KVR Audio

V0RT3X · Post by **V0RT3X** » Fri May 29, 2015 11:59 pm

As much as I like the presets that shipped with Zebra, Bazille, Massive, Synthsquad etc I deleted all the presets because i want to really challenge myself to learn every little bit of them. So far when i open up a instance of either i almost know instantly how to patch what kind of sound i want. Usually I'll save my own sounds, but i don't feel the need to use other peoples presets because it doesn't take me that long to program the sound i want.

I think it's helping me learn the ins and outs of the synthesizer really well. It's also making me produce my tracks in a completely different way.

Anyone else do this?

aciddose · Post by **aciddose** » Sat May 30, 2015 12:18 am

My synthesizers don't come with presets

planetearth · Post by **planetearth** » Sat May 30, 2015 12:59 am

V0RT3X wrote:As much as I like the presets that shipped with Zebra, Bazille, Massive, Synthsquad etc I deleted all the presets because i want to really challenge myself to learn every little bit of them. So far when i open up a instance of either i almost know instantly how to patch what kind of sound i want. Usually I'll save my own sounds, but i don't feel the need to use other peoples presets because it doesn't take me that long to program the sound i want.

I think it's helping me learn the ins and outs of the synthesizer really well. It's also making me produce my tracks in a completely different way.

Anyone else do this?

I can't speak for others (though, on a related note, sometimes I think I should)...but I don't do this. I like to use the presets as a "jumping-off" point to learn how the synth works. (Yes, there's always the manual, but that requires reading. I think you can see where I'm going with this....)

And I know not everyone works this way, but sometimes those presets spark an idea for a track. I'd rather see where that leads me and develop a track from it, even if I have to modify the preset at some point to fit the track better.

I would like to know more about how the synths work--but I have so many, and there are only so many hours in the day. So, I try to justify my approach by telling myself I'm a "song writer", not a "synthesist".

Steve

Shabdahbriah · Post by **Shabdahbriah** » Sat May 30, 2015 1:10 am

I too do this frequently, predominately with most of the synths I have being those which load OSC's and/or wavetables, and/or 'samples', all of which I have always enjoyed making myself. It fascinates what the different synths will/can DO to/with them.

V0RT3X · Post by **V0RT3X** » Sat May 30, 2015 2:08 am

interesting replies so far. Also I'm not trying to make this thread as some kind of synth snob, I just am curious.

It's a beautiful thing to just start with a init patch and start dialing in the sound as you hear it in your head. Eventually as you compose you'll know exactly what all your sounds are doing and if something needs to be changed you will KNOW exactly what to change.

I like patches, but I always feel like I'm not being very original when i use another persons patch in my compositions. I want everything about my sound to be my own.

Regnas · Post by **Regnas** » Sat May 30, 2015 2:17 am

Tbh, why on earth would you delete the presets? ...
C'mon, just don't look at them if you won't.

Well, I don't know, maybe I'm crazy......

V0RT3X · Post by **V0RT3X** » Sat May 30, 2015 2:24 am

Regnas wrote:Tbh, why on earth would you delete the presets? ...
C'mon, just don't look at them if you won't.

Well, I don't know, maybe I'm crazy......

Because it just forces me to make my sounds from scratch. Maybe I'm the crazy one because i take the whole out of sight out of mind approach to this.

oxygenmask · Post by **oxygenmask** » Sat May 30, 2015 2:40 am

I tweak (and limitedly) presets in my work. I will say this... there are a lot of crap patches out there. But, invariably, the usual handful of sound designers can make any synth sound good. This is a talent I don't have, and like what was mentioned before, you have to make a decision about what you want to spend time on. I feel like my talent is much stronger in songwriting than sound design. So, if I were to start making my own patches, I would be using my own sub par patches trying to write songs. That seems like shooting myself in the foot. I would rather start with a patch that already sounds good, and then try to write something that makes it work in my song.

Regnas · Post by **Regnas** » Sat May 30, 2015 3:12 am

V0RT3X wrote:
Regnas wrote:Tbh, why on earth would you delete the presets? ...
C'mon, just don't look at them if you won't.

Well, I don't know, maybe I'm crazy......
Because it just forces me to make my sounds from scratch...

Well, you're brave man...
So it seems like your next act will be the creation of a DAW from scratch, I'm right?

planetearth · Post by **planetearth** » Sat May 30, 2015 3:38 am

V0RT3X wrote:interesting replies so far. Also I'm not trying to make this thread as some kind of synth snob, I just am curious.

It's a beautiful thing to just start with a init patch and start dialing in the sound as you hear it in your head. Eventually as you compose you'll know exactly what all your sounds are doing and if something needs to be changed you will KNOW exactly what to change.

I like patches, but I always feel like I'm not being very original when i use another persons patch in my compositions. I want everything about my sound to be my own.

Yes, several good replies here, and I think it's coming down to "play to your strengths".

Oxygenmask said what I was trying to say: "I would be using my own sub par patches trying to write songs".

I don't think using another person's patch in your compositions makes you "not original". Using another person's melody in your song does, however.

Besides, you don't design and produce your own clothes, do you?

(And yes, I'll stop winking at you now, lest people start to talk about us....)

For a tune I'm working on right now, I modified an interesting "bell" patch in a synth I rarely use. I could have spent a few hours learning the modulation matrix and effects to come up with something close (maybe better; probably not), but I would have lost the inspiration and forgotten the part I wanted to play for the tune. And while I was going through the presets, I found another patch that sparked an idea for yet another tune. I wouldn't have had that, either, if I were trying to "roll my own".

But you have a good point too, and I have a friend who's very good at making her own patches and using them in her compositions. She really enjoys getting the most out of her synths, and I can admire that. I don't think there's any "right" or "wrong" here. It's whatever works for you. For me, I'll admit that I wish I knew my synths better. And maybe some day I'll take more time with each patch, or try to design some from the ground up.

Steve

xcentric · Post by **xcentric** » Sat May 30, 2015 4:00 am

I don't do this personally. But I can definitely see the benefits IF one is up for the challenge. Otherwise, the end product will suffer. The point is to have fun making good (subjective I know) music. If you enjoy making all your patches from scratch and you like the music you make, more power to you.

d-s-m · Post by **d-s-m** » Sat May 30, 2015 6:50 am

I don't delete presets. I look for ones that have potential and then start mangling them up, adding other vsts, exporting them so I can put them in a sampler....etc.

Kriminal · Post by **Kriminal** » Sat May 30, 2015 7:05 am

I dont delete them (some synths you cannot) i just make a folder and put mine in. Spending time deleting stuff is time better spent on creation.

Lotuzia · Post by **Lotuzia** » Sat May 30, 2015 8:34 am

Hmmm Until now I just deleted the synths and kept the presets. Now I can clearly see I was wrong ...

pc2000 · Post by **pc2000** » Sat May 30, 2015 9:19 am

Interesting subject! I like to make my own sounds, but have no problem using presets that can be altered to taste if needed. Unless you're talking about some hybrid hardware synth or vsti; I'm not certain how original the sounds of a traditional synth configuration would really be, considering the sheer number of sounds that have been programmed since synths were invented. You may feel a sound is all your own, but it's highly likely someone in this world has programmed that very sound or close to it.

I enjoy sound design and having my own creations, however, it somewhat seems a bit lost if I'm not also making my own drum sounds, piano sounds, percussion, etc. What difference does it make to have original synth sounds, but everything else I use is still someone else's? Just a thought!

How many of you delete the presets that come with your synthesizers?