Deleted everything myself! Plugin collection been an addiction that’s kept me from focusing on music creation. I’ve limited myself to one EQ, an echo, one compressor, one reverb and a freeware brick wall limiter. Haven’t looked back. Been months.
what kind of eq, compressor? We have been limiting our plugin intake big time! We started using mainly fabfilter plugins, if not we just slap the SSL channel strip from waves as for the synths we just use massive or serum No need for more!
Around the time Serum came out I dumped all my plugins and samples. I decided I needed Ableton and Serum, and I wanted to learn just that. So I just focused on a tight non cluttered workflow, and slowly bought in samples and plugins as and when I miss them, which was rare. This was the best thing I ever did in terms of production, within months I had transformed from someone playing at making music to producing serious sounds. Since then my sample library has grown out of hand, but I like to use it in a odd random way - so that works for me. But it is only within the last 6 months that I have started buying lots of Plugins. Too many, but the idea is to just have some fun expanding on that over restricted workflow, and it is so much fun. And at some point to strip it all back again, with a few more key tools integrated into that workflow. For me it is about a fast workflow and being direct and emotive, and this method helps so much.
One of the smartest video I've seen about music production since a while, damn 😍 Simple, easy to understand, no "you have to do this or that", just "this is my way workflow, cheers" So thanks xl mate 🍹
I remember I had a mono synth, Midiverb and Tascam Portastudio 4 track. I was so much happier and fulfilled creating music. Too much of a good thing now.
I deleted all mine start of 2019 and started again. No more cracks and BS. This is my full set up: Serum Predator Spire Korg Legacy Juno Chorus UNO LX Camel Space Camel Crusher Fabfilter Bundle Soundtoys Bundle Waves: One Knob CLA collection Izotope 8 Advanced Collection Ableton 10 Hardware: Roland System 1 Juno 106 Arturia KeyLab 49 Arturia MiniBrute Other than this I use stock sounds in Ableton, samples and record audio. I cut back cos we all just get rubbish as it’s the “hype” of the week. All I can say is this, do NOT follow what people tell you. You may use the EQ 8 in Ableton and fall in love with it. It works for YOU. I personally was desperate for the ProQ by Fabfilter just cos I love how easy it is. I got bad eyes and it’s massive, it’s perfect for Notch EQ and I just love it. It works for me. Same with VSTs like Serum. That and Predator will always be my go to for bass sounds. Predator is one of my faves ever made cos I started on Reason 3 and it’s very similar to Subtractor and I have never found another synth that feels the same since Reason. So again it works for me. Don’t follow what I say or anyone else. Download trials of all the vsts and certain things will stand out for you. It will just work for you. Stick with those and master them inside out.
Noize London Big love bro. Yeah I got about 5-6 more I’ll post when I’m back in the lab. I’m just doing the same in backing off from crap We all start with the cracks and stuff but I wanna be doing things more serious now and I can’t be doing with all the crashes and errors etc. So I just hit up all the deals they do. Black Friday had Insane deals and with Fabfilter Bundle I saved about £1000 by getting my cousin to purchase on the student discount. It’s just worth buying stuff now I think and sticking to say 10-20 vsts, Eq etc that work for you. Tell ya what one of my best buys this year was the Waves Channel strip called OMNI something. It’s bloody amazing
Using the guitar amp on non guitars is honestly a gem, I haven't thought of that, but I usually slap RC20 Retro Color on everything for tone anyways lol. I just bought the SoundToys bundle, I mainly only use that and the main Waves bundle. I want iZotope for Mastering but I think L1 does the job just fine.
I love this title because after 10+ years of collecting and obsession over new plugins, I’ve recently had a breakthrough and use barely any plugins now.. only when I need a specific thing done. We want to make our cool plug ins shine but it’s about making the song shine. I only found this out this year when I would export my beats with all my plugins, go back and bypass all of them and match volume, and export a dry version of the mix at same volume and compare in iTunes. Literally 90% of the time the dry one has a better feel even though the plugin version may sound more doctored up and fancy, it should always be about the feel. I urge everybody to try it and only open plugins to get specific things done. After 10+ years one just gets better at sound selection and arrangement when early on I was used to trying to disguise a mediocre song with great plugins.
I couldn't agree more Fabio. There is nothing clever about possessing every new vst that comes on the market just to be able to say to yourself "I have them all muwahahahaha" Nobody cares what you use to get a great sound, a great mix or a great piece of music, ONLY that you do!!
