Uncomfortable realization (plug-in content within)

[Grem]

5 minutes ago, Craig N said:

was a lot more than I thought

I never did the math. But I know for a fact the above statement is true. 

It has been confirmed. 

By me. 

And many more!!

 

 

[TOTP]

Edited April 16, 2023 by Grem

[Amicus717]

12 hours ago, kitekrazy said:

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. 

I’ve been doing this with my sample libraries: creating short, quick arrangements using only one library or library sets from the same developer (where possible). The idea was to force myself to learn how to use my libraries properly. It’s takes time to master the nuances and tricks that make libs work, especially orchestral ones.
 

It’s been a surprising experience, and pretty constructive. 

[MusicMan]

1 hour ago, mettelus said:

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.

This is me to a tee! I never set out to write/produce anything, I just really enjoying jamming and messing around with the music and audio stuff and learning all about it. I did end up releasing a track and have more in the pipeline to release, but that's almost like a secondary bonus.

Music is a great escape and fun and I'm completely content spending hours playing guitar, jamming out a synth, or whatever, with nothing to show for it at the end apart from being blissed out and having a big smile on my face ?

[Craig N]

50 minutes ago, MusicMan said:

This is me to a tee! I never set out to write/produce anything, I just really enjoying jamming and messing around with the music and audio stuff and learning all about it. I did end up releasing a track and have more in the pipeline to release, but that's almost like a secondary bonus.

Music is a great escape and fun and I'm completely content spending hours playing guitar, jamming out a synth, or whatever, with nothing to show for it at the end apart from being blissed out and having a big smile on my face ?

This is what I'm getting back to now. It took letting go of obsessing about plugin deals to get there though. 

[Grem]

5 hours ago, mettelus said:

 I have spent many hours just playing without recording anything and never once felt like I wasted my time.

I have gotten more personal enjoyment out of playing music than any other thing in my life. And I am getting up there in age. A waste of time? Never!! That never even occurred to me!

[MusicMan]

4 hours ago, Craig N said:

This is what I'm getting back to now. It took letting go of obsessing about plugin deals to get there though. 

I had to update most of my software, but now I've reached a cool place where I really have what I need in terms of plugins. There are still some things on my list that I'll pick up when on sale and I could be swayed by the odd crazy deal (or Lars finding a pricing error!), but I have more than enough to keep me happy now.

Like you said, I'd rather prioritise jamming out and making tunes, at least until I find a need, or something missing.

I'd also rather be spending the time learning what I've got inside out too and going really deep into each plugin, or instrument.

I'll still be sharing some deals and hanging around in here though, as it's a cool place with a bunch of good people and there's always things to learn ?

[MusicMan]

6 hours ago, Craig N said:

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. 

I have a spreadsheet for all of mine, including whether they're 32/64bit, VST3, Windows/Mac, activation type and some other stuff and I included a column for the price.

I still have a few prices to enter, but it definitely adds up quick! In fairness I did expect it would, so I wasn't that surprised, but if you put it into perspective and how much you would spend on a guitar stack/amp and some effects, a hardware synth, or a drumkit, it's not unreasonable.

And a bunch of guitar Sims, virtual synths or plugin effects, provide a huge amount of variety in comparison.

But having the spreadsheet also helps me think a little more of whether I actually need to buy something, or not. I still buy things just because I want them! But it has helped curb my spending for sure.

[kennywtelejazz]

 Whomever among us who share the numbers reflected in this VST Scan are not worthy to stand in the shadow of the Great Bapu !

                                                               

?

I'm just kidding around .

Like a lot of people around here I bought as many high quality plugins and synths I could afford when they were on sale .

The joy of achieving ownership has been a perk and acquiring these tools has given me at times a false sense of fleeting self esteem . 

The DOG honest truth is "in my case " I have wasted many an hour of my precious musical creativity using the pasta method of throwing all sorts of VST plugins and synths into my projects with the hopes that something will eventually stick .

