A liberating experience

My computer has died.

Am in the process (once the onslaught of essays left over from last semester and being ill all over Christmas) is gone of making it well, but one thing that this has made me think (due to the trepidation of having to re-install all the stuff on there) is exactly how much shite I have collected and installed...

So I've made a decision, that it's gonna be stripped down to basics. Yeah, there's software that makes AMAZING sounds, infinitely configurable reverbs, amazing synths blah blah, but not being able to use them has really made me appreciate what else I can do. I mean I've always been a hardware freak, but whenever I've turned the PC on, I always seem to feel the need to whack on as much as possible. And sometimes it does sound better than what comes out of my live gear, but often it's just over noodley and over cooked.

I've started to see some of the amazing subtlety of when I have just one or two effects on a send on my mixer, and as I add in a new sound that shares an effect with another how they interact and mingle in different ways.

So, my PC is gonna be simple. Just what I need for recording, a bit of mastering, and editing a few samples. Basic effects. This is always what I loved about classic acid techno, it's simple, but the sheer catchyness of riffs and sounds with no fancy stuff always carried it for me.

This'll make my recorded stuff and live stuff sound far more connected too....

Lets see. Oh yes, techno is about the future, but some things have a timeless simplicity, and I think I'm gonna explore that for a while. :yup:

Simplicity is good mate. I use software almost exclusively but I still go by the same mantra. I rarely come out of Kontakt and one choice synth I am learning back to front, if I use vst effects then I need to convince myself and come up with a really good reason to do so

Have done the same for years now, it means I know what i do use very well indeed, and it helps give me a certain sound too.

Thats the problem with all this "free" software, often it doesnt actually help you as a musician at all, its a hindrance

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Originally Posted by theledge

Have done the same for years now, it means I know what i do use very well indeed, and it helps give me a certain sound too.

Thats the problem with all this "free" software, often it doesnt actually help you as a musician at all, its a hindrance

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Indeed. And it's exciting seeing how much variation you can get with a few things... My set-up's grown a bit since you'll have last seen it, but it's nice how it does mould a signature kind of sound by using a few choice things. And there's still a good few of my toys I can learn so so much more from.

Yeah good man. Pare it back to the essentials. Pick two good VSTs and get to know them inside out.

So very true.

Minimisation comes to everyone at some point.

I find it liberating myself.
The temptation in techno is just to keep wacking in more and more crap, but you end up with a dead messy, flat mix.

Less is more is the old saying, and it`s true.

Most bands have what? 5 instruments? Drums, 2 guitar, bass, vocals.

Even an orchestra, though many instruments, what they play, and where it sits can be split down into few parts really.

Plus minimisation makes you focus on strong musicality, rather than boshing in as many loops and crap as possible.