Sound Design Is Ruining Your Music
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- čas přidán 7. 08. 2024
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Have you ever opened your digital audio workstation (DAW) because you’re in the mood to make some music, but then you end up spending hours searching for the right bass sound? Then, feeling frustrated because you’ve wasted hours and didn’t even find the right sound, you close your DAW and open Instagram instead.
If you’ve ever done that, then we have a huge secret to reveal to you: forget about sound design, it’s probably the worst distraction in the music making process!
Now, we’re not saying that you shouldn’t spend hours on designing the perfect sounds. We’re saying that you should not be spending your time trying to design the right bass sound, when you haven’t even written the bass line yet. How could you possibly know what the right sound is for a bass line you haven’t yet written?
Working on sound design before you’ve written the music, is like mastering before you’ve mixed. Yes, mastering is essential but it needs to happen after the mixing. Same with sound design. Yes, it’s essential, but it needs to happen after the writing.
And of course, the sound you choose will usually affect what you write for it. For example, the line you’d write for a bass guitar will be different to the one you’d write for a bass synth. But (and it’s a BIG but), will the line you’d write for a Fender 4-string bass guitar be different to the one you’d write for a Gibson 4-string bass guitar? No! And that’s exactly why you should use presets when writing.
Simply decide if the melody you wanna write is for a bass guitar or a bass synth, then choose a preset that’s kinda close to what you want, and get writing! Then, when you’re happy with your bass line, don’t start sound designing it. Not yet. You’re still in the writing stage, so move on to your drums.
And use the same approach here. Do you want a realistic sounding drum kit or an electronic kit? Choose a preset that’s in the ballpark of what you want, then get writing!
Then continue on to the next instrument. And the next. Chords. Melody. Counter melody. Then move on to the next section. Keep going! Stay focused. Don’t start sound designing until you’ve completely finished writing.
You see, when you’re writing music, you’re in the sublime state known as Flow. This is where time disappears. You and your music are one. In fact, there is no you anymore, just oneness. The flow state is the ultimate high, but it can be lost in a split second. And one of the easiest ways to lose it is to switch tasks. Also, you’re exponentially more creative when you’re in the flow state. So, you can massively improve your creativity and therefore your music, by simply focusing on the writing process exclusively, and avoiding distractions like sound design.
However, it’s vital that you actually know the method for writing a song from start to finish. Especially when it comes to how you write a new section for an existing section, how you transition between sections, and how you structure and arrange your song. So, if you wanna learn Ray’s secret method, which he has used to make music with multiplatinum Grammy-winning artists, then enroll in our video course now (link above).
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ABOUT
Be careful who you learn from. Most people teaching music on CZcams are not qualified in music, and they're not qualified to teach, either. Hack Music Theory is taught by Ray Harmony, a multi award-winning college lecturer who's made music with multiplatinum Grammy-winning artists.
CREDITS
© 2022 Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Kate & Ray Harmony
Script & all music in video by Revolution Harmony
Book promo filmed & edited by Maurits Nienhuis
All stock footage courtesy of Pexels
Most stock footage from cottonbro
►FREE BOOK: HackMusicTheory.com
💚What is the program that seems to organize patches?
On the contrary, having a big library of self-made presets and sounds is incredibly helpful to get an idea of what kind of sound you're going for
I think it pays to organise your time, such that you dedicate one session to designing sounds and another one to composing. It's not a very effective or efficient use of your brain cycles if you digress into sound design while writing a song, or start writing melodic parts in the middle of a sound design session. The brain works better if it is focused on one thing at a time, rather than jumping around between things that require different skills.
@@AutPen38 the best producers are the most organized producers. This definately isn't true but should be so I'm saying it🙏🏽.
ya where's your music then Mr. professor? let's see all your amazing music
THATS WHAT I DO
I always use the presets from my library
Find the genre you want to make roughly, study the arrangements, get reference ideas. Using sounds that are already designed to exist in the genre you’re aiming to compose will save so much time. Knowing the drum kit used for 90% of the songs in the genre, the right bass sound. Helps so much
@@QuadDamage666 I’m trying to make oldschool house music and slowly coming to terms I can’t get that analog sounds without spending more money than a car costs lol. Get them Roland’s synths now guys, in 20 years I bet they double in price 😅
@@Bittamin Use digital vst and then Downsample, Old-school house it mostly down sampled through MCPc's, so you get grainy 12 bit quality. You can imitate the authentic grainy sound bu using 12bit down sampling.
