How to Fight G.A.S with the idea of building musical systems!

After my video a few weeks ago, I have been pondering more on what I strive for when my I put kit together to make music and I realise that musical systems are the thing!

[@WildernessMusic_GentleSerene]

G.A.S. is prevented by fully understanding your instruments, and owning instruments with huge sound ranges of design. I will take up to a year of intense study on each instrument (synth or groove box or sampler or effects design devices) so I fully know it and can do most the sound design in my head before sitting down to the instrument. Guess work in design is okay, but I prefer to know the synth so well that every step is intentional. I compose music and orchestrate and sound design electronic instruments to fill my idea of the music representing my thought. I know some people use presets or happy accidents to inspire a new song, but that is why we have GAS today, you buy a new synth and only about 3 out of 500 presets do anything to motivate to a completed song. Motivation should come from your life's experiences and reflect the passion of those, not a new sound. The new sound should be forming in your mind as you are exhilarated by passion.

[@decibelboy83]

Interesting comment. What kind of synths do you have?

[@WildernessMusic_GentleSerene]

​@@decibelboy83 Preface: I record Vangelis style, I perform a completed song in one take, no overdubbing using pattern sequencers and sample loops I record myself to fill in when both hand and feet are too busy. So I have 5 stations I can sit at and just rotate my chair in the middle to each one, plus able to play across stations too. all DAWless, use a 24 track hardware recorder. Minilogue (original) Minilogue XD MicroBrute 1010 Music BlackBox Sampler Juno DS Korg Krome Yamaha MX49 as a controller Roland Fantom O6 Roland RD-2000 Kurtzweil VAST/FM/KVA synth Roland Gaia Roland Gaia 2 Boutiqe (JP-08)(JX-03)(JD-08)(JX-08) Yamaha DGX-670 piano (solo piano only) Korg Electribe2 Yamaha RefaceDX Roland E-A7 (MIDI controling 5 synths) Many of these synths work together as one synth in layer/split, such as the Kurzweil and all the boutiques.

[@iamjamessmith]

​@@WildernessMusic_GentleSerenelol sounds like you 'avoided gas' by buying an exorbitant amount of gear.

[@WildernessMusic_GentleSerene]

@@iamjamessmith Yea, ha ha :) it would seem that way, but I have been a musician for 56 years, and been buying gear for 50 of those years, what I have today represents a lifetime of buying and selling. And in 2006 lost my entire vintage studio to divorce. After the divorce lived in poverty and the only instruments I could afford was cheap Casio, and most of that was used. I made music with this junk for 16 years before finally, over the years, replacing it all last year. It has been a long time since I had good instruments. I am a professional solo acoustic pianist, so it is important to have different actions at home. I have 3 digital pianos so I can adapt to stage pianos easier, I have to play whatever is on stage. (most all the music on this channel was made by that Casio stuff).

[@WildernessMusic_GentleSerene]

@@thomaskolb8785 ???? I don't know who this comment is addressed to, it has nothing to do with my comment??? My original comment was to reduce buying gear by having complete understanding of everything each of your synths can do. Using creative design instead of pre-sets. Presets are the biggest reason for GAS. I can listen to a new synth and know I can create that sound with a synth I have, or a combination of synths layered. Hence, no need to buy it.

[@danielkillorin9742]

The best advice there is for songwriting if your into rock/jazz/country/pop/indie is to 1. learn the guitar 2. learn how to express your feelings through the guitar 3. Try to complete a song as much as you can just with your voice and your guitar 4. Record it and listen to it, as you record it will likely change in structure or direction as you record more instruments and edit 5. Finish the song This works with any type of music even edm, the most important aspect is to let go of hate in your heart and learn to see the beauty in things as this will help with step 2 which might be the most difficult part

[@decibelboy83]

I think lots of the world needs to learn how to let go of the hate in their heart! Thanks for the comment, great points, when I was in bands in my younger days this is exactly what my process was.

[@hollownation]

So I make music with Samplr but I wanted a solid way to control it live but struggled because you can only see one channel at a time. My solution I am rebuilding Samplr inside a reason custom combinator using dr Rex and a launch control which I’ve mimicked on the combinator. So I can compose on the go with Samplr then bring it home transfer into reason which gives me a bit more freedom with effects, multiple pattern variations and still keeps some limitations with the number of controls available on the launch control and the overall 6 channel layout of Samplr. I am having so much fun with it I think the key to these systems as you put it and they’re success is they inherently have limitations which frees you up to concentrate on making music knowing the limitations of the system.

