Planned Obsolescence

[djmino02]

Is it just me or do software synths lose their luster really quick?

At first, they sound awesome and they work great. Next thing you know they don't sound the same.

What's up with that? Planned obsolescence?

[JonSolo]

The software synths are not planned obsolescence. It is really our ears that have increased expectations. Think of "the grass is always greener"...or even Huey Lewis' "I wanna new Drug" song. Think of the big star who marries the super hot woman just to have an affair on her a year later.

Nothing changes but your perspective. Someone wants YOUR grass, your weed, or your wife. But you want someone else's.

Finding satisfaction with what you have is hard for a creative person, but is exceptionally rewarding when you discover how.

[Dasheesh]

It's a few things at work. There is a continual renewal and upgrade process going on with software that makes something useful not useful over time, and somethings not useful suddenly useful with change. Things like changing guis, adding or subtracting features, cpu optimization, OS/cpu upgrades... etc. There's that. I find that I cannot completely rely on software instruments to always be there for me because of these reasons.

But, there is also other processes at work. A lot of times, especially these days young people get into making loops with ableton and such and think... "oh I can do this too." Especially with this new wave of "edm" where it's so spelled out and predictable and formulaic and simplistic. Any 10 year old with a laptop has immediate access to what would have been tens of thousands when people were playing by hand and making their own music. You don't have to know anything because the software does everything for you, so it gets really boring really quick and a lot of people just drop off and discredit all music and lose interest at that point. We really need to get back to using our hands and our brains. Rediscovering the instruments and the music. It's the process of discovery and taking ownership that gives legitimacy to music and to the instruments and to the musician. This process does not happen very quickly. It sometimes takes a lifetime of dedication. It's not "immediate gratification." Anything rewarding is difficult. Challenge yourself to become better at what ever it is that inspires you. If I follow the crowd and do what I'm told and only use presets I get bored to death. It's pointless.

[rod_zero]

Planned obsolescence is what apple does with the yearly OS update slowly killing old software and HW.

[Neon Breath]

What do you mean, "planned obsolescence" ? Like the developpers are coding sound degradation into they synths so they start sounding bad and poor over time??

You don't really think that do you? And why would they do that? I really doubt that would be a clever marketing strategy for keeping their customers.

[Guenon]

A lot of times, especially these days young people get into making loops with ableton and such and think... "oh I can do this too." Especially with this new wave of "edm" where it's so spelled out and predictable and formulaic and simplistic. Any 10 year old with a laptop has immediate access to what would have been tens of thousands when people were playing by hand and making their own music. You don't have to know anything because the software does everything for you, so it gets really boring really quick and a lot of people just drop off and discredit all music and lose interest at that point. We really need to get back to using our hands and our brains. Rediscovering the instruments and the music. It's the process of discovery and taking ownership that gives legitimacy to music and to the instruments and to the musician.

I know for a fact (as in, have seen it happen over and over again ) there are a lot of young people who pick up a guitar, learn to strum a couple of basic chords and think "oh, I can do this too!" - any 10 year old with an acoustic guitar can do that. Then it gets boring, and a lot of them just drop off and discredit all music and lose interest at that point. It's the ones who are motivated in scaling the wall who advance to the more interesting stuff. It's the process of discovery and taking ownership of your creations that does it, actually being in love with the process itself in order to make those discoveries, in electronic music and acoustic alike. In every style and production workflow of music, it takes the same kind of dedication, and I have huge respect for all the people at the peak of their respective genres.

[Gamma-UT]

What's up with that? Planned obsolescence?

The phrase you're looking for is "buyer's remorse".

[Rommelaar]

How about degredation of hearing?

[Dasheesh]

A lot of times, especially these days young people get into making loops with ableton and such and think... "oh I can do this too." Especially with this new wave of "edm" where it's so spelled out and predictable and formulaic and simplistic. Any 10 year old with a laptop has immediate access to what would have been tens of thousands when people were playing by hand and making their own music. You don't have to know anything because the software does everything for you, so it gets really boring really quick and a lot of people just drop off and discredit all music and lose interest at that point. We really need to get back to using our hands and our brains. Rediscovering the instruments and the music. It's the process of discovery and taking ownership that gives legitimacy to music and to the instruments and to the musician.

I know for a fact (as in, have seen it happen over and over again ) there are a lot of young people who pick up a guitar, learn to strum a couple of basic chords and think "oh, I can do this too!" - any 10 year old with an acoustic guitar can do that. Then it gets boring, and a lot of them just drop off and discredit all music and lose interest at that point. It's the ones who are motivated in scaling the wall who advance to the more interesting stuff. It's the process of discovery and taking ownership of your creations that does it, actually being in love with the process itself in order to make those discoveries, in electronic music and acoustic alike. In every style and production workflow of music, it takes the same kind of dedication, and I have huge respect for all the people at the peak of their respective genres.

Huge difference between guitarists and edm kids. Guitarists start at the beginning and work their way up as they get better. They have to know how to play to advance. EDM kids just hit the power button. Their biggest talent is taking their shirt off.

[Dasheesh]

double

[Guenon]

Huge difference between guitarists and edm kids. Guitarists start at the beginning and work their way up as they get better. They have to know how to play to advance. EDM kids just hit the power button. Their biggest talent is taking their shirt off.

Nah, there's absolutely no difference. Both put in enormous effort when they're good. Like "over eight hours every day just to get better" type of effort and attention to detail and skill. And when they are more into posing than their craft instead, both are equally interested in "taking their shirt off" instead of working.

And that's okay, you know. In any case, they are entirely similar indeed.

[Dasheesh]

The point is with todays technology it's instantly available and you don't have to know how to use it. You can just turn it on and and the software will do everything for you. It's already done for you so people get bored of it really quickly. They are constantly trying to buy more stuff to keep it interesting but it always ends up boring when everything is already done for you. Attention to detail...o.k. so you like producing or engineering? awesome. Do you call yourself a producer? Or do you call yourself a musician? and do you know how your shit works? or do you call yourself a musician and don't even know how to play an instrument?

Look ma, I'm a musician, no hands.

[Dasheesh]

...and what frecking detail when you are using bought preproduced samples looped infinitely in a formulaic ableton premap that you downloaded to spit out yet more super saw stabs from the same synth for DECADES on end to the same kids 10 a day? Load samples, hit play, call up preset in OZONE. regurgitate.

[Guenon]

The point is with todays technology it's instantly available and you don't have to know how to use it. You can just turn it on and and the software will do everything for you.

No, it's not like that. I can sense you're just so opinionated you see only the other side of this particular coin, hah. The exact same kind of dedication is required to advance past the basics, no matter what you use. Otherwise, it gets boring, yes, for both the one making the music and the ones listening. I repeat, immense attention to detail and hours upon hours of experimenting and practicing. No matter whether you pick up an acoustic or electronic setup.

Hats off to every kid out there who picks up the kind of music they are genuinely passionate about and starts really advancing in it.

[Dasheesh]

and you wouldn't even recognize a musical tone if it was a snake in the grass and it snuck up and bit you in the ass because all you care about is "can I be popular too?" and "do I sound like him?" when what you should be worried about is "who am I?", "what is MY voice?", "what am I inspired by?".

I don't know you, you could be a trained studio musician, this is the current state of things, and why so many get so bored of software synths.

here's what needs to happen. A top of the line GROWN UP musical instrument for PLAYERS that comes with 0 presets. Make people work for what they want.