How much do you use presets? [Poll]

[BMoore]

You can't make it to MTV without presets.
If you tweak your own, you'll get a mention in Sound on Sound for a squeaky demo, at best.

j/k

[tanabarbier]

Well I must be aiming at sound on sound more than MTV => never.

[Nielzie]

Question to the preset users & lovers: (pure curiosity here, no offence and not to denigrate): you don't mind having a sound that has been created by someone else and that can be used and found anywhere else? Having a sound in your work that can be used by pretty much anyone else? That's what I don't like about presets, to have a sound that 1000 other Joe's can have too…

I very rarely use a preset untweaked, there are almost always at least some parameters that need to be changed in order to make it sound more like I want. So I don't think it will sound the same for others. And then there are the 3rd party effects I use, mixing/mastering, etc..

On the other hand, how do you know that the sounds that you make from scratch are so unique, when there are literally thousands of other presets available? Especially for basses, supersaws and other common EDM or vintage bread and butter-like sounds.

With DubTurbo it's a different story though, there it's all just sounds that are already tweaked to perfection. Thousands of them. Ready to be used in nr.1 hit material. It's the execption to the rule.

[Lotuzia]

Question to the preset users & lovers: (pure curiosity here, no offence and not to denigrate): you don't mind having a sound that has been created by someone else and that can be used and found anywhere else? Having a sound in your work that can be used by pretty much anyone else? That's what I don't like about presets, to have a sound that 1000 other Joe's can have too…

Well pretty simple in my case. I just dont care if I made the sound, or not, I'm only worried about the joy of making music with instruments ( presets ...) that I need, or find inspiring.

Then to be more precise, there are thousands of thousands of presets in the world. But what only matter is what you do with them. With a given preset I will make *that* music, you will make *this* music, and everyone one else will make *something else*. More than that, even if I do a track using 5/6 different VSTI with only factory presets, mentioning only the name of the synths, I doubt that anyone will be able to decipher wich presets I used for each part without spending days to figure it out ( if ever ). So in the end, who cares if someone uses presets or not ? Even if its my job, when I listen to a track, I listen to music as a global thing. Not to presets. And certainly not by wondering if the composer uses only his own presets, or not, wich is the very very last of my concern ( and I say the last because I'm a sound designer, if not, it would even not be present at all in the concern list )

Some people enjoy to make their own presets, its a fact, and its good for them. Thousands of other people prefer to use presets, if not I would not sell one. Thousands of other people are inbetween. In the end of the day, only two things remain, the joy of making music, if you're doing your own presets, or not, and the -eventual- joy of the people who listen to your music, wich is directly related to your talent, and ability to reach the people who might enjoy your work. Making your own presets doesnt make your music better in se. Nor using presets btw. these are instruments. tools.

I wonder why there are not more people who are into 'If you dont make your own instrument, ie build your synths or pianos or guitars, you're not a real musician '. If you push the logic of certain people, this is the final frontier, the only Graal. And some people do make their own instruments. Using a synth to make your own presets ? Tss tss so easy, so rookie attitude .. it should be forbidden to 'real men'.

My two centavos.

[Aiynzahev]

I hate making patches while I'm composing. Okay hate is too strong a word, sometimes I don't mind it, but when I am really getting into actually making something I much prefer to have a large selection of sounds to choose from, especially when I only really have a vague idea of what I want to go.

There is a big difference between knowing how to make just about anything you want and actually making just about everything you want. In other words though you might have the know how you don't always have the ideas. I learned that in a surprising way after doing 128 sounds for sylenth1 then trying someone else's bank for Sylenth1.

It's not a complicated synth, but our sounds couldn't have been more different, it was very cool how he used the bitcrusher for example in ways that I only just touched on and so on. Sometimes its the focus of another producer that helps, as my sounds are often a little general and his was very specific electro.

[Aiynzahev]

Question to the preset users & lovers: (pure curiosity here, no offence and not to denigrate): you don't mind having a sound that has been created by someone else and that can be used and found anywhere else? Having a sound in your work that can be used by pretty much anyone else? That's what I don't like about presets, to have a sound that 1000 other Joe's can have too…

I very rarely use a preset untweaked, there are almost always at least some parameters that need to be changed in order to make it sound more like I want. So I don't think it will sound the same for others. And then there are the 3rd party effects I use, mixing/mastering, etc..

On the other hand, how do you know that the sounds that you make from scratch are so unique, when there are literally thousands of other presets available? Especially for basses, supersaws and other common EDM or vintage bread and butter-like sounds.

With DubTurbo it's a different story though, there it's all just sounds that are already tweaked to perfection. Thousands of them. Ready to be used in nr.1 hit material. It's the execption to the rule.

Yeah dubturbo I don't even need to touch the mouse, I just load up "no.1 hit" from the menu and there it is.

[Sendy]

Question to the preset users & lovers: (pure curiosity here, no offence and not to denigrate): you don't mind having a sound that has been created by someone else and that can be used and found anywhere else? Having a sound in your work that can be used by pretty much anyone else? That's what I don't like about presets, to have a sound that 1000 other Joe's can have too…

I very rarely use a preset untweaked, there are almost always at least some parameters that need to be changed in order to make it sound more like I want. So I don't think it will sound the same for others. And then there are the 3rd party effects I use, mixing/mastering, etc..

On the other hand, how do you know that the sounds that you make from scratch are so unique, when there are literally thousands of other presets available? Especially for basses, supersaws and other common EDM or vintage bread and butter-like sounds.

With DubTurbo it's a different story though, there it's all just sounds that are already tweaked to perfection. Thousands of them. Ready to be used in nr.1 hit material. It's the execption to the rule.