@@QuadDamage666 dub music the kick and bass sound and relationship is everything.
How do you find the drum kits that most songs are modeled after? This is easy for hiphop, but for EDM Im having a hell of a time trying to find specefic kits surrounding sub genres, outside of Splice.
sound design can triggers melodic and arrangements ideas. And i make my own soundsfrom scratch. Used to be a chore, but with time since im faster at doing , i can make the whole process (sound design + actual music) feel natural now.
I keep my sound design sessions separate from my song production sessions. Making a song and designing a sound are two different yet related activities, kind of like gardening vs cooking. You can't cook a meal if you're spending all your time planting seeds and watering plants and shopping around for ingredients. So my sound design sessions are purely meant for building up my own sample/preset database to use later in my song production sessions, during which I try to not do too much sound design in order to stay on track with composing the actual music.
That's a good point. If I do find myself mixing the 2, I'm writing notes and video recording the session
This is why I switched from composing in my DAW to using notation software for my initial sketches. Doesn’t have the best sound but it allows me to focus on actually composing and not worrying about effects or patches (sometimes they are inspirational in writing, but usually are a crutch/distraction early on) Then when I’m done I export the MIDI, drop it into the DAW and switch into producer mode.
Love your workflow, Brian, thanks for sharing! Keeping the composing process completely separate by using different software is a brilliant idea. Thanks for stopping by and connecting, we really appreciate you being here in the Hack Music Theory community! By the way, what kinda music do you make? Ray :)
@@HackMusicTheory I made pop, rock and metal for a long time. But in the last few months I’ve switched to orchestral because I’d like to break into Sync more.
Good stuff, Brian! I find writing for an orchestra to be hugely inspiring, and it definitely stretches your imagination to a whole new level, too! I wrote a symphony many years back, which is still one of my favourite creations! Keep us posted on your work, Brian, and thanks again for being here :)
I only write by playing my keyboard or drum machine these days (compared to "writing in a DAW playlist"). Completely agree.
Which notation software do you use?
As someone who will sit down with an idea and then spend the next hour making noises and not music, this speaks to me.
Sound design is my music though. I rarely write midi notes for a synth but usually make sections and resample them to audio, then mangle the audio then resample it and then mangle again and so on and on until end result is barely recognizable from initial sound, so I can't just use a preset and then switch it with another, without following the same process again, especially since many steps include different amounts of randomness in them.
It sounds like you have a process. I believe that is the main point of this video. Aaand, the only rule to art is that there are no rules. Only guidelines that are meant to be broken. If it works for you, keep doing it.
You can also rerecord elements later if you find a better sound.
My solution is just to have a "patch day" every so often, or to open up a plugin/fire on a synth to create new presets whenever I'm bored. That way, when it comes time to focus on writing music, I can just flip through a bank of my own presets to find what I need.
Hi Kate & Ray! I have to agree, but only in half. Maybe I'm not trained enough, but when I hear music in my head, it already has some sound properties, and if I cannot get that sound right, everything is quickly ruined. I tried using simple piano only, but somehow it does not work. There is also a reversed process. Some music I have done only because of the sound design, I usually try each preset in a VST and sometimes I find sounds that inspire me to do some music I didn't even think of.
I have the same thought
Absolutely!!! I think this is why I've ground to a halt lately. I used to use external sound modules and they're presets for writing... but then I switched to VSTis and now I spend far too long trying to find the right sound, consequently I end up frustrated and not get anyway. I'm in the process of moving back to my external hardware! (VST switch was for ease of eliminating audio noise on the analogue recording, and using win10 (as opposed to XP) so I can sync my DAW with video. Great site, have bought you book, and love the content. Many thanks for all the hints and tips.
Oh boy, I can personally attest to this so much. Thanks for addressing it! I've started to rely on presets a lot more these days and it helps so much when you're not sidetracked by the intracacies of design. I still have sessions when I dedicate the time to designing sounds, though and sometimes end up making a track from it.
Hey HAZARDOUS, we're super happy to hear you've been relying more on presets to minimize sidetracks into design! And what a wonderful gift that tracks sometimes unfold from your design sessions :) Wishing you a happy November ahead and a fantastic weekend! Kate :)
@@HackMusicTheory Thanks Kate, you too!
