Sometimes I just feel like getting rid of it all

[Bwax]

Lately I’ve been doing some of the exercises from the Ableton book -

https://makingmusic.ableton.com/

Specifically, the ones on Catalog Attributes and Active Listening. The exercises really help to break down what some of my favorite artists are doing on their tracks, instrumentation, fx, arrangement and mixing techniques, etc. It has really helped put things in perspective and made me realize I don’t need half or even 3/4 of the shite I had stacked up around me, or bought and sold through the years, to make tracks similar to those I listen to and enjoy all the time.

Some of these artists I’m using in the exercises are known for using expensive analog gear, some are known for samplers, some for software, etc. But I’d say 90% of their greatness is just in their sound design skills, ability to set a mood, and plain old good taste. On most of these tracks I can’t tell if what they are using is analog or digital or hardware or software and can’t identify anything other than some basic Roland TR sounds, and even those aren’t integral, it’s probably just what they had handy.

One of my favorites, a legend in the genre (Dub Techno), basically fades in the song at the beginning, brings in a few different perc elements, drops the kick out 1-2 times per song, and has maybe 1-2 stabs, maybe a pad, and a couple weird vocoder elements come in and out. That’s it. The arrangements are quite simple. Instrumentation is sparse even. Kick is sometimes so soft as to be almost inaudible. Plays with fx constantly. After 6-7 minutes, fades the whole song out. So simple. But it’s brilliant. I love it. It puts me into a trance-like state and I listen to these artists all the time. Can’t get enough.

Nobody needs a room full of $$$ gear to do that. Some of these guys started in the 80’s/90’s when this now classic analog was cheap. They even state in recent interviews if they were starting now they’d probably be using mostly software. All this classic gear was just cheap and handy at the time they began making music.

It is all common sense and kind of a huge “Duh!”, but sometimes it takes getting away from forums and endless gear photos, and just actively listening and taking notes to realize your favorite artists don’t need world class studios, but would still be great just using what they have around them in a creative manner and putting hard-won knowledge of their craft into action. They could use a few pieces of gear or just samples and fx but wring every drop they can from it. It’s inspiring. It’s made me sell a ton of stuff and I’m happier for it.

[v00d00ppl]

I just got a newsletter promo from reverb that Moby is getting rid of his studio gear…could he be simplifying and going ITB? Man I wonder

[JuanSOLO]

Is it just me, or do you also sometimes feel like getting rid of most/all of your hardware?

Sometimes I wonder “what’s the point anyway?”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the question usually pops up out of frustration during a period of limited creativity…

Also, sometimes I feel like I have too much crap and could get rid of all the wires/clutter…

I haven’t felt like that since I actually did it and committed to a streamlined set up.
Been making tons of tracks since then.

[atimchak]

Wow. The moby article led me to this goldmine - 16k BBC wav files. For free.

http://bbcsfx.acropolis.org.uk/

[sezare56]

For free.

Free to use them for your ringtone ?
Not a free licence apparently, personal use.

[v00d00ppl]

That means i can play all my songs for my friends in my head

[DimensionsTomorrow]

Based on my experience, it can be a great learning experience to downsize significantly to just a couple of pieces of gear or just one instrument and a recorder.

It gives you time to focus on one thing without all the variables, you don’t feel guilty for having lots of stuff you don’t use, and you will learn what you miss and what you really don’t need.

I recommend the book The Joy of Less, but then again I’m sort of a minimalist at heart, so not for everyone.

[jb]

Nice post, I agree it’s not completely necessary. The music comes from the artist not the gear. The thing for me about having a lot of choices though is that it sort of does inspire me as long as everything has its place. Too much and you get option paralysis, too little and you feel something is missing. I don’t generally have a ton of gear at once but I find switching things out keeps things fresh. Taking a new approach can be game changing. Granted sometimes it’s a phase and stuff gets flipped but other times it fundamentally changes the way you work.