"... before we crack on ..." I see a theme emerging here, LOL. I agree: you should really genuinely learn what each and every plugin does very thoroughly before buying more for the sake of it. Like any pedal or tool, really.
First video I see, I liked it, new sub for you 🤙🏽 - something similar is happening to me with plugins. I will consider reorganising or even deleting, who knows 🤷🏽♂️
I slowly came round to the realisation that a lot of the Ableton stock devices are great, and the workflow integration only enhances that. Most of the rest is marketing and shiny stuff that gives you an initial sugar hit. Not that there isn't good third party stuff out there of course. For VSTs I'm digging Diva and more recently TAL-U-No-LX. Anything I can get a retro vibe out of. Otherwise Serum. I'd like to get into Operator but haven't got around to that yet. Thanks!
That's what I realize about Reason. You can design just about anything with its factory presets and Combinators, the fact that they added all the rack extensions in their shop is just to get people to empty their pockets!
Could you make a full video about saturation? And maybe more focused on techno music really we miss some tutorial to have little tricks on saturation for techno it's so precious 😊
This year I decided to stop using pirated software and it made me realize how much shit I didn't need. Before that I was downloading giant plug-in packs from torrent trackers and I thought I needed all this stuff. But actually Ableton has pretty good plug-ins. And if you know how to dial sounds on a synth and effects, I think you are pretty good to go only using stock Ableton plug-ins.
One of the best synths especially if you’re a beginner is Arturia Pigments. It’s user interface is really great and everything has visual feedback so you can see exactly what is going on which is super helpful if you’re new to synths.
No problem, although I don’t think that YOU need it seeing as you’re so familiar with sylenth and you probably have enough synths already? ;) Anyway it’s available on splice as rent-to-own!
@@InZainUK I totally understand haha loops are dangerous. With Primal Tap I like to freeze a sound, tweak every knob on it and simultaneously record the output directly to a new track. That way I get some weird ass sounds that can transition or carry the thingy forward.
I haven't even started to create my own tracks with Ableton + these EQs, but after watching this I feel like a full fledged producer 😅 hahaha (actually have no idea!). Will keep watching to learn more 👍
I recently had to do this. My old computer had died on me, and I lost all the plugins I had on it. I used the opportunity to only redownload the plugins I knew I used all the time. I think 90 percent of my plugins were only used once or twice.
Searching for Black Friday deals got me thinking about what additional plugins I NEED to make phenomenal world class music...what's really missing from my collection, what can I really UP-grade? (Logic X, Fab Filter Pro bundle, half of sound toys 4, Omnisphere, Kontakt)....really None I need and just a few I want, Logic Stock plugins are dope and it's HARD to upgrade from Fabfilter my one weak spot may be top notch pitch correction- I might add AT or Melodyne when I have plenty to spare , and I will add an Ample Sounds guitar which will definitely get a lot of use in a lot of sweet Afrobeats instrumentals Gullfoss looks interesting, but definitely not a must have (for the same price as Logic I'll pass) Nexus is cool, but not an upgrade from Omni, when I finish checking out more than 9% of Omnisphere presets I can decide I need more 😂 Ppl love Valhalla verbs, but I love Logic Space Designer and I'm just learning how to use Pro-R Considering FL studio for versatility/collaboration sake cause it seems 90% of people in my genre use it, but it's not an upgrade from Logic just another option Maybe if I was super into mastering I'd want some extra tools. Wouldn't mind Ozone. But A) I'm more into producing and I don't need to be a master of mastering B) with my Fabfilter (and Logic) plugins I think the only thing missing would be a soft clipper. It's fun to play with new toys I guess, but I laugh when I hear people say: I need a few more reverbs or a few more eq's....it's like how many different screwdrivers do you need? There's Phillips, flathead, big size, small size...ok what else?
It’s so easy to be sucked into the consumerism. Having said that there are some amazing tools out there which may not be better but make you faster, and sometimes speed is just as valuable.
@@NoizeLondon speed and "flow" within the creative work flow can indeed be valuable. I was just arguing with one arrogant clown who was basically saying that presets are useless and only stupid people would want to use them...
see how black friday madness plugin research temporarily distracted me from actually making beats and had me arguing with fools in forums, but I quickly regained focus and proceeded to make one fiyah beat extra hot by quickly adding a baritone sax preset, and made the (already sweet sounding) sax sound twice as good in 2 minutes with one Echoboy preset :-)
Because people think that new vst gonna make him a new star. You have to work to sound good. Less is more for creativity. The consumer society, where the market rules, has completely corrupted our logic and sense of values. Let's buy, buy, and buy more what we already have !