[@decibelboy83]

Yes that last sentence is exactly the hat I was trying to sum up. The limitations of the equipment strangely forces you to be creative with the tools that you do have available, rather than loading up another plugin or buying another module etc. I've not played with samplr and haven't used Reason in almost 20 years, I can't imagine how good it is now, it was cool back when I last used it!

[@hollownation]

@@decibelboy83 Samplr is the best iPad app full stop. Reason is still pretty good if a little complex these days but you can make it as deep as you want. It’s great for testing real world ideas before spending on hardware, as a nice multi track recorder or creating small systems to play with it is crazy versatile but still after 20 years I occasionally find myself going how the hell do I do that but a quick KZbin tutorial usually does the job .

[@decibelboy83]

Is it any good if you don't like sampling?

[@hollownation]

@@decibelboy83 😂 yeah probably not

[@irradix213]

I get the feeling DAWless is thought of as a line when you leave songwriting for twiddling, like I'll never cross the Flute line from horror synth to dungeon synth

[@decibelboy83]

Yeah definitely seems to be something that happens when you can't play in bands any more for whatever reason!

[@irradix213]

@@decibelboy83 I was thinking how a goth band or something is just one with a setup and one singing is thought about totally differently than DAWless, like it's gotten a mastubatory like name like "Shredding"

[@decibelboy83]

Yeah I think it's a bit like guitar pedals too, people making their own little worlds. I reckon COVID had a big thing to do with it too.

[@michellech5615]

Okay, now I want the 0-coast and the 0-control. xD

[@decibelboy83]

Yeah I want the strega too!

[@BatteryCoverMissing]

I always liked my casio system, cz-101 and mt-65 in unison for formants or split for bass and lead...drums from volca sample, pads from sa-1. Old system was similar, mt-40 for bass, sk-1 for pads, electribe sample for drums and yamaha cs-01 for lead. So i think 4 instruments ± effect unit + sequencer or daw is enough to do a track.

[@decibelboy83]

Both those rigs sound awesome. Thanks for watching the video I appreciate you taking the time to comment too. Please subscribe to the channel, I post new vids every week and these discussions on making music every other week, so there's always something to watch!

[@christofthedead]

General Anakin Skywalker will never be defeated

[@decibelboy83]

Agreed!

[@GrootsieTheDog]

I have two”systems”: My Maschine daw set up where I have a template that has a few synths samplers and fx aux set up. This keeps my software gear acquisition to a minimum and I don’t get bogged down by too many choices. I make big dreamy space ambient with touches of Berlin school with this set up. My second system is really fun for more experimental ambient: I have a few hardware synths I have displayed on shelves and I choose one and plug it into my SP MKII sampler and samples a bunch of off the grid loops that have their own individual lengths. And do further experimentation with those via resampling and then using the sampler as an instrument to improvise using said samples.etc. So two very different approaches and methods to keep me interested and creatively freed up.

[@decibelboy83]

Impressive for a doggo! How do you twiddle the knobs... Tha ks for taking the time to comment. I love hearing about other people's rigs and workflows.

[@natethebesttt]

Yeah you’re right

[@decibelboy83]

Shh don't say it too loudly!

[@natethebesttt]

I really did need to hear this is sober way. What the hell do I pay my therapist for

[@decibelboy83]

Going to therapy was one of the best things I ever did. Worth every dollar.

[@infn8loopmusic]

Great video, some great points.i think there's a balance of having just enough hardware vs going crazy. I must have a dozen different workflows and the only one with a DAW is when I use Korg gadget on my iPad. But when I use it, it works well. I have a flexible setup in my studio where I can plug in Instruments easily and push record on a multitrack recorder. Depending on which sequencer or groove box I'm using or which synths or guitars I want to use for leads that works well, and having a portable multitracker makes it so easy to sometimes record on my couch or sometimes being it up to the studio, but the key thing for me is- if I want a music track that feels inspired- it should never ever feel like "work" to record it. For me, that means I have to stay as far away from a mouse and keyboard as possible. I might use a Gameboy or my iPad to track things out, but I never sit clicking through presets or drum sounds because that just feels icky. As long as your workflow works for you, you like the result and it doesn't feel icky, you're good to go. Right? 😂

[@decibelboy83]

@@infn8loopmusic yeah man there is absolutely no right or wrong way to do anything. My real goal for this video was to try and inspire people to not fixate on the gear and instead think about what they really need to make some music.

