|
Downside of using lots of effects?
|
View this Thread in Original format
| Vector A |
Today I was listening to Chill Out by The KLF. A lot of older albums like that one, even electronic ones, don't have much big, obvious use of effects. Maybe a bit of delay and reverb on some sounds, some simple filters, and that's pretty much it. And I know some people don't like old dance music because it sounds too "dry" to them, not enough effects work to make it sound neat.
So the question popped into my head, with today's effects being relatively inexpensive and much easier to include in a track, is there any downside to how abundantly they are used? Do tracks often suffer from people reaching for effects to sweeten up a sound when the results might be better if more fundamental issues were addressed first (e.g. sample choice, composition, or synthesis issues)?
Obviously this will be a pretty subjective discussion, but I was wondering if you people had any thoughts about it. |
|
|
| alanzo |
| It's really just about the sound you are going for. There is no downside, no upside, it just depends on what you want to do. There are plenty of examples from both "camps" -- they don't purposely use more/less FX, they are just going for a particular sound in their head. |
|
|
| TranceLover007 |
| quote: | Originally posted by alanzo
It's really just about the sound you are going for. There is no downside, no upside, it just depends on what you want to do. There are plenty of examples from both "camps" -- they don't purposely use more/less FX, they are just going for a particular sound in their head. |
True statement (at least in my case).
Cheers |
|
|
| Beatflux |
| quote: | Originally posted by Vector A
So the question popped into my head, with today's effects being relatively inexpensive and much easier to include in a track, is there any downside to how abundantly they are used? Do tracks often suffer from people reaching for effects to sweeten up a sound when the results might be better if more fundamental issues were addressed first (e.g. sample choice, composition, or synthesis issues)?
|
That's a problem I've encounter: using effects to try and fix a more basic problem. But other than that, I love effects that create movement or atmosphere. |
|
|
| tehlord |
I think that there's pros and cons and it's really just down to personal taste when and how they're used.
The only issue I have with them these days are the general lack of variety in texture as you can apply as much as you want to whatever you want in as many ways as you want. It becomes a wall of sound.
There's a lot to be said for less reverb, and then when reverb is used you're gonna go 'oooohhhh that was lovely that was'. For example. |
|
|
| MSZ |
| its easy to go over-board, have overlapping tails and swells of frequency buildup, its about compromise and taste. You'll go a long way mastering delay and reverb, look at Owesey. |
|
|
| Seandroid |
I do a lot to control my effects, sometimes sidechaining reverb to the actual sound itself by sending the sound to a bus, then that bus to another with reverb on it with no dry signal, then using a compressor to sidechain it to the input. It makes it less muddy.
The thing with using to many effects is that often times I think it makes the groove get lost. |
|
|
| wayfinder |
I usually sidechain my reverb and delay sends to the kick. Sometimes I've listened critically to a track I made and then turned all the sends down, 3-6dB each :D
It's easy to get lost and drown in reverbs and delays, especially when you're mixing on headphones – but that really doesn't reflect badly on the effects themselves; only on our usage of them ;) |
|
|
| Vector A |
| quote: | Originally posted by tehlord
There's a lot to be said for less reverb, and then when reverb is used you're gonna go 'oooohhhh that was lovely that was'. For example. |
I've been thinking about this a lot lately, especially in relation to ambient. You get these people who interpret "ambient" as just "put a giantass reverb on every sound and play to 1 to 4 chords repeatedly for 5 to 20 minutes." And even if it turns out "pretty" it all ends up being kind of characterless and boring. |
|
|
| cryophonik |
| quote: | Do tracks often suffer from people reaching for effects to sweeten up a sound when the results might be better if more fundamental issues were addressed first (e.g. sample choice, composition, or synthesis issues)?
|
I think that there is a lot more of that happening nowadays, particularly with composition. Generally speaking, it's a lot easier to layer on a bunch of effects than it is to create a solid hook, so I think that some people tend to use it as a crutch. But, if the end result sounds good and is unique, more power to them AFAIC. |
|
|
|
|
