How A Screwdriver Can Fix Your Music 🛠
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- Howdy! Recently I've been thinking a lot about my workflow and creative process - weirdly enough, this screwdriver was a game changer for me.
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really liked this video and it kept me thinking;
'where is he going with this theme ?....'
Yes, it is a great idea, to not only talk about compression settings
and synth patches, but also the psychology of being a musician :-)
.
I agree with the theme in the video and for me that meant, that years ago, I switched from
VSTi-synths to using only samplers inside the box and using only hardware synths,
like I did in the old days. (ran a studio in the 80s)
Music became much more fun and more 'out of the box'.
.
Thumbs up :-)
really like this type of video
I also really enjoy this kind of video, would definitely watch more
Sure, why not? Every music channel is like "new gear new gear new gear new gear new gear...." so a reminder like this is very welcome. Especially from someone with access to loads of gear who does actually work professionally at music. If you have any more vids in a similar style, bring 'em on. Just don't go all "the gospel according to Swami Cameron" on us. Although the shiny turban might be fetching... 😆
I can totally relate to this. more vids like this.
This was, hands-down, one of the best music production videos I’ve seen. Your dad would’ve been proud to see it. Thank you.
I could not agree with you more! This has been going through my brain for weeks now and I kind of reached the same conclusion. The thing is, I think we all have a form of GAS or PIAS and in a way are always looking for the next thing that will give us a short-cut or THE sound that will make a hit. Well, there isn't... And there never will. Next to music, I've been working as a photoshopper for nearly 2 decades and the same thing happens there. At the end of the day you just have to work to get the result and no plugin or gear is going to help you reach better results quicker or what not. Thanks for the video!
Thankfully I am extremely broke and I am forced to work with what I have unlike all of you losers with spare income muahahahah
It's fascinating how even I have gone through this, despite rarely spending money on plugins. I just went through a phase of "why does this still not sound as good as them?!?" IT'S THE PLUGINS, and then downloaded a bunch of plugins. My sound did get better, but mostly because my ears got better. I use a lot of airwindows now, but like 80% of what I downloaded I leave there never really using it. Thankfully, since I didn't spend money on it, I don't feel guilty about not using them, but still... I really should have just taken a day to familiarize myself with airwindows, and only from there get some more specific stuff to complement it.
Can you name a few good Airwindows plugins, because I download it, there were so many, most of them I tried out but it didnt affected my sound at all, and i got overwhelm, pls suggest some names if you could thank you
@@Prajwal____ Check out the Airwindows starter kit video he posted recently for the basic stuff. As for cooler stuff that I really like, Air 2 is great to add air to things (it's a little more malleable than fresh air, which is the common air plugin). Galactic and verbity are both incredible reverbs, cojones or density are pretty good distortions, tube is an excellent tube emulator, and I think that's mostly it. You should always use console 7channel + console 7 buss though, as it really helps clean mixes.
@@radiofloyd2359 Thank You!! Checking everything you mentioned now!
Somehow I just smiled when you said something about your tools not needing to be expensive, and the Zoom CDR-70 pedal is shown.
I love that thing.
The fact that you opened with Veggie Tales hahaha great lesson Cameron!
You're only producer youtuber that makes that type of content and I'm so thankful that you make it
Summary: this is a very personal video and I really appreciate being very open in that manner =]
So I remember those screwdrivers. In fact, I remember the inside of the handle being filled with more bits you can use to expand your fixing capabilities. And to add to your screwdriver metaphor, I actually like that kind of plugin where it can just work in any situation, no matter what. You can call it the Swiss Army knife approach or the workhorse type.
I too have accumulated a lot of plugins, especially in the last few years when I got back into a music-making groove. Part of it was being attracted to those new "shiny objects". But also it was trying to fill in some gaps and take advantage of some things that would be more in line with that workhorse approach. What I mean is that I started in beginning with almost everything Waves has issued. And I started way back in 2002. Naturally, a lot of things have changed in those fifteen-plus years and I wanted to be "in on it". So now I have perhaps way more plug-ins than I realistically need. But being aware of this, I've developed some principles that I try to follow in my work:
1 - Use new projects as an opportunity to use things you haven't really used before. This can also be helpful as a way to get out of ruts or find new inspiration.
2 - To use a word Warren Huart (Produce Like a Pro) likes to say, think about the "intention" of a project. Do you want your song to sound like it was recorded using a small studio for 400 quid? You can rule out right away anything that was designed to give a "modern EDM sound".
3 - Continuing on with the intention side of things, I like to create some rules within a project about what I can and cannot use. In that way, I avoid the analysis paralysis and the blank canvas scare by saying right away what can or can't be used. Exceptions should only be made when needed (or come up with better rules =] ).
And I do keep in mind what you said about people's reactions. I still haven't found anyone who reacts to music by spouting off a gear list or reciting specific numbers. It's all about the total experience and what the music does for you. I think that music is a combination of intuition and analysis. Not to say that audio engineering doesn't have its intuitive side, but it leans very strongly on the analytical. And you are right: the job of a producer/engineer is to figure out with tools and concepts how to create a certain effect. At the same time, any engineer will tell you that it all starts at the source. You have to have a good song with good arrangement and good performances to make it worthwhile. This is true across all styles and genres. Sound design I know is a bit different, but even so, it depends on the music and that's not going to come from your channel inserts =]
As expected, I talked way too much. But I should be forgiven for this as this was once those moments where one thing sparked another.
Now, back to work on making something awesome =]
More videos like this would be amazing! Anyone can have opinions on plugins or hardware but part of what makes your channel next level is these kinds of insights. Your perspective and clarity are a huge asset to those of us in the musical/creative world. Cheers!
exactly this!! same in every area of creativity - it's ok to geek out with like minded friends but do not lose sight of the end user!
Totally been thinking about this. I remember when I had a drumset, Casio and a bass. Made plenty of rythyms out of them without a computer. Then with everything available digitally, I felt I needed them.
(After listening to your first preamble bit after the sponsor ad)
*singing loudly and off key*
VEEEEGIETAAAALES! VEEEEGIETAAAALES! VEEEEGIETAAAALES!
VEEEHHH - GIEE - TALES!!!
This video hurt, because I know I'm on that treadmill and have been for years. At some level I've always known that the pleasure of acquiring stuff wasn't really helping me *do* stuff, but even more recently when I've acknowledged that openly to myself, it's so hard to stop seeing everything as the next shiny.
It's a vicious cycle, too, because when you aren't accomplishing much, you don't really know what problems you actually need to solve. And when your problem definitions are vague, almost anything can look like a potential solution.
Maybe this video will finally help me kick the FOMO and get to *using* all the crap I've accumulated. Maybe not. It certainly made me stop and think again, so thank you for that.
7:09. Best script/visual integration ever. Nice job.
DEfinitely deliver the other videos on the shelf. These are amazing!!!! and trust me well neededn
This video is a relief. Glad I'm not the only one who feels this way.
Definitely great advice and speaking for myself, I would love to see more videos like this. I've purchased hundreds of plugins and probably over a thousand sound/sample packs and I haven't even started making anything yet. I keep buying stuff, but only opened a DAW once (and that was about seven years ago). Simply put, I haven't had time to sit down and do what I really want to do -- make sounds and music. For me, the biggest stimulus to buy something, my biggest weakness, is that I'll buy it if I think I might be able to use it to make something interesting (or if I think it will inspire me). My brain doesn't stop and think "Hey idiot, you haven't created anything yet. Don't you think you should save your money until you actually start making something?"
Anyway, even though I'm not making any music or any sounds right now, I still find your videos very inspirational, so thank you for that. I know I'll be revisiting them if/when I do finally find the time to start making something.
I have saved this video as a favorite, I think I will watch it every time before buying a new plugin or gear in the future . Thanks Venus for this important message and for bringing me back to reality, out of this business world. Music is an art form, it is creativity that takes shape, it is the sensations you feel when you listen to a sound! Music are us, and it should remain so. 🙏🏻
It's insane how i actually went through the same things you just said without even buying a lot of plugins. 🤯
This video was a really good reminder to keep our eyes on the price, and not wander off the path to whatever goals we've set for ourselfs too much. Thank you!😁
Edit: Btw, your storytelling is great!!