Absolutely. The day I switched to this kinda workflow was the day that my songs got much more interesting, and finished in a reasonable time.
Hey CJ, great to see you again! Congrats on making more interesting music in a shorter amount of time, that's a fantastic accomplishment! Thanks for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, we really appreciate you :) Take care and have a lovely week, Kate
I needed to hear this. I spent the weekend doing sound design for my song and I don't even have the chorus written yet.
this message found me at the best time. these black friday sales have me going crazy looking for sounds. i just need to write. thank you
Oh Tele, we can only imagine the temptations and distractions of sales, stay strong, and stay focused on the music making! @Thomas Moerman mentioned in the comments that he needs meds against GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)! It seems to be highly contagious :)
We'd love to know what kind of music you make?
Thanks for being here in the Hack Music Theory community and we're cheering you on in your music making! Have a fantastic weekend, Kate :)
Spot. On. :-) I have taken this approach recently and it's amazing that, for the first time, I'm actually putting tracks together! ❤️
Maybe the best advice i've heard ever. Pick a sound that works and start recording ASAP... Bulding the perfect drum kit sound by sound has taken me away from starting a beat many times. Perfect advice.
Agree 100%. There may be edge cases where the sound is the main dish (e.g., drone) but for everything else a good rompler and a decent drum VST will be more than sufficient during the entire writing process.
Makes sense. DAWs make it easy to switch instruments. I did ia take on your genre combo exercise by switching from quirky buzz-saw sounds to high school band instruments. It was a whole different vibe and good practice for learning how to mix.
Countless frustrations due to sounddesign brought me the insight by myself. Thx for the reminder ❤
Someone said once in a video that he focuses on sounddesign inside the week and at the weekends he use the designs to compose. A nice solution because you subconsciously prepare for the composition while sounddesigning
What also kills my inspiration at the moment, i am remixing an old track of mine from 2005.
Rearranging all the tracks and fx with what i learned the past months is really time consuming 😅
This week to weekend schedule is interesting
Great tip! Thx 😊
I may be a little late, but my goodness! I can't thank you enough for your advice HMT! The timing of this video was just right (because of how empty my head is), again thank you.
Completely true. The general public couldn't care less about your "sound design" process. They only remember lyrics and melodies, and eventually want to dance. They even listen to your music using crappy headphones, not your fancy monitors and subwoofers. So, just focus in create the best music you can under those terms: Melody, lyrics and rhythm. The rest will come later. Furthermore, try listen to The Beatles songs using headphones, they sound like crap and the stereo process is a joke, but even today, they're the greatest band of all times in terms of selling records, why?, because they also were the greatest songwriters of all times.
Hear, hear! I used to get stuck in the sound design void and end up not finishing tracks. Then I switched gears, decided to try writing a full sketch first, and then tinker after. Total game changer. Thank you for another awesome vid!
Hi Steve, thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your experience! We're thrilled to hear that by changing your focus you are now able to finish tracks, a game changer indeed! What kind of music do you make? Thanks so much for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, and we wish you a lovely weekend :) Kate
@@HackMusicTheory And a lovely weekend to you as well! Happy to be here. As far as the music I make, I'm very much into cinematic/ambient/atmospheric music for video games. I've had a few commissions here and there, but still striving for my "big break." Videos like yours keep me going. 😊
Awesome, thanks for sharing, Steve! Congratulations on your commissions so far and we wish you many more in the future! We're cheering you on in your music making, and look forward to seeing you again soon :) Kate
I've speed up my songwriting process by putting composition first, sound design second. Write first, mix later.
I like experimenting with and learning how to make new sounds, but yes it can take time and I usually only design two or three sounds for a mix.
Thank you! I thought I was the only with 1000 VST, 100000 plugins, a good PC, a good interface, a decent keyboard... and ALWAYS take my guitar, open a new project and say "and now, what? Ah! of course! need to find a sound to inspire me" No way man. For me, that thousand sounds are the perfect excuse to procastinate the creation process. So, I apreciate your advice a lot!!
