I bought too many soft synths

[Uncle E]

A writing partner of mine is like that, when we're in the same room he will actively prevent me from breaking off to fix some issue to focus on the actual writing.

Sounds like a good woman! Hang on to that one!

[Uncle E]

I like to see GAS as something that runs parallel to working towards a creative goal.

Don't GASlight!

[lotus2035]

I knew someone would say that.

[Uncle E]

Low hanging dad joke fruit.

[Synthman2000]

Stop moaning and get making some tracks. I have plenty as well and I don't really regret buying any of them. Sure it might take a few years before one of them comes to the fore for a specific style but it's there for when I need it. And they also make occasional appearances in some tracks.

It was meant to be that you owned these synths. Unless you have some financial troubles it's fine.

The most important thing, don't buy any more. If there is one thing to take away from it.

Same with effects / processing etc. You get to a point where it makes no sense anymore, they don't help you make music better.

[chk071]

Stop moaning and get making some tracks.

The OP told me once that he has a whole portfolio. Doesn't appear like that, with the kind of threads he's creating.

[cryophonik]

The most important thing, don't buy any more. If there is one thing to take away from it.

Agreed, with the caveat that there are some exceptions to this rule. Sometimes, you find a synth that you just identify with and you know it will work its way into your tracks, maybe fill a niche in your lineup that's missing, or whatever. I basically stopped buying soft synths a while ago because I already have too many and primarily use my 15 hardware synths, but I've wanted d16 Lush-2 for forever and finally just broke down and bought it a few weeks ago. It's become an instant fav and several instances have already found their way into the three tracks I'm currently working on. But, generally speaking, if you've realized that you own too many synths, the best approach is to work with what you have and avoid the temptation to buy anything else.

[Michael L]

A friend of mine has ADHD and is a successful producer. His way of overcoming that is by compartmentalizing his actual workflow.

Yes. ADD too. It's a gift, if managed well.
I compartmentalize 'too much software' by moving rarely-used items off my DAW.
I reject software if it requires so much mental bandwidth that I forget my original idea.

[Jac459]

The most important thing, don't buy any more. If there is one thing to take away from it.

Agreed, with the caveat that there are some exceptions to this rule. Sometimes, you find a synth that you just identify with and you know it will work its way into your tracks, maybe fill a niche in your lineup that's missing, or whatever. I basically stopped buying soft synths a while ago because I already have too many and primarily use my 15 hardware synths, but I've wanted d16 Lush-2 for forever and finally just broke down and bought it a few weeks ago. It's become an instant fav and several instances have already found their way into the three tracks I'm currently working on. But, generally speaking, if you've realized that you own too many synths, the best approach is to work with what you have and avoid the temptation to buy anything else.

Funny that having 15 hardware synthesis you buy a softsynth that is emulating .... Hardware.

Don't get me wrong, I am not judging or saying you are not right, I am just surprised. I would have gone to something with a workflow I can't replicate with hardware like phase plant.

[cryophonik]

Funny that having 15 hardware synthesis you buy a softsynth that is emulating .... Hardware.

Don't get me wrong, I am not judging or saying you are not right, I am just surprised. I would have gone to something with a workflow I can't replicate with hardware like phase plant.

I have a lot of soft synths that emulate hardware and many that don’t. Lush-2 emulates a hardware synth that I don’t own (and don’t plan to), but moreover, I wanted it for some of its specific features, like its arp, layering abilities, etc.

[BONES]

Personally, I don't like arranging or programming drums, so my trick now is to open complete Maschine projects, strip them down to nothing but drums, and then write around them. The projects almost always have changes and breakdowns in them, and it's almost magical how easily things fall into place.

You'd be a perfect candidate for Ujam's drums. For me, it's not so much that I don't like doing drums, it's more that I don't really care about them, as long as they're there. Honestly, most of the songs I write have a 4/4 kick through them and absolutely nothing else, until my bandmate asks me if I am going to put any more drums in, at which time I point out that he's the drummer and he can do it.

The process is like you describe, but the result is close to what I wanted to do all those years ago. I think that's true for you in a more round about way, you know what you like, you muck about until something close comes out.

