eau claire, Wisconsin, USA
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Author: dkarma on September 06 2008 Viewed 955 times. 6 people liked this blog. You can rate it below if you haven't already.
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I've been making EM for well over a decade now. When I first started out it was with software programs like rebirth and reason. After learning software programs rather well I sought to cut out the computer entirely because let's face it...gear is great, and looks way better on stage, etc. So I started collecting gear around 2000. I got a piece here and a piece there. Now I have a bunch of gear and a bunch of programs and a bunch of vsts and I have actually learned what they all do and how to use them, but from time to time I get the feeling like my music is going nowhere. I don't do it for $$ just for myself but I want to make something worthwhile. Others on EM411 have told recently about how they're getting out of EM entirely. I almost feel the same way. Some weeks I just want to sell all of my gear for no reason what-so-ever. Other weeks I just want to buy more and keep collecting.
My studio space is really a corner of my bedroom, so things get rather crowded. I'm not sure if that is adding to my ambivalence towards music and gear in general, but not being able to spread out does cramp your style.
I guess the real issue here is scope. I have all this gear that can do so much, but find it difficult to narrow it down even to a genre. Ideally I'd just like to make music that sounds like underworld, but they have massive bankrolls to buy top end gear. I've really gotten to love acid pro 6, but the lack of full midi control of envelopes for audio tracks gets frustrating. I have had three separate chances recently to play live shows, but can't seem to get a set together. No matter how I try to lay it out, I can't seem to transition between the tracks on my various instruments / software. AP6 cant slave to midi clock so I'm having sync issues that aren't easily resolved. Every time I think of a solution more problems pop up. I'd cut out the laptop /software entirely, but I need some kind of sampler in my HW setup and don't have the $$ for one right now. I could use software samplers, but that takes me back to the sync issues. I could cut samples / vocals out entirely, but that's not the direction I want to take my music. I am typically my own biggest critic, and IMO most of my tracks lately that I've done w/ just hardware sound like shit. My reason drums sound sterile and without character. My synths are too shrill and screechy (even with resonance and release turned down). I've been thinking of dropping like 2k on a nice warm analogue filter, but what if I do and then feel diff in a month and want to sell all my gear again...gaaah
How do you narrow the scope of your projects?
Out of the last 20 projects/tracks you worked on how many were you satisfied with?
Name the piece of gear / software that you use on a regular basis that gives an instrument or the entire track some character.
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09/06/08
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electrodan
dk,
every song I've done I've been satisfied with because it was a learning experience. I look back on many of them and, from that point of view, have not been satisfied because I've come a long way. Strive to make your shit work for you, not you constantly trying to figure out how to work shit. I don't know what to tell you about your Acid/sync issues.
Don't spend $2,ooo on a filter.
09/06/08
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electrodan
the more gear you have, the more technical issues arise. There are a couple folks here who will say, learn what you have and learn it totally... then figure out whether you need more shit. good advice i thinks in this case.
09/06/08
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dkarma
I do feel like even my shitty tracks in AP6 are worth the time spent because I've learned that prog really well and each subsequent track I've done sounds better to me at least. But since having all these synch problems w/ AP6 I've decided to try going back to reason. All my tracks in reason are crap. The more I use that program the more I really don't like it. Same w/ ableton live...does great things...just don't like the layout / feel.
I actually have spent a ton of time learning my hardware and what it can do. Most of it is pretty straightforward. The only piece of gear that I haven't completely learned is my xl-7 and I just got that this summer (and it does EVERYTHING except sample) and I can bang out a track right quick.
The funny thing is that my technical issues haven't arisen from my gear, except for the lack of sampler. I know my gear, and its limitations, and I think I've come to the conclusion that It isn't my gear that is the problem, its just me I guess.
Just FYI, gear I have is:
EF-303
Digital Delay
Midisport 2x2
BCR2000
MS2000
XL-7
EA-1
TR-505 (bent) (x2)
TR-707(bent)
DD-5
DH-100
Midi patchbay 1x8
4 channel ESO plug mixer
Laptop...
09/07/08
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dach
DH-100's are awesome 
09/07/08
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bla
unbend your drum machines (unless theyre modded rather than bent)- drum machines are better than random noise machines - sorry i dont know what theyre like really
try making some very simple music- keep tweaking it until its really good
if you cant sync your machines with the computer then just use the computer to record/edit process stuff done with the machines
dont try to use everything at once- add new things to a track one at a time if you need them
i dont know - i cant really give advice because i never get anything done either- i never turn down the opportunity to play a show though- even if i know my set will be a bit rubbish
09/07/08
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Bobo
Try using a piece of gear in a different way other than you're used to. I'm pretty sure you'll be surprised. .