Hey hey Juan, we're thrilled to hear that you've seen the light through all of those VSTs and plug ints, lol! Yes, it's all about getting rid of distractions so we can get down to actually making music and finishing songs :) What kind of music do you make? Thanks bit time for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, and we wish you a lovely weekend :) Kate
@@HackMusicTheory I´m with you since Lockdown, very good stuff an company in your channel. And that´s a good question: I love from old school rock to all modern/djent metal bandas, passing trought all kind of generes, so when I take time to make songs, it´s hard to focus in one genere... Thank you for the answer!!!
Thanks for sharing, Juan! We love that you're into all kinds of genres, it really helps with creativity! You might like this video we did on the Truth About Genres: czcams.com/video/Mr5iWrVIX0c/video.html
We hope you're having a wonderful week so far and hope to hear from you again sometime soon :) Kate
So true ngl
Very very true brother
One of the best music crafting channel. For many reasons. The hints and recommendations are actually helpful and clearly presented.
Aww you're very kind, thank you, Gap1 aka Boom-Gap! , and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :) Kate
I'm just using a few presets I've made for different Styles. So I can choose pretty fast where do I wanna go. Most of the times I re-record the bass when the arrangement is done (tbh I do this with all Instruments). The Arrangement is the most intense process in my productions. So it takes quite a while.
Every time when I open my DAW I always jump into sound design, to be honest I haven't finished any track since forever, but I enjoy the moments when I'm designing...maybe I should try a different approach
Hey XNOVANX, we're sorry to hear you haven't finished a track in a while :( Would you attribute that to spending too much time on sound design or some other step in the writing process? You're right though, trying a different approach like we've shared here, may make a difference! Thank you so much for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, and please know we're cheering you on in your music making! Have a fantastic weekend, Kate :)
@@HackMusicTheory Hey Kate! Thank you for your kind words!
Hard to tell what keeps me making tracks, but one things is that its true I'm spending too much time designing while I still don't have the fundamentals of the track. The other things is I often find myself following other artists who inspire me, and when I realize that my track sounds like exactly "that" guy I feel disappointed and demotivated. In any way I won't give up and I believe even if i won't finish my track I learn something every time.
Hi XNOVANX, thanks so much for sharing about your experience. We're happy to hear that you keep making music even through the struggles. And please know that you're not alone in feeling like your music sounds like other artists. It's frustrating, for sure! That's actually one of the reasons we made our Apprenticeship #1 video course. We teach music makers how to find their inner artist, which results in them making original music that doesn't sound like anybody else! The course also lays out a work flow that will get you from blank screen to finished song in no time. Our biggest sale of the year starts in a few days, so keep your eyes out here: hackmusictheory.com/courses
We wish you the best with your music making, XNOVANX, and please do drop us a line to let us know how your music making comes along. Take care, Kate :)
What if you end up with a composition that matches the presets, but isn’t the sound you had in mind?
This is great advice! Spent too many hours tweaking parameters myself... Which usually happens after tea.
Hey hey Bellamy, happy to hear this advice was useful to you! What kind of tea you drinking these days? Thanks so much for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, and we wish you a lovely weekend, Kate :)
Please tell me what kind of application or vst used in this video with libraries and database (1:52 timecode)
This is my method for creating a beat/song. I try to find sounds close to my ideal sound as quickly as I can. But I'm not attached to them. If sounds clash or create distortion at this stage, I'll choose different sound. I'm mixing while I create bascially.
I make a habit of writing with audio for as far along in the process as I can before I use midi. This keeps me from continuously looking for the *right* sound. This is made easier by the fact that I also commit sessions to only using midi and bouncing phrases to use as Starting points later.
True, I put down chords, freestyle some lyrics then I can settle on a mood... instruments and additional melodies are then corrected accordingly.
Can i ask for help? I'm struggling to make a crash cymbal after a fill, it doesn't blend well whenever I try to
Excellent advice. Liked and sub’d.
Presets are great, and there are incredible people making packs for literally any vst you like. Just don't rabbit hole, and end up with too much.
Then you have an another problem, called "abundance".
Scarcity really does enhance creativity, so don't end up with 20000 presets on your vst.
Or, if you buight omnishpere or similar, dedicate one day to go through everything and star rate only the ones you like.
Hi Hiski, thanks for stopping by and connecting! We totally agree that having some limitations can enhance creativity, and presets are a great example of that :) We really appreciate you being here in the Hack Music Theory community for so many years! By the way, what kinda music do you make? Kate :)
@@HackMusicTheory weird Finnish experimental electronic pop. Can be found from last videos from my channel.
