Am I crazy?

The Lounge General Discussion
#1

Hi Elektronauts,

There is this question in my head for some time now. It all started after I’ve bought a Digitone.
My setup before consisted of a hand full of VSTs, a KaossilatorProMK2 and an EMX1.
Not that I’ve been very productive with it then.
Apart from fiddling around with some loops and sounds, there was nothing to show for.
Over the last month I’ve sold the Kaossilator and the Electribe, added a Digitakt and a Monologue to the band and finally adopted an Analog Four MKII yesterday.

So, I really enjoy fiddling around with all this hardware and it is all sounding so nice.
Also learning the Elektron workflow and tricks is really fun.

But the question is still there.
Am I crazy, buying all that gear (not that it is ruining me. And I know I can sell it IF there would be an emergency) just to play around?
There is an urge to be productive. To build songs and release stuff. But most of the time, I’m playing round, maybe build a loop and be proud to got that managed. :smiley:

What is your take on this?

1 Like
#2

It’s up to you, nobody says you have to finish tracks. If it helps you justify your purchases that’s good but you don’t actually have to justify yourself, to yourself or anyone else. Most my songs cease to exist when I turn the box off. there’s definitely a feeling of satisfaction in finishing a track but when nothing comes of playing with stuff it doesn’t make a difference. What would you have spent the money on if you didn’t buy gear? If you’d prefer to, then do that, if not then jam on

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#3

What he said :point_up_2:

Good advice

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#4

If it makes you happy then I makes you happy. Enjoy playing man. It’s a journey. It’s you putting your emotions and thoughts you can’t say with words

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#5

Thank you! :sunny:
This helps a lot.

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#6

There’s a good chance you will become more “productive” (in whatever sense that’s important to you) if you embrace what I call “polyphonic restraint.”

In my view, your setup is already too complex to do what you need to do at this stage, which is to acclimate yourself fully to hardware-based music production, learn the Elektron sequencer inside and out, and understand what your inner voice is telling you about what “sounds good” to you, good enough that you’d feel happy with it or want to share it with people.

Many of us own multiple Elektron devices and proudly show them off to each other in pictures. This is just the equivalent of displaying a gang tattoo, from a sociological perspective. You’ll note that when many of us actually share the music we made, the average number of devices is probably between 2.2 and 2.4 (note: not scientific).

Start with the Analog Four because of its song mode. Connect one other device. Stop. Learn these two inside and out, then try the same with with another pair of two devices.

The sooner you can start putting songs or pattern chains together in the Analog Four, the sooner your loop jams will start to feel like actual pieces of music. Go from there.

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#7

Idk man - take all negative energy and turn it into music. I wouldnt worry about anything other than enjoying what you do. Unless you like to worry about shit lol

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#8

Don’t beat yourself up if you’re not productive because for most people it comes and goes. Also, productivity and playing around work hand in hand. You play around enough, you get to know your gear; knowing your gear makes you more productive. If you have the urge to make songs just Record! Hit the record button and start tracking, layering, arranging, etc…

I make patterns on my hardware and track them into a Daw, then I arrange there. If you’ve got a great pattern on your Digitone, why not live record it and afterwards, record your other hardware patterns on top of it. Then you can mix it altogether. I’ll even play my Digitone live when it comes to slower moving chords / pads, no need for a pattern, recording the whole way.

A game changer for me was using my Digitone as the midi brain for my setup with the help of a Midi Solutions Quadra Thru. It helps everything be in sync tempo-wise and now I can write patterns in the Digitone that can trigger notes on other hardware through midi. You can have all your hardware playing in sync and in key, then you just have to decide on your song structure. Bring different elements in and out, track mutes, etc…

If you’re having fun and it’s enjoyable, keep doing it! You’ll get better and better. Eventually you won’t have the “I want to make songs and be more productive” problem, it will be something like “how do I mix these 8 songs together for my next ep” problem. :grin:

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#9

Sometimes it’s fun to just mess around. I do it all the time. Except sometimes, I hit record and capture the jam. Sometime the jam is the song.

People have far more expensive and niche things that get used far less

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#10

What I think is crazy is having to find validation on Internet forums.

If you’re happy, then great. You’re not hurting anyone and you’re having fun. Nobody says you have to do anything. Music has no rules. If you don’t complete tracks, so what. If you make albums that consist of 90 minute Drone pieces for each track, so what. If you keep your pieces and just look at them, or take pictures to show them to the world and never use them for their intended purposes, then so what.

Life is about your own experiences-That’s all that matters and it’s all we are at the end.

If you’re not happy, then find something that does make you happy.

My Mrs bought me a Zebra succulent yesterday. That made me happy.

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#11

Why ? It’s perfectly fine to fiddle with good instruments for your pleasure.

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#12

When I’ve been learning programming I was afraid of wasting my time learning X language when I would be better off learning Y language. A friendly fellow on this forum further down that road than I told me that there’s no such thing as wasting time since all of programming shares similar concepts.

I believe the same argument can be made with music making and sound design. There’s no wasted time. Every time you power up your VSTs or machines your getting further on your journey in your craft. If your hardware can’t lead to completed tracks by themselves, then let’s call your playing around “practice”- even better that your “practicing” is actually really fun and satisfying. When you’re ready to work on a substantial track, your abilities will be sharpened.

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#13

Does the person who buys a power drill only to use it on one project once and let it sit in the garage for years before its next use seem crazy?

Does the person who buys a book they only make it halfway through seem crazy?

Does the person with a room in their house that is only used for the occasional guest seem crazy?

When something you own isn’t as highly utilized as it would be if it were owned by another person. or used to produce a similar result, its value isn’t diminished.
More importantly, you aren’t diminished either.

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#14

The most important thing is getting pleasure from what you do.whether it’s for a hour a week or a hour a month.as long as you feel joy.then spending money on musical equipment is worth every penny.sometimes I can go a few weeks without switching on my instruments but I still love the stuff/noise/experiments I do

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#15

Not crazy as a hobby. Crazy if you buy all kinds of gear that ends up being decoration. A “neat” looking studio does not make music.

I believe (just my opin) if youre making music to make releases…youre shooting yourself in the foot.
If you make music for fun and end up with some tunes you think are worth compiling to release, you will be more productive.

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#16

Being crazy :crazy_face: - kinda subjective; one man’s ordinary is another man’s insane. I think crazy is good. We need more of it.

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#17

I take this “am I crazy?” question as a way to tell how excited and happy you feel. You have every right to feel such happiness and excitation, the instruments you have are very high quality and deliver pleasant ear massages :smiley:

Enjoy, @_Ook !!!

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#18

Im talkin buy it, rack it, take a pic a post it, and never use it.

I dont believe comparing a drill to a synth is a fair comparisson.

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#19

If releasing music is your only source of income, you are probably misdirecting your energy.

If you are having fun with the elektrons and not eating your poop at the same time, id say you are in the safe zone.

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#20

:poop: