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In Which I Rant About Sound Design

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2013 6:44 am
by GregoryTJ
It does seem that everyone over-complicates sound design nowadays, most synthesis concepts are relatively simple. As soon as you get too complicated that is when your sounds lose coherency and turn to mush.

I'm not saying that there is a right way, in fact I would argue against that mindset any day.
I just want everyone to realize that there is no magic answer and that no amount of expensive plugins and racks of effects will polish a turd of a sound.

Get the sound to sound good out of the synth, then get a few effects to sound good on it and mix it properly.

Never use some VST or process because it has become the buzzword of the day, use what you know and what sounds good to you and keep it simple.

I hope someone out there agrees with me, if not I will just sit here and be crazy all on my own.

*This concludes another fine rant by Gregory T. Johnson, have a nice day.*

Re: In Which I Rant About Sound Design

Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 2:22 am
by titchbit
I agree with you :t:

Re: In Which I Rant About Sound Design

Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 10:11 pm
by GregoryTJ
Yay! :corndance:

Re: In Which I Rant About Sound Design

Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2013 2:25 pm
by kaili
i agree to some extent yeah
but there are some sounds that are naturally complicated (neuro basses etc), and there are some styles that require complicated sounds
after reading objekts q and a though, theres a guy who overcomplicates stuff lol. but it definitely seems to pay off when you listen to his tunes

Re: In Which I Rant About Sound Design

Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2013 11:58 pm
by Patchwirk
GregoryTJ wrote:It does seem that everyone over-complicates sound design nowadays, most synthesis concepts are relatively simple. As soon as you get too complicated that is when your sounds lose coherency and turn to mush.
I agree, I especially hate tutorials that spend 15 minutes on one sound.
GregoryTJ wrote: I'm not saying that there is a right way, in fact I would argue against that mindset any day.
I just want everyone to realize that there is no magic answer and that no amount of expensive plugins and racks of effects will polish a turd of a sound.

Get the sound to sound good out of the synth, then get a few effects to sound good on it and mix it properly.
Agree.
GregoryTJ wrote: Never use some VST or process because it has become the buzzword of the day, use what you know and what sounds good to you and keep it simple.
Would you consider Massive to be one of those buzzwords?

Re: In Which I Rant About Sound Design

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 12:19 am
by GregoryTJ
Patchwirk wrote:
GregoryTJ wrote:It does seem that everyone over-complicates sound design nowadays, most synthesis concepts are relatively simple. As soon as you get too complicated that is when your sounds lose coherency and turn to mush.
I agree, I especially hate tutorials that spend 15 minutes on one sound.
GregoryTJ wrote: I'm not saying that there is a right way, in fact I would argue against that mindset any day.
I just want everyone to realize that there is no magic answer and that no amount of expensive plugins and racks of effects will polish a turd of a sound.

Get the sound to sound good out of the synth, then get a few effects to sound good on it and mix it properly.
Agree.
GregoryTJ wrote: Never use some VST or process because it has become the buzzword of the day, use what you know and what sounds good to you and keep it simple.
Would you consider Massive to be one of those buzzwords?
Hell yes I would.

It is a wonderful synth that if I had the money I would definitely buy (after Harmor) and it has a few unique features like phase width modulation (not to be confused with pulse width modulation), that being said, it is overhyped and don't get me started on modern-talking :)

Also, even if a synth is over-hyped as long as you use it for some reason as well as/other than the fact that it is popular, it is completely fine. For instance if you know it well / like the sound it can produce, use it! :lol:

Re: In Which I Rant About Sound Design

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 1:00 am
by GregoryTJ
kaili wrote:i agree to some extent yeah
but there are some sounds that are naturally complicated (neuro basses etc), and there are some styles that require complicated sounds
after reading objekts q and a though, theres a guy who overcomplicates stuff lol. but it definitely seems to pay off when you listen to his tunes
Yeah this applies to a lot of things but I still agree with you on some things like your examples.

Re: In Which I Rant About Sound Design

Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 4:18 am
by azuk
Wait what? Phase Width modulation does not exist. Massive has phase modulation which is a form of angle modulation.

Re: In Which I Rant About Sound Design

Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 6:04 am
by GregoryTJ
azuk wrote:Wait what? Phase Width modulation does not exist. Massive has phase modulation which is a form of angle modulation.
Whoops, I meant phase modulation, I had pulse width modulation on the brain. :lol:

Aside from that,
You know what, phase modulation isn't even that special....
Massive seems like such a wash.

Re: In Which I Rant About Sound Design

Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 5:16 pm
by Fluxit
This is what antiserum said to me about his tune bass salt, which has a really sick monster bass. Same kind of stuff applies to wolfgang/feed me glitch edits stuff too.

"thanks bruh.. i spent quite a bit of time on the sound design of the basses to be honest. its a combo of VIRUS TI patches that i have made & massive for the most part... really took a while to get it to sound like that tho... tons of layering and eq, and tweaking. keep at it man!"