The sad part for me is while I was using this approach  , I even had the nerve to not even know how to use any of them 

Oh well ! there you have it ! my confession is over ,

Kenny

 

 

Edited April 16, 2023 by kennywtelejazz

[David Baay]

I resisted the temptation to load up on plugins for decades, relying mostly on Sonar-bundled  content plus hardware synths and FX modules for 30 years! And I have a lot of more-or-less finished compositions (if not fully produced recordings) to show for it because I spent more time just playing and developing musical ideas.  A few years ago I caught the plugin bug (I blame this forum, actually!) and loaded up on all kinds of instruments and FX, many of which remain virtually untouched because I still tend to just sit down and play/record solo piano  which requires very little in the way of processing and mixing. But I'm not as productive as I used to be because I still spend too much time keeping plugins, plugin managers and licenses updated and messing around searching for the perfect piano or accompaniment sounds or just familiarizing myself with some plugin so I won't get bogged down trying to figure it out when I really need it... which might be never!

I haven't bought anything new for quite a while now and think I'll be able to hold the line because maintaining what I have is already pretty overwhelming. But I do enjoy just learning how things work and marveling at the heights that DSP and physical modeling technology have reached. But AI is just around the corner, and I'm sure there will be related toys to tempt me. I'm especially looking forward to the version of CW that will be able to analyze all my projects and create a finished  song "in the style of David Baay" from musical keywords I enter. ;^)

[TravEllerZero]

On 4/15/2023 at 12:40 AM, Last Call said:

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.

Wait, you all have finished songs?

[paulo]

2 hours ago, Steve Madden said:

Wait, you all have finished songs?

No song is ever finished.

Some people just fool themselves into thinking that it is.

[marcL]

4 hours ago, David Baay said:

A few years ago I caught the plugin bug (I blame this forum, actually!) and loaded up on all kinds of instruments and FX, many of which remain virtually untouched because I still tend to just sit down and play/record solo piano  which requires very little in the way of processing and mixing. But I'm not as productive as I used to be because I still spend too much time keeping plugins, plugin managers and licenses updated and messing around searching for the perfect piano or accompaniment sounds or just familiarizing myself with some plugin so I won't get bogged down trying to figure it out when I really need it... which might be never!

+1, sadly this is also true for me! ? 

That's also the reason why I like plugins of some smaller developers, because they just do it right from the beginning, i.e. there's no endless update chore!

I like all the possibilities you have nowadays with music software, it's amazing! But on the other hand I think I was much more productive in the good ol' time with hardware gadgets!

[Grem]

1 hour ago, paulo said:

No song is ever finished.

Truth!!

 

[Bapu]

1 hour ago, paulo said:

No song is ever finished.

Some people just fool themselves into thinking that it is.

Even John Lennon once said he'd like to re-record the entire Beatles catalog to do it right.

[Grem]

51 minutes ago, Bapu said:

Even John Lennon once said he'd like to re-record the entire Beatles catalog to do it right.

RIP John. Love all his stuff.

But if he was to redo the Beatles catalog,  he would end up letting "somebody we all know and don't want to listen to" on some of the greatest songs ever written.  

I shudder at the thought!!

[kitekrazy]

14 hours ago, Amicus717 said:

I’ve been doing this with my sample libraries: creating short, quick arrangements using only one library or library sets from the same developer (where possible). The idea was to force myself to learn how to use my libraries properly. It’s takes time to master the nuances and tricks that make libs work, especially orchestral ones.
 

It’s been a surprising experience, and pretty constructive. 

I'm finding the all in one smaller orchestra packages suffice.

[kitekrazy]

21 hours ago, 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.

Easy to do sound design but trying to make it fit in music is what's hard.

[kitekrazy]

It's worse if you have Reason Suite,  REs and VSTs make it overwhelming.

[Magic Russ]

On 4/15/2023 at 1:08 AM, 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.

If by song ideas, you mean 4-8 reasonably groovy bars that don't go anywhere, then yes I have nearly a thousand of them.  Many have been even inspired by checking out presets or putting together libraries.

[abacab]

2 hours ago, Bapu said:

Even John Lennon once said he'd like to re-record the entire Beatles catalog to do it right.

"Let It Be" or "Let It Be... Naked"?

John had Phil Spector bling up the original tracks because John thought it was a piece of s*hit. Years later Paul re-mixed it without Phil's additions. Clearly a difference of opinion of "finished" there...