What have you learnt 2014

Electronic Music Production // Dark Arts
Planar
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What have you learnt 2014

Post by Planar »

I started a topic like this a year ago, so I figured why not have a follow-up this year. So the idea is to share what you've learnt production wise over this past 12 months. It could be technical, philosophical or whatever, there are no rules. It'd also be interesting to hear what everyone's aims are for this coming 12 months.

So I'll start.

What I've learnt:

1) Layering has been a big thing for me this past 6 months. Having taken a long break from 4x4 stuff I found a lot of techniques I previously lived by simply don't translate very well in other genres. I didn't really think I needed it for techno and basically couldn't be bothered. Now I'm making DnB stuff I simply have to layer drums to get the right sound, nothing vanilla seems to really cut it properly (I don't use genre specific sample packs). I expect I'll carry on doing it when I do eventually make techno again.

2) My synthesis has really improved recently. I've always been fairly good with the theory, but this year I'm starting to get the sounds I hear in my head. I'm using wavetable synthesis heavily.

3) Taming snares. The topic we have about this at the moment is apt as I'm using snares a lot more than I used to and I'd come across the problem with them hitting the limiter harder than they should. I've basically learnt a lot about clippers and using compression differently to my normal 'recipes'.

4) Abusing convolution. Again, another one we have an active topic for, but I've been doing it a while. When I discovered I could slap any old sound into my conv reverb and get interesting results I was addicted.

5) I've separated out composition from mixing. I used to be typical of most people here I guess as I mixed my track as I went. This was bogging me down massively. Now I half-mix as I go, I try to get the basics like levels right but I no longer worry too much about little details. I've learnt enough here to not paint myself too much into a corner so I can go back and have a dedicated mixing session or 2 once the artistic bit is done.

6) I've learnt to have a bit more of a general positivity about what I make. I've kind of accepted that I will never be prolific with my tracks, but I spend a lot less time with 4 bar loops kind of throwing out every idea I have because I think it's shit. So I upped my output over the past 12 months, got some music out there for feedback and learnt a hell of a lot from it. The advice you get on this forum is brilliant and I know I'm getting better with every track I finish because of it (as are a lot of others!).


What I want to do next year:

1) Learn to get some nice twisty bass noises. I've kinda got myself onto the road for this and I would really like to push it further and see what I can come up with as it seems to be a can of worms.

2) I've dipped my toe into the world of Max/MSP recently and I really would like to find the time to learn it to a level where I can realise some of the ideas I have.

3) Hopefully I can make something soon that I think is good enough to maybe send to Steve to get mastered and make available on a bandcamp page. Maybe send some tracks to a label. I dunno really...

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Re: What have you learnt 2014

Post by Hades »

that you're all a bunch of cunts :D
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Re: What have you learnt 2014

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music-wise ?

1. that I shouldn't be making plans. Real life keeps on getting in the way of making music. For example : just when I thought I was almost finished with the renovation of the house I had to start doing the kitchen because I got a 15.000 euro voucher for free from my parents neighbours (who had won the thing) (or almost free, just the promise that I'd do their garden if they get too old for it, since their only son is a selfish cunt that stopped visiting them 5 years ago, basically when his dad (finally) stopped opening his wallet after years of being a far too patient man). Of course I am a lucky bastard for that, but it also means I'll be investing another 6 months of my time into working in the house just when I was planning (and hoping) for a proper 1 or 2 year break from the works.
I've had months where I barely had time for 4 hours of music making.
The house is starting to look pretty damn good though. :)

2. I truely enjoy playing so much piano again. It gives me a lot more instant satisfation than making music does cause it's so much more less painfull for me and it doesn't take up so much time to finally get somewhere. Thank god I always kept on playing over the years so I kept my fingers in shape. I couldn't imagine how boring it would have been if I had to relearn so much of the playing technique again. Now I can just pick a track I like, buy the sheetmusic and in a few weeks or sometimes even just a few days I can properly play the thing. Then if I keep on playing it for a few months, I can really master it.
Or I just improvise on the piano, it can be just as much fun. Even better than playing sheetmusic on the rare occasions that the improvising goes really well.

