KVR Audio

Constructed Identity · Sun Nov 08, 2015 11:30 pm

Grizzellda wrote:Well, there are ensembles that come with Reaktor, where you can just "hit play", and the generator starts generating stuff that might well be regarded as "ambient"...and so what?

Is anybody actually making money doing ambient? And please...don't tell me that isn't important...because you're an artist...and you're sensitive, and money doesn't matter...because you have feelings, etcetera.

Oh, yea that 'hit play' stuff is great... but I've lost that 14-year-old 'gee I'm makin' music' glee that I once had and gotten cynical so I should start smokin tah weed again eh.

It's all good, I channeled Aphex Twin last night and started something that may be what I've wanted since 1990-something when he was still doing ambient...

PatchAdamz · Post by **PatchAdamz** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:44 pm

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.

This maybe your issue.

With any kind of creative endeavor ie, painting, poetry, music, etc.
It is important to have some historical knowledge of the genre.

This in itself can help give you both an understanding historically, and concept of structure that is part of those genres.

Also, having some artist you really like does indeed help.
If you have a love for something, you will have an understanding of it and therefore a connection to it.

It is common to initially try to replicate a favorite artist.
This also helps you to gain knowledge technically of how to work in that genre.

Ask yourself, who your favorite artist are...

If none of them make ambient music then maybe rethink things.

Hope that helps....

V0RT3X · Post by **V0RT3X** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 11:21 pm

Learning sound design is your friend when producing ambient.

Sometimes it's fun to just use random generators, but honestly the biggest part IMO to producing ambient is telling a story. Ambient music is about telling stories, and detailed ones at that.

Producing good ambient takes time, sure anyone can spit out a quick ambient track but to make something really good requires time and conscious effort.

Also there is no real guideline to what represents "true" ambient music and to think there is naive and silly imo. So with that said go experiment! go create stuff that makes you cry, cringe, laugh, smile.

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 11:32 pm

PatchAdamz wrote:
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.

This maybe your issue.

With any kind of creative endeavor ie, painting, poetry, music, etc.
It is important to have some historical knowledge of the genre.

And then completely ignore it

xoxos · Post by **xoxos** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 2:46 am

if the outcome is frustrating then you definately weren't using ghettosynth's advisement

you know, the people who tell you not to smoke weed all have bigtime ambient music careers. that's why they tell you not to smoke it and act all offended and shit.

alexfalcao · Post by **alexfalcao** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 3:10 am

Ambient music has many forms, so, here goes some Atmospheric Ambient Artists I believe will inspire you;

Steve Roach
Robert Rich
Brian Eno
Harold Budd

Steve Roach was inspired by Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, and Vangelis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OigQRE0PMuM

2ZrgE · Post by **2ZrgE** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 8:08 am

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.

For me producing an embarrassing EDM track is much more difficult.

zerocrossing · Post by **zerocrossing** » Sat Nov 14, 2015 8:57 pm

Early on when I was just starting to wrap my head around ambient I got a lot out of jamming along to Eno 's Music For Airports.

PatchAdamz · Post by **PatchAdamz** » Sat Nov 28, 2015 2:04 pm

When making ambient music, the essence of the sound comes first.
With most other genres, the melody comes first.

There is an element of "zen" that is part of ambient music creation.

Don't think, feel.....

It is not about the thought process, it is more about "being" in the moment.
This is also what makes good ambient music so compelling.

4damind · Post by **4damind** » Sat Nov 28, 2015 2:41 pm

I made some Chillout tracks but there is always a bit overlap to Ambient. Maybe that some people will name it Ambient. Anyway, with my experience finding the right sounds and a interesting harmony is the most important part. People having some experience with playing an instrument will have it a bit easier because they having often some more trained ears for this.
Because reverbs are often a important part, finding good and working reverbs and getting an idea how to use them within the complete context is also important. Ambient/Chillout always needs a "big room" and a proper stereo image to give the listener the feeling he is "enclosed" by the sound.
Chillout/Ambient has also a lot of sub-genres, for some of this drums are not so important so there is not this typical thinking of bass/kick as an important part. Starting a song with bass/kick is IMO also not the best idea because it's not so important compared to EDM/Trance etc.

https://soundcloud.com/52degree/frank-a ... in-between

https://soundcloud.com/52degree/frank-a ... of-destiny

maschinelf · Post by **maschinelf** » Sat Nov 28, 2015 3:03 pm

I think with ambient music it also makes a difference where you live. Ambient music more than a lot of other genres creates the feel of nature, space, openess, awakening etc. I think it relies on a healthy dose of that inspiration to write good ambient music coming from nature. Not to say you cant produce good ambient in an urban setting, and ofcourse theres different sub-genres as well, some of which have more of an urban or industrial quality to them.

T-CM11 · Post by **T-CM11** » Sat Nov 28, 2015 3:48 pm

Grizzellda wrote:Is anybody actually making money doing ambient? And please...don't tell me that isn't important...because you're an artist...and you're sensitive, and money doesn't matter...because you have feelings, etcetera.

It isn't important. Because I already have a job, and I make music for fun.

Here's my stuff, dark ambient / drone / whatever: https://soundcloud.com/tt_cc
(and a few software/hardware demos)

ghettosynth · Post by **ghettosynth** » Sat Nov 28, 2015 5:09 pm

PatchAdamz wrote:
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.

This maybe your issue.

With any kind of creative endeavor ie, painting, poetry, music, etc.
It is important to have some historical knowledge of the genre.

This in itself can help give you both an understanding historically, and concept of structure that is part of those genres.

Yeah, I'd go even further. If you can't find something that you like, then what is your reference for claiming to like the genre in the first place? I would understand if one created something that they liked and that was in some way new.

4damind · Post by **4damind** » Sat Nov 28, 2015 5:35 pm

Another Ambient/Chillout track from my releases to give an idea what I mean

https://soundcloud.com/52degree/the-face-of-time

Percussions are very important for all this kind of music and this makes it sometimes also complicated because not everybody is a drummer or percussion guy. This typical dance drums are not working very well and it moves very quickly to a completely different direction. So playing a bit with drums, creating some patterns or at least using some percussion loops are important. If it sounds a bit like "could be music for a film" it's on the right way...

Grizzellda wrote:Is anybody actually making money doing ambient? And please...don't tell me that isn't important...because you're an artist...and you're sensitive, and money doesn't matter...because you have feelings, etcetera.

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.
There is a better chance to find a own style and a combination of Ambient/Chillout maybe Trance etc... which has a better chance to be commercially successful (which is also more interesting for mainstream listeners)

ghettosynth · Post by **ghettosynth** » Sat Nov 28, 2015 5:57 pm

4damind wrote:Another Ambient/Chillout track from my releases to give an idea what I mean

https://soundcloud.com/52degree/the-face-of-time

Percussions are very important for all this kind of music and this makes it sometimes also complicated because not everybody is a drummer or percussion guy.

Percussion is often a delineator between what is and what isn't ambient though. I get that you're doing chillout, which is different, and I wouldn't really call it ambient.

If OP hasn't discovered "The Drone Zone" yet, it's worth checking out. It's on somafm.com.

Why it's so difficult to make ambient