Too much stuff!

[BONES]

Working within limits can definitely be hugely inspiring, because it forces you to think about things in different ways. And it doesn't have to be any grand set of hard limits, it can be as simple as deciding you are going to sort out one particular problem in your mix without having to resort to EQ. Setting yourself little challenges that force you to approach things from another angle is a great way to learn and grow.

[GaryG]

It shouldn't be about need, it should be all about want. I absolutely only need two or three synths but I like having a dozen or more to choose from and in finding that magic dozen, I've bought dozens more. It doesn't bother me in the slightest that 3/4 of my plugins folder gets zero use, it has all been part of a process to find the ones I use all the time.

I think this where I'm at; I used to have every well reviewed free or budget reverb installed until I rebuilt my laptop and the just installed "what I need". Then got bored, realised sometimes that just using a different plug with a different gui but largely the same sound can be inspiring. Same with synths, went down the "one FM, one subtractive, one wavetable synth etc" route, got bored. I could easily just use Proclethya for dirtier synth sounds but sometimes it's fun/inspiring to pull out Vacuum Pro and remind yourself what it can do. The secret for me is to have at least some idea of what I want beforehand, just clicking through random presets looking for inspiration is largely a waste of time. I've pieces where I can hear it's really just a certain interesting preset I've pulled up and strung other parts around, rarely as satisfying as something I've created from scratch so to speak.

Building on that thought, the best thing I've done is to sort my plugs out and create Favourite folders etc (this is in reaper). I can concentrate on my core plugs or easily text search for what I want without scrolling through dozens of plugs that can distract me. But, they're there if I want to be distracted.

[BONES]

I've pieces where I can hear it's really just a certain interesting preset I've pulled up and strung other parts around, rarely as satisfying as something I've created from scratch so to speak.

That doesn't bother me, either. The best song I've ever written started out with me pressing CTRL+R to create a random pattern in Orion, which forms the bassline. I think I had to press CTRL_R half-a-dozen times before I got something I liked but it still felt like creating to me.

[GaryG]

I've pieces where I can hear it's really just a certain interesting preset I've pulled up and strung other parts around, rarely as satisfying as something I've created from scratch so to speak.

That doesn't bother me, either. The best song I've ever written started out with me pressing CTRL+R to create a random pattern in Orion, which forms the bassline. I think I had to press CTRL_R half-a-dozen times before I got something I liked but it still felt like creating to me.

I've certainly used random midi scripts to get things going, generative ensembles in Reaktor etc. That's not really what I meant, I was thinking of times I've taken maybe a 'Sequencer' preset in Surge and just let it play effectively, adding some drums etc. I can just hear the preset. Tweaking it a bit, changing the pattern etc makes it mine, breaks those thoughts.

[zerocrossing]

Working with limits, IMHO, inspires creativity for me.

Fixed that for you. It’s been said thousands of times, but different strokes for different folks.

I like music that has limits

I like the limit

I think self imposed limits is a good way to go

However I am about what works for me and what satisfies me as a creative person and part of that is defining limits. That may sound contradictory, after all why limit creativity. But the more I consider that, the more I think actually limits inspire more than they curtail. Within reason. YMMV

Fixed that for you, zerocrossing.

[zerocrossing]

It doesn't bother me in the slightest that 3/4 of my plugins folder gets zero use, it has all been part of a process to find the ones I use all the time.

Some people give me a lot of sh!t about churning though synths, but it was a very enlightening process, and also fun. My hardware synth setup has been pretty stable for a long time now, but it took a long time to find out things about me. Like, I’m just not into hardware drum machines, or I don’t care if I own a hardware FM synth, but I do care if I own a hardware Analog.

I think this where I'm at; I used to have every well reviewed free or budget reverb installed until I rebuilt my laptop and the just installed "what I need".

What some people see as “distraction,” I see as “the sand that gets the pearl going.” If I need something specific, there are certain go-to instruments that I know will always deliver, but I also like to wander a bit and get surprised at the results.

[GaryG]

What some people see as “distraction,” I see as “the sand that gets the pearl going.” If I need something specific, there are certain go-to instruments that I know will always deliver, but I also like to wander a bit and get surprised at the results.

I think your quoting went a bit haywire but assuming that was in reply to me: Yeah, that's basically what I meant. All my core, everyday stuff easily in reach with everything else floating out of the way but there when I want inspiration/have a play.

[ghostwhistler]

Working with limits, IMHO, inspires creativity for me.

Fixed that for you. It’s been said thousands of times, but different strokes for different folks.

I like music that has limits

I like the limit

I think self imposed limits is a good way to go

However I am about what works for me and what satisfies me as a creative person and part of that is defining limits. That may sound contradictory, after all why limit creativity. But the more I consider that, the more I think actually limits inspire more than they curtail. Within reason. YMMV

Fixed that for you, zerocrossing.

Fixed? What point are you trying to make?

[Hewitt Huntwork]

ghostwhistler, you had been - in my opinion - pretty clear that you were talking about yourself and your own preferences. zerocrossing highlighted one time that you seemed to be making a broad statement and I thought he might've missed the times you clearly owned your opinion. So I pointed all those moments out.

[BONES]

As you may have seen elsewhere, I have gone overboard with my purchasing in order to cut back. I just bought a new Surface-like device to use on stage and I've taken the opportunity to only install what I consider the bare minimum. Sadly, at this time that runs to 58 plugins and I can think of at least 7 more I know I am going to need, just to get by. At least 50 of them are instruments, I can far more easily do without 3rd party effects. Still, right now I have a plugin list I don't need to scroll which is something, I suppose, and some of them are duplicates (VST2 and VST3 versions) that I can hide.

[RunBeerRun]

Don't chagne it anymore. Just chagney your every

Remember, Imaho