When you first started, what made you think about which effects to apply and how?

[ARNK]

So you create a sound. The idea is to mix it with other sounds you’ve created into a pleasing & cohesive image that feels right.

For some you’ve learned what works, some of you might be a natural...

But what are some recommendations you can make for newer sound designers, where might one begin to understand how to meld complex tones with effects and filtering to make it all work?

[Bhan]

My motto is - don't try to create sounds - just work on getting rid of the ugly stuff. A good song / arrangement will practically mix itself

[ARNK]

My motto is - don't try to create sounds - just work on getting rid of the ugly stuff. A good song / arrangement will practically mix itself

Hmm, interesting. Are you suggesting an organic approach to synthesizing sounds. How would a sound designer not try to create sounds?

[Tj Shredder]

On synthesizing sounds I never think about effects. When you started with the real stuff in the 70s or 80s unless you where sitting in a huge studio, you most likely had no effects. Later when all these workstation synths came out I always had the feeling, why do they put tons of reverb on their sounds? Simply, any shitty sound will sound big with lots of reverb.
Still today, 90% of factory presets are made either with big reverb, delay or arpeggiators or sequences. I can only judge the quality of a synthesized sound without those effects I'd rather apply that in the mix...
First create a sound that touches you, and then you might not need to add effects to sound like the billion others...

[thecontrolcentre]

I learned by experimenting with whatever I could get my hands on ... don't forget that "sound design" is ultimately about creating music. Use whatever makes the music sound best.
I always create sounds without using any effects. They need to stand up on their own imho. I add effects later, when actually making music.

[chk071]

I learned by experimenting with whatever I could get my hands on ...

Yep. When i started out, i didn't know anything about fx, or how to apply them... now, i'm at least halfway confident with - reverbs, delays, phaser, and chorus'. I still don't use compressors or EQ's nearly enough, compressors mainly because i have yet to fully wrap my head around how they really work. It's not easy, especially when you don't frequently fiddle with all that stuff. I maybe do something every 2 weeks.

[acYm]

compressors are merely what they use in the acoustic recording world because the instruments don't have envelopes and amps like synths do, hence why they are entirely optional / redundant in much of electronic music. if I was forced to get rid of an fx category it would be dynamics without a second thought.

[ARNK]

compressors are merely what they use in the acoustic recording world because the instruments don't have envelopes and amps like synths do, hence why they are entirely optional / redundant in much of electronic music. if I was forced to get rid of an fx category it would be dynamics without a second thought.

Interesting comments from everybody, appreciate the insights

[sleepcircle]

i use compressors in electric music. i go hogwild with the instrument itself--hook the dynamics and stuff into the TONE of the instrument, and then use a nice compressor to pack it down and shape the sound to fit with a bunch of other tracks. best of both worlds.



EDIT:
as for how to mix sounds into other sounds.

• try to modulate them all slightly with the same base sound so they're all influenced and move in tandem. (doesn't really work for music, just for SOUND FX design)
• maybe make them harmonically related
• use panning and light touches of the same reverb setting to make them occupy different areas of the same space.
• put them on a bus and compress them together so they breathe the same rhythm.
• eq them out of the way of each other, and to fill in the holes the others have left.
• balance them temporally, so that one is silent while the other is sounding—but in quick succession, like on the 'note-by-note' level (this is sort of more to do with counterpoint)
• do not be afraid to go back and edit your sound so that it fits slightly better. if you're worried about losing something valuable then save it as a preset and then change the settings, now confident that you can go back if you lose something important.

can't currently think of anything else. i'll see.

[Michael L]

A sound & its performance are a synergy, so I either:
Imagine the performance and experiment with ways to make the sound;
Discover a sound and then experiment with ways to perform it.

[Ou_Tis]

compressors are merely what they use in the acoustic recording world because the instruments don't have envelopes and amps like synths do, hence why they are entirely optional / redundant in much of electronic music. if I was forced to get rid of an fx category it would be dynamics without a second thought.

So if we're using sample packs or sample-based instruments, is compression useful then, or have they usually already been processed adequately?

[Aloysius]

The first time I heard a Wah Pedal on a record, I instantly liked it. It was long before the internet and the first person I asked had no idea what the effect was. Eventually I found out. I liked the sound is the answer to your question.

[CrystalWizard]

I was fortunate to have access to loads of effects in the form of fx pedals when i started out. So, lots of experimenting. Occasionally i make sounds that rely on fx but generally i do not.

On synthesizing sounds I never think about effects. When you started with the real stuff in the 70s or 80s unless you where sitting in a huge studio, you most likely had no effects. Later when all these workstation synths came out I always had the feeling, why do they put tons of reverb on their sounds? Simply, any shitty sound will sound big with lots of reverb.
Still today, 90% of factory presets are made either with big reverb, delay or arpeggiators or sequences. I can only judge the quality of a synthesized sound without those effects I'd rather apply that in the mix...
First create a sound that touches you, and then you might not need to add effects to sound like the billion others...

OT but i agree completely. I often go through presets and turn the reverb off on all of them (sometimes i turn it back on but usually i prefer to add it later with send buses). In Reaktor i often remove the reverb from .ens and add reverb later. I’d like the effects sections of synths to be lockable.

[yellowmix]

No one is a "natural". No one is born knowing what an echo really is until hearing one. Every sound designer had to learn what effects are available and what they can do. It is a learnable skill.