What Do Musicians and Gamblers Have In Common?

If you are like me, then you really enjoy scrolling through presets, or hitting that randomization button on your latest VST purchase. There's something about listening to all those new sounds. It's...addictive!
Today we take a look at the science behind modern music creation and dopamine in the brain, including new research from France. What happens when you anticipate listening to your favorite song? Are VST's like slot machines? Are you a musician or a gambler...or both?
Classic FM
www.classicfm.com/
Cortical Patterns of Pleasurable Music Chills Revealed by High-Density EEG
www.frontiersin.org/journals/...
Buy Me A Coffee
buymeacoffee.com/arcticfox
0:00 Intro
1:09 Slot Machine Science
2:34 Korg Grandstage X
3:52 Hooks
5:56 Presets & Modern VST’s
8:37 Musician’s & GAS
9:29 Outro

[@turdle837]

I would also add another, very simple reason: We dont want to do any of the work that is needed to write a good hook, we want good results, not hard work. And its more enticing to do a some random dice throws instead of actually working for it

[@arcticfoxstudios2018]

So true.

[@randallharp7010]

I believe that another similarity is the laziness factor. Most people would prefer to win a jackpot than to work for several years. I would prefer to find a preset rather than taking the time to expertly use a few of the very capable VSTs that I have.

[@arcticfoxstudios2018]

I'm totally that way with drum loops. That's one reason I picked up a couple of groove boxes, to try to break me out of that habit.

[@MattStevens9824]

Over a year ago, I found THIS channel as a happy accident. I'm glad I randomly picked a VST review. I guess we can win big in that department. I love buying those plugins with a randomize button. I think almost all Glitchmachines plugins have them.

[@arcticfoxstudios2018]

Thanks Matt - glad you are here! I totally need to buy me some Glitchmachine stuff.

[@ProFleer-ep4wq]

I never understood vanilla randomizers in music. I would understand when they’re spiced with parameters like ‘ambient’ or ‘organic’. Or when they’re only second-level randomizing, allowing the user to decide the first step or direction. This would also release more dopamine ;)

[@arcticfoxstudios2018]

Yeah, that IS really like playing a slot machine when you have full parameter random. The odds of getting the sound you want would be super low. I think Bioscape has that sort of thing with some 'descriptive' modifiers rather than full on random. I've used it a few times, but mostly just prefer to dial it in myself.

[@briandavidgregory]

So, where is everyone? I completely feel this.

[@arcticfoxstudios2018]

I tend to like having the random functions on VST's. Mostly for just relaxing and killing time though. I don't use it too much when I'm specifically creating a song.

[@wavesequencer]

The random (patch) button in my plugins was a user request.. I didn't put it there originally :)

[@arcticfoxstudios2018]

I actually don't use the random patch selection buttons on VSTs, but a lot of people seem to like them. Definitely use the random sample and hold LFO though. That's probably my favorite random feature.

[@BROKEN-G0VT]

To be honest I don't use the randomizer, I just keep it simple at the beginning and overtime gets more complex 😂

[@arcticfoxstudios2018]

lol, I hear you.

[@tregdemedia]

The main place I want a random feature that is often missing is some of my VSTs with built in arpeggiators because I’m just afraid I’ll build the same patterns over and over again!

[@arcticfoxstudios2018]

Yeah, that's an excellent point.

[@Beatsbasteln]

parameter randomization is painful. you don't do it for fun. the patches, that await you when clicking on the randomizer button, can be harsh and annoying. you have to be in an alert state while randomizing parameters, because things can break any time. that makes it different to doomscrolling, which is meant for you to doze of in the endless stream of information. and even slotmachines are supposed to be fun. parameter randomization is not fun. it is only fun once you found a good sound, and only because you can then be releived to finally do something else. it's a good method to get inspired by unexpected stuff, which is also not a thing in slot machines, but maybe a bit of a part of doomscrolling.

[@arcticfoxstudios2018]

Total parameter randomization can work, but the results need to be limited, so it's tough to do right. Full on parameter randomization is just a shot in the dark and I agree with your thinking. I think UVI had the right idea with Synth Anthology 4 where it picks similar sounds to the one you are already listening to. That way you are at least in the same ballpark.

[@Hollandvancewright]

I agree, but as someone who builds all of their samples and assets from scratch maybe I'm the one doing it wrong? It takes hard work and weeks of tweaking to get something I might've been just as happy with "gambling" My life is far too busy and complicated to pump out the amount of songs a typical producer could. I'm happy with my sound, but not with how many unfinished projects I don't work on

[@arcticfoxstudios2018]

I wouldn’t say you are approaching it wrong. Just different modes of working because you know your craft really well. I think having a randomizer can help those who don’t have a deep knowledge of sound design to get something that sounds decent, but its based on getting something that sounds good rather than accurately recreating a specific desired sound. Kind of like a beginner songwriter using a basic I, IV, V progression compared to a jazz musician using 11th and augmented chords.

[@thomashoffend4299]

Interesting hypothesis. A randomization feature is not something I look for in an instrument or effect plugin, but the scrolling effect is probably real.

[@arcticfoxstudios2018]

I can say I definitely like scrolling through presets. On the flip side though, I just don't understand slots.

[@SongOfItself]

Interesting. I wonder how small a minority I’ll be in if I say I almost bever use the randomization buttons on VSTs. In principle, I like having them, they make sense. But in practice, it gets frustrating really quickly. Even if I get a sound I like, I know that if I hit the randomizer again, I might get something way, WAY better, something truly unexpected and unique. And more, and more! It never ends, and I get tired even as I am thinking about it now. And then, which one was the best? Should I undo, go back a few steps to the sound I had 10 minutes ago? And we haven’t even touched on the paralysis of having too much choice. Endless choice is the worst! I actually remember the first random-based plugin I tried: it was u-he’s free Protoverb (which has nothing but randomness). I was clicking the damn button again and again *exactly* like people hit the buttons on slot machines, but all it gave me was nausea and a kind of fever. No dopamine for me, it seems.

[@arcticfoxstudios2018]

Actually, you might not be in the minority. I think quite a few musicians use random as a starting point only, or don't use it at all. I tend to flip through presets as a starting point and sometimes will use random on one specific instrument, but then usually go to something I know I want for everything else. I do use random when I just want to relax and play a bunch of improv over drum loops though. That's mostly me unwinding and relaxing though, and not really focused music creation.

[@daviHuggMonster]

we need a random button on youtube yeah...humans we do get fooled easely don't we

[@arcticfoxstudios2018]

I'm totally on board with that. I wish it had a "Show me channels I've never seen before" button.

[@ritchxmusic]

I don't get why Americans say "die" and not "dice", must be another UK vs USA English thing I guess lol