Why it's so difficult to make ambient
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Constructed Identity Constructed Identity https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=288890
- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 664 posts since 29 Sep, 2012 from Minnesota
Because I don't have a reference artist, that is, there isn't one person making the kind that I really like.
Ambient can be anything, I know, but I specifically like musical ambient- not a lot going on, but emphasis on the space/timing.
We get into patterns. We start doing things the way we made other music and it hurts creativity. Also, there is no instrument for ambient, rock has the electric guitar, techno has the 808/909...
I want to make more great ambient but I have a hard time even starting and then what I make isn't what I originally had in mind. It can be frustrating.
Ambient can be anything, I know, but I specifically like musical ambient- not a lot going on, but emphasis on the space/timing.
We get into patterns. We start doing things the way we made other music and it hurts creativity. Also, there is no instrument for ambient, rock has the electric guitar, techno has the 808/909...
I want to make more great ambient but I have a hard time even starting and then what I make isn't what I originally had in mind. It can be frustrating.
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- KVRian
- 1278 posts since 9 Jan, 2013 from morf
https://youtu.be/rioRQosAnQY ?
Actually, edit wrong URL
https://youtu.be/6jXbnydhNjU
Its probably not what you are looking for, it it field recordings, turned to solid sounds ?
Actually, edit wrong URL
https://youtu.be/6jXbnydhNjU
Its probably not what you are looking for, it it field recordings, turned to solid sounds ?
Last edited by Eauson on Thu Nov 05, 2015 10:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Man is least himself when he talks in the first person. Give him a mask, and he'll show you his true face
- KVRAF
- 4633 posts since 21 Jan, 2008 from oO
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- KVRian
- 1278 posts since 9 Jan, 2013 from morf
If you can whistle it, I'll clap alongSuloo wrote:a few pads and some bling bling
Man is least himself when he talks in the first person. Give him a mask, and he'll show you his true face
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- KVRAF
- 35439 posts since 11 Apr, 2010 from Germany
Experiment, experiment, experiment, that's how i would do it. IMO, there is no such thing as one way, it's not Rock, it's not Trance, so there isn't anything like a recipe for a (great) track, especially if you feel like there's no reference artist for what you want to do. It's probably more about a feeling for the sounds, and what will/has to come next.
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Constructed Identity Constructed Identity https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=288890
- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 664 posts since 29 Sep, 2012 from Minnesota
...is not going to work.Suloo wrote:a few pads and some bling bling
My standards are high. "Fumi" from Loop Guru is one I like. Also found a few on Soundcloud from unknown people, but it is hit-or-miss mostly finding what I like, hence I must make it.
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- KVRist
- 138 posts since 18 Nov, 2007 from PA USA
Maybe try "The Orb" or some Moby's Ambient album. Enigma's Return To Innocents is upbeat....
Some few songs by Aphex Twin (some are not even ambient).
Some few songs by Aphex Twin (some are not even ambient).
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- KVRAF
- 7540 posts since 7 Aug, 2003 from San Francisco Bay Area
I don't recall any ambient tracks on that Enigma album...Nocturnal909 wrote:Maybe try "The Orb" or some Moby's Ambient album. Enigma's Return To Innocents is upbeat....
Some few songs by Aphex Twin (some are not even ambient).
Incomplete list of my gear: 1/8" audio input jack.
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musical android musical android https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=298141
- KVRist
- 251 posts since 5 Feb, 2013 from spain
There is a great online community/forum for ambient music and musicians that can be very inspiring.
ambientonline.org
ambientonline.org
- KVRAF
- 1986 posts since 29 Apr, 2010 from NYC
well if youre looking for stuff like that loop guru track and using "ambient" in the search terms...that could explain why youre not finding a lot of stuff.Constructed Identity wrote:...is not going to work.Suloo wrote:a few pads and some bling bling
My standards are high. "Fumi" from Loop Guru is one I like. Also found a few on Soundcloud from unknown people, but it is hit-or-miss mostly finding what I like, hence I must make it.
try worldbeat, downtempo, or chillout. im not saying that to sound like some sort of genre snob (ill use the word ambient for that stuff myself sometimes)...its just that youll have a hard time finding what you want if you look in the wrong places.
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- KVRAF
- 4907 posts since 10 Aug, 2004 from Colorado Springs
It's actually quite easy to get started with freeware:
Here's some 'ambient' tracks that truly only took an hour or two per track to put together and post:
https://soundcloud.com/rockstar_not/sco ... ront-range
https://soundcloud.com/rockstar_not/roc ... bishot-2-1 (careful of the opening of this one, I was having a Soundcloud issue that when they converted my audio file it put a spike of noise right at the onset)
Sources that you might not yet have in your plugin folder:
Krakli Cygnus - choose the space skin for inspiration: Well, that's embarassing, Cygnus is no longer hosted/offered by krakli. Ok, pick any pad source you might have on hand. Be ready to hold down notes, just a few at a time, for a long time. Tim Conrardy had something to do with Cygnus. Try Oatmeal on some random patches.