Yeah dubturbo I don't even need to touch the mouse, I just load up "no.1 hit" from the menu and there it is.

You're still using tubdurbo for making silly old no.1 hits? Haven't you found the part of it that can open up portals to parallel universes where you're already a worshipped celebrity the moment you materialize? No need for messing around with wubs and epic drops, just cut straight to the limousines and sex slaves!

[cryophonik]

Presets are for losers. I design and build my own robots from recycled cans and bottles, then program them to develop soft synths for me so that I can make my own patches. That's just how I roll.


Well, and I occasionally use presets.

[Halma]

Presets are for losers. I design and build my own robots from recycled cans and bottles, then program them to develop soft synths for me so that I can make my own patches. That's just how I roll.


Well, and I occasionally use presets.

I would not call them losers. I know people who are working on a professional level for radio broadcast stations or produce music for TV adds and trailers and a lot of them have to use presets and sample packs because of the damn short deadlines. They simply don't have the time to create most of the sounds on their own. But they also have done a lot of own stuff over the last decades so they have a huge library of own previous unused stuff. And a lot of them play more than 1 instrument so they add a lot of flavor via live instruments.

Cheers,
Sebastian

[fisherKing]

i am more interested in making music than making presets. i have a LOT of libraries. i find a sound, get to work. i almost always TWEAK things, but love having a place to start.

whatever works. ultimately, it's the end result that matters, and who cares how u get there? (only nerds on sites like this...which often includes me...except this time....)

[cryophonik]

Presets are for losers. I design and build my own robots from recycled cans and bottles, then program them to develop soft synths for me so that I can make my own patches. That's just how I roll.


Well, and I occasionally use presets.

I would not call them losers. I know people who are working on a professional level for radio broadcast stations or produce music for TV adds and trailers and a lot of them have to use presets and sample packs because of the damn short deadlines. They simply don't have the time to create most of the sounds on their own. But they also have done a lot of own stuff over the last decades so they have a huge library of own previous unused stuff. And a lot of them play more than 1 instrument so they add a lot of flavor via live instruments.

Cheers,
Sebastian

I was just being facetious. I don't really make my own robots, either.

[Ingonator]

Question to the preset users & lovers: (pure curiosity here, no offence and not to denigrate): you don't mind having a sound that has been created by someone else and that can be used and found anywhere else? Having a sound in your work that can be used by pretty much anyone else? That's what I don't like about presets, to have a sound that 1000 other Joe's can have too…

Most patches i have done myself (which are a lot) are published. Either as a commercial soundbank, as factory sounds or provided as a free download. This means even if i made those myself they are still available to the public and i got no problem with that...

BTW i do not only make sounds for earning money but i really like the stuff i have made (even if others maybe do not agree...).

There are also a lot of patches that i made and submitted but that were not published yet. Hopefully i'll find a way to publish those in some way and if it's just as a free collection. For example I already added a collection of my unpublished presets from the Dune factory sounds here at the KVR Banks & patches database.


Ingo

[ariston]

Coming from a more "traditional" setup (guitar, drums, bass, piano), much of the appeal in working in electronic music lies in creating my own sounds. I see them as an integral part of the composition. I make no claims to be a great sound "designer", or to make totally unique presets, but rolling my own sounds is nearly as important to the music I make as is actually playing the instruments or recording and mixing a song.

Working on sounds and patches is a really good way to circumvent writer's block, as well. Whenever I get stuck or lack inspiration, I dig into Zebra and go nuts (Zebra in particular because the possibilities are mind-boggling). It's about enjoying the ride, and not caring about the result. With just a piano in front of me, I'd fret about harmonies and melodies all the time; synth presets seem to suggest their own music. If I focus on them, the music usually just flows.

Anyway, this is what works for me. I have absolutely no problem with people using loops, presets, or what have you to make their music. Just not my thing - no superiority or anything like that: "Fie! Get thee hence, preset hussy".

[Halma]

Presets are for losers. I design and build my own robots from recycled cans and bottles, then program them to develop soft synths for me so that I can make my own patches. That's just how I roll.


Well, and I occasionally use presets.

I would not call them losers. I know people who are working on a professional level for radio broadcast stations or produce music for TV adds and trailers and a lot of them have to use presets and sample packs because of the damn short deadlines. They simply don't have the time to create most of the sounds on their own. But they also have done a lot of own stuff over the last decades so they have a huge library of own previous unused stuff. And a lot of them play more than 1 instrument so they add a lot of flavor via live instruments.

Cheers,
Sebastian

I was just being facetious. I don't really make my own robots, either.

Shame on me that I did not get it.

[idfpower]

Question to the preset users & lovers: (pure curiosity here, no offence and not to denigrate): you don't mind having a sound that has been created by someone else and that can be used and found anywhere else? Having a sound in your work that can be used by pretty much anyone else? That's what I don't like about presets, to have a sound that 1000 other Joe's can have too…

A couple of things:

1. Stock is good
2. What makes the difference is not the sound, but the mind behind it
3. There's a difference between being original and being under the impression you are original

Give the same presets to 10 ppl and they will come up with completely different songs. Give 10 different synths to one person and the guy will make music that sounds exactly like his style. It's the way you hear & see music that makes the difference, not the tools you're using. Originality just for the sake of it is meaningless: you can be "original" and make boring music, or you can create magic with stock presets. Ultimately it's down to whatever works for you and make your creative juices flow - whether if that means spending a lot of time tweaking presets or working on the fly The goal should be making music while having as much fun as possible, not overthinking it just to be different - because guess what: you already are unique

There's no point to argue about it - it simply doesn't matter