Music Minimalism

Stuntman_mike

@rs2000 said:

@McD said:
I think I tend to get excited by most new synths because they have creative
internal FX options. Your plan to use fewer synths and master their capabilities makes sense in conjunction with mastering some additional FX apps to apply. MixBox would be a great mate with the Moog sound engines. Some might prefer even more creative FX like the Perforation and LFO driven FX apps. After layering on these extra FX apps and maybe doing some creative layering/routing in AUM you'll produce some very complex productions.

Maybe we can discuss top 3 favorites in categories:
Synth
Reverb/Delay
Compressor/Limiter (Dynamics)
EQ
Filter
Modulation
Combo-FX

One answer to all 3 categories: Drambo. With most other apps, I've sooner or later hit limitations that can't be worked around.
The only additional plugins that I wouldn't want to go without is Thafknar for using impulse responses, AudioLayer for sampled acoustic instruments and SpaceCraft for simply being the best granulator IMO. Optionally TB EQ because it's much faster for dynamic EQ'ing and multiband compression when I need it.

I actually bought a KeyStep Pro for Drambo. I was going to use Drambo only. Hmm...

colonel_mustard

I delete things that get in the way. You still have them, and can easily get them back - they're just not in the way.

Tend to think of this as ergonomics rather than commitment to a minimalist ideal, but there is a crossover.

rs2000

@Stuntman_mike said:

@rs2000 said:

@McD said:
I think I tend to get excited by most new synths because they have creative
internal FX options. Your plan to use fewer synths and master their capabilities makes sense in conjunction with mastering some additional FX apps to apply. MixBox would be a great mate with the Moog sound engines. Some might prefer even more creative FX like the Perforation and LFO driven FX apps. After layering on these extra FX apps and maybe doing some creative layering/routing in AUM you'll produce some very complex productions.

Maybe we can discuss top 3 favorites in categories:
Synth
Reverb/Delay
Compressor/Limiter (Dynamics)
EQ
Filter
Modulation
Combo-FX

One answer to all 3 categories: Drambo. With most other apps, I've sooner or later hit limitations that can't be worked around.
The only additional plugins that I wouldn't want to go without is Thafknar for using impulse responses, AudioLayer for sampled acoustic instruments and SpaceCraft for simply being the best granulator IMO. Optionally TB EQ because it's much faster for dynamic EQ'ing and multiband compression when I need it.

I actually bought a KeyStep Pro for Drambo. I was going to use Drambo only. Hmm...

Good to know! I thought about getting one too, I'm hesitating though because it's quite large...

dendy

@Stuntman_mike said:
I’ve been considering paring down apps to only Moogs on my iPad to save space and force creativity. Has anyone tried uninstalling 99% of their synths to use just one for everything with the goal of mastering it?

I was always minimalist. Nanostudio 2 + just few plugins (in average i don't have installed more than 4-8 plugins on my iPad)

Now i'm a bit different kind of minimalist, i stopped using iPad at all and i have just Digitakt and Digitone, and occasionary 1-3 small synths (atm it is Crave, TD3 and skulpt, but it is always subject of change) - most of stuff i do just with Digitakt and Digitone.

Minimalism is inspiring. Limitations are creativity booster