3. So I finished a few tracks. It was just as painful and boring as I always imagined it would be,
I didn't reall learn so much more out of the process (or at least not half as much as everyone who keeps on saying "you must finish tracks, it's important to learn this and that and blablabla")
and my life didn't really change for the better. :)
I guess I now have the perfect excuse to not force myself unless I really feel like it.
My half-build tracks still keep on getting better, and I'm still learning more and more along the way, so I'll just keep on doing what I do and only finish stuff if I truely feel motivated to do so (and when I have the time for it).
Now of course it's nice when someone says they like one of your tracks, but that's not why I'm making music, so it's just not enough of a motivation to finish more stuff.

4. My weakness is rhythm and groove, my strong point is melody. I just need to face that fact.
It's pretty normal : if you come from years of playing piano, you're just used to playing faster and slower during the course of one piece, this (almost) never happens in electronical music where you always have the same bpm and stuff.
I'm trying to work on the rhythmic parts more, but on the other hand I just wonder whether I shouldn't just embrace my strong parts more and face the fact that I'm not made to produce something like for example Birmingham techno.
It's just not inside me, so why bother forcing myself in a certain direction ?
I'm happy I have my sound design properly covered, so I think I'll be more than happy if I stay in the ballpark of the more darker melodic/melancholic side of techno.
Maybe one day I'll discover how to make proper grooves, who knows ?

music-wise I think that's about it.
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Re: What have you learnt 2014

Post by Hades »

for the rest...

1. I am properly blessed with my kids, even if they eat up most of my spare time, it's just wonderful to be able to spend so much time with them. They grow up so fast, and I'm trying to enjoy every minute of it.

2. I should learn to slow down and be less intense. This is pretty much impossible for me, and the problem is no one likes it when you slow down. I was sick 3 days in 2014. First one was somewhere in february (last night of a series) : I got a stomach flue on monday evening, so I was at the doctors office on wednesday. When I handed in my doctors note, HR didn't pay me for that day since I didn't bring it in during the first 48 hours. Mind you, this was totally impossible for me, especially since your first 24 hours are gone if you work nights. More than 10 years have I been slaving away here, and that was the treatment I got. Fucking fantastic.

I got sick last night of my previous series. Since I still had too much work to finish in the house I didn't "slow down" at all in my days off and just continued at the same speed. (the day collecting 1800 apple trees for firewood didn't do any good either obviously) Of course I didn't get better but relapsed, and had to call in sick my 1st night. My doctor and wife called me crazy to go back to work to do the other nights, but here I am, magically awaken by certain chemicals.
So in total I was 3 days sick in 2014, that's it, and still that's not accepted...

My colleagues (we are supposed to take over each others nights if one of us gets sick, that's part of the deal of working less nights than we normally should) started making a whole scene out of it.
Fucking great guys. Last time one of them was sick I got the call when I had just finished 5 nights and had already switched back to day-rhythm. I did another 2 nights, agreeing with my other colleague that he'd do the other 3 if needed. After those 2 nights I happily switched back to day-rhythm, and got called at around 6PM to ask if I couldn't do a 3rd night cause the guy forgot he had his brothers wedding the next day. I first said no, then felt bad about it cause me and this colleague go back 10 years of backing up for each other, so yeah, I take the last train to work and take over from midnight to do another graveyard shift so he could get some sleep before the wedding. I totally crashed somewhere around 3AM, and had to call up my mrs to come pick me up at 7AM and had someone from the morning shift come in 1 hour earlier cause I felt so exhausted.
But you think these 2 guys were any grateful when I called in sick ? Fuck no.
You think they'd remember some of that ? nope.
It makes me remember (again) what a shit company I work for, and how everybody in the end always thinks about themselves.

