Monday, March 14, 2011

The Mind Versus VST

(Was just reading a post by my boi Wrigzilla and it got me thinking, as it is kind of the thesis of this blog in general.)

The mind is the single most powerful tool in the studio.  To think otherwise is insanity and diminishes the glory of what it is to be a human.

Tools do have a profound effect on the resultant sound, as well as the workflow, which also ultimately has an effect on the sound.

But you must understand the extent to which the artist's mind dictates the final sound.  It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the mind contributes 95%, while the tools contribute only 5% .

So why in the world would people fiendishly pursue all the latest tools when instead they could be pursuing strengthening their mind? Because it is much easier to go out and steal (or buy in the rare instance) the latest and greatest vst rather than improving and strengthening your mind.

People that I respect have spent a good time and effort making young producers aware of freeware vst's and vsti's in an attempt to alleviate the need to steal by providing alternatives to paid software.

But, I think this fails to acknowledge the true source of the endless searching for tools, that of a lack of focus on the development of the mind.

So, it is the intention of Da Muse Blog to provide techniques and exercises to strengthen the mind (soul!) of the artist so that they can stop this endless searching for tools, and actually get down to making music.

Thanks for reading, and I'd like you to consider disabling your ad blocking software, just for this page.
Posted by nowaysj at 2:01 PM

17 comments:

  1. VersionDoubleMarch 14, 2011 at 2:06 PM

    I would agree re: workflow. i hate my workflow at times.

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  2. WrigzillaMarch 14, 2011 at 2:50 PM

    Big up nowaysj for the mention. I've come to the realization over the last year that as a producer your ears and imagination are your greatest assets. Tools are always secondary, as the proverb goes "a bad workman blames his tools" or maybe in this case it could be changed to "a bad producer blames his lack of expensive tools endorsed by successful producers".

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  3. snypadubMarch 14, 2011 at 4:48 PM

    Fl, massive and sytrus all paid for. Never looked else where and I'm beginning to find my style.

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  4. nowaysjMarch 14, 2011 at 4:54 PM

    Feels good, doesn't it? I am too. I feel like I'm just getting to square 1 where I can actually make music. It's only been 15 years!

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  5. PhigureMarch 14, 2011 at 8:36 PM

    The biggest problem I have is that as soon as I'm sitting in front of my DAW, my creativity disappears... I just start twiddling knobs, rather than writing music.

    10 minutes after leaving my computer, I can come up with brilliant melodies, rhythms, and even full songs with good progression and arrangement in my head. As soon as I sit down, it's gone again. I've started recording myself humming and beatboxing out full songs and then recreating them in my DAW...

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  6. Jessica ThompsonMarch 14, 2011 at 11:45 PM

    Very nice. SO how do we strengthen our mind??

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  7. AnonymousMarch 15, 2011 at 3:24 AM

    Keep coming back, and you will see. ;)

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  8. Rotund AlfredMarch 15, 2011 at 5:15 AM

    This is probably my biggest problem; not that i seek other tools but that i have no strength of mind in commiting to finishing tunes. look forward to some good advice!

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  9. HayzeMarch 15, 2011 at 7:47 AM

    Can't tell if you figured out how to change the bar colour or not - but it's design - in the top right - and then edit on the right of the navbar row.

    Regarding the post - I'd say that the collection of vst's is the product of a hoarded mentality (humans love to collect things) combined with an unfounded hope that said collection will increase their production skills. In many ways it does serve as a pathway to expand the way one's mindset works whilst making music, little by little, but often it's done in a way that's counterproductive or useless.

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  10. Resolve DubstepMarch 15, 2011 at 12:41 PM

    Nice thoughts

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  11. totalresultMarch 16, 2011 at 5:10 AM

    yeah the best music can be stripped back to its most basic elements and still be able to impact upon the listener in the same way as the original did

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  12. Sub Radar (Mike)March 16, 2011 at 1:18 PM

    Very well written, has actually inspired me to try a few tunes when I have some free time later tonight...

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  13. AnonymousMarch 17, 2011 at 12:33 PM

    I'm waiting for more!

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  14. Sub Radar (Mike)March 17, 2011 at 1:38 PM

    Agree with anon...

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  15. HayzeMarch 17, 2011 at 10:14 PM

    I'm a kind of worried because I thought up a nice little retort for the post and then realised I'd already posted. : /

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  16. Leanora's BlogMarch 18, 2011 at 2:39 PM

    When are you going to update your blog again?

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  17. nowaysjMarch 19, 2011 at 12:34 AM

    Pizzostid

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