A few years ago, I deleted 90% of my plugins, ending up with about 30 effects (including about 10 verbs, which all sound very different) and maybe 20 or so synths. I use Ableton's Sampler instrument for about 40% of my instrumentation, as most of its features are unexplored by 90% of all users. So, in short, I agree with your overall premise here, however.. The plugins I do use are VERY important to my sound, and I don't think I'd be in the same place without them, with regard to both composition and quality. Great video!
I was half expecting a sample library made with the screwdriver going in
I really appreciate your take. I’m more of a hobbyist, but find myself needing the next big thing without having explored what I have. Time to get back on the bicycle.
fantastic video! I have a golden rule that helps me not get lost in GAS and plugin bloat.... always finish music. If i start something, anything, a cool guitar riff, a nice chord progression, a nice ambient drone, I have to finish it into a song. its not going to be the best all the time, its not always releasable material, but it helps me focus on the only thing that matters - the MUSIC
I love these less formal discussions of topics that can be applied and absorbed in a multitude of ways. The more that creators humanize the creative process and highlight the basics, the more it can encourage others to realize they just need to get to work with the tools they have, and learn to temper the constant lust for consumerism.
Totally agree !
When I first started writing songs I only had a DAW, no plugins, a very very cheap acoustic gtr, and a zoom H4n. I would transfer the SD card from the zoom to the laptop (and vice versa) for every.single.track. And here’s the thing: I wrote and recorded albums worth of songs using only these things. Now, I have a ‘proper’ interface, a dedicated desktop computer, lots of plugins, electric gtrs, bass gtr, pedals, keyboards, microphones, etc etc, and I haven’t done hardly anything with all this stuff, let alone finish a song.
When Cameron said “Kanye didn’t use Gullfoss on the master” - I felt that.
I went through something similar where over years I had amassed probably close to 100 plugins on my main production computer. I recently installed Reaper on my other computer to be used more as a "tape machine" for recording simple things, and ended up installing like 10 plugins and realizing I didn't need all that other stuff.
So true, option paralysis is a creativity killer! Am off to delete half my hardrive!
This video is going to the top of my motivational library after I score it with some epic music.
To add to your points, in terms of spending money, there's definitely more value to be had in educational content rather than new instruments/effects IMO. Things like Syntorial and Building Blocks by Audible Genius, or HookTheory, have been worth so much more than yet another VST. Especially with things like Vital or Surge that can bring limitless possibilities, if you're competent enough (or willing to learn enough) to get the most out of them.
I returned to home recording about ten years ago and the main thing I wanted to avoid was "the toolbox fallacy" I looked for tools and gear that did what I needed it to do without getting hung up on spacial features or unnecessary bells and whistles. I mostly use the stock plugins for my DAW and only have a couple of weird plugins for a little thing here or there.
Also: I use that same screwdriver all the time.
I wish I could meet people like that in the real world,so I can learn,share and go back an fourth with ideas about the importance of our existence trough music.
Another great video.
I'm only a hack musician (playing keyboards and guitar and recording mostly at home for the last 50 years or something) .... but I believe everything is always about your audience.. and what you produce to suit them. Average listeners (one audience) don't care about the gear, software, etc... but musicians (a different audience) are sometimes interested in all that guff... but y'always consider the target audience... and what you're trying to communicate to those people.
F'me, I always try to fully understand the tools I have (DAW, plugins, etc)... and only go beyond them when I can't achieve what I (think I) want to achieve. Mucking about with new toys only takes up precious time once you work out if they are going to help or not for a given task... and the 'might come in handy' syndrome (with plugins and many types of software) is just another 'flavour' of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)... Being mindful of this will help ensure any (software or hardware) gadget will always have a purpose.. and you only keep the things (in actuality, on a hard disk.. or as knowledge in your head) that are necessary or have proven useful..
...and always remember the ol' Perl acronym, TAMTOWTDI (There's Always More Than One Way To Do It)...as being flexible and creative in how you use what you already have (and know) means the ol' grey matter can be better used for lots of other things...
Thanks for this, I’m new to this but fortunately know people that have been doing music all their lives. The pressure is immense when the industry is suggesting you need all this stuff!! I’m lucky, I quickly realised I had too much stuff, and have started to learn properly what I’ve got already.
The GLORIOUS Klein 11-in-1!! Good choice. I'm both a musician and electrician, and those are a MUST!!!
And you NAILED IT in my belief of excessive plugins. You don't need that many. You only need one to GET THE JOB DONE. Your father is a very wise man. :)
The point for me about trying different plugins in the same genre, is finding one whose UI lets me do what I want to do the easiest. Sometimes, fewer clicks is the right choice!
Then again, sometimes, the plugins just came with the Komplete install :-)
One area where listening to plugins matters, though, is reverbs. Most convolution reverbs are the same, but the others really have different individual sounds.
That's my two bits!
I started learning production around 2004 and was using Adobe Audition to record my tracks. My friend who taught me to use the program would show me how he would apply effects, and it turns out it was destructive to the original file. I didn’t care about it then and it just made me work things into the track. I need to get back to the mindset of not being so clinical with everything!
Love your channel, your music, and you as a person, THANK YOU FOR THIS, perfect timing. I needed this today. God Bless!
Thank you Cameron. I love your channel. Please could you do an episode on beatmaking in ambient music? There’s so much going on with pads and sound design, but I’d love to tap into your philosophy on beatmaking, particularly outside of the genre-specific house/trap/rnb/etc. Thanks for your enlightening content.
I LOVE those Klein screwdrivers. I've got one in my desk drawer at home, one in my workshop, one in my backpack, one in the junk drawer in the kitchen, and I think probably one in the glovebox of each car.
I completely agree that the best feedback comes from those who don’t know about the technicalities of music production. But new plugins, especially new instruments with interesting presets, often inspire my creativity. I’ve noticed that I often end up using them on just one project though. A bit of a waste really…
I was nodding along with your exploration of getting caught up in too many tools and plugins then I spotted your Waldorf synth and got GAS.. Interesting video.
Hell Yes man!! Enjoyed every word you said... Andrew Scheps once said.. "All what matters is what comes out of your speakers"...
And now.. You said it all.... Love your work & videos like hell.... keep up these for generations to come.. I'm sure you will become a Legend in no time.. You are a Hero man...👍🥇
That's a good point you make about how we're always looking for the next shiny object, and how we dont use a load of the plugins we already have. Analogous to how we look outside of ourselves for some 'thing' when most of the time we just need to connect to ourselves and our own source of creativity within. And we'd probably be better off learning a few plugins really well.
Great video Cam as always! It’s always good to remind yourselves of the end product and just having fun along the way and not obsessing about what expensive plugins you need that may fix your problem 🙌
Good point, well made. 50 years ago, every piece of equipment had to earn it’s place as stuff was expensive and you would think long and hard about every purchase. Now there is so much that is so cheap, we have far more than we need to actually make music. And if everyone has access to everything, we sort of all end up sounding the same, whereas in the past, one musician might opt for a particular keyboard which gives them a particular sound, which is different from the next guy.
I have a gear buying addiction. I feel if I don't have the newest plugins, ill miss out on a sound or something. and now the plugin collection is just absurd. In order to actually get things done, I have started to use the color tags in Ableton to select a group of plugins(maybe by brand or whatever) and just use those. nothing else. It actually helps me creatively when I put a limit on myself like that. I totally understand almost feeling bad you haven't used the plugins you bought. Sometimes I won't even use the plugin for the first time until like a week later after purchase. Age of distraction. Ive been working on a sample pack for months now. and there are a lot of days where I work work work and feel like nothing gets nothing done. This video hit home.
Loved this video - what a fantastic reminder that, sometimes, less IS more.
You need 3 things, a sampler, a drum machine and a versatile mono synth. If you can work with those you can learn the focus and creativity which is ultimately more useful than the buckets of gear which mainly gather dust or distract.
Great video Cam! You're so right in how it's all too easy to get stuck in decision paralysis and not create anything when we think that having that one more tool will finally unlock things for us. I know that's been a lesson I'm still learning.
Also, shoutout to VeggieTales for making songs that are still stuck in our heads to this day. Those songs were some of the most catchy things I've ever heard.
Yes. Exactly. I spent so much of my music-making time not making music but wrangling software issues that I get utterly fed up with the entire thing. The software very often seems to get in the way. I have lately even thought of just getting an old acoustic piano and just using that because aside from tuning it, I could just sit down and play. I wouldn't need an account. I wouldn't need to reset my password. I wouldn't need to reinstall drivers. It would just work.
This is exactly why I like your channel a lot. Nice contemplating. Lately I got a new credit card and I deliberately let all my subscriptions expire, it was such a relief, to many options are numbing. Back to what I have is enough for the next 10 years.
I think this hits the spot with so many of us, whatever our levels of proficiency. It's just too easy to muck about with a new bit of kit when you haven't gotten even 10% into learning what your existing kit does. Thanks fella, that was time well spent
I had a similar experience when a PC upgrade went weird, and long story short I use Linux now, running WINE to use my preferred DAW, and several of my plugins didn't want work - but I also don't really miss them. Hell, even as far as sound sources go, I mostly use Harmless - a stock FL synth - because 9/10 times I just want a sound that starts and ends with basic subtractive synthesis.
It also narrows down my choices for external gear and controllers to class compliant devices, less because they wouldn't work but more just because I might need to troubleshoot once in a blue moon, and I am lazy about that sort of thing. Saves me money from impulse-buys!
Just for the record, I'm not badmouthing Linux. I'd still highly recommend most any Linux distro as an operating system. Most of the issues I find are due to my lack of expertise and insistence on using a Windows-only DAW via WINE. Plenty of them have Linux support but I'm stubborn.
...this puts a lot of recent happenings in perspective.
Very helpful video.
A good song can be written on a guitar alone. Love this topic.
Nice chance of pace. Enjoyed the story aspect to it !
Beautiful!
This reminds me of an interaction I had with a friend:
He's a Deep Dark Techno kinda producer and I'm a DnB and Breakcore kinda guy but we share a lot of common ground in what we enjoy listening to. I showed him my track Jitters (posted as Peanutbutter Ω) and he asked me what Serum preset that is and how I made it. It's 1 instance of Charlatan and a sine and I felt kind of inadequate because he's really into Sylenth and Serum and that sorta thing and I even shyed away from Surge. But most importantly I also felt really proud. Charlatan is a simple, versatile little 2osc synth that just became my multi-bit screwdriver. It can't do too much but you wouldn't use a screwdriver to inflate a tire either =]
I 100% agree with your point. It's easy to lose track of what matters when you get sucked into all the possibilities of the creative process
Wonderful. Just wonderful.
This was great. The same goes for camera gear in photography.
Your ability to take existential philosophy and weave it into practical production advice is streets ahead of anyone else I've seen on RUclips. More stuff like this would be fantastic.
Also, the point you made about feedback from non-producers reminded me a lot of a speech Andrew Scheps made at Oxford. From what I recall the main point was essentially that the only thing that really matters is "what comes out of the speakers". Anyway, thanks for doing what you do!
Hi. I'm glad you brought that up. I didn't know anything about music theory, or had any experience in producing music. I learned how to create music on my own. I use everything to bring together sounds, and melodies. I watch everything I could on making music so that I could learn by listening on how things sound. This is how I learned to produce music by listening alone. Have a great day.
Constraint breeds creativity
I'm of the same opinion as you. I am also constantly attracted to new or more expensive cars that I can afford. But I see that it is a very widespread approach. In my opinion it is essential to have clear ideas about what is the goal to be achieved. Paradoxically, if one realizes that he is the eternal dissatisfied but accepts all this, it means that it is what he wants, and that's okay. He just wants to have fun by constantly jumping from one tool to another and switching plugins for the fun of it. The problem arises when you have this attitude without realizing it. Perhaps in this case the changes and the continuous research hide the inability to find the main road to produce what we would like or simply have fun doing what gives us the most pleasure.
Great discussion to help with analysis paralysis. Get er done!
Great advice spoken from the heart.
I have to agree with others; this really hit home. I just built a new recording computer and I had to sort through all of the plugins. I decided to to install only a few at first and see where it goes. It was amazing that what you think will make your music better is really your problem solving skills and your ears. Your musical skillset is worth gold. Your limits are held by doubts and second guesses. But your imagination will always guide your heart. The "Screwdriver Philosophy." Just Outstanding!
So refreshing seeing this mentality honestly. I have held myself to a pretty strict standard through my last year and a half of learning music production and sound design to use the stock tools that came with Ableton suite for a similar reason. To avoid being more or less persuaded that I needed more without fully understanding "WHY" I might need more. This is certainly not to say I'd never need more than the stock, simply that it wasn't until recently that I even had the knowledge of the depth of all the included ones and their functions. So how could I really know what better I could possibly need? Trust that multi tool and see where it gets you! Great content friend keep it runnin'
Great advice. Helps me with my GAS problem.
Very inspiring! My experiences with plugins are exactly what you describe, super accurate! Loving the message!
THIS THIS THIS!!!!! great job on this "straight to the heart-it hits home,Man" video. CREATIVE PARALYSIS awareness video! Its frustrating when I find myself taking the time organizing plugins, and going through which plugins to use on a project,etc etc etc, and then spend little or no time making music because ive lost Inspiration already! Cam, there were so much Paralysis details in this video! Thank you,Bud!!!!!
I need to go through some of the plugins I have and do a bit of spring cleaning, some of them I really never ever use and I need the space so thanks for that
I have a Kline too. It the one tool I keep handy and fear being with out cause it can do just about anything related to screwing lol. Good points
Super encouraging and helpful. There is a growing philosophy of implementing limits to enable creative progress. Focusing on the thing being made more than lots of tools/instruments. One thing is for sure, us creatives can find a million ways to justify another toy and they have their place, but the song is the thing that needs serving, not the tech.
Great video, Cam. An overabundance of tools & resources can certainly cause Decision or Analysis Paralysis, most of the time something new replacing something that would already get the job done. In short, we simply do not use everything in our arsenal or use everything to their full potential because of choice overload. I really want to reformat my studio setup and use the native DAW devices more & install only the plugins that I enjoy using. There is no doubt that using nothing but stock devices would certainly get the job done & push you to use those limited resources in more creative ways.
How would you approach songwriting if you wanted a flowing, evolving storyline from the get-go?
One thing that is always haunting me is the idea of 'being stuck in a loop'. As someone with only recently self-taught music theory and composition skills, I can't really do fully functional and organically moving piano sketches so my workflow is usually based on two elements: setting up an exotic groove and a complex atmosphere.
Don't get me wrong, I actually enjoy stacking up layers upon layers and then killing half of them while trying to squeeze the rest into the stereo field. This way I can develop the 'the core' of a soundtrack in a 30-second loop and work from there if the experiment is deemed worthy. I'm sure many of us new producers utilize this kind of mentality.
However, more and more I'm craving to break free from the same old progressive EDM structures or traditional pop songwriting styles that dominate the industry. I'm trying to get some ideas from neoclassical and hybrid scores or the masterful gentlemen at Ultimae records, particularly the Mirror's Edge OST from Solar Fields. It's quite hard to listen with an analytic ear song after song trying to understand an unknown arrangement's magic.
I guess, what I'm really yearning for is the ability to quickly generate distinct musical storylines that I can weld together later into a narrative experience that is beautifully meaningful and rich while still maintaining a sense of simple elegance. I'm just not satisfied with linearly introducing tension thru adding extra percs and woowoo pads in every single damned song. I want to sculpt sonic characters and develop relationships between synths and guitars like experienced story writers do it for cinema.
What are the different mindsets that you use to continue and finish a song in a non-traditional way?
Love your channel btw - serious but light-hearted.
Cheers
appreciate this message! The big picture is never about the exact plugins, mostly just tastefulness
Thank you for the inspiration. God bless! 😊🙏🏻❤
I had this realization when I had to fully reset my laptop. I have my specific plugins I like and I only look for things that do something I don’t have like Freakshow Industries stuff. Very unique and different than anything else I have
Love this mate. This is something I've come to realise especially as my available time to write seems to get less and less. I just don't have time to learn new instruments and effects, or spend ages doing things the hard way just to impress the techy crowd. You're also bang on about the difference between writing for your intended audience vs writing for producers. I mean there's definitely some merit in sharing the process and being enthusiastic about it, especially if it helps other people on their journey. But for some it just becomes an obsession. I'm in so many FB groups full of people who forever post pictures of their gear and how complicated the setup is and I never, EVER hear a note of music. And if I do it's...well let's say it's usually not a toe tapper haha.
