How much do you use presets? [Poll]

[BERFAB]

This thread has certainly made me think about what I actually NEED, soundwise.

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... illie+jean

I've always been aware that I can create just about any sound I want from scratch, using a variety of tools (toys?) readily available. But again, presets also give me a glimpse into sounds that I may not have thought of on my own. That's where the 'inspiring' part comes in.

In the bigger picture, I don't need nearly as many synths, effects and other related gizmos that I have to make the music I want. But it wouldn't be nearly as much fun without them.

Cheers
-B

[tanabarbier]

Interesting opinions here, I have to admit I tend to agree with Olikana, and I really don't think it was rude, it is his opinion and as he said, he is passionate about music. What is wrong about that? Everyone is entitled to his opinion, and to disagree is no problem! On the contrary! Even about the cancer thing! We are talking about art, right?

Of course you can make good music with 100% out of the box presets, but it won't have sound personality, in the sens that you control your composition up to a certain point, not up to the end.
I think that one marvelous thing about electronic music is that you can make the sounds, compose, mix and master, and so be a 100% responsible of the result, like a painter of his paintings. No one else involved, and what you have is a personal take on music. At least it is my aim. (not saying that playing with people is bad, I love it too, different things)

I understand the opinion of people not wanting to make their own sound, it is just a matter of personal taste, isn't it?

And to add something, like someone talked about Steve Reich or Alva Noto: they are compositional types that are based on expression with the sound, with any small variation of it, and how it is alive. When you are involved in that kind of music making, you probably won't use presets, not because they are bad or evil, just because they are someone else's expression.

[zvenx]

.......... But again, presets also give me a glimpse into sounds that I may not have thought of on my own. That's where the 'inspiring' part comes in.
...........
Cheers
-B

This to me is a brilliant point.
You get access to someone else's imagination beyond your own..

rsp

[vurt]

i used a preset once. but i showered straight after!

[taijiguy]

I voted Always, even though it isn't really true. If I'm playing with VST's, I only use presets because I find tweaking them to be tedious and boring, but I enjoy tweaking hardware.

[tanabarbier]

You get access to someone else's imagination beyond your own.

Well to be honest, you get access to someone else's imagination when listening to music too, when listening to presets too, but using them is something else, because in the process of making, you loose yourself, find your way back, and end up with something inspired by, but personal.
The same way that people allways did with cadences, melodies, rhythms, lyrics.
The fine line between inspired by and straight rip off is more like a gigantic out of focus zone, with all the small steps between the two "very distincts" ends, at least to me.

[Ingonator]

I don't hear sounds in my head. When i create a patch i don't go after a certain sound that i have in my head. I go after a feeling. I don't even make up my mind if it should be a pad or a bass. The journey will take me were it takes me and somehow the sound will end up in a track.

I like doing sound design very much but i always found it difficult to create sounds that just fit into a specific genre (e.g. trance, house, Dub Step, etc.) or category (e.g. Bass).
Especially when starting doing sounds with a new synth i got no clue with which sounds i will end up when a bank of patches is done but i am quite sure it will not fit into a single genre or a single category.

Some examples:
At Tone2 (where i participated in several banks for Saurus and Rayblaster) i got an email about participating in a bank focused on "Chip tunes" sounds. First i did not have a clue about them and second i do not really like those so i did not participate.

With another planned soundset for Saurus the range of possible sounds was quite specific. I ended up submitting presets but it were only a few.

My soundset for PPG Wave 3.V is called "Atmospheric Transients" but this title was not planned before i started. It is just based on the fact that at the end the soundset mostly included pad/atmo sounds. Besides of that i also includes sounds from many other categories.

I had created tone of waveforms (e.g. with DNR Wave Designer) while doing Beta tests and factory sounds for Tone2 Rayblaster. when doing those waveforms i had no clu wit what sounds i would really end up.
At the end i use waveforms that could fit to a pad for doing a lead sound and the other way around too.


What i want to say is that i feel a bit uncomfortable as soon as i am limited in the scope of sounds i could create with a certain synth.
At the end i keep on doing sounds that i like (including reprogramming Minimoog patch sheets with Monark which i offered for free....) and hope others like them too. Based on reactions so far (and sales of my commercial banks) this seems to be the case.


Ingo

[mcnoone]

And good ones at that.