09/07/08
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astroid
i have narrowed the scope of projects by going in with a concept. works like a charm. some people don't like constraints but i think they're great. find the two or three essential ideas that are going to unify an ep and then go hogwild on everything else.
asking if i'm happy or not with my projects is a different story. sometimes i get what i was going for-i'd say about 50-60% of the time, but that doesn't mean it's 'good'. i try to not care so much about if it's good or not, just if it's right. your preferences can really hold you back from being creative. they are what drives you... but say for instance that you hate c minor chords, so you never use them. that could hurt you. or, say you loooove c minor chords and use them in every song. sounds like shit.
i use my modular at least a little on everything.
09/07/08
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astroid
^^^
those are obviously personal preferences and ideas. the great thing about music is that two sincere people can absolutely contradict each other and still make vital art.
09/07/08
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dkarma
the drum machines act completely normal when all switches are off so unbending them would be pointless...
actually I can't SLAVE Acid Pro 6 to the xl-7 using mid clock and the xl-7 doesn't have MTC. I can slave the xl-7 to ap6 but then when i get to the end of the ap6 track I'd have to end the song, load up another song etc. instead of mixing through to the next track without stopping.
Does anyone on here actually play individual songs and then stop after each one like most traditional bands or do you prefer to make it almost like a dj set? I'm thinking that with my layout I can do it live but I'd have to stop after each song for 1-2 min to set up for the next track...
09/07/08
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implexgrace
dkarma said: "i'm thinking that with my layout I can do it live but I'd have to stop after each song for 1-2 min to set up for the next track..."
lol @ hardware
i don't know though.. we're all limited to what we have. depending on what we have, we can make all kinds of different music. with a drum machine and synth alone (and recording/editing ability) you can pretty much do nearly anything.
less is more.. a lot of my ambient/noise is like.. long chains of effects with a granular core.
09/07/08
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dkarma
i probably should just do a shitty tossed together show just to get out of this slump...sure I'd have to stop, which would cramp some pplz style, but maybe if I pound the audience w/ enough beats they'll skip the lynching...
09/07/08
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dkarma
and actually ap6 would be the thing forcing me to break between songs...not my hardware (wtf is with not allowing multiple instances?!?!?)
09/07/08
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daswesen
haha astroid you major chord #11 b13 let's forget about the root dimwit!
I am totally with bla and astroid on this one, but then this is my personal approach. I started spending a lot a lot of time and energy on mastering my one piece of gear about 1 year ago, and it has taken me to the moment where I really liked some of my stuff for the first time. I am trying to focus more and more on process, now that the gear learning phase is over, but then I am still finding out new things, and with the new monomachine i got it's going to start all from scratch again anyway. I'd say, focus on one thing you love, like one you think is what defines you personality, and go with it 100%, explore it in so much details that you know why you like it, and start to see where it is going to take you. And don't try to be critical of the output, just see it as exploring a dark cave full of precious little treasures, staking out the walls, what's lying in there piece by piece, knowing that the cave itself is infinite. I think it's all about the path, and getting more and more new gear and ideas and concepts is just going to make you start at the beginning again. This is what I'ms tarting to notice, that I do better things when I do what I love rather than trying things out for the purpose of trying things out. Thus the idea of formulating my process and reflecting on that, going "inside".
On the other hand I think the elektron gear is about the deepest you can get, so maybe you could hit walls with other gear earlier? I know I hit a wall playing guitar, and when moving over to bass I finally found out that I'm not really interested in melodies and chords (well I am, but it's not where heart lies).
I dunno if that made much sense
09/11/08
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thehydrax
try narrowing the focus by limiting the sound palette in your tracks. work with a set of sounds or samples and why ways to manipulate them.
11/28/08
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OKEAH
dkarma wrote:Now I have a bunch of gear and a bunch of programs and a bunch of vsts and I have actually learned what they all do and how to use them, but from time to time I get the feeling like my music is going nowhere. I don't do it for $$ just for myself but I want to make something worthwhile.
Something worthwhile doesn't happen out of the blue. There are certain mixing techniques you should learn and it has nothing to do with amoun of money you spent on your gear. You can have all the equipment you want and still sound like crap without knowing how to apply the proper amount of dynamics/distortion/EQ to your drums
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