Also on the utility of simple devices/software, IMO this is a good argument for owning a small selection of versatile hardware units. I've spent the last few nights writing music with a Neutron, TR6S and a Microfreak and somehow I'm covering all the same territory I would with my 1000s of plugins. Not least because I write, record, and move on. It eliminates so many redundant options.
So yeah love this video. I know a lot of people who need to hear it!
Yes, less is definitely more. A moment of silence for all that time spent trying to figure things out that we think are complicated and then realize are… totally not. It’s actually just a sine wave, or a white noise burst, or that same sample just tweaked slightly, or whatever we’ve been overcomplicating for ourselves. And: yes, more random chats please. It’s always great to have a peek inside someone else’s process, musical, mental, artistic, etc. Thanks for the awesome work you do.
I am a maintenance technician, and I use the same exact screwdriver to do about 90% of my jobs. Can confirm, it is really the best tool. Your dad is smart lol
The only point missing from this video is: you got to go through the process of plugin-hoarding to realize it won't help you the way you expected. It's damn hard to not to give in to the temptation that you can't achieve your goal, because perhaps that other shiny VST you don't have would make a big difference. At least I think most of us don't have the balls to resist, while watching all those fancy videos about awesome plugins existing outside our own computers.
Great video and reminder. I've been contemplating starting a side hustle and I've been freezing on it because, as you said, my excuses or fear comes down to I don't have the latest or the most gear plus there are other places that would offer a similar service..."so why start"? Ultimately, it boils down to fear and focusing on the things that only gear heads or those "in the know" would focus on
Great insight! I can definitely relate. Thank you!
this made me thinking of an interview/masterclass with ben pearce about his track "what i might do" where he got sort of embarrassed on how he created the ducking because he didn't used some cool tool :) as if we that liked the track would think less of it
Damn good topic. I know I'm guilty of lusting after The Next Thing, but I'm not an impulsive spender, either, so there is tension there. I have just one plugin I installed as a demo version and within an hour had made the purchase - Arturia's Pigments. Everything else I have is free, unique (often both) or was purchased on super special. Or came bundled with hardware. I can't use everything I have and I probably have plugins I don't regret buying but I don't use, either.
P.S. I liked the MicroFreak popping up in multiple shots.
Absolutely! I recently switched from PC to Mac and had a massive cull of plug ins. I also bought Bitwig at the time so have been exploring the delights that has to offer. I’m literally down to a handful of my “go to” tools like Waves L2 and RVox (essential IMO), EZ Drummer and a few synths. I’ve probably made more music in the four months since than I did in the previous 2 years! Great vid man, peace ✌️
I keep about 11 of those drivers in my work truck. half the time its all you need. and if you have 11 you always know where one is
Oh man, I needed this so much, and wasn't even aware of it! Thanks, Cameron! What a relief this was!
Very relatable subject and I love the idea of going with what works, very much something I find myself struggling with, wanting that next thing.
This is exactly what I needed to hear right now. Thank you Cameron.
Beautiful man. Thank you! I think a lot us us struggle with this. Always appreciate the perspective.
I miss that screwdriver! Love Daddio!
Amen - good stuff here!
As a VO artist, I've had the occasional struggle with Gear Acquisition Syndrome (G.A.S.), including the latest and greatest plugins that pop up on the market. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter. End clients just want good audio!
Learning to use what you've got is key - if it sounds good, it IS good!
Damn. Yeah. I recently impulse bought V Collection on the 75% off sale. Talk about option paralysis! It's REALLY cool from a synth nerd pov to mess with the classics I'll never afford but I immediately slowed down my music making just to scroll through presets and watch tutorials on the real hardware versions of the included synths. Now, like you said, I don't feel productive, just guilty that I'm not clicking on my new toys.
My unfinished list of games in my Steam account understands. My point is to play one game and get good at it like you would with a plug-in or anything new. Just like games, there are so many new games ( plug-ins) that comes out and you kinda lose sight of what you were doing. Maybe you were enjoying a old school game but decided to buy yet another sports game with a updated roster., which you regret. I've decided to only stick with Fab Filter plug ins, Serum and Pigments and just master those.
Nice message dude
That's a good lesson your dad taught you. Mine just taught me how to dodge.
I have yet to figure out how to apply that to music.