Electronic Music 411 - Death to cheatware...

04/15/10 + extrejec

Does anyone else feel like using programs like Reason, Ableton, Pro-Tool, et Al. is kind of cheating? Not, of course, in the sense that anyone who uses them is a terrible terrible person and should be banished from music land just for thinking about using them. It's just that it's almost too easy. The sounds are too good.

I ask this question because I am starting to feel this way myself, having only ever used such programs to make electronic music. It's almost as if i'm skipping a whole bunch of really important steps.

I'm sure that this is an oft-debated topic, but perhaps it needs a re-hash.
I don't know... Is it worth beginning to invest in actual EM gear?

Opinions?

Apr 21* + lysdexic

The END result is ALL that matter. Fuckin' shove your process. I could care less.

k, nm.

peace.

Recent blogs: Exai y/n?, skab/t - Crooked With These [hopsk004], livepacks - use them?

Apr 22* + donglekong

itijik said: "Now I see why people don't make music here :p"

Argh... for the record, yes, I do spend waaay more time thinking/talking about music than making it, unfortunately. Guilty as charged.

Looking back, it's pretty apparent that most of the stuff in my last post was directed at myself in an attempt to reduce cognitive dissonance. Sorry guys, that was a bit of a crazy rant on my part.

Which (to try to bring it back OT) is one reason I think hardware can kind of force one to produce -- you have all these tools physically sitting in front of you, and it starts to feel crappy if you aren't making stuff with it. With software, it can be all out of site and out of mind; thus less guilt.

But is using software cheating? I don't know... I guess certain tasks are easier with sw, but for me, trying to ignore the visual side of software when making musical decisions means making something I really like can actually be harder with software. Hardware is more vibe-y for me, if that makes any sense.

Recent blogs: Look what just came out of my ears, smell yo dick, Jsynthlib/TX81Z on intelmac

04/21/10 + flies

i've been making music. i just started doing voice/throat stuff. I kinda suck

Recent blogs: phatso loops all in one place, max msp homework and mark fell interview, party music

Apr 21* + itijik

I was just razzing, because of this long winded discussion about almost nothing. (I admit I didn't read all of it)
I know there are some productive people here

04/21/10 + flies

you didn't read all of it?!? dood, just stop talking. :P

Recent blogs: phatso loops all in one place, max msp homework and mark fell interview, party music

04/21/10 + aligak

I think it's the title of this thread that irritated me most. It takes a long time to become proficient in a DAW and many ways to use them, so calling it "cheatware" rubbed me the wrong way.

04/21/10 + flies

apologies to the OP, but this topic is really dumb. It's not like protools writes your songs for you. Even reason is hardly as restrictive as, say, a power trio.

Recent blogs: phatso loops all in one place, max msp homework and mark fell interview, party music

Apr 21* + itijik

aligak said: "I think it's the title of this thread that irritated me most. It takes a long time to become proficient in a DAW and many ways to use them, so calling it "cheatware" rubbed me the wrong way."

Yeah, it took a long time to get where I am now. Not just learning multiple DAWs, but also synthesis, sound design, mixing...etc. I use Ableton, and all of a sudden I am cheating...right. But that was just my over sensitive reaction to it

I think the OP was talking more about himself. Like it was too easy for him to get the sounds he wanted. Which is also kind of a strange comment to me.

I would like to hear this guy's music if it is that easy for him (that is not a challenge or whatever, I am just curious)

04/21/10 + Spark

link

Recent blogs: JJOS 2 default pattern length, Spark PSA - Giving Back to the Community

Apr 21* + Spark

I think a lot of what I was trying to say is being taken out of context. But flies puts it eloquently.

flies said: "It's not like protools writes your songs for you."

In the context of "if the tools make it too easy", the end result is more important than how, or with what.

Fair? Go piss on someone else now.

Recent blogs: JJOS 2 default pattern length, Spark PSA - Giving Back to the Community

Apr 21* + itijik

flies said: "you didn't read all of it?!? dood, just stop talking. :P"

I know, I missed all of the pissing

btw: some cool tracks on there Spark!

Apr 21* + DongleKong

Yeah Spark, I dig your tracks too!

Sorry if I contributed to the pissing.

Recent blogs: Look what just came out of my ears, smell yo dick, Jsynthlib/TX81Z on intelmac

04/21/10 + Spark

DongleKong said: "Yeah Spark, I dig your tracks too!

Sorry if I contributed to the pissing."

Ohwuh, I'm not trying to single anyone out. Disagreements are necessary even if they are ridiculous and trying.
I just feel like I speak some foreign language sometimes.
I know better.. and normally I'd just post an image of some buttery tits getting sprayed with some love sauce.. but.. this time.. I got involved.

But y'know, I got respect for what y'all are saying.

Recent blogs: JJOS 2 default pattern length, Spark PSA - Giving Back to the Community

Apr 21* + lysdexic

mate i'm not sure what you got up in arms about. all i did was point out that spending some time working on process/technique is valid. its the crux of the guys post.

its just that he was saying that he needed to buy outboard to do it, which is questionable.

Recent blogs: Exai y/n?, skab/t - Crooked With These [hopsk004], livepacks - use them?

Apr 21* + flies

i like pancakes.

Recent blogs: phatso loops all in one place, max msp homework and mark fell interview, party music