Couldn't agree more! Great advice. I picked up a similar tip from your channel in the past. I started writing everything on piano first. If the melodies and chords sound good on a piano, they'll sound even better, once you start adding the final instrumentation.
Sound design and composing seem to use two different geographical areas of your grey matter. The best electronic musicians probably have a freaky symbiosis between these two lobes. For the rest of us... this video is golden advice.
Hi Brian, great to see you again! Hope this finds you having a lovely November so far, and we wish you a fantastic weekend :)
Timely video (yet, again!). I've done this way too often, usually going from A to Z (or Z to A) of presets across plugins. It would take forever. And then I'd forget some of my musical idea. So now, I'm working on an orchestral-style piece. I knew I wanted it to be orchestral, so I loaded up a bunch of instruments (more or less, one from each section), including a harp. I started by trying to fit the music into (what I thought was) the proper instrument, but was spinning my wheels and not getting what I had in my mind. So I decided to continue using just a harp for the melody and a violin for the atmosphere "shape" (I know there's a proper term for this, but can't think of it now). Once I basically had that down, I started working on a counter melody, using an oboe and harmony using a french horn. The other instruments were left as blank tracks until I was pretty sure what my motifs and hooks were. Then a day later, I started dragging regions to different instruments until the blend sounded right. Took another break for a day, and when revisited it, it sounded a bit messy, so shifted some regions across tracks and added some modulation. I think it's coming out better now. The melody is a bit different from my first idea, but still in the same ballpark (that happens a lot).
Mark my friend! So lovely to see you here, thanks for connecting, it's always a pleasure! And thanks also for sharing about your new piece, that sounds absolutely amazing!! When can we expect to hear the work-in-progress in the apprentice network? Ray :)
@@HackMusicTheory Hi Ray. Thanks. I'm hoping sometime this weekend. I still want to add some variety and some subtlety. That's one of my biggest struggles right now -- getting the right modulation and not have it sound like the orchestra is trying to fight it out to be heard. I want to eventually write orchestral music that's even half of what Guy Michelmore can do. 😁
Great advice
To limit Sound Design, I have multiple Templates that are already loaded with sounds I like and use for song writing. Drums, Pads, Piano, Strings etc. There are also multiple Blank Canvases. AKA Omnisphere, Kontakt, Arturia V Collection at the ready just in case I realize I do need another sound. Cube has made its way into these Templates too because it has a very helpful randomize option...instant inspiration.
I actually needed to hear this! Gerat video as always. :)
Happy to hear this one resonated, Eyy Lmao, thanks for stopping by! How's school going this semester, are you enjoying your classes? Hope this finds you well and we wish you a fantastic week! Kate :)
Thank you two 😁😁😁
When i started working with daws only a few years ago i was aware of a culture of sound design as the ultimate. I tried but made amateur, poor sounding sounds....i quickly used presets made by experts and got involved with composition/ making music! I think if you are good at it thats great but its like trying to invent a piano or guitar....they already exsist. I also think its about making music and thats the most important thing.
Couldn't agree more, John! At the end of the day, music is all about the notes and their relationship with each other. A good melody is one that stands the test of time, and the passing of sound design trends. What kind of music do you make? Thanks so much for stopping by, and we wish you a lovely weekend! Kate :)
@@HackMusicTheory i like that point, sound design trends....i mainly make ambient /cinematic music but fiddle a little with trance and techno though more into the former. I am a learner and only getting going ( 71 years young) . I love atmospheres and getting a vibe....brought up on pink floyd, yes, lou reed etc, the cure have an atmosphere that i love. Use cubase and software plugins tho just bought arturia drumbeat impact which is exciting to use. Its so good to make music after been brought up in the fifties, sixties and loving it so much....good for your head/ soul as well....love and all, bye.
