I've always thought of myself as a beginner in the synthesizer world and use. I own a few plug-ins for a long time, like FM8 from its initial release time, and I've always spent a long time programming them, to include key-like sounds or atmospheric pads in some of my progressive rock or metal tunes. And I do like making very punchy dance music too, most of the time mimicking songs that I like in terms of musical structure and kinds of sounds being used. Recently, I've bought a few plug-ins from u-he, and I have a lot of fun with Zebra 2.8 and Repro-1 specifically. But I still feel I'm lacking in something very basic to really enjoy the experience as much as possible, hence that topic.
I read some interesting topics very often on KVR related to software synthesizers. But most of the time I see the same patterns happening again and again, like the "what is currently the most realistic virtual analog synth in the world" topic, or "I need to buy a synth, which one do you recommend", or "I've got that money and I want these sounds, what should I buy (or not because I forgot I have this synth for ages)", and "does that synth sounds like this other one". Basically, people talk a lot about a few specific and singular topics :
- Learning curve, how much effort to be able to finally get that sound with a plug-in already owned or potentially bought soon, by using knowledge and skills that can only be obtained with a fair amount of time spent using it and watching tutorials
- User interface / User experience / Product design, how to get that same sound as fast as possible with as less effort as possible (because of the features of course but also because of the way the controls are organized, the sounds that can be obtained more easily than other with it, the way the plug-in has been designed in general, thanks to the embedded creative effects (delay, modulation, reverb etc.) and embedded production effects (dynamics effects, EQ), thanks to the presets and commercial soundsets, but even more importantly because of the gear acquisition syndrom and some lack of patience associated with it)
- Realism, which is basically "anyway, is that sound really feasible with that synth"
- The Fun factor, how much can I enjoy spending hours playing with that synth, to go to familiar territories and to unexpected creative places too, which make me want create some music or use it again and again
- Sound design, how to get a given sound which exists in the user mind or in a given song, from any given synthesizer plug-in (if possible of course)
- Knowing your set of synthesizers. Of course, that means spending a lot of time on it, either by making presets or knowing them and using them again and again. But that also means knowing the specific sweet spots, what makes the synthesizer unique, how to use a specific feature in an unexpected way to get something very singular and cool, like what we often call "synthesizers tricks" in tutorial videos, and how to be able to be very fast in composition / sound design / production in a specific context.
- Meaningful use of synthesizers. A lot of musicians have tons of gear to play with, and they do play a lot. But they don't play in a band, they don't create songs from the start to the end, they don't even record demos, and so they are missing a very important way to acquire knowledge and skills related with their musical instruments. They are lacking of a goal.
- Culture and technical/musical ear. I feel like you can't really improve the way you use synthesizers if you don't know a lot of music in the specific genres you like, and you must be able to listen to it with a technical ear, like "what kinds of sounds have been used there", "what is the structure of the sound", "how many sounds are played at the same time there and here", "how can you mix that synth sound to get that result" etc. You can also look for information on tutorials and videos about the "making of" for a specific sound, and play along with music kinds or "clichés" (look, I mixed Benny Bennassi with dubstep and glam rock). We could add also some science of musical arrangement and categorization of sounds capabilities
- Experience. Which can be linked with culture and then translated into "Ok I need a bass sound, how can I start", "I should start from that lead preset and change it this way to fill the frequency spectrum in that context", "where should I add automation", "do I need more FX sounds or more automation to create a transition there" etc., which is also the amount of songs you created, and how many questions did you ask that you got solved over the years.
- Workflow and musical knowledge. Ok, now I have all the things above. How can I start creating songs with synthesizers only in the most efficient way, on the musical side ? Should I use a keyboard and record notes as I played them ? Should I use embedded arpeggiators or step sequencers, write notes one by one on the piano roll, banish any controller with keys, use mixing templates or MIDI files, import stuff recorded on the past as a base, as audio or MIDI, play with grid-like controllers, knobs or whatever. Should I know how to play scales on my keys, chord progressions, even what major modes are or should I use MIDI effects and only the white keys ? Should I use that specific DAW, or a tablet, or hardware stuff only, play with patching modules ? Should I create something very static in the DAW, or play with a template on Ableton Live + Euroracks and create some kinds of live compositions with the record button being pushed all the time ?
So now everyone, I would like to ask you guys : what do you do most of the time when you play with u-he synthesizers ? How much effort do you spend creating something with your synths instead of just using them ? And what did you do which made you really feel that you really increased your skills with them and also your general enjoyment ?
By the way, I think that the synth song contests on KVR are one of the best way to improve synths use skills, and that some plug-ins companies should definitely organize something like that for their commercial plug-ins and customers once in a while, as a way to help them use their plug-ins in better ways !
And thanks to the ones who have been able to read my comment
) in music.
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It sounds cumbersome, but that's the moment in my life I recorded the biggest amount of songs a year.