I’m with you but also can be good to reinspire someone who has had enough of their current selection, and needs new sounds for new tracks. Otherwise we already have too much you’re right !
Funny, I just did that for the same reason. Now I feel like my decision got confirmed. Kept the Arturia series ("12 FX you'll actually use", they are awesome) and the Meldaproduction suite. Added some FX from Fuse Audio Labs, as they are modeling TAB Telefunken stuff. That's it. IRs from Lexicon PCM90 and 480 to get some great reverb tones.
I've been through so many myself - go diff phases etc...for quality on a budget I currently really like black rooster and fuse (tho toneboosters also great) - the 'posh' one for mastering I use is softube weiss...really like this one.
Hi, Fabio! Thanks for the great video, it's just right in time, I've started thinking of my library week ago. What can you say about Slate Digital VMR plugins?
I have to disagree right from the top. Serum kickstarted my development with music producing because it is so visual. Ich could learn how to get close tot the sounds I was trying to create way faster than with other synths where sound shapes, modulation patterns and stuff are only indirectly visible via knobs and stuff. And only now, after I understood everything using Serum, I start to use "analog" feeling snyths.
@@causeno1048 you just need to add some low frequencies, add a bit of detune. It's not hard to make Serum sound like warm analog. It's designed to have a clean little aliasing wave by default so it sounds very clean which is a good thing.
I ended up deleting.a lot of plugins. I just went through them and asked myself, do i REALLY need this? - it’s amazing how many i ended up deleting. Much prefer it now. No option paralysis and just able to work and have everything i need, streamlined. I also did that with my contacts in my phone too...now i’m a recluse.
Nice video, although I'll keep mine. Got 100's and I'm happy with it. Do I use all of them? Of course not, but sometimes it's quite inspiring to browse through different plugins, even if I come back to the chosen few most of the times. I can't speak for any other DAW, since I use Cubase for ages. In Cubase I can drag my favs in a seperate folder, hide them, use subfolders as many as I like, so I'm not confused :).
@@NoizeLondon I didn't want to say, you're wrong. If someone's just started, it's quite a good idea to limit yourself. When I started, we were limited by default. Back then sequencers were already around, but audio had to be recorded to tape^^.
@@NoizeLondon Yeah... I've been making beats/loops for years. Using just presets for a few. Now I'm just starting to dabble in sound design. Serum has been the go to lately.
Just gonna throw out that I think compression is much easier to learn on a multiband as it's easier to work in specific frequencies and hear how the compression will influence not just the whole sound, but the different sections on their own. I also think synthesis is much easier to learn on Serum vs Sylenth just because of the visualization that serum brings. It shows you everything that's going on. The ADSR, filters, lfos, shape, tables, the whole 9 yards. Sylenth doesn't really visualize anything and for newbies it can leave them extremely lost. Guess I'm just saying everyone learns differently!
I'm with you on the Serum point to be honest, but the matrix and various lfo's could be tricky for beginners. Can't say I agree with you on the compression part but each to their own :)
Isn't this video the exact reason Omnisphere is so great? It can be used in so many different ways that you don't really need anything else. Especially if you have maybe one or two expansion packs which give you a few Moree orchestral sounds. The FX, synthesis, general possibilities with it are endless, no need to get anything else if you have it.
Funny..i just switched to Presonus Studio One 4, and was only installing what i actually use most often. Sylenth, Kontakt, and Serum were my a few of my first choices. Presonus comes with some great plugins and not sure if i will even install Fabfilter range even though i know them well. This comes from a 8 yr user of Ableton. Seriously...even Pro tool users are jumping ship.
I was caught up in that web myself and I've been meaning to delete Plenty plugins cuz I found the ones I do use the most and the ones I know best besides it's such a big mess when you have 900 vsts
Good point, did it myself long time ago. Now i use only few trusted plugs. But good sir, please don't do CLICKBAIT, your channel is great, you don't need that :). Have a good day/night.
Buy your plugins. You appreciate what you have got and take your time using them. I still have a ton, especially with all the great subscription services out now!
I gave up buying plugs years ago. I use Cubase and I eventually realised that the ones in the box were just as good as what I would buy separately. There's only so many ways you can code an EQ or Compressors in software via algorithms. Its obvious many manufacturers simply reuse the same code over and over. They tweek two variables and charge you a fortune for it...oh and give a great MARKETING name.
