How do you let it go?

[Booga]

part of my decision to try the elektron way (looking very forward to the AR) is I feel I’m missing out the way I used to make music. tried and used different midi gear plugged into the laptop and watching the screen how to interact with reason. things I figured that holding me back to finish a track:

[ul]
[li]too much visually tempting things to explore, exeriment, play around[/li]
[li]it’s hard to limit oneself soundwise when the next instrument / samplebank / effect is one click away[/li]
[li]very easy to get lost between different music making stages like selection, arrangement, mix[/li]
[/ul]

funny enough I used to more productive with rebirth as a start and then import rendered beats and 303s into logic with a ridiculous small set of fx. that was 15 years ago. even earlier I recorded half a dozen tapes with song ideas I scrambled of a yamaha psr 400 with 3 guitar effects attached in line. a workflow issue was the least I could think of because there was no alternative. did I lust for a samlper? you bet. did I know my “natural” workflow was compromised when I started using logic? no.

the AR is one step back away from the screen and in a way a step in the limitation direction which hopefully gives me the vibes back …

things I pulled from this thread and will immediately test:

[ul]
[li]create pattern from 4 to 1 substractively and then 5 to 8 additionally[/li]
[li]get my head around to do drums in song mode[/li]
[li]limit the song length[/li]
[/ul]

very interesting thread

[stiiiiiiive]

Very interesting indeed.

(Oh it’s been a while since I haven’t posted here…)

I remember similar topics on the good ol’ Elektron-users forums. I remember feeling reassured to know that fellows were undergoing the same issues. I remember it was very enriching to share the ways to do of others artists.

I’m not very much into MDUW based music anymore, though I use the MDUW as a tight drummer in my current project. Here are my 2 cents anyway.

I tend to use a unique kit per song, adding some elements later if needed. I like the idea of having a certain sonic character in a given song, if not in a given band/project/album.

I’ve been improvising “from empty patterns” for years now, as someone said here. Alone or in a band. This allows to use a unique pattern and to have it evolving smoothly. The down side -for some but not me- is you cannot easily keep a track of each stage of the evolution. But hey, I’ve learnt to be more confident in my ability to find new ideas in situ vs. having good ideas once and reusing them later.

This way of working tends to have you focused on the music rather than on the details in sound design, mix, etc. This is because the music is going on and you have to be aware of what others are doing, of what to bring in/remove from what you’re hearing at this very moment. There is no time for details and you make the right move, only THAT right move.

I also realized I didn’t need 16 tracks -most of the time. Sometimes 4 are enough (e.g. in a duo where I live-sample a percusionnist), sometimes 12 are needed (e.g. when I need to get closer to a drummer 's drumset feeling). In anycase, you inject only what is needed vs. you add that shiny sound because you find it could be cool to use next to the others rather dark ones… I try not to think to much anymore. BTW the name of my current band is expressing that particular way of doing things (but old demons are still in the neighborhood and we think tooooo much )

All this reminds me of another situation.
I sometimes play with a couple of friends. We improv, whatever the intruments. Sometimes I bring the MDUW, sometimes I take a guitar, sometimes I play a synth and a pedalboard… but what is constant is that, before leaving home, I struggle in deciding what to take. I often pack some stuffs and end by removing some of them because I’ve been to much times in the situation where I say “Oh… look, I haven’t used this in the end…”
Less is more in the sense of having less to look after allows to commit more and focus better on what we do.

[TrabanT]

hey there everybody … i keep thinking constantly of this thread … i posted before … last time I said, keep it 3:20 (max 5 min) …

no I must admit there is another thing that I enjoy, and which shows me how much I evolved …

I start from scratch and record myself for up to 30 min. when I commute I listen back to what I made … and boy, I tell you I am seriously good at times…

gives me confidence to have a live gig, jam session improvisation sort of thing eventually … even when a friend is around, or my GF I get the stagefrights!

the gist: dont try to let go, keep going for 30 min, but listen to it again

or, let go, but 4 min max

[MK7]

gives me confidence to have a live gig, jam session improvisation sort of thing eventually … even when a friend is around, or my GF I get the stagefrights!

Sometimes I bring the MDUW, sometimes I take a guitar, sometimes I play a synth and a pedalboard… but what is constant is that, before leaving home, I struggle in deciding what to take. I often pack some stuffs and end by removing some of them because I’ve been to much times in the situation where I say “Oh… look, I haven’t used this in the end…”
Less is more in the sense of having less to look after allows to commit more and focus better on what we do.

+1 to those two posts!

TrabanT, just go ahead and have fun!