Some not so pad-like sounds are also required if you take cues from Eno in his Editions EG days. I like Synsect by xoxos for some of this. Ambishot above uses synsect fed into delay and a huge reverb.
Man, it's been a long time since I did that track - both Tim Conrardy and xoxos replied on the post. Here it is:
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=191904
Tim, we miss you and your graceful participation in this forum.
Synsect is here: http://www.xoxos.net/
You also need a delay with tape emulation, in my opinion. I like Bionic Delay by interruptor.ch: http://www.interruptor.ch/vst_donationware.shtml
Another thing that will be useful, usually before the delay, is a filter. Frohmage works well (yes it's old, but it's still one of the most fun VST ever created IMO)
https://www.ohmforce.com/ViewProduct.do?p=Frohmage
And of course you need a reverb with tails that go on forever. My go-to was the at the time freeware Ariesverb, on the Temple of the Ancients preset (first one). He still offers a freebie version of this.
http://www.ariescode.com/index.php
For a synth-less version of Ambient, you might like this:
https://soundcloud.com/rockstar_not/sco ... t-ye-orion
Sources were my el cheapo SX bass guitar and a MIM strat I had at the time, through I believe Amplitube 2 free and then into filters, delay and reverb - very likely the same mentioned above.
Bass, piano and electric guitar and some Oscine Tract synth:
http://rockstarnot.rekkerd.org/songs/FA ... ng%205.mp3
Tweak some things now and then either with automation, mod wheel, etc.
Now, if the above isn't your idea of ambient, then my apologies.
Here's some 'ambient' tracks that truly only took an hour or two per track to put together and post:
https://soundcloud.com/rockstar_not/sco ... ront-range
https://soundcloud.com/rockstar_not/roc ... bishot-2-1 (careful of the opening of this one, I was having a Soundcloud issue that when they converted my audio file it put a spike of noise right at the onset)
Sources that you might not yet have in your plugin folder:
Krakli Cygnus - choose the space skin for inspiration: Well, that's embarassing, Cygnus is no longer hosted/offered by krakli. Ok, pick any pad source you might have on hand. Be ready to hold down notes, just a few at a time, for a long time. Tim Conrardy had something to do with Cygnus. Try Oatmeal on some random patches.
Some not so pad-like sounds are also required if you take cues from Eno in his Editions EG days. I like Synsect by xoxos for some of this. Ambishot above uses synsect fed into delay and a huge reverb.
Man, it's been a long time since I did that track - both Tim Conrardy and xoxos replied on the post. Here it is:
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=191904
Tim, we miss you and your graceful participation in this forum.
Synsect is here: http://www.xoxos.net/
You also need a delay with tape emulation, in my opinion. I like Bionic Delay by interruptor.ch: http://www.interruptor.ch/vst_donationware.shtml
Another thing that will be useful, usually before the delay, is a filter. Frohmage works well (yes it's old, but it's still one of the most fun VST ever created IMO)
https://www.ohmforce.com/ViewProduct.do?p=Frohmage
And of course you need a reverb with tails that go on forever. My go-to was the at the time freeware Ariesverb, on the Temple of the Ancients preset (first one). He still offers a freebie version of this.
http://www.ariescode.com/index.php
For a synth-less version of Ambient, you might like this:
https://soundcloud.com/rockstar_not/sco ... t-ye-orion
Sources were my el cheapo SX bass guitar and a MIM strat I had at the time, through I believe Amplitube 2 free and then into filters, delay and reverb - very likely the same mentioned above.
Bass, piano and electric guitar and some Oscine Tract synth:
http://rockstarnot.rekkerd.org/songs/FA ... ng%205.mp3
Tweak some things now and then either with automation, mod wheel, etc.
Now, if the above isn't your idea of ambient, then my apologies.
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- KVRAF
- 7540 posts since 7 Aug, 2003 from San Francisco Bay Area
For ambient drones, my favorite technique is to play guitar with Ebow and run it through a long effect chain of delay, reverb, and various modulation effects.
Oh, and Kaleidoscope is also great for ambient.
Oh, and Kaleidoscope is also great for ambient.
Incomplete list of my gear: 1/8" audio input jack.
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el-bo (formerly ebow) el-bo (formerly ebow) https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=208007
- KVRAF
- 16369 posts since 24 May, 2009 from A galaxy, far far away
actually, if you can whistle it then it's probably not ambientEauson wrote:If you can whistle it, I'll clap alongSuloo wrote:a few pads and some bling bling
- KVRAF
- 4633 posts since 21 Jan, 2008 from oO
here is a long video series tutorial:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... cv4CuWml8Y
maybe also check out scuba, wich is one of my favourite artists in that league:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8WFJXDI_2Q
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... cv4CuWml8Y
maybe also check out scuba, wich is one of my favourite artists in that league:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8WFJXDI_2Q