[@infn8loopmusic]

@@decibelboy83 and you nailed it! 😃

[@decibelboy83]

Thanks for saying that. I do really appreciate the kind words.

[@stevewright8201]

O coast + sq-1+ reverb/delay = happy days

[@decibelboy83]

I had to quantize the 0ctrl but I feel the same!

[@ringsystemmusic]

Yo try out FAC Alteza for AUM reverb it’s a wonderful shimmer effect.

[@decibelboy83]

Oh ace, I'll check it out. I have the Eventide shimmer verb too, I find it a bit too much at the moment, but maybe alteza is better.

[@Jimantronic]

Audio Damage Eos 2 is another great auv3 reverb. Under the hood it’s a Valhalla reverb engine.

[@decibelboy83]

I'll check it out. Thanks

[@modulations]

I thought this was a great video that just popped into my feed. I’ve recently sold some gear because of GAS guilt, which is definitely a thing. Great AUM setup too, I’m an avid fan of the iPad for music making, in fact I’ve gone back to it and now contemplating selling more hardware maybe.

[@decibelboy83]

Hey hey! Thanks for leaving a comment I know the GAS guilt well. I've got a Behringer Poly D in a case that I can't see ever using again and I wish it could go to a better home. I also know that at some point I'll really want that Moog sound and then I'll be glad I've still got it. The iPad, well, AUM, fugue machine and some of the rozetta sequencers have been an absolute revelation to me, I can be creative anywhere now and be really inspired within that environment and no one knows that I'm making music. That being said, the thought of playing live with it seems very very boring, so now I'm sort of building a hardware twist on it. It's all a journey and good fun!

[@decibelboy83]

Hey also, I'd love if you could subscribe to my channel, I really appreciate everyone who watches my content and love hearing from you.

[@mjrisinsd6836]

Don’t fight GAS. We live in a golden era where equipment is cheap and accesible to all. It wasn’t always that way. Lean in to what interests you. Who knows how long this will last. Post your tracks and listen to indie music from other people making music. Embrace tech. Be interesting. Form a band.

[@decibelboy83]

I think GAS can be seen as the killer of making music though. It becomes more about the collection than what the collection creates.

[@luciendevolontat2488]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@decibelboy83 I have not make music this entire week. Got all the softsynths, sequencers, effects I need to make wonders…but spending all my time fantasizing on the gear review channels instead; GAS is a bitch, work on your skill, you lazy ass (talking to me) 😂

[@decibelboy83]

Yeah and even go further than this. Every time you think, darn I need that bit of gear, note the price then spend 10% of it on something that promoted your artist profile. IE make some merch, get a better website etc.

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

5:30 Sounds like Siron head which ironically the previous video I watched before this one. Having to much music hardware or software is detrimental for Me, I make better music with less stuff.

[@decibelboy83]

Do you mean this movie? kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKPOc2R-i9Wta80 Weirdly, my day job is working in visual effects, so this strangely combines the two!

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

@@decibelboy83 Yes that is the first of 4 of that guys Siren head videos, I watch yesterday and today. Also about six months ago I was watching videos on backrooms with Siren Head, and then some giant Siren head videos. I don't know where that thing comes from originally, but there is a sound your making that sounds similar.

[@decibelboy83]

Maybe I need to make some back rooms videos to show off my music

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

@@decibelboy83 Interesting idea

[@MantasticHams]

Mononoke's pronounced Moe-know-know-kay lol. Its a japanese word, the syllables always make the same sound and are always one consonant followed by one consonant, usually 2 letters, sometimes 3. Its probably a reference to the film princess mononoke

[@decibelboy83]

Thanks for letting me know, I had no idea how to pronounce it, I will attempt to do this justice going forwards. I love it as a synth, so I will be better at calling it, it's correct name

[@MantasticHams]

@@decibelboy83 Yeah FTR i pronounced it terrible for a long time lol, its often hard to internalize the rules of asian languages for western speakers, the systems are very different. And if you dont know its japanese then anyone'd def pronounce it wrong.