Here's a question (but not a poll): do you prefer synths/samplers or effects?

[CinningBao]

it's all just one big toy.
so "the studio" as an entity rather than as a collective of individual entities.

That's a cool way to see it all.. but the bits do do only one of two things: make a sound or affect a sound. In modular (where I think you mostly work) the boundaries do become blurred when you can affect both sources and post-processing in tandem.

I said do-do

[CinningBao]

I prefer blondes.
Or effectively sampled synths, but these not so much as blondes.

So you're more interested in other beautiful humans rather than emotionless, music machines waiting for instruction?

[CinningBao]

I like synths that can make beep beep sounds, they are fun.

Thank you for your high-brow comment!

[vurt]

it's all just one big toy.
so "the studio" as an entity rather than as a collective of individual entities.

That's a cool way to see it all.. but the bits do do only one of two things: make a sound or affect a sound. In modular (where I think you mostly work) the boundaries do become blurred when you can affect both sources and post-processing in tandem.

I said do-do

yeah, it's a very "modular" way of thinking, i think mainly it comes from the lack of distinction between audio and control voltage, and as you point out, the interconnectivity between the different aspects.

but since using mostly an actual modular system, it has extended in to other areas, my guitar fx chain, now combines feedback loops, and looper pedals, plus synth pedals, all effecting other parts of the chain somehow.

i get that not everyone is the same, unlike the other poster, i don't see your view as unnatural or strange, just a different way of getting where we want to be with the sound.


re they do do one thing or another...
delay as a sound source
minds blown!!! who doesn't love a bit of karplus strong????

[CinningBao]

Apples or oranges?

I'm so sorry for not thinking about you fruitarian-synthesists.
Kumquat or noni?

[CinningBao]

yes

Fascinating stuff. Thanks for getting involved!

[foosnark]

yeah, it's a very "modular" way of thinking

I kind of always thought this way, which is probably why modular felt pretty natural to me.

Early on in my VST-only days, I recorded a track where every synth plugin was only producing sine waves, but they were processed with distortion or ringmod or other things. There was another where every part was mda ePiano but turned into drums, pads, etc.

[ramseysounds]

Here’s a question. Do you prefer milk or dark chocolate? I may run a poll.

[CinningBao]

Do you find yourself more interested in things which make sound (in the box) like new types of synthesisers and samplers or things which change the sound, both subtly or significantly?

To me this is like asking do you prefer food to garnish because effects are just that - garnish, that last little bit of polish to complete the dish/song but something that doesn't really matter if you can't be bothered.

And how much of that difference between the two is expressed in your production or writing time? eg, I spend faaar too long playing and tweaking a sound than I will picking effects. I just want that bit done quickly so I spend more time on the notes and the sound.

I mostly don't use effects at all, beyond the on-board effects in a synth. FireCobra and a limiter on my master, Puncher and EQ on my drums (which all come out of one stereo channel) and that's about it until I record some vocals (vox need lots of effects). Very, very occasionally I might add some saturation/overdrive/distortion but not very often. My process has become very simple over the past few years, to excellent effect.

it's all just one big toy. so "the studio" as an entity rather than as a collective of individual entities.

Agree. Strong separation of synths and effects is a bit unnatural. Music is a flow. Unity of different details.

Sure but the OP isn't denying that, he's asking where you put your main effort and/or which you enjoy working with more. It's pretty straightforward, really.

You're a great example of a musician who just writes and writes and writes. If I had only an acoustic guitar I would, for sure, not spend yonks attaching marshmallows to the strings, or making new holes for the sound to emanate from; I'd be writing! So it sounds like you spend more time choosing/creating your synth sounds and sample selections rather than tweaking reverb knobs. thanks for the answer

[Halonmusic]

neither

[HOTF]

I prefer all of them ... When it comes to buying stuff I tend to be excited by synths the most than effects and not interested in sampler. The stock samplers of my DAW can do all I want.

[zerocrossing]

A subtractive synth is basically a sound source with a chain of effects after it. I came to this as a guitarist, so I see a filter like a wha pedal. Sometimes I’ll make a simple synth sound, and add interest with external effects, sometimes rely on the synth engine. I use sampler a bit less, but they can be a good way to make something very interesting too. A granular synth, for instance, is just a sample player with a lot of options.

[CinningBao]

yeah, it's a very "modular" way of thinking, i think mainly it comes from the lack of distinction between audio and control voltage, and as you point out, the interconnectivity between the different aspects.

but since using mostly an actual modular system, it has extended in to other areas, my guitar fx chain, now combines feedback loops, and looper pedals, plus synth pedals, all effecting other parts of the chain somehow.

i get that not everyone is the same, unlike the other poster, i don't see your view as unnatural or strange, just a different way of getting where we want to be with the sound.


re they do do one thing or another...
delay as a sound source
minds blown!!! who doesn't love a bit of karplus strong????

"just a different way of getting where we want to be with the sound" - exactly this. I'm trying to get a sense of how 'us', as electronic musicians, allocate our interests, which are initially aligned by our desires. Are we "note" people who are more interested in the composing of beautiful note sequences, or are we "sound" people interested in creating textures and harmonically interweaving spaces..

And quite frankly, there's no need to bring delay feedbacks in to this discussion. You know, as well as I do, that they break all known concepts of sound and music, sitting precariously on the fence between 'effect' and 'generator', and yet declaring "things _can_ last forever".. whatevs dude.

<I love jamming shit in delay lines and AIN'T NOBODY gonna stop me>

[CinningBao]

Here’s a question. Do you prefer milk or dark chocolate? I may run a poll.

MODS: move this to the Food forum

[CinningBao]

yeah, it's a very "modular" way of thinking

I kind of always thought this way, which is probably why modular felt pretty natural to me.

Early on in my VST-only days, I recorded a track where every synth plugin was only producing sine waves, but they were processed with distortion or ringmod or other things. There was another where every part was mda ePiano but turned into drums, pads, etc.

Thanks for your reply! It sounds like you're more of an effect guy/gal, based purely on your tale of yesteryear. And then modular environments allow you blur the lines.. These are great exercises to force you to explore the boundaries of the tools at your disposal, and something I invite my pupils/clients to explore. "What can you do with a 1 sample audio file?"