Questions regarding FM8, Massive

[Hellrayza76]

I have looked at many tutorials on youtube regarding these two VST's but some don't seem to answer a few questions I have and I was hoping someone here could.

-What is the general rule to getting a hardcore dubstep bass? Is there a certain wave you should use or would anything work?

-When creating a sound with FM8 and/or massive how do you know what you're even doing? Do you know what the sound will sound like even before you create it? If so, where is a good place for me to learn how do get this good with these programs? Should I just read the manuals?

-How do you know when you need more than 1 oscillator?

Thanks and sorry for the noob questions!

[mthrfnk]

Read the manuals.
Watch/read tutorials on how to make sounds you like.
Spend countless days pouring yourself into the synth.

[Eridu]

countless days, thats true.

My advice would be start with basic waveforms and look at how some of the basic effects change the sound and what they do...Pitch modulation with flanger, little distortion, maybe modulate distortion to come in and out. THeres thousands of combinations like that...

[RandoRando]

-What is the general rule to getting a hardcore dubstep bass? Is there a certain wave you should use or would anything work?
there is no "general rule" and sound could be made into a harcore dubstep bass.
-When creating a sound with FM8 and/or massive how do you know what you're even doing? Do you know what the sound will sound like even before you create it? If so, where is a good place for me to learn how do get this good with these programs? Should I just read the manuals?
i asked a similiar question when i started to get into FM, but i learned that its more about knowing what this is going to do to that, youll learn that a high ratio will produce a "tin-y" sound and lower ratios a woody sound, all depends on the wave also etc.. and yeah RTFM would help

-How do you know when you need more than 1 oscillator?
Its not a matter of needing one, its just means, "am i glad with how this cake tastes? or do i want to add more ingredients"

if the cake tastes good already, dont add anymore ingredients

[Hellrayza76]

"here is no "general rule" and sound could be made into a harcore dubstep bass."

So basically any wave can be made into a bass? Interesting...

"i asked a similiar question when i started to get into FM, but i learned that its more about knowing what this is going to do to that, youll learn that a high ratio will produce a "tin-y" sound and lower ratios a woody sound, all depends on the wave also etc.. and yeah RTFM would help"

- I would like to get started on understanding the concepts of music synthesis and I am assuming the FM8 manual will help me. I've already started reading it!
I'm also assuming reading the manual isn't going to help me much, I should probably keep on messing with different things in FM8 and Massive so that's what I'll do! Thanks!

[BombsandBottles]

I have looked at many tutorials on youtube regarding these two VST's but some don't seem to answer a few questions I have and I was hoping someone here could.

-What is the general rule to getting a hardcore dubstep bass? Is there a certain wave you should use or would anything work?

-When creating a sound with FM8 and/or massive how do you know what you're even doing? Do you know what the sound will sound like even before you create it? If so, where is a good place for me to learn how do get this good with these programs? Should I just read the manuals?

-How do you know when you need more than 1 oscillator?

Thanks and sorry for the noob questions!

Before I write the rest of this post I am getting the vibe that you expect production to be easy. If this is the case then my first piece of advice is the following. Don't expect producing to be easy, it's a shit load of hard work. There are no "rules" to anything, and the beauty of production is the beauty of creativity and originality. In order to create something you need to know how to use your tools, and I don't think you know how to use your tools yet so that's going to be hard for you. But if you practice and learn, then you'll be able to answer these questions yourself.

1. There is no general RULE for creating dubstep bass. A bass tone is anything that plays in the bass range of frequencies. There is no golden standard waveform that people use, most of the time if a sound catches your ear then the waveform was made in a unique non standard way (FM synthesis for example). Luckily programs like Massive come pre-loaded with a million different wave types. Experiment and find the ones you like, any wave can work, it's all about whether or not you want to use it's base timbre for your sound.

2. If you understand your tools, then you should have an idea about what the sound will sound like before you create it. If you are just twisting knobs and values, then your end result is basically random if not intelligently guided by your ears. All of these programs are essentially the same. Read up on what a synth is, what it's components are and what they do. Oscillators generate waves, filters shape sounds by removing frequencies (in the case of subtractive synthesis). Envelopes control the ADSR of anything you want regarding the sounds via mod matrixes or pre-routed by the synth design. For EDM production understand the different kinds of filters. Filters are the key to making your bass interesting. What is a Band Pass filter, why is it different then a Notch filter, what effect to my ears do they generate, when can I use them to get the effect that I want. These are the basics of ANY synth. After you understand that, it's all about what can this synth do better then the next synth. I use Reason because I can route anything to anything, people use Massive because of the same reason, and it's abundance of filter types, effects, and waveforms. The manual will help, but the internet is your oyster.

3. You don't ever NEED more than one oscillator. Before you load up a second one ask yourself how it will effect your sound? Do you need it to get the effect you want or are you just throwing it in there because people on youtube did it. Multiple oscillators can create Phasing effects, or generate a new compound waveform for you to filter/effect. Once again, there are no rules, it's all about what you want to do. I'll tell you what NOT to do though. Don't spread your oscillators by the octave unless you don't want to put any other elements in your mix. This will take up lot's of frequency real estate for no reason unless of course, that's the effect you want.

So, that's my 2 cents.

[siperdellyeer]

I have looked at many tutorials on youtube regarding these two VST's but some don't seem to answer a few questions I have and I was hoping someone
-When creating a sound with FM8 and/or massive how do you know what you're even doing? Do you know what the sound will sound like even before you create it? If so, where is a good place for me to learn how do get this good with these programs? Should I just read the manuals?

well, you if you know what sound you want you go change the thing's that make the sound like that, for example you draw triangles in the filter envelope if you want wobble's

[sn0wday]

Manual.

I was in the same spot and for some reason was really reluctant to actually read the manual (dumb right?).

But DAMN did it help. Nobody will explain it better than the people who created it. And other than the manual it's a lot of practice, discussing, etc.