Uncomfortable realization (plug-in content within)

[Starship Krupa]

Something came to me the other day as I was pondering whether or not to spring for Chromaphone 3 at $80 (don't worry, @abacab, I did) and maybe Loop Engine (yes, also).

I was watching Cakewalk count off my plug-ins after the recent acquisition of the MComplete bundle and it came to this number, which may have had something to do with the subsequent epiphany:

Not surprisingly, the number caught my attention, and somehow it made me think of the things I tell myself when I'm weighing the decision whether to drop whatever amount of money on a new effect or synth, the number one being "well, if I get even one single song  out of it, it will be worth it."

I'd like to confess that I do not have 666 finished songs, I don't even have 66 finished songs (or even 66 song ideas). if I'm being honest with myself about "finished," and if that means "I'd play this at a party or send it to a college radio station or put it up on Bandcamp, where the song has all of its parts together and is recorded and mixed. Well, it's probably more like.....6.

So I've resolved to remind that voice that it would be nice to at least give the previous 665 FX and synths a shot at inspiring me. Whether it affects my behavior or not. After all, it is my money and it really comes down to "is buying this likely to bring me an appropriate amount of joy?"

I made my $100 purchase yesterday (did the ol' PB 1-2, where virtual cash from the first one helped pay for the second one) with that in mind, but make the purchase I did. I've been pondering Chromaphone for years now and this is the lowest the price has ever been. I demo'd Loop Engine for over a week and it has indeed sparked some ideas, and I can see where it could do more.

[Last Call]

I'm with you.

I mean, I have more finished songs, have lots of ideas (I love Rock mostly), but what I want to say if it brings you REAL joy buying something and using it even if it doesn't lead to something fruitful, but you play with it once in a while and brings you the same amount of joy I see no harm in it.

[MusicMan]

2 hours ago, Starship Krupa said:

After all, it is my money and it really comes down to "is buying this likely to bring me an appropriate amount of joy?"

Great post and songs can be to release for everyone, or just to enjoy making them 🙂

People spend a lot on hobbies with no chance of any return on investment, so even looking at music and producing from that aspect and a great way to de-stress and unwind, it's pretty easy to justify. Besides, there's worse habits to have!

[telecode 101]

Yup. I agree with you. I have put a dead stop on buying new plugins i don't need. I will only get something if I really know i will use it. or unless its a crazy price error.

 

about 3 or 4 months ago, i went through and threw out a whole bunch of plugins i don't use and noticed the speed at which my DAW launches improved significantly. it also reduced the clutter of the plugin options so its easily to get focus on just picking the right plugin i need to do the job. i also deleted a whole bunch of free plugins i got but never ever used. they are really just lite trial versions for promo purposes to upgrade you to pro version, if it didnt get used in the past year, it got deleted.

Edited April 15, 2023 by telecode 101

[abacab]

6 hours ago, Starship Krupa said:

Something came to me the other day as I was pondering whether or not to spring for Chromaphone 3 at $80

Now go back and plug it into those unfinished songs and let the magic speak!

[kitekrazy]

I've purchased soundsets that come with the demos/templates to load into a DAW.   Some of these are not short either.  I have one that is  8 minutes and you see the it appears many high level producers are less is more.

 I've removed VST2 for 3 which cuts down a bit,

Sometimes I think users get too involved in sound design instead of creating music.

I think one could create a challenge by creating a project using plugins by one developer. 

[OutrageProductions]

2 hours ago, kitekrazy said:

I think one could create a challenge by creating a project using plugins by one developer. 

In 2021 I created (and sold!) two film teasers using nothing but ProjectSAM TFO. Man was I surprized that I got away with that.

[abacab]

2 hours ago, kitekrazy said:

I think one could create a challenge by creating a project using plugins by one developer. 

KVR has done that with their OSC (One Synth Challenge).

https://sites.google.com/site/kvrosc/home

 

[Starship Krupa]

2 hours ago, kitekrazy said:

I think one could create a challenge by creating a project using plugins by one developer.

Cool idea. I call MeldaProduction. Now that I have everything they've ever come up with. Which includes a (actually very high quality) synthesizer, a Kontakt-style synth/sampler, and a drum machine. iZotope would work, as I got Iris and Break Tweaker when they were still available.

One of my (unfnished, natch) pieces is an entire song made using nothing but things from the MFreeFX bundle and DAW automation. No synth in the bundle, so I figured out how to "play" MOscillator using its MIDI input ability. MNoiseGenerator (gated with automation) is for percussion. I was hoping it would have a Kraftwerk/Radiophonic Workshop vibe.

