Just curious to know how many of you re-use sounds in your various tracks. It's obviously common for many electronica guys to think that everything has to be original, fresh, even made from scratch because they believe that presets are for amateurs, or whatever. But, do you have certain sounds that you just think work so perfectly for you in so many situations that there's no sense in coming up with a new one for each production?
For me, I'm starting to find that my best work comes from reusing some of my drum sounds, particularly hihats and crashes, and to a lesser extent, some kicks. This is particularly true of EDM tracks for me. I think it gives my sound a bit of cohesion, but still allows me to experiment in other areas. When it comes to my downtempo stuff, I tend to use the same couple of pianos and, if I'm not recording a live guitarist, I generally use the same few guitar sample libraries.
Sonar Platinum | Ableton Live 9 | Logic Pro X | Access Virus TI2 Keyboard | Kurzweil PC3X | Nord Lead 4R | NI Maschine
Jan-05-2012 00:23
aquila
Supreme Pantsaddict
Registered: Feb 2005
Location: Mayfair
Oh yeah. I use supersaw all the time.
All the time.
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Jan-05-2012 00:36
Vector A
Your petrochemical arms
Registered: Apr 2011
Location: U.S.
Never really, though sometimes a sound from an old unfinished track will end up in a new finished one.
For me not repeating sounds is as important as not repeating melodies, because I consider my sounds as much a part of my "artistry" as the notes.
Jan-05-2012 00:43
EliPsE
Gabi Diva
Registered: Jul 2002
Location: North Jersey
Since I do mostly granular synthesis and sample mangling, I don't really ever use the same sounds since it is almost impossible to recreate half of the time. I would say I have a few go to drumkits and my sub bass which usually stays the same.
Yes of course this is how you define your sound as an artist
Jan-05-2012 00:50
stewart.m
Supreme tranceaddict
Registered: Mar 2011
Location: south west of england
i like to work from the ground up so have a tendency to use very different samples ect but my music will often sound the same when the track is done.
i think artist ect are kinda known for their own sound rather then what and how they make a track.
i have made tunes with some semi pros and noticed they will have a secret folder containing samples they have made them self and use it in every track they make.
Jan-05-2012 01:19
Aureliou
tranceaddict
Registered: Oct 2011
Location:
If it sounds right, let it be
The rest is about politics
?
Jan-05-2012 01:30
-FSP-
Supreme tranceaddict
Registered: Aug 2008
Location:
I personally don't care about using the same old sounds. Not everyone can reinvent the wheel, and that's something I've accepted. I use 909 and 808 kits in almost every single one of my songs because they work. Hating on someone for using presets is like hating on someone for using a guitar. There are many ways to play guitar, and there are many ways to play "EuroLead 0235"
Jan-05-2012 01:43
ReclusNdangrmnt
Platipus Addict
Registered: Jan 2008
Location: SoCal
I tend to use the same piano preset with a couple tweaks on the reverb timing...And many times have I pulled something out of an old session and dropped in a new one. If it sounds good, it sounds good
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Aaron Gray - Stating a Fact [solarSwarm] - OUT NOW! With a remix from JPL! Support from Solarstone, Ferry Corsten, and others!
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Jan-05-2012 03:33
mathieu
Supreme tranceaddict
Registered: Oct 2010
Location: Montreal, Canada
I used to think everything had to be different all the time but I noticed I kept going back to a couple almost every track I started so I dont fight it anymore. I mean, if I love the sound of a rhodes I can use it in everything I do, i'm pretty sure that doesnt make me less of an artist/producer/whatever
lots of other things make me less of an artist
Jan-05-2012 03:43
Lucidity
Twilight Vanquisher
Registered: Jan 2008
Location: Philadelphia
I usually start from scratch but, that I believe is mostly because I'm too lazy to gather the sounds that I've created or used in my other tracks. I personally see nothing wrong with using the same sounds. I mean, I know its different with edm but, think about a band, when u see them live how often do they change their drum kit and other instruments, I know guitarists do often, but you don't see them pulling the drum kit out to put another one in, right?
In the few tracks I've made so far I tend to use variations on the same basic sounds. I have found a decent number of 'basics' I really like and just tweak them a little to fit the individual track and how/where they appear in the arrangement.
Just as a matter of personal taste (or lack thereof , I gravitate to the old rock and roll concept... even when you listened to a group like ELO who were no strangers to electronic synth sounds, their albums were pretty consistent and identifiable from track to track to album. You KNEW you were listening to ELO even when Jeff wasn't singing. (Anyone unfamiliar with ELO's "Time" album needs to give it a go)
On the opposite end, while I like Skrillex for the novelty and respect the work going into it, the only consistent thing is that it's glitch-WHOOMP glitch. The sounds are everywhere second to second and while novel and kinda cool from the production angle, don't make for an enjoyable listen for me.