You think my best friend would take in mind that I was sick before he was asking me to stamp on millions of apples and run behind a big tractor throwing in 1800 apple tree firewood pieces ?
Nah, I'm supposed to perform, at all times and at all costs. :x :roll:

Even my kids don't accept it if I'm sick. If there are no obvious physical signs, I just can't be "really" sick. So unless I'm throwing up or something, to them there's just no reason to leave me alone.
But they're kids, so I can still understand that.

The only one who accepts me being sick is the one that keeps telling me to slow down : my wife (bless her).

3. is there a proper burial site for cars ? I think my old faithful volvo (which was given to me by my uncle at 200.000km) has finally given up completely. I had a bet going on I'd make it to 400.000km and it's now somewhere around 390.000km.
Fuck, I really loved that car, and I don't think I'll have the same kind of comfort with whatever used old (reliable) car I can find for our limited budget. I hate spending money on something like a car. Uptill now I have never even bought a tv or car in my entire life, just cause I was always lucky enough to get old hand-me-downs from others. Over the years I have received about 8 tv's of various sizes and quality from all over, and I don't even have cable, I just watch DVD's. :)

count your blessings I suppose... :)
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Hades
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Re: What have you learnt 2014

Post by Hades »

what do I want to do next year ?

1. finish the kitchen (and dining room), so I can finally take a 1 or 2 year break from working in the house. My hallway would have been completely finished before X-mas but then I got sick. No matter though, it's only 2 more days of work, and it looks great.

2. read up on some of the manuals and spend some proper time with some of the gear I bought in the last 2,5 years.
I think I probably turned on my Sherman filterbank 5x all year. My Xpander definitely needs some more love. And there's still so much SW I should be exploring some more.
Even if I'm not such a maniacal manual reader as I once was (I don't need it any more like I used to, plus I lack the time), I still think I need to do this for a few pieces. What's the point in owning gear if you don't know what it can do ?

3. live a bit more healthier, and find a better balance in my life.

4. find that perfect groove ? :D
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day.one
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Re: What have you learnt 2014

Post by day.one »

You are a big man Hades!

breakz
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Re: What have you learnt 2014

Post by breakz »

that I prefer to work Out Of Da Box !!!!!!!!!
I enjoy it much more this way making music.


Merry Christmas !!!!

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Mono-xID
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Re: What have you learnt 2014

Post by Mono-xID »

- analog is overrated
- "wannabe industrial techno with über-distorted kicks" suck balls heavily
- how to increase your monthly income
- how to avoid a massive hangover after a bar night-out
http://soundcloud.com/monoxid

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Hades
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Re: What have you learnt 2014

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day.one wrote:You are a big man Hades!
thank you but no I am not, trust me.

but flattery will get you everywhere, that's a general rule in life :D ;)
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Hades
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Re: What have you learnt 2014

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Mono-xID wrote:- analog is overrated
- "wannabe industrial techno with über-distorted kicks" suck balls heavily
- how to increase your monthly income
- how to avoid a massive hangover after a bar night-out
-yes, analog sure is overrated, especially since in techno it's so important to go and explore and experiment with all kinds of sound sources, and use all kinds of synthesis.

- :)

-please, by all means, do tell me when you've found it. I got up at 3PM, and went picking up a signed letter at the post office.
Belgian TVA telling me that I forgot to send in my last quarterly overview, and that if I didn't send it in before the 26th, I'd have to pay 1000 euro's as a fine. :shock: :shock: (and my car just broke down yesterday, fucking great)
You have to know this was from a small side-profession I stopped at the end of july since I didn't have the time anyway, and my accountant had charged me 400 euro's for the "work" they had with that. :shock:
When I first took that accountant (because a friend of my brother-in-law used to work there, he left about a year ago) they charged me 175/quarter, then it became 300 which was totally ridiculous for the small amount of work they had with me, and then an extra 400 for stopping the whole thing.
Anyway, a stressed phone-call from me (on the street) to the TVA gave me the answer : my accountant had only sent this in the 16/12, the exact same day my letter with 1000 euro fine was sent out.
So, it means no 1000 euro fine, but nonetheless 200 euro fine because they were 2 months too late in sending it in.
The lady at the phone told me : it was literally 5 minutes work to do it. No more than 2 lines.
So basically 600 euro's for fucking nothing.
Ow I'm gonna send some accountancy agency a VERY ANGRY "to sign for"-letter pretty soon.
And you can bet I'm asking back that 200 at least (and more if I can).
Tim Hecker has a track called "the truth about accountants", they're a bunch of fucking gangsters.
They can get you money back from taxes, but they overcharge you for EVERYTHING. fucking CUNTS !!! :evil:
so the answer to your question : become an accountant, you can gain 400 euro's with 5 minutes work.