Yeah but the thing for me is that, all those years ago, I had no idea EBM existed. When I started, all I wanted to do was sound like a whole rock band on my own. So my earliest covers were from bands like The Sisters of Mercy and Buzzcocks, not electronic artists. I used to karaoke the covers while my Fostex 4-track was loading up the next 3 or 4 songs from cassette - 2 tracks of backing and two tracks of data.

Performance isn't necessary, it's fun but I have to say the recorded product is the goal, the performance is the treat you get, but personally I'm just as comfortable in the studio, and the biggest rush to me is when a song you wrote is inspiring to you like the songs you love.

Yeah, I hate doing studio stuff. I find it tedious and boring. Once a song is in good enough shape to play on stage, I'm done with it. I have to force myself to keep at it until it's good enough to release. That's probably why my production process remains so minimal - if I felt I had to go to the lengths many of you guys seem happy to go to, I'd give it away for sure. If releasing new albums wasn't a great tool for getting us on overseas festivals, I'd happily stop writing tomorrow. The more songs we have, the harder it gets to choose a set list.

How utterly patronising. "it's in your head", we're talking about creativity ffs.

No, you were talking about a lack of self-discipline. That you seem not to realise this proves the value of my pointing it out to you.

Commitment? Feel free to judge my 'commitment' (whatever that means) by looking over my work and telling me that I don't make any music.

This shows you don't even have the discipline to exercise any quality control. I skipped through a few things and listened to a couple of others and they sound like things I was doing 40 years ago and never believed worthy of being heard by anyone else. I had a shoebox full of cassettes of that stuff, which I threw out 20 years ago. Great learning experience, not actually great.

Utterly insulting. You're blocked

Poor snowflake, can't handle a little dose of reality. Next time, if you don't want honest answers, don't ask dumb-arse questions.

[Jac459]

Funny that having 15 hardware synthesis you buy a softsynth that is emulating .... Hardware.

Don't get me wrong, I am not judging or saying you are not right, I am just surprised. I would have gone to something with a workflow I can't replicate with hardware like phase plant.

I have a lot of soft synths that emulate hardware and many that don’t. Lush-2 emulates a hardware synth that I don’t own (and don’t plan to), but moreover, I wanted it for some of its specific features, like its arp, layering abilities, etc.

Then have fun mate !

On my side, one way to improve my workflow was to go full software. This way I can work anywhere and I don't need to go in my "cave". Different people different workflows .

[cryophonik]

Funny that having 15 hardware synthesis you buy a softsynth that is emulating .... Hardware.

Don't get me wrong, I am not judging or saying you are not right, I am just surprised. I would have gone to something with a workflow I can't replicate with hardware like phase plant.

I have a lot of soft synths that emulate hardware and many that don’t. Lush-2 emulates a hardware synth that I don’t own (and don’t plan to), but moreover, I wanted it for some of its specific features, like its arp, layering abilities, etc.

Then have fun mate !

On my side, one way to improve my workflow was to go full software. This way I can work anywhere and I don't need to go in my "cave". Different people different workflows

Same. I’ve been using hardware since the early 80s and fully hardware/software hybrid since the early 2000s, so I can work in my cave, in my living room with just my MBP, or on the go with my laptop or one of my grooveboxes. Options are good and I wouldn’t want to be without either.

[Jac459]

Funny that having 15 hardware synthesis you buy a softsynth that is emulating .... Hardware.

Don't get me wrong, I am not judging or saying you are not right, I am just surprised. I would have gone to something with a workflow I can't replicate with hardware like phase plant.

I have a lot of soft synths that emulate hardware and many that don’t. Lush-2 emulates a hardware synth that I don’t own (and don’t plan to), but moreover, I wanted it for some of its specific features, like its arp, layering abilities, etc.

Then have fun mate !

On my side, one way to improve my workflow was to go full software. This way I can work anywhere and I don't need to go in my "cave". Different people different workflows

Same. I’ve been using hardware since the early 80s and fully hardware/software hybrid since the early 2000s, so I can work in my cave, in my living room with just my MBP, or on the go with my laptop or one of my grooveboxes. Options are good and I wouldn’t want to be without either.

Great setup . I am jealous.

[vstdls]

Eh, Bones nailed it.