if we keep an amateur mindset? Hmmm... )

I am thinking... why do we keep upgrading thinking it will make us sound better? What benefits do we gain from this constant bloat? People have made timeless music using tools that would be considered nothing more than antiques at this point.

I'm not saying to go backwards, I'm saying that we might need less than we think we do. Simplicity isn't bad. If someone took one feature away from your sequencer (that wasn't utterly vital), would you really care? What if they kept taking away features until you were left with just the bare essentials, which you could get in a far less complicated/bloated program. Would that make you worse? Couldn't you find a way around it?

While reading this book, I keep thinking to myself: what is the simplest possible tool or set of tools that I could use in order to comfortably produce high quality music?

Constraints force you to really think about what you're doing. They can even help you make better decisions without feeling as if you had to settle. Why look at the limitations? The limitations aren't there. Imagine this: what if I transported you back to the past with all the other great producers, years before the features that you love so much ever existed? Would you just bitch and whine and wait while other people were making great things, not even worrying about shit they didn't have?

That's the mindset I'm in right now, and I think more people should adopt it.

You ignore the features you have and obsess over the features you don't have. Instead of focusing on the infinite amount of creative ways you could use what you have, you feel that "man, only if I had some fancy, useless gimmick that this other program/controller has, I'd be making GREAT stuff," not knowing that even if you did have that fancy gimmick: you would no longer see it as fancy and you would want another fancy feature.

Because you keep ignoring what you have, you see it as routine. Not even taking into account that it's amazing what you could do with these new tools! There's no such thing as routine, this is all fucking amazing. We have things that millionaires could have only dreamed of, so why take it for granted?

You just want more, more, more. But why? Because you just want more, more, more.

A netbook and a tracker and you could practically make anything, lol. Apparently, Burial makes his stuff using Soundforge alone. That always inspires the fuck out of me.

quote:

M: Explain about the production set up you use� B: I�m not a �musician,� no training, nothing. So I was always scared of people who had studios. Heroes of mine like Photek suddenly became Rupert Parkes in his studio, telling everyone how he did it. The magic got a bit lost. B: So I thought to myself fuckit I�m going to stick to this shitty little computer program, Soundforge. I don�t know any other programs. Once I change something, I can never un-change it. I can only see the waves. So I know when I�m happy with my drums because they look like a nice fishbone. When they look just skeletal as fuck in front of me, and so I know they�ll sound good. M: So you don�t use a sequencer? B: No. M: So does that mean your drums are not necessarily in time? B: My drums are definitely not necessarily in time. When I try and do drums that are too regimented, they lose something. But the moment I put drums where I think they sound good, rather than in time, they seem to have that roll, the swing of the jungle and garage tunes I love. B: Some of the elements in the drums that make that swing are the ones that don�t fit in to a time signature and that are out. The little bits that are wrong. If I used a sequencer my tunes would sound rubbish.

http://blackdownsoundboy.blogspot.c...boy-burial.html
Haha, Made in Soundforge.

*Click* (Burial - Archangel)


Sometimes I think that we can't see the forest for the trees.

How simple could you go for producing? I don't want to put too much constraints here, but this could be one of the most helpful threads in a while. No more "best," no more "this has all the latest and greatest features." If something is old and cheap, but good then why not?

I have been thinking about this lately as well, mainly in regard to why I have so many VST synths and effects, many of which I don't really use that much and wouldn't be too sad or frustrated if they simply disappeared from my computer.

Simply put, today's producers have become digital pack-rats. How can we change this?

Go back to an all-hardware setup?

I'm lucky really in that I don't think this way. I'm obsessively neat and tidy (in general) so the more streamlined the better. 3 or 4 synths are good enough for me. I have Sylenth at the moment and my next purchase will be the Spectrasonics trio. That will be it then, no more synths. If I can't produce on them I might as well give up.

Re: "Creativity without constraints is irrelevant." Do you really need all you have?

Good post and you're making great points. I for one bought a TI Polar 2 years ago. Have almost not used it a thing! I'm not of those completely tool bloated guys thinking everything'll get better just by acquiering that fancy new controller. But never the less I do know what you're talking about when speaking of overlooking things, ignoring the features and not thinking the things you've got is as fancy as the once you aint got. It truly is better to have a limited amount of tools. Truly! Cause if you have too much you only get confused. You'll just have so much possibilites you don't know what to use..

Better to have 10 tools and knowing them really well than to have a 100 and not knowing what punk a single knob is for. (well.. obviously. Anyway you get my point lol )

To add... mastery of the simple tools is realistic. You can master the simple tools and learn how to use them for anything. Once you do that, each new feature you gain will slowly work its way into your arsenal and you will appreciate it that much more. You will also use it better.