Thanks for sharing, John! We love your enthusiasm and couldn't agree more that music is good for your head/heart/soul :) That's awesome that you're experimenting with different sounds and we absolutely encourage music makers to explore different genres as it helps with inspiration and creativity! We did a video that might spark some thoughts, called "The Truth About Genres": czcams.com/video/Mr5iWrVIX0c/video.html. Also, if you haven't already, may I suggest that you check out our free music theory book, '12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales and Chords'? It's a refresher of the basics and it's a super fast and fun read. You can download from our website: hackmusictheory.com. Really appreciate you being here, John, and we're cheering you on in your music making journey! Have a great week, and look forward to hearing from you again soon, Kate :)
In MY case, I was able to achieve every sound that I had in my head and it was thanks to sound design obviously knowing him and knowing how everything works But sometimes I admit that I have found very good presets
Love this advice. Composer Cloud is definitely not worth it in 2022 though. The competition has them trounced several times over.
Awesome,drauncj, thanks so much for stopping by! We'd love to know what you are using instead of ComposerCloud? Wishing you a fantastic weekend :) Kate
Another very, very important video !
I like from session to session to do some sound design, but then just that.
Otherwise I have to mention samples or own sample banks, if there’s something which is perfect already or what you can make perfect with less work is way more efficient then doing writing, sound design, tracking mixing mastering and stuff all in one session.
Thanks for sharing your workflow, it's definitely more efficient focusing on one aspect in each session! Thanks for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, we'd love to know what kind of music you make?
@@HackMusicTheory I’m glad to be here, guess I’m speaking for many if I say I/we have to thank you two !
Honestly I don’t want to put a favorite/primary genre/style out, but since you’re asking I would say Hip-Hop and EDM mostly.
Anyway, HUGE thanks for all your work and effort on the channel 😇
You're too kind, thank you for your very kind words 🙏 Thanks for sharing about your music, and we love that you don't limit yourself with genre and style! You might like our "Truth About Genre" video: czcams.com/video/Mr5iWrVIX0c/video.html All the best with your music making, The Viewer, we look forward to hearing more from you in the future :) Have a great week, Kate
@@HackMusicTheory Thanks Kate, I will definitely give it a look !
Keep the positivity and stay safe 👋
A good sound is inspiring…it brings out the riff/melody/beat.
Absolutely agree with the advice offered in this video
What's the name of the VST?? Thanksss
*gasp* blasphemy! how could I even start writing anything before I have this perfectly crafted sounding-just-like-I-heard-it-in-my-head bass sound???
The advice hear me sounds simple enough however it’s very very useful
Ray with hair 👀?
Hhhhh awesome video, it's like you are reading my thoughts
Thanks, Edok :) Hope you had a fantastic weekend!
Very valuable info, the trap
I fall into often!!
Having said that if it isn’t a good piece of music the bass sound won’t matter
Make it right first
It’s a post it note on my s term !
That’s something to do with these harmony folks 😁😁😁😁❤️
Good to see you again, my friend! Hope all's splendidly well your side. And yes indeed, a rubbish bass line will still sound rubbish no matter how good the bass sound is. And, a great bass line will still sound great, even if it's played on presets. Thanks for stopping by, Paul, you're awesome!! Have a lovely weekend, mate. Ray :)
@@HackMusicTheory Ray , a lot better that I have been so all damn fine!
Hug for you both
So grateful for being able to dip
Back into the courses and remind myself of things 👍
New songs soon..
Aww thanks for the hug, Paul! We're pumped to hear there will be some new songs soon, and look forward to hearing them in the network :) Kate
I always use presets, then just tweak them to make them my own... sometimes I just stick with the original if its good enough !!
Very true!
Heey long-time fan here. After watching the video, I've to ask, what do you think of (stories of) people who travel to far away locations and search obsessively to get the perfect sound, like a bell or a synth texture, for their music/movie?
Menko my friend, it's good to see you here again, thanks for stopping by and connecting! Regarding those "sound hunters". I think they're awesome! That's an art, for sure. It's like costume designing for films, though, you need to first have the character before you can design their costume. Music is the character, sound design is the costume. Thanks again for being here, Menko, we appreciate you! Ray :)
Counterpoint: Some presents are good, or at least they would be if they removed all the reverb and delay they usually slather them into disguise how badly made most of them are and how difficult they are to fit in a mix with all that. Using presents 101: Turn off all the presets FX then add equivalent DAW FX that suit your mix.
Quality advice. Find something inspiring and RUN with it. Worry about the tweaking later!
