One thing I've learned about myself making music is that I have lots of unreasonable ideas/workflow.
I have a fair few vst's at this point in time. I have the Arturia V Collection 10, a few other odds and ends, as well as Vital. I even rented Serum 2 for a month only to learn it really isn't for me. Vital can do all that I want, except I don't like how it sounds - too thin to my ears (imho, it's best for textures).
I find these 'supersynths' that can do everything to be charmless and bland. Serum is obviously powerful, it can do more than Vital. But I prefer the arturia emulations I have because they, those old synths (even if by proxy), have character that i feel the supersynths lack.
So what's the problem? I am constantly thinking "which synths should I use?" I'm torn between starting a project with 3 or 4 synths and limiting it to that. Then i think "hang on, if I don't use the rest I've wasted my money!" and all sorts of stuff that stops me from getting on. This is how my mind works; it's not rational! But I think, i'd like to use this, then i think no I'd like to use that, and...nothing gets done.
But that's not all!
Electronic music is wonderful, but it is a deeply oversaturated genre - if one thinks of it as a singular genre ofc. It's very easy I find to just get bored with an idea because it sounds like, yawn, another arp part, another pad, another boring dancey dancey style beat (i don't really make dance music, my tastes are more old school). Everyone makes electronic music, if you watch any youtube clip about production (probably not a good idea).
Sometimes I think it's because my keyboard skills, as a player, aren't great (as a player, i play bass). But then I think that would be it's own limitation. I want to write stuff a bit more abstract. Venus Theory recently did a great video that echoes how i've been feeling: that melodies are just....boring! :O
I've been listening to a lot of Aphex Twin's Saw 85-92 album. Most of his stuff bores me (everything after the Donkey Rubarb ep basically), it goes nowhere. But 92 is really clear and the arrangements simple and straightforard. It's a bit too simple: all the melodies are largely pentatonic and the tracks don't so much evolve as flow, but its really enthralling and unique for he time. Even the rest of his oeuvre sounds nothing like it.
What would you recommend, dear reader?
I have a fair few vst's at this point in time. I have the Arturia V Collection 10, a few other odds and ends, as well as Vital. I even rented Serum 2 for a month only to learn it really isn't for me. Vital can do all that I want, except I don't like how it sounds - too thin to my ears (imho, it's best for textures).
I find these 'supersynths' that can do everything to be charmless and bland. Serum is obviously powerful, it can do more than Vital. But I prefer the arturia emulations I have because they, those old synths (even if by proxy), have character that i feel the supersynths lack.
So what's the problem? I am constantly thinking "which synths should I use?" I'm torn between starting a project with 3 or 4 synths and limiting it to that. Then i think "hang on, if I don't use the rest I've wasted my money!" and all sorts of stuff that stops me from getting on. This is how my mind works; it's not rational! But I think, i'd like to use this, then i think no I'd like to use that, and...nothing gets done.
But that's not all!
Electronic music is wonderful, but it is a deeply oversaturated genre - if one thinks of it as a singular genre ofc. It's very easy I find to just get bored with an idea because it sounds like, yawn, another arp part, another pad, another boring dancey dancey style beat (i don't really make dance music, my tastes are more old school). Everyone makes electronic music, if you watch any youtube clip about production (probably not a good idea).
Sometimes I think it's because my keyboard skills, as a player, aren't great (as a player, i play bass). But then I think that would be it's own limitation. I want to write stuff a bit more abstract. Venus Theory recently did a great video that echoes how i've been feeling: that melodies are just....boring! :O
I've been listening to a lot of Aphex Twin's Saw 85-92 album. Most of his stuff bores me (everything after the Donkey Rubarb ep basically), it goes nowhere. But 92 is really clear and the arrangements simple and straightforard. It's a bit too simple: all the melodies are largely pentatonic and the tracks don't so much evolve as flow, but its really enthralling and unique for he time. Even the rest of his oeuvre sounds nothing like it.
What would you recommend, dear reader?
Statistics: Posted by ghostwhistler — Mon Feb 02, 2026 4:54 pm