This guy on Youtube has done some creative things using everybody's favorite/hated example, Fl Studio...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvV1...feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/user/AcePincter


When you watch the video, you will go "Well, that's obvious! I would have thought of that... right?"

He's really inspiring. He makes the piano sound so realistic using such a simple trick, I reevaluated so many of my beliefs about music and about the limitations of anything I will ever use.

cool post, i think this was touched on not so long ago here. But i most certainly agree with you, and it's interesting you bring this up as it reminds me of what someone told me a while ago

"The 80/20 Principle - that 80% of results flow from just 20% of the causes - is the one true principle of highly effective people and organisations"

this could also be applied to music production.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle

I remember when i first started with my interest in music, i went and got my self a novation KS-5, after not so long i then went and got a TI virus (within 12 months) I mean i knew a fair bit about functionality but, hey there was alot to learn still, and it didnt really require me to get a second synth - as my knowledge of functionality was still limited. if only i knew what i knew now. ah hindsight". I would have started purely from a software basis and then expanded upon this based purely on my needs, if i really needed it, after exhausting all the resources i have (using all the plugins contained within the seq/DAW) etc etc and then later work towards some VST's or hardware.

"And, like you mention start from the very basics", the bare minimum".

Many good points here, but I would add a few points in support of those of us who have too many toys. Yes, setting limits on the amount of tools can help you be more focused, but probably not as much as you might think because, ultimately, if you look at multiple versions of the same type of tool, there aren't that many differences. Take compressors for example - are there really many differences between them? Not really - the most common parameters (e.g., threshold, ratio, attack, release, makeup gain) are present on most of them, so the only noticeable differences are usually the UI, the sound/color that it imparts, and/or possibly one or two specific controls on each given compressor. So, it's not like I spend hours trying to figure each one out or laboring over which compressor to use for a given task. A similar case can be made for subtractive synths, EQs, limiters, delays, filters, etc.

That said, yeah, I have far more VSTs than I need, but I try to use most of them at least occasionally. I'm trying to cut way back on the amount of toys that I buy and really only buy things now that: (1) I know I will use and (2) are an exceptional deal. The recent FabFilter bundle is a perfect example. I also buy and sell a lot of hardware synths, but I've even cut way back on that and I think I'm happy enough with what I've got now that I doubt I'll be buying any more for a while. But, even with my hardware synths, I have a sort of unwritten rule that, if I go several months or so without using it in a song, it's probably time for it to go.

lol Cryo i think that you and some others need to post a poll as to whether you should buy another piece of hardware, given the beautiful nature of your studios already. "let us decide what you need", being silly of course".

quote:

Also Akridrot was is the book you are reading to mate.

some of us may be interested in reading it, thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by Energy_3 lol Cryo i think that you and some others need to post a poll as to whether you should buy another piece of hardware, given the beautiful nature of your studios already. "let us decide what you need", being silly of course".

That could be fun, actually! Seriously, though, I really don't need most of the gear that I have - I just bought it because I like it. I'm obviously a bit older than many people here and have an established career, so I can finally afford the kind of gear that I dreamed about when I was younger. Most of it is unnecessary overkill, though, and to be honest (and in total agreement with the OP), I could do away with 90% of it and still get by just perfectly.

quote:

Originally posted by cryophonik That could be fun, actually! Seriously, though, I really don't need most of the gear that I have - I just bought it because I like it. I'm obviously a bit older than many people here and have an established career, so I can finally afford the kind of gear that I dreamed about when I was younger. Most of it is unnecessary overkill, though, and to be honest (and in total agreement with the OP), I could do away with 90% of it and still get by just perfectly.

+1 funny as!

yeah its funny coz i think that we are like woman and clothes when its comes to men and synthesizers [good analogy i know] half the stuff that they have shoes, dresses etc etc they never wear, maybe once twice or never at all.

Oh what to do?

quote:

Originally posted by Energy_3 some of us may be interested in reading it, thanks.

http://www.amazon.com/Mixing-Audio-...s/dp/0240520688

Or just google: "Mixing Audio: Concepts, Practices and Tools"

I strongly advise you to read this book critically. Don't just read until there aren't any words left. Get a looseleaf notebook and summarize all it's telling you... this is one of those books that you extract a lot of useful information from and incorporate it into your audio life, intelligently.

This is how you improve at breakneck speeds, regardless of the book (as long as it's a good book).

quote:

Originally posted by Akridrot http://www.amazon.com/Mixing-Audio-...s/dp/0240520688 Or just google: "Mixing Audio: Concepts, Practices and Tools" I strongly advise you to read this book critically. Don't just read until there aren't any words left. Get a looseleaf notebook and summarize all it's telling you... this is one of those books that you extract a lot of useful information from and incorporate it into your audio life, intelligently. This is how you improve at breakneck speeds, regardless of the book (as long as it's a good book).

thanks bud appreciate it.

quote:

Originally posted by Akridrot Simply put, today's producers have become digital pack-rats. How can we change this?