Amen to that! Thanks for stopping by and connecting, we truly appreciate you being here in the Hack Music Theory community for so many years. You're awesome!! By the way, what kinda music do you make? Ray :)
@@HackMusicTheory I mostly do Modern Rock/Metal. But recently I've delved into some eletronic oriented rock. Been fun. :)
You guys have great tips. Keep up the channel!
That's cool, Of Former Fame, we love that you don't limit yourself! Not sure if you saw this video of ours, but you might like it: "Truth About Genre" video: czcams.com/video/Mr5iWrVIX0c/video.html All our best with your music making, and we look forward to hearing more from you in the future :) Kate
Exactly right. Sometimes I just need to be reminded......
Thanks for stopping by, Boot Palace, we're happy to hear this was a good reminder :) What kind of music do you make? We're wishing you a fantastic weekend! Kate :)
@@HackMusicTheory I've just released my first full length album Listeners. Sort of cinematic post-rock on the theme of radio telescopes....niche! Learned such a lot from your channel thanks for all your musical expertise and hope you have a great weekend too😊
Congratulations, Boot Palace, that's a tremendous milestone!! We're over the moon thrilled to hear that you've put our hacks to use in the making of it :) Thanks so much for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, and we wish you all the best with your next musical project! Until next time, take care, Kate :)
Holy crap, the guys posture and setup at 0:40 makes my back and wrists weep RSI. 😵
Someone needs to organise an intervention on him before it's too late.
Yes and no....have wasted hours with sound design without writing anything, so true.....have designed modular synth patches that miraculously felt together, not much writing, great song and very inspiring for a set of songs, so not true.....but good video, never fall for the pride in designing all of your own patches while you have beautiful presets
I’m a preset jockey myself 😂🤣😂 Many hits in the 80’s were presets 👍🏾
Happy to hear it Billy! Thanks for stopping by, we really appreciate you being here in the Hack Music Theory community :) Wishing you a lovely weekend, Kate :)
Agreed
This video is underrated.
So true
Hi rabokel, thanks for stopping by and connecting! What kind of music do you make?
We appreciate you being here in the Hack Music Theory community, and wish you a wonderful weekend :)
Kool Keith & Serj Tankian! Much respect to you, Ray!
Aw thanks Cairoglyphs! And thanks also for stopping by and connecting, we appreciate you being here in the Hack Music Theory community! By the way, what kinda music do you make? Ray :)
@@HackMusicTheory No problem! I make EDM & Hip Hop music and definitely appreciate the tips and techniques that have been shared from the Hack Music Theory channel!
Thanks for sharing, Cairoglyphs, we're pumped to hear you're putting our hacks to use in your EDM and Hip Hop! Wishing you a fabulous week, Kate :)
Soo what about bass music producers like dubstep, riddim, tearout, etc? 😅 bcs sound design is the main part of that genre 🤔
Damn, this video is hopefully the key to get rid of my (almost 3 year long) Writersblock :0
Hi Ariess, we're so sorry to hear about your writer's block of almost 3 years, that sucks big time! We're thrilled to hear that this gave you some hope though :) We have a video called "Give Writer's Block the Finger!" that will help you kick it out the door, give it a try: czcams.com/video/ZUpxdASz77A/video.html
Thanks for stopping by and connecting, we truly appreciate you being here in the Hack Music theory community for so many years! Kate :)
When using midi instruments this is great advice. Otherwise get the sound right at source
I’ve never had this issue thank god, sound design comes natural to me cuz I know my style and I know how I want things to sound and inspiration comes naturally from the universe, tune in to the infinite intelligence and get downloads 😄
All the time! 😵💫
facts, simpler the better
it's all about making quick choices
Hi Wael, lovely to see you again, hope all's great your side! Indeed, make quick choices and get to the music making :) Thanks big time for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, we'd love to know what kind of music you make? Wishing you a lovely weekend ahead! Kate
@@HackMusicTheory EDM in general, currently I'm trying to make melodic techno
Awesome Wael, thanks so much for sharing! Take care, and until next time, all the best with your melodic techno :)
I've been wasting my time. Thank you guys!
100%
Once I honed down the tones I wanted to use commonly I could better focus on banging out da tunes.