I don’t think it’s such a bad thing to be on the forums a lot. I think it’s because a lot of people want to live and breathe music. as humans if we try to tirelessly create we get tired and create badly. There are obviously a bunch of bad reasons people can spend a lot of time online (ego, procrastination etc) but I think awareness of those problems helps you not be a part of that. I believe that most of you guys I talk to on here regularly are just using forums so that even in downtime from making music it’s still on your mind, even if it’s browsing gear pics and stuff. One thing I will say though is that stuff is cheaper and more attainable than ever now though, we’re in an age of £300 model Ds and pirate-able instruments. Even with a basic rig now you have infinitely more possibilities than being broke in 1990. People wrung every drop from gear out of necessity, it’s weird now cause people have to set their own limits

[psyclone001]

If you have ever watched the live Daudmau5 stream, it is pretty entertaining.
The guy is extremely talented, no doubt about it.
What is funny is the dude has the worlds best electronic studio worth millions, the worlds best ATC 7.1 monitoring setup, every modular and hardware synth known to mankind, and yet he produces 90% of the time, if not more, using nothing but Serum

[psyclone001]

Deadmau5 studio. Insane
Can you spot Serum

[jb]

Yeah that guys studio is certified insane, just wow. I just watched that Linus tech tour of his house. The presenter irritated the life out of me but that house is phenomenal. I’d love the chance to hear it in person

[psyclone001]

I don’t think I would ever leave that room.
Those ATC’s. Ridiculous
Would sound fucking incredible in there

[KnobTwister]

I think we have all been there. This is what I do. I have a large white table. I only put a instrument or 2 at a time. I use them for a few weeks and record some samples into my DAW or OT.

Once I feel I hit my celling I swap out the instruments. This makes me focus and work with what I have. Then once I have a butt load of loops and samples and tired of hardware I sit at my DAW and put the puzzles together.

I find this system works great. I think most artist suffer from ADD lol.

[sovietpop]

Happens to me sometime but what really help me is having a band.
I find it really hard to make music alone but maybe its just me.
So playing with others can really help with motivation and inspiration.

[bheinz63]

Your wife is a treasure! That attitude and support will destroy any period of writers block.

[Tanburi]

Or look at getting a pedalboard rather than a big heavy flight case

Thanks, I’ll look into that; if it’s lighter and protects as well on flights, then definitely

Edit: though gotta carry the OT on board.

[JamesAmbient]

Interesting link. Revolt against what, exactly… given the absence of meaning in our lives? I will have to read this essay now. Hope it doesn’t lead to a dark place.

[atimchak]

Well, in keeping with the rest of this thread - I’m not in a position to release any of my jamz/noodling/productions any time soon, so yep, personal use is exactly what I plan to use the samples for. Without a paywall. Yay bbc.

[sezare56]

because I am a dad, because its expensive, because it takes time… sometimes I feel that nagging guilt.

I don’t especially feel guilty playing music at night when wife and son are going to spleep.
About price, it’s less expensive than a psy, traveling by plane…
Auto psycho musical therapy, and I’m the pilot of the space ship I built !
Don’t loose my time watching TV, playing stupid video games. I’m playing, but my score is musical and real !

I’ll feel much more guilty to spend too much time on Elektronauts and Audiofanzine by day !

[SoundRider]

I would like to add another perception. Let’s aks. Is there any good in having more gear?

I would say yes, if an artist has no problems to focus on selected gear for some time. There can be much to gain in having more gear and thus more options.

Remark: This does not mean that GAS is a good thing. If gear is almost only bought to get new gear and hope to get inspired by this, this will not help our creative spirits. It would rather have the contrary effect.

Maybe I am not a good example, but it worked for me, to have options. I started as a child learning to play the piano. But as a teenager I wanted to create other sounds and different styles of music. I learned to play other instruments since then. Leaving my piano zone of comfort, I learned much about instruments and music at all.

There are many instruments, which have strong influence in how to play music and this influences the musical style too. Example: You would never play a fast picolo solo with a trombone and you would never get a slide of the trombone with a piano. I made a similar experience with electronic instruments. For me it was an insight in electronic music, when I started to play with my little West-Coast modular. It just opened up my eyes and ears. This would never have happened, if I had my first standard subtractive synth only.

IMO leaving a comfort zone and trying something new can extend our understanding, experience, and capabilities. And somehow this takes more rather than playing one instrument all the time. But the magic word is “focus”