- you still haven't learned that after all these years of drinking ? Just stick to normal beer, I was taught by my German father-in-law that because of the Reinheitsgeboten you can't get a true hangover from normal pils.
We tested this out years ago when he got me drunk the night before my job interview in Germany, and indeed, I had no hangover whatsoever. Gotta stay away from the stronger beers and liquor of course. It's the mixing that kills you.
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Hades
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Re: What have you learnt 2014

Post by Hades »

you ever had a hangover when you just drank normal German pils, mono ?
even if in excessive amounts ?
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Hades
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Re: What have you learnt 2014

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fuck me, yesterday I was making a track where I was really happy with the direction it was heading to.
I loved the bass part and the groove. Loved the grit and the dirt.

the last 2 hours when things calmed down here at work I tried working further on the track, and it's going towards a whole different direction again.
I'm actually quite happy with the result, but once again it's melancholic and melody,
and the bass part just doesn't fit with the track any more...
Gone is the gritty stuff...

ow man, just go with the flow of the track I guess...
follow the music...
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Re: What have you learnt 2014

Post by Barfunkel »

What have I learned?

Not much.
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Mono-xID
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Re: What have you learnt 2014

Post by Mono-xID »

Hades wrote:you ever had a hangover when you just drank normal German pils, mono ?
even if in excessive amounts ?
Of course. I don't drink booze that often. If i wouldn't have a hangover after 10 or more beers, i'd be a bit worried over myself to be honest. The "Reinheitsgebot" just says that there are no additions in the beer. Just water, barley malt and hop.

What i've learnt was to drink a "safety beer". Usualy the last beer of the night is the foul one that gives you the rest and is responsible for hangovers, bad behavior and things done by you which you can't remeber the next day. To avoid that, you have to drink a "safety beer" AFTER the (official) last beer of the night. Hangover problem solved. 8-) 8-) 8-)
http://soundcloud.com/monoxid

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Re: What have you learnt 2014

Post by msl »

• Not to fuck myself up on drink etc the night before an important gig
• I'm getting old, seriously
• Shitty cheap ass 90's rompers and home keyboards are great fun
• I'm addicted to www.kleinanzeigen.ebay.de
• I'll never be satisfied with my setup
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Mono-xID
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Re: What have you learnt 2014

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msl wrote:Not to fuck myself up on drink etc the night before an important gig
You just didn't drink the "safety beer" mate..... 8-)
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Re: What have you learnt 2014

Post by nocernoc »

something i discover back in my drinking days was that hang over symptoms are due mostly to dehydration. so to dodge morning hangover, tank up on water just before you drop off the night before. works wonders.

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Re: What have you learnt 2014

Post by oddmyth »

I used to tank up on water, and all that did was wake me up all night to piss. Now I just eat a nice hunk of cheese before a night of heavy drinking and try my best not to break the seal too early.
Cue 3 2013 - Devil's Advocate.

See what this is all about at oddmyth.ca

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Re: What have you learnt 2014

Post by nomadjames »

I've learnt that is great to have somewhere to actually set up my gear and put it to use.

I've learnt the there is power in simplicity.

I've learnt that the devil is in the details.
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Re: What have you learnt 2014

Post by Críoch »

Discovered that I'm an even richer man now that I have 2 beautiful, funny little kids & a wife that I seem to love more each year. We've known each other all our lives & been a couple pretty much for close to 18 years. Found a good one .

Also found out that 2014 didn't have enough hours in the day. Roll on 2015. 2014 was a logistical challenge at times.
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