Why it's so difficult to make ambient

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Constructed Identity wrote: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.
Sorry but that is utter nonsense. No offense. :wink:
Whoever wants music instead of noise, joy instead of pleasure, soul instead of gold, creative work instead of business, passion instead of foolery, finds no home in this trivial world of ours.

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Aalto, The Mangle, AudioMulch and keep looping.
MuLab-Reaper of course :D

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Hey, I think the conflict between the music you hear in your head and the music you end up producing is a beautiful thing. I feel like people try too hard to be creative, when it should just happen out of inspiration. Some exercises though (because no matter how skilled you are, practice is a necessity) Try exploring spotify/soundcloud/any other music sharing websites. Look up "ambient" and if you can, analyze everything you possibly can (EVERYTHING). Look at relations between different percussive instruments (meaning how hard/ when they hit and their timbre). Observe both the spatial positioning of reverb - where it is in relation to the sound source - and how the frequencies/textures make the music and environment portrayed sound the way it does (for example, decay times, delays, filtering etc) There is so much that makes ambient music specific and discovering these nuances for yourself is a necessary evil. Ultimately I think the best way to make it less difficult is by simple, fun experimentation and most importantly lots of practice.

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When I start an ambient/drone track I tried to create a sound and find out what key it sounds best in to be the foundation of track. And then just build off of it. Depending what project it is space, drone, dark, or ambient I would just add parts and effects reverb and delays mostly to help create atmosphere. I don't think about where the track should or will go...I would let it go wherever it would take me. Then I would add more reverb :D

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A wise man once said to me 'imagine a vista you want to describe with audio'. That simple sentence was surprisingly instructive.

My own preference when starting an ambient track is to use plugins like Omnisphere/Absynth and find several sounds that I think work with a particular mood I'm trying to achieve.

Once I've found those I try and construct a soundscape and then things start to fall together. I'll then add vocals if need be, odd samples, weird sound design elements.

I also often don't work with a tempo and just 'freestyle' off grid.

That's how this track was created

https://soundcloud.com/bluffmunkey/whispered-echo

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4damind wrote:With Ambient you can IMO only make money if making music for films/advertising/computer games etc. All music which falls into the category "ready for radio" has a better chance.
I'm signed with a label and sell my released stuff in all known stores and I'm also be played on internet radio stations etc. But... I don't make Space Ambient/Drone or similar music which is IMO very, very hard to sell.
I would like to hear about the internet stations that play your stuff...I like Soma FM, it is very cool!

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u said rock has the guitar, so what instrument reference to ambient..........
DUUHH

Any hardware equipment that can handle audio files, SAMPLERs ring a bell dude?!

record LOTS of VST Pads then import them into a sampler and use the timestrech, reverse, layers until you get chills down your spine when you trigger something!!!

Time strech render
Reverse render
Timestrech tune up / down render
sutil LFOs then render again
Load into sampler, scare the shit out of your dogs and cats!!!!!
:hihi:
Toby Cortes

DRUMMERS RULE!!!

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tehlord wrote:A wise man once said to me 'imagine a vista you want to describe with audio'. That simple sentence was surprisingly instructive.

My own preference when starting an ambient track is to use plugins like Omnisphere/Absynth and find several sounds that I think work with a particular mood I'm trying to achieve.

Once I've found those I try and construct a soundscape and then things start to fall together. I'll then add vocals if need be, odd samples, weird sound design elements.

I also often don't work with a tempo and just 'freestyle' off grid.

That's how this track was created

https://soundcloud.com/bluffmunkey/whispered-echo
Definitely starting with a sound that inspires you is what has worked for me in the past on other kinds of music. I guess you have to start somewhere and if you can hear it then it motivates.

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I watched these videos a while back and found them helpful.
https://www.youtube.com/user/peacemakerstudio/playlists

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