Thanks Barry.

btw i used "sound designer" in quotes throughout my post cos a true sound designer is actually someone who makes sounds for tv , movies or videogames (anything but music!).
the job descriptor "sound designer" was specifically introduced to indicate someone who used synths and instruments catering to other mediums but music.
someone who made sounds with synths for music related purposes was either a musician or a producer (or "synth programmer" was used too occasionally when dealing with the dx7 or huge modulars)
the term "sound designer" got raped since the late 90s when rob papen started using the term inappropriately to describe himself when releasing his virus soundsets

All of this is complete nonsense.
Why?
For one the term sound design was used way before the virus, (since the 80's in fact) and it's definition has always included those who made sounds using synthesizers, and other means, regardless of purpose.
Secondly, How do you know that any sounds done by software synth sound designers at kvr were not used in tv, movies, video games? Which btw, does include music?

Here's another aspect overlooked.
The selling of soundsets can not only show off the potential for a given synth, but also can promote income and/or some publicity for music producers/musicians.
That's because most soundsets sold these days, always include demo tracks done by musicians for sound examples.
It's a connected thing.

[mcnoone]

I voted Always, even though it isn't really true. If I'm playing with VST's, I only use presets because I find tweaking them to be tedious and boring, but I enjoy tweaking hardware.

You've apparently never used any 80's digital window dream synths.
DX7-Roland D series-M1.
Yea those were great to work with...so much eh...easier to see the freekin digits.

[taijiguy]

I voted Always, even though it isn't really true. If I'm playing with VST's, I only use presets because I find tweaking them to be tedious and boring, but I enjoy tweaking hardware.

You've apparently never used any 80's digital window dream synths.
DX7-Roland D series-M1.
Yea those were great to work with...so much eh...easier to see the freekin digits.

The only synth I've ever owned that had a digital window was a DSI PEK. That's long gone...it was not fun to tweak

[Wormhelmet]

Question for all the originalist purists here who apparently think they are the only ones passionate about their music (since its been mentioned a couple times) - are you creating all your own drum sounds too?

[tanabarbier]

Yes, thank you.

[Frantz]

I didn't think it sounded exactly like Blade Runner but was derivative of it. The problem for me was using the distinctive arp pattern unchanged which goes beyond just using a preset sound.

FWIW the arpp pattern is the foundation of the actual preset - that's why it's called BR

You hear patterns & presets, I judge a song as a whole and I'm interested in the energy / emotion / vibe it gives, and not in dissecting sounds

I understand the arp pattern is part of the preset. I am questioning your use of it. Because the arp pattern contains a very recognizable riff, it is similar to MC Hammer or Vanilla Ice sampling a hit and building a new song on top of it. I am not a fan of those guys either because neither had the ability to write their best known material independently.

[BERFAB]

I didn't think it sounded exactly like Blade Runner but was derivative of it. The problem for me was using the distinctive arp pattern unchanged which goes beyond just using a preset sound.

FWIW the arpp pattern is the foundation of the actual preset - that's why it's called BR

You hear patterns & presets, I judge a song as a whole and I'm interested in the energy / emotion / vibe it gives, and not in dissecting sounds

I understand the arp pattern is part of the preset. I am questioning your use of it. Because the arp pattern contains a very recognizable riff, it is similar to MC Hammer or Vanilla Ice sampling a hit and building a new song on top of it. I am not a fan of those guys either because neither had the ability to write their best known material independently.

I agree with this philosophy in the general sense. If I like a sound that has a arp melody, I will almost always disable the arp. Composition is MY job.

On the other hand, if the arp is, say, a standard repetition of 8th notes on a bass, etc., I may keep it.

-B

[idfpower]

Interesting opinions here, I have to admit I tend to agree with Olikana, and I really don't think it was rude, it is his opinion and as he said, he is passionate about music. What is wrong about that?

You can be pasionate about music without being disrespectul. That's one of the things a pro artist knows (or should know): show respect for the other artists, for the audience, etc. "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice"

I think that one marvelous thing about electronic music is that you can make the sounds, compose, mix and master, and so be a 100% responsible of the result, like a painter of his paintings.

That's prolly because painters usually paint, instead of thinking all day long how to invent never seen before colours (ok, some actually did) You can have total control over your music: you're the one "painting" the song note by note, you decide what sounds to use and so on. Stock presets are not the enemy - getting stuck in your own awesomeness is (talking in general)



@Frantz: because if fits the song. It's that simple
As for the pattern...it's just a pattern I doubt you'll regognize it added to a different sound. In fact, try identifying the other presets used in that song - see if you can see from what synth and bank they are 'Cause I certainly can't without opening the project