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I'm not really one for starting threads (on this or my older account)... But am I alone in finding the whole art of "dirty bass synth creation" tiresome? Right heres an example of what i mean... Take Reso for instance... He even says himself that his basslines are usually just different sounds put together in a sequence. Surely he doesn't sit there and program a new bass synth for each component of the bassline? Because that would take ages with the amount of re-samples and FX layering etc. I know you could just spend a couple days programming synths and making sound so your work flows faster but that would get mind numbingly boring. Seems with all the in your face, stab-a-granny, grit in the eye datsik muic its more about science and engineering than actual musical process. Do you guys have any way round this? Does it (like me) put you off making that type of music? and I appreciate in a lot of cases here you guys just resent that side of dubstep anyway.

ps. That was not a swipe at Reso, in my eyes he is amazing.

I feel like it loses the heart of it in all that. Used to spend ages making patches, never using them, once in a blue moon using one, and half heartedly feeling like I had too keep it up.

Now my qualm is with spending generations on coloring sounds, making background ambiences, and mixdowns. Still feels monotonous really.

I think the boring, tiresome aspect of production is half of why I like it. Always enjoyed tedious shit, just my personality type... think a small part of all producers enjoy tedious shit and a small part of all of us is a perfectionist... deadly cobination put together, but if you dont have it this might not be the thing for you really.

I see where you are coming from... Infact I enjoy pretty much much all of it besides synth creation. I like spending ages on tweaking percussion, creating and perfecting pads, mixing down... i even enjoy stuff like side chaining! Just something about making bass synths that just doesnt agree with me. Maybe its just because i really struggle with it?

that's why i set aside a day or two just for those autistic like tasks of making patches and such so that when motivation hits it's just a quick load away
that and half the time when i start programming synths i'll get distracted and just jam live on my midi controller and not record or get anything done

sometimes is boring you're right , but you have to do all the boring stuff before you start to work in your tune

i like to make atmospheres for future use

I think that it does take a while to make the patches, and every so often it gets to me, but theres something amazing to me about spending all that time creating a sound that is truly unique.

Like maybe I'm influencing music like the first guys (cant remember who it was lol) who created the hoover on a Juno. Or the first guys to make a reece.

The tedium is then exciting (for me at least) in the aspect that when someone listens to my music, they are hearing something fresh and new.

Even tho the nature of these things is that most ppl don't notice or appreciate all the time and hard work u put into it!

hoover = WhatThe? patch, Second Phase - Mentasm
reese = http://www.dnbwiki.com/index.php/Reese

Oh Deadly Habit. So full of Useful Information!

Talk about keeping up on ur game.

Good job sir. Good job.

Don't do that which you don't like to do.

nowaysj wrote:do that which you like to do.

Prefer to see it this way, but, either way...

I don't really get tired of creating synths. I always try and do something different or revisit old techniques to see if I can make it better. I always spend 1-2 days doing only this. Every time I learn something new.

i used to love sitting at my computer fucking with synths...but it never gave me the creative outburst i needed.

i'm thinking about starting to write my ideas out in a notebook and just carry that with me, considering most of my ideas are when i'm not at a computer -_-

deadly habit wrote:that's why i set aside a day or two just for those autistic like tasks of making patches and such so that when motivation hits it's just a quick load away

ding ding!

gonzodj wrote:i used to love sitting at my computer fucking with synths...but it never gave me the creative outburst i needed.

i'm thinking about starting to write my ideas out in a notebook and just carry that with me, considering most of my ideas are when i'm not at a computer -_-

Thats exactly what I do when im at work... Especially when I am listening to sets on my iPod i end up filling half a notebook with ideas.

really?

Synth programming gives me a hard-on

It depends if I'm in the mood or not. Some days I can spend hours tweaking drum lines, others I voraciously study theory, others I work on synthesis.

I just don't get resampling. If I can't get a sound I'm happy with from surge, zeta or the cm plugs along with some effects/splitting, then I just work on the base patch. Personally I try to make my tunes move through theory and progression instead of pure sound design.

To each their own though. I really dig some filth but I can't churn it out.

It would get tiresome if i knew how to program synths but i dont

I fucking LOVE fiddling with knobs until I like the sound!

Do what deadly said and spend some time just doing sound design. You'll find with practice that you'll be able to knock out what's in your head quicker aswell whilst your writing a tune without it ruining the flow of your session.
The what the? patch is a good example of what sound design is all about for me. Constantly tweaking/searching for a sound that'll be as classic and arguably timeless. Out to Eric Persing.

Yeah I have always thought it would be more productive to spend a couple days churning out Synths... Therefore i tried it and wasn't particularly succesful if i'm honest. Was just interested to know if I was the only person who had the same problem, to the point it kind of puts you making anything too in your face because you don't enjoy making it as much.

More I'm thinking about it though, I think it may just be the pure repetativeness of working with the same stuff:
NI Massive abit of Albino + various distortion plug ins etc.

Perhaps if i lay off Massive and try and utilise FM8 and Atlantis more (which i also have) the monotony might be broken up.