What gets you going?

Like, what inspires you to create what you do in audulus, is there anything you look at, watch, read, study before you go in to create a module, patch or something else? What motivates you to do so? When I look at bigger patches, I wonder what your thought process is :slightly_smiling_face:

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It might sound odd, but I think I get more motivated to build something in Audulus when I feel LESS musically inclined than normal. Often I’ll go play at the piano or pick up another instrument, but Audulus to me is an escape from the limitations of conventional instruments.

Personally I have felt like I have a duty to utilize the beautiful modules people make. So I spent a lot of time going back through the old forum. When there was just the old forum, I tended to ask questions to the builders about things that I didn’t understand.

I am well aware that if you are cool you say nothing, never post patches, and quietly design modules. Well that’s all fine but some things are more cool than being cool. It is the same with post secondary. You never raise your hand, then you blow the teacher away with a well thought out paper from a student that you can’t put a face to. Fine, but I don’t roll that way; and, frankly, I have noticed that there are a lot of undergraduate and graduate students that have absolutely no sense of direction, and you basically don’t want to ask them too many questions about their own work because they don’t think for themselves anyway.

I guess the takeaway is: Never assume that because someone doesn’t follow the unspoken cultural norms – never assume that they are ignorant of the norms. Sometimes people know the rules of their culture, but they just think those cultural rules are uninteresting, uptight and quite useless. So instead of whining about it, the folks that aren’t into the “rules” just live the alternative. Then people think, “Oh look, they don’t realize how dumb they look right now.” We do. We just don’t value all that silliness so much.

:wink:

These days, Audulus is the Synth that I know exactly what is going on and how to get what I want. It’s invaluable, as time and again I will find the impulse to buy a module or synth and then realize I have the analogous function already available.

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I actually feel the exact same way, when I am not inspired to work on my music I open Audulus and start noodling. It helps me learn quite a bit.

This is great, and a very good lesson that many should learn. If many would sit down and take the time to learn and master the synths they currently have instead of acquiring new gear to fill that gap. But like you said, it’s kind of the same principle for me where as Audulus completes the software world for me, in that I will never need to buy a new software synth again, and that couple with my hardware, I’m pretty much good, unless something breaks down of course :wink:

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80’s magic. Like 80’s VHS logos:

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Love it, the nostalgia is quite strong. Tell me, do you make synthwave?

No, not yet. I’d like to. So many interests, so little time.

I’m new to music. I had a drum kit when I lived at home with my parents. So I have a very rhythmic base. Right now I’m trying just to understand everything about synths. After I get it down I’ll move onto actually making music. I’d be interested in making drum and bass first (priorities). Then I’d want to make Boards Of Canada IDM style stuff to change the vibe to trippy. Synthwave would my third genre for a chill feel. And house music would probably come after that for party friendlyness… Anyway, I feel almost ready with my synth knowledge to start producing dnb.

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Yes I agree, like you I also have so many interests, yet there is little time, but I make the best of it and try to prioritize my goals. There are many styles aswell that I’d like to make, but I am only focused on one for an album or two.

DnB hey? I saw on another thread you posting tunes from moving shadow and the like, that is one of my favorite labels from the early 90s. Are you also into Breakbeat/Hardcore? Early 90s of course '90-'93

Best wishes on your music making journey!

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90’s magic:

TRMA Vol 1 - Dj Virus

(Toronto Rave Mixtape Archive)

:slight_smile:

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70’s magic can come too:

Not synth wise, but songwriting wise.

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Aww yeah! So many samples I recognize in that mix, good stuff!

How about some godzilla? :slight_smile:

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I often get inspiration from others’ designs, but I also love the challenge of building modules from scratch. My brain has gotten a real workout building these things, and I’ve gotten a deeper look at music theory in the process.

My favorite areas are timing, tone relationships, and randomization. I’m very happy at this point to use synths made by others.

The “wire to knob” feature of Audulus is in itself inspiring to me, because it’s so easy to do!

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Did you see the new Pulsar-23 drum machine? It has this tap and loop style interface that reminded me of your set-up.

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I just looked it up. Gorgeous!

The timing of the Pulsar 23 sounds pretty free-form, as if there’s no quantization, or if there is, perhaps 64th notes or something. Lots of room for some feel to the beats. I was exploring that for my little sampler blocks, perhaps by storing time of the hit in a given slot in another s/h. My latest just puts some fake feel by putting in random delays (based on that great normal distribution module).

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