I am mostly working in Ableton. I started out back in early 2000’s with Reason, I believe it was 1 at the time, maybe the early stages of Reason 2… Then moved to Ableton in like 2006, and then started using logic as a secondary in about 2008. I have always been Mac based, but when I started producing with Gabriel Ben as Tattoo Detectives we also used his PC at the time, he switched to Mac in like 2007 i think.
I would say now that about 75% of my sound is handwritten in, and not actually played on my controllers anymore. When I started out I had a whole bunch of gear, most of my early tracks were written with hardware, as well as most Tattoo Detectives tracks. As with most things music, the times changed as well as how I get my sound. I learned in the past 4 years how to really get that dirty undergroud sound I truly enjoy, and it really comes from some major sound manipulation of “organic” noises and such that I record with my phone and other sounds that I can just manipulate into my own noise. Its not to say that I don’t spend time on my controllers, because I do, but I just don’t feel they lend to the actual sound anymore. I would say though that my controllers play a more important part in helping me to find the effect that needs to go over a noise. Example is: I recorded a train in philadelphia while I was riding on it. Someone opened the door to pass through cars and I noticed that the sound was fairly unique. So I pulled out my phone and recorded it (it works in situations like this because the low level of quality actually helps the sound in a sense). Anyhow, when I take that into the studio and plant it in a track I placed a filter over that sound, chopped it all up, and then with my padKontrol I used the x/y pad on it to find the right movement of the effect… And that is really just a trial and error thing, but I feel it is very important. Some of my most successful tracks have been accidents.
Sorry for the winded answer, but I am very passionate about what I do. I have been doing this as a full time gig since about 2008. It is a long struggle, but I feel it is worth it. I am fortunate enough to supplement my dj/production career with an investment I made in a graphic/web design firm that I made years back, and that is really what I did till about 2008. Also at that time my eye sight was deteriorating and I am also now legally blind. But I do manage to produce and DJ, I believe that my production is just a lot slower now than in the past, and most of my DJing has been saved due to the fact that I can memorize alot of knobs and such when I am DJing live. It has been a struggle and learning experience, but I am proud of what I can do. Juggling a lot of sounds during set is a bit of a task for me, since I can not see the markers to well on the screen, most is blurry, but I get by.
To the contrary I appreciate your detailed answer. That’s cool about recording sounds with your phone as you go. Do you find you work more with sampling than you do with synthesis these days?
Agree with Xone - this is what we need more of. These are the kinds of posts that really help people. Maybe there needs to a be a “Post your Workflow” thread?
Well, I would say that I definitely use a lot of my own samples, as opposed to playing stuff with VSTs. I try and stay away from the ample packs as much as possible, but I will use them when it comes to maybe starting out with a kick or some sound like that. If I do use a sampled kick I tend to just work with it to fine tune it and make sure it sits proper in the track. The kick and bass need to be tuned just right so they work well together, I feel that is something a lot of production today lacks.
I mainly use the Korg LEgacy pack of VSTs and some packages for the NI Kontact when it comes to that kind of stuff.
I also have a large collection of my own samples that I constantly use and stick with, its all about how they are placed etc. I have been toying with the idea of releasing some of my own sample packs since I have so much of my own stuff from over the years. I have some really well tuned sounds that I recorded from my old gear (808, 909, 303, triton, just to name a few), and I even have loops I recorded etc. so that may be something I release in the future.