Most recently I've been making snippets on FL studio mobile. Not to create a full track but to quickly put my ideas down without worrying about sound. Been more productive than I've ever been before
Hi Eggbert of the Lamp, great to see you again! We're thrilled to hear you've been more productive than ever, wow! How's the bass guitar playing going? Wishing you a fabulous week, Kate :)
Decide what your not going to create/compose before you start to create… it shouldn’t inhibit your creativity, it will merely eliminate some of the ‘white noise’. In lay terms, know what show you’re going to watch before you end up wasting an hour searching for a show on per se Netflix.
Haha I like that Netflix parallel, Bubba. And yes indeed, it's all about intention. If we open our DAW with the intention of writing music, then we should write music. It's really good to see you here in the comments again, it's been a while. Hope all's splendidly well your side, and thanks for being here in the Hack Music Theory community for so many years, we truly appreciate you! Ray :)
@@HackMusicTheory, I went and bought a music store and created a school for it as well. My time is a bit diluted atm to say the least… your content is great, I appreciate what you do.👊
WHOA!!! That's amazingly amazing, Bubba. HUGE Congrats!!! Do you have a website we can check out?
@@HackMusicTheory, soon my friend. So far social media has been unneeded to fill slots and believe it or not ‘slower growth’ is something I need to not over sell and especially to preserve quality. Fortunately for me I already had a solid network in my demographic from many years of performance and teaching jazz guitar as well as theory & comp. I’ll drop you an e-mail.😉
Love your approach, Bubba. We're all about slow growth, too. That's why we refuse to "scale" Hack Music Theory. We want to do everything ourselves, as that's the only way to ensure the quality is consistently at the standard we aim for. We're 100% behind you and cheering you on, and please keep us posted on developments. Exciting times! By the way, where's your store/school based?
I just grab my bass and play the bassline - lol
And in a large degree mixing is sound design.
0:02 Old man, take a look at my life, I'm a lot like you 😥
👍 - _also_ for the YT algo! 😊
Mmmhhh... I disagree on this one. I drop some notes first to have something to play with, then I design my sound over that and then develope the melody I did to design the sound, creating a full song.
I don't know im im more into sound design, playing live or ending tracks. Still none of those 3 have been reached. Maybe this video helps
REAL
Why not just only use sine waves for everything, instead of wasting time of choosing presets?
frig i already did all this on my own guess i'm on the right track :)
0:33 FYI Perfect Sound doesn't Exist.🤷🏾♂️
i made my own presets, got my own tone.
how to never get your own unique sound 101
1:10 Bet. Challenge accepted lol.
I spend more time searching a good preset than maken it by myself, and my preset are mote accurate.
You should learn sound design, presets ans soundbanks are a waste of money.
nobodys too cool to use presets
Really don't like videos made from stock footage. Content is great though.
THIS.
Haha thanks for that, Thomas. It's so good to see you back here again, it's been a while. Hope all's splendidly well your side, and thanks for stopping by and connecting, we truly appreciate you being here in the Hack Music theory community for so many years! Ray :)
@@HackMusicTheory Hey, thanks for reaching out on such a personal note. Hope you guys are doing well too! I'm good, though my music endeavours are somewhat in shambles ;-) I think this video kinda hits the bull's eye of my blockage. The music I aspire to make (ambient FSOL-like stuff) is rather defined by sound design, but at the end of the day, the harmonic structure is what carries any song, regardless of genre. I'm going to take the gist of this video to heart and attempt to develop a workflow involving a DAW template containing only "proxy" instruments (bass, strings, keys etc), and postpone filling in the particulars of any sound or texture to the very end of the writing process. Now where are my meds against GAS*, eh? ;-) Thanks for all you do.
* gear acquisition syndrome
Haha I like that... Gear Acquisition Syndrome! That seems to be highly contagious, as most producers suffer from that. Thanks for sharing about your experience, Thomas, though I'm really sorry to hear that your music making is not going as smoothly as you'd hope. On that note, have you seen our video "The Truth About Genres"? czcams.com/video/Mr5iWrVIX0c/video.html I think you'll find that video helpful, too. Genres can be a massive issue, for so many reasons, which is why we made that video. Thanks again for being here, Thomas, we're cheering you on! Hope to see you here again soon, with an update on your music making. Ray :)
The athlean x of music 🤣
there is zillions of presets and i choose one and after i tweak it , i got no problems with my moog subphatty for bass line , i concentrate first in making the song , with a lot of virtual synth or efx you can loose a lot of time , take a few one and stick on it for at least 6 months , make the songs with it