i use soundlibrary templates so that i can load everything while i take ashower.

I also use a ready-to-go template. I know I'm usually going to route my bass into my bass grouping, and my bass grouping into the master channel, so why spend time, every single project, setting that up the same way? The times where I do want to route it differently, it's just as quick to reroute it as it is to set it up from scratch.

(crosses fingers and hopes this thread won't deteriorate into "if you use a template then you'll get into a rut and won't approach each project in a fresh, new way" stupidity, as if it isn't possible to re-examine your template and make sure it's appropriate for each new project...)

quote:

Originally posted by derail (crosses fingers and hopes this thread won't deteriorate into "if you use a template then you'll get into a rut and won't approach each project in a fresh, new way" stupidity, as if it isn't possible to re-examine your template and make sure it's appropriate for each new project...)

this was my only fear in making a template and as I continue to build mine I am hoping it does not limit my creativity. If it does then i'll just go back to blank template.

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quote:

Originally posted by meriter Your primary focus should be making good music. That's all. No one gives a shit how you do it. And the people that do are fags.

quote:

Originally posted by Nightshift this was my only fear in making a template and as I continue to build mine I am hoping it does not limit my creativity. If it does then i'll just go back to blank template.

That's why I have several templates. But, I don't think that having a starting point for my routings is ever going to stifle my creativity. Actually, I believe just the opposite - when it's tmie to get creative, the last thing I want to be doing are the tedious tasks of routing drum pads to outputs, setting up busses, etc.

Sonar gives me the option of which template to choose as soon as I create a new project. Here's an example of one showing my combined view in my two monitors (track view on the left-hand monitor; console view on the right):

http://www.cryophonik.com/files/cry...ar_template.jpg

(the image is too wide to post here!)

This particular template is designed more or less for just quickly getting an idea from my head into Sonar. It has my Maschine (drum VST) already inserted, with each drum pad assigned to its own track, and all routed to my Drums buss. It's also got tracks inserted and assigned to the appropriate busses for percussion and vocals, and I have effects VSTs already inserted on busses. This particular template also has SubBoomBass inserted and routed to the bass buss for quickly getting bass ideas down, and Nexus inserted with the Drums expansion loaded and routed to the Drums buss in case I want to just fire up a loop. Aside from that, none of my templates have any sounds/samples pre-loaded, just instruments, effects, and routings.

One other tool that I use a lot is track templates, or device chains. I have these set up for every one of my synths so that I can quickly insert them and have them automatically route to whichever buss I want - makes it very convenient for me, and that's really what templates are all about IMO - making things convenient enough that producing doesn't get in the way of being productive and creative.

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Sonar Platinum | Ableton Live 9 | Logic Pro X | Access Virus TI2 Keyboard | Kurzweil PC3X | Nord Lead 4R | NI Maschine

I do the same thing here. I dont have any instruments or patterns preloaded, but its just about getting my production environment set up properly. I have all my stem busses setup, all my drum tracks loaded with EXS24 instances, etc. All I have set up is a 4/4 kick pattern so i can start fresh. There are also a lot of project level defaults set up like MIDI sync preferences, audio routes, the environment, recording channels, etc.

Here is a couple of pictures of a "blank" template I use when starting a new track (1 picture for each monitor).

Thanks guys this is great. It's giving me lots of ideas on my template.

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@Eric J: Looks almost exactly as mine =)

quote:

Originally posted by cryophonik

Same I don't have any sounds loaded at all, but I'm starting to really get into using Ableton's effects racks.

However what I have so far is nice, espcially the kick channel having a pre-setup Utility @ 0% width, a filter, a compressor, a dynamic tube and an EQ in that order is nice. Helps me get a nice warm sounding kick real quick.

6 years of producing music and never used a template so its just a habit i guess lol. Time to see what I've been missing out on.

Only thing im not really sure about is setting up reverbs on sends because it does sound quite nice when things feel like they are occupying the same space, but im used to applying reverbs to individual channels. Anyone have any advice with this?

My workflow has been changing frequently, and I believe for the better since i moved from FL Studio to Ableton back in February and I've been trying many new things. I'm very comfortable with Ableton but I can't say I've settled in with it yet. Can't wait to see what happens when I do.

BTW Cryo, Sonar just goes straight over my head LOL

"what does this button do?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIBS6nnBV4w

___________________

@Soundcloud

:::OUT NOW!:::
Garrido & Skehan ft. Erin - Waiting For You (Nightshift Remix)
Elvin Ong - Motion (Nightshift Remix)
Tidal Forces - Machine Blue (Nightshift Remix)

quote:

Originally posted by meriter Your primary focus should be making good music. That's all. No one gives a shit how you do it. And the people that do are fags.

Last edited by Nightshift on Sep-24-2009 at 10:45

Eric - nice setup, we do a very similar one in terms of flow in the studio and mine at home is incredibly similar.

One question: why busses 40, some 50 and I take it the input on the master is 60?

I always just use the last busses available - is there a specific reason for spreading them like you do?

Nightshift - Sonar is one of those things - you either swear by it, or take one look at it and go nope.

Sonar does the same thing as all the rest (and quite well) but I'm just too conditioned for Logic/cubase by this point.

quote:

Originally posted by DJ RANN Eric - nice setup, we do a very similar one in terms of flow in the studio and mine at home is incredibly similar.

Good, that must mean I'm doing something right

quote:

Originally posted by DJ RANN One question: why busses 40, some 50 and I take it the input on the master is 60?

Just worked out that way really. IIRC, I decided to use the busses in the 40 and above range because I knew those would be "static" and wouldn't change much, thereby leaving be busses 1-39 for any dynamic routing specific to each track.

Bus 60 is where everything eventually goes, which is then routed to three sets of stereo outputs:

1. Main Out (to Central Station then to my main monitors)
2. Monitor Out. This is a S/PDIF connection to my second computer where i run a Spectrum Analyzer, Phase meter and Realtime Waveform Analyzer.
3. DJ Booth Out. This gets routed to my DJ mixer. I do this so I can periodically check my mixes when I'm composing and mixing against other tracks on the CDJ-1000's. It has turned out to be a good way to keep my levels in check versus other tracks.

Last edited by Eric J on Sep-24-2009 at 14:26

I've been using this template for the past few day when starting a track. simple but it works for me.