I would say Serum is way easier to learn than Sylenth1 as the visual feedback makes it easier for beginners to grasp whats going on than "trusting your ears"
@@NoizeLondon Yup! But i would say Massive is a better (or more fair) comparison to Serum than Sylenth1. Sylenth1 doesnt utilize Wavetable- or FM-synthesis which Massive and Serum does. I think Sylenth1 is better compared with other Virtual Analog synths
It’s from this women’s brand called Ariztia, my gf used to work there so got it in XXL! It’s called “the perfect hoodie” and my lord... it’s so much more than that haha
Would you recommend using Logic Tape Delay or FF Timeless 2? I don’t have the money for Echoboy right now and these are my two best options. Nobody ever seems to talk about Timeless though.
Kominer Music I’d highly recommend Valhalla delay. I probably use it much more than Echoboy, more than any other delay I’ve got. It sounds utterly immense.they are never on sale tho cos he always sells them at one price $50 or about £40 in real money. You won’t be disappointed.
I think the matter of hoarding plugins and sample packs (especially those who pirate) is that it stunts growth and development. People spend more time playing through preset banks than making music or actually learning how to use the plugin they have in front of them.
Waves L1 Ultra Maximizer....my perm limiter in DAW with WLM....meter.....L1 set to Analog.....evens out the music and brings the vocals up slighly.....
Yes Fabio I have loads of free plugins and I bet at least 2/3 of them i never even use . And they just sit there using hard drive space 👍👍👍 great work keep it up 👍👍
Kalle Sandås that's true 👍👍 but sometimes I think I just have them because they are free 😂😂 and just never use a lot of them . But I do use and really like some of the free plugins 👍
Well I deleted my plugins and got hardware. I use the gear like those few trusted plugins you mentioned. So much more fun and musical and yes, it DOES sound better to me. Analog is the way for me. Cheers man!
@@NoizeLondon I started on hardware 20 years ago, then went digital and now returning to analog haha. Pluses and minuses to both but for me its really about what I enjoy most, cause that shines through in my mixes. Cheers!
3rd party plugins do have its place the reason why the Pros used them. Number 1 is many of them have a certain character and sound to them. Number 2, there are many that eumated vintage outboard hardware such as UAD, Waves and Slate Digital. Number 3, they are universal across all DAW platforms. Using stock plugins in one DAW would not translate to another DAW.
I’m not saying they don’t buddy - I love 3rd party plugins, I just think that people get way too caught up in “my mix/production sounds bad coz I don’t have this plugin” which isn’t true... chances are you haven’t given it enough time.
while I will not go so far as deleting my vst library; - I did wake up today visualizing a NEW and MINIMAL Reason Rack + doing a sick jam sesh using JUST a SUBTRACTOR SYNTH!!! ...one branch of my Reason Racks contains clearly TOO MUCH CRAP as that rack now has much latency between audio channels AND keeps locking up / crashing... - you are right about vst plugins being WORSE than CRACK though! :p
@@sammygrimz4633 Yes, I purchased Omnisphere 2 about two years ago. I have also purchased several presets from The Unfinished, which are amazing. So I have invested some money into it. But its so fun to use and it's my go to synth for evolving type sounds. The filter is still pretty bad, so I don't use it like a real synth. Just think about the price of Omnisphere versus a real outboard synth and you will be very happy. Best $500 that you can spend for a great software synth.
All I use is omnisphere. And I've bought sounds only from that worship sounds that you can use for omnisphere and sounds for mainstage and call it one 😂
The only plugin I use is Pink, cuz it's free and does the job🤣 Btw, if you're feeling generous I'd be blessed if you have something for guitars. I started using Ableton but the thing I've noticed is that it has absolutely no good guitar sounds to plug and play with (can't switch to another DAW cause I bought it and I do like the interface). Not being able to have good guitar sounds really puts me off at times. Also, I don't have a midi keyboard and all I have are guitars and software to make music. So, If anyone reading this comment has a guitar and bass plugin to spare, please help me at this point in life and I'll sure mention your name at the Grammy's⚡❤️🤭
You don’t like the guitar amp and cabinet? Hmmm for guitars I’m not sure what’s out there that’s free but I do love the Native Insturments Guitar Rig for quick fixes.
Yeah, less it’s a very powerful weapon, we’re getting bombarded by hundreds of new plugins every day-week. Awesome video it’s open eyes, brains for many many people.
I don’t see the harm in using a bunch of different synths to be honest, it’s more the mixing plugins you have to be careful with. I think a good rule of thumb is if you can’t make it sound good with stock effects then you definitely can’t make it sound good with the more expensive versions of these effects.
