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Author: tylth on November 24 2007 Viewed 4538 times. 24 people liked this blog. You can rate it below if you haven't already.
People who enjoyed reading this: daswesen, energygiant, sAMsKi, mulletballet, skab, yghartsyrt, atum, mixedtape, bodo, clawback, Roshi, oerfil, lilt, monty, mrpanda, linde, DongleKong, frnortnr, aerotone, jogn, implexgrace, bla, jakabxdrakt, astroid
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this is about a little crisis i have recently concerning my ability as a musician.
you may know i solely use a laptop and software to make musik. and audo samples. so far that is nothing special because a lot of "musicians" do that. i've put musicians in quote signs here because that is where i have encountered my problem.
how dare i call myself a musician, let alone an artist? fact is, i can't play keyboard for shit let alone read notes on sheets and random monkeys at the zoo are more educated in classical music theory/knowledge than me.
i think it's bold to call mere preset swapping on vst synths and sample arranging from the latest hip-hop / techno sample cd/dvd an artistry. isn't that like making wack trance "songs" with magix music maker?
that is the problem i have so far. but i want to make original music by choice not by chance. i want to express myself and not by material someone els prepared.
the question is now, where to begin. it it enough to put for instance a lfo'ed lp filter over a library breakbeat and call it my own "work"? would that be a part of expressing myself honestly?
should i instead of using a kickdrum from a sample cd make my own with appropriate applications? is that enough? or should i code that application entirely by myself to have it honestly original? by then, would i be even a musician anymore or rather a programmer? what is enough?
how would i think about that if i am using hardware machines to make music? would i encounter the same questions and get the need to circuit bend everything in order to make original music?
so far i backuped my entire sample collection, erased it from my hd with the plan of sounddesigning my own sample collection. i'll see how that turns out.
i could write on and on but i'll spare you that. boring enough so far.
instead i ask for your thoughts and opinions on a topic like this and maybe one or two useful tips (on sounddesing, original artistry, opinions on sample cds, presets) will materialize.
thanks.
alex
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11/24/07
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drummergirl
Did you ever do collages in art class?
Other people provided you with the pictures to use, but when its all finished, you are saying what you what to say through your incorporation of it into the big picture.
You talk about using a sampled bass drum.
I have sampled an acoustic bass drum ( lots here have too, I'm sure) I don't recall ever using it. If I have a choice of 20 other bass drums through software and one of them works better, I use that. Is my work less valid somehow even though the sampled bass drum is musically a better match?
I guess what I'm saying is its more about the total.
Sounds like you may also just be wanting to learn some music theory too. Go to the bookstore, pick something up.
Don't get so caught up in the tech, just make music.
11/24/07
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oerfil
Good reading, I like your ideas on creating your own sounds. I've thought about similar things in how I too lack any(zero) education in musical theory aswell. I've thought alot of the times that that would make me less of a musician. And in alot of ways it does. Although I'm more into this kind of punk mentality, if I can put aside the aspect of seeing myself as a musician and just do what I enjoy doing. If it turns out to sound like shit I usually take a break and let some time pass and try again. That's what I like about my creative process, it's more of a trial and error way of working than following strict rules of how it should be done.
11/24/07
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mixedtape
I agree with everyone here, the outcome is what counts, not the process. That and penis skulls. Definitely penis skulls.
(wtf that pic!)
11/24/07
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drummergirl
LOL Mixedtape!
11/24/07
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Spark
Make shit.
DO you like it?
REcreate shit
Do you like it?
repeat.
Put work into it. Practice.
11/24/07
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lilt
ive started drilling for oil and mining metals so that i can build a computer from scratch
though im actually only at the stage of beginning to mine for metal to build the drilling rig =(
11/24/07
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5l4
this just sounds like a crisis of things you want to make, but you can't. it has nothing to do with your 'badge' as an artist.
11/24/07
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everamzah
if u believe u suck it doesn't matter what instruments or mediums you're using. you'll just continue to (seem to) suck. 100 people here could tell you how awesome you are but if u don't believe in ur own ability, and the validity of ur work, then it won't matter.
with that out of the way: i use a laptop, qwerty keyboard, samples downloaded from the intertubes, a light touch of synthesis and i rock the shit out. i love my music. but i get discouraged like anyone. it doesn't matter the equipment you have, i guess is what i'm trying to say.
art is art. you either make it or you don't.
11/24/07
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everamzah
(actually, you're always making it, but that's another story.)
11/24/07
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atum
so nobody is gonna mention the weigners?
11/24/07
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sweettrip
mulletballet said: "At one time, I'm sure a guitar seemed quite strange to people."
the guitar was though of as a low-class, commoner or peasant instrument baaaaack in the days
11/24/07
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atum
oh, i see now the weigners were mentioned, i withdraw my comment
11/24/07
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mrpanda
My suggestion - write music in a way that gives you the best experience. If you're happy when writing your music, then you're going to continue to make better and better music, but if you're not happy or you're trying to accommodate other people's expectations of you as a musician, then what is the point? If you're not happy making music right now, then find another method that makes you happy.
As a joke, I always tell people I play guitar using the "throw it down the stairs" method and they're never sure what to make of it. I'm never gonna be respected as a guitarist and I know that, but I still like it as a medium and I'm not gonna feel bad about using it just cause i'm using it "inappropriately". Fuck the naysayers. 
11/24/07
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linde
It sounds like people are totally unpretentious about their music here, but i know better! It's the next level of pretentiosness!!!
11/24/07
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everamzah
what's to be pretentious about? i may love my music, but that doesn't mean i don't know it sucks. cuz i do. LOL! oh wait...
ya unpretentious is the new pretentious. HAHA
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