This is a nice broad generalisation.

How about, some of today's producers are digital pack-rats. Many of today's producers already think the way you believe they should - getting the most out of their tools rather than looking for "more more more".

Everyone uses what they're most comfortable with. There are several musicians who have made epically great songs with just a copy of Reason.... the same goes for those who used million dollar studios. Everyone uses what they're comfortable with. Me, I like physical gear, especially my Nord Lead 3... because it's the instrument I'm most comfortable with.

For most music, the most important thing are the songs. Great songs = great music. Great songs + great gear and people behind them = epic music.

More toys can inspire more imagination and ideas. If a normal kid only has 1 toy while growing up, or one board game, there is only a limited amount of imagination and creativity they can develop if they've only played with one toy as a kid. Toys develop the mind and ask kids to be creative from an early age, just like a synth can ask a producer to be creative. If a normal kid had about 10 toys to play with, i'd imagine their imaginations are a bit broader and their ideas more complex, with more modular pieces to the ideas. Same goes if you had just 1 friend growing up or 10 friends...having 10 friends you are bound to be more diverse and versatile, while the kid with just 1 friend is likely to be more simple because they've only experienced one other personality and character besides their parents and family. So if you're making music with just one synth, its hard to have a versatile sound, and its easy for another producer with the same exact synth to replicate your sound. Just my philosophy, nothing out of a book ; )

Though a lot of music has likely been made with just one synth and a sequencer/recorder, limiting yourself to one synth would be simply limiting yourself. Adding more synths often can inspire the imagination and ideas, so this is why i'd say keep adding instruments, till you find the ones that allow you to translate your ideas into music as accurately as possible. I'll be adding a bit of hardware over the next 6 months, to improve sound quality and maybe inspire some ideas I have'nt come accross yet.

totally agree with the op, and because of his reasoning i've recently purchased the following:







if i can't make good music on these, then i doubt i'll make it on some much more expensive and complicated gear.

I'm getting a new HDD and only reinstalling the VSTs that I want to use. That way I can have less and really focus on them.

quote:

Originally posted by Kismet7 If a normal kid had about 10 toys to play with, i'd imagine their imaginations are a bit broader and their ideas more complex, with more modular pieces to the ideas. Same goes if you had just 1 friend growing up or 10 friends...having 10 friends you are bound to be more diverse and versatile

Absolutely, although having 100 toys will likely make you loose interest in most of them, so i think its wise to find the right balance.

for me i make more when i have less. i didnt make a single tune while i had hardware synths. when i sold them stuff slowly started going together again. now im on a laptop with Reason, Ableton and Logic and i dont need VSTs really. Needs some upgrades though, to get rewire support in Ableton etc. And I only need to learn Ableton and Logic good before even considering anthing else. I have midicontroller which i dont use but i plan to use it in the future with ableton live, but i might just get rid of it for now. its poison in my head when i dont use it.

Check out the producer masterclass with Nathan Fake, this guy is a real inspirarion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aIARLPv3MU

quote:

Originally posted by derail This is a nice broad generalisation. How about, some of today's producers are digital pack-rats. Many of today's producers already think the way you believe they should - getting the most out of their tools rather than looking for "more more more".

You're right, I made an uncalled-for generalization. Kismet7 makes an excellent (counter?) point for the other side.

The ideal lies between the two extremes, I think Subtle summed it up best.

Right now, my mindset is "learn the foundations of what you're doing, do NOT learn the software or hardware used to do it, learn what you're doing on a general, basic level so that you can apply it anywhere else." I'm binging on books about music theory, audio production, and programming. The skills I learn are more important to me than whatever I use them on. I want to be able to adapt.

quote:

Originally posted by Terrence Parker Check out the producer masterclass with Nathan Fake, this guy is a real inspirarion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aIARLPv3MU

Great first vid, now I have to watch the whole thing.

Interesting how he doesn't like drawing in automations. Also how he records most of the parts into CoolEdit rather than leaving them as MIDI in the sequencer.

And he uses Cubase VST 5, released back in 2000.

seriously think about how easy it is to make music these days. back in the beginnings they had to splice tape for hours just to get a few seconds of music out of it. just as difficult in the recent past, you had to buy thousands and thousands of dollars worth of equipment that even then was prone to bugs and unstable.

today all you have to do is download a small program and you now have more power than people have had in the past, yet we still complain about not being able to make music.

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