[chris.r]

On 4/15/2023 at 8:08 AM, Starship Krupa said:

I was watching Cakewalk count off my plug-ins after the recent acquisition of the MComplete bundle and it came to this number, which may have had something to do with the subsequent epiphany:

Edited April 16, 2023 by chris.r

[JoeGBradford]

2 hours ago, OutrageProductions said:

In 2021 I created (and sold!) two film teasers using nothing but ProjectSAM TFO. Man was I surprized that I got away with that.

I'm not surprised at all - I'm considering putting an improvisational piece I did with TFO out to members of the Cakewalk Forum run by Mike at Creative Sauce for comment and then friends - if I do it will be the only piece I've 'released' since a competition entry using LABS Choir (which I didn't win unsurprisingly)   TFO is amazing!

[Paul P]

5 hours ago, kitekrazy said:

Sometimes I think users get too involved in sound design instead of creating music.

I'd argue that for those, sound design may be what's fun.

Creating music isn't easy.  A lot easier to buy a plugin, play with it a bit, and go to bed.

[JoeGBradford]

2 hours ago, abacab said:

KVR has done that with their OSC (One Synth Challenge).

https://sites.google.com/site/kvrosc/home

 

So did Spitfire with their LABS choir - really focussed the mind which is what I need!

 

[JoeGBradford]

Just now, Paul P said:

I'd argue that for those, sound design may be what's fun.

Creating music isn't easy.  A lot easier to buy a plugin, play with it a bit, and go to bed.

ha ha - that's me to a T - though I usually go for free ones - having said that I'm still working through Sample Tank Max & Syntronik 2 (both of which I got at a bargain price!) 

[Starship Krupa]

10 hours ago, telecode 101 said:

I have put a dead stop on buying new plugins i don't need

Nice qualification there.😆

That is a thing, though, deciding what tools we need or don't need. I think that's another point where our resolutions to put a halt to collecting can break down.

Despite the recent acquisition of the MComplete bundle, I've been good with my decision to lay off trying out mixing effects. Even when freebies come up in this forum, if it's a compressor or EQ or reverb or enhancer, thanks, but I'm good. Pretty similar with bread-and-butter synths. I've been flirting with Chromaphone for years, so what the heck. What actually slowed me down this time was having MPower Synth in the MComplete bundle. It is really, really good, although as far as programming my own patches, I seem to be a non-starter on just about any synth. I know enough to play around with oscillator shapes and usually turn off the internal reverb, but there are so many people who are better at it that 99.9% of the time, I find a preset, turn off the reverb and that's it.

Having MDrummer ends the search for the One True Drum Machine. Even if I find its UI to be Melda baffling, as long as I can switch it into bozo mode and program beats via piano roll, it will do anything I want it to. If there's something I want from a synth that I can't find in Massive, Chromaphone, Hybrid, Vacuum Pro, Vital, or MPowersynth....not likely at this time.

As for creative sound design-y FX, I'm still a 'ho, especially with certain developers, like Freakshow Industries or Unfiltered Audio or Glitchmachines. I'll kick the tires on anything they come up with. Same with loss-leader ROMplers and libraries like the Soundpaint freebies, Kontakt Start, Spitfire LABS, Analog Lab V, various Kontakt Player libraries, Swatches and other freebie A|A|S soundpacks and so forth.

So unless it's some kind of deliberately weird effect or a free ROMpler or library, I'll pass. I'm also very interested in 3-D spatial processing, so I keep an eye out for those things.

[chris.r]

On 4/15/2023 at 2:08 PM, telecode 101 said:

I have put a dead stop on buying new plugins i don't need

Edited April 16, 2023 by chris.r

[Bruno de Souza Lino]

20 hours ago, Starship Krupa said:

I'd like to confess that I do not have 666 finished songs, I don't even have 66 finished songs (or even 66 song ideas). if I'm being honest with myself about "finished," and if that means "I'd play this at a party or send it to a college radio station or put it up on Bandcamp, where the song has all of its parts together and is recorded and mixed. Well, it's probably more like.....6.

While you may not have 666 finished songs, I'm pretty sure you can easily come up with 666 excuses. We all can. What if that plugin we only opened once to activate and we don't even remember the name is necessary in some song/mix/project and we don't have it installed? The world will end!

[mettelus]

How many of the VST variants from MComplete did you install (that could be over 400 right there if you did them all)? Melda is good for GAS relief (especially FX). Every time something new (or "free") gets touted, I take a pause and think about if I already have it.

19 hours ago, MusicMan said:

songs can be to release for everyone, or just to enjoy making them 🙂

Sage advice here... the enjoyment of how you spend your time is what matters most... I have spent many hours just playing without recording anything and never once felt like I wasted my time.

[Byron Dickens]

I'm so poor I can't even pay attention, so I don't have this problem.

[Craig N]

I had my own uncomfortable realization recently. I added up how much I've spent on music software, sound ware, hardware and DAWs since 2020 when I decided to get back into music.

It was a lot more than I thought I'd spent. Like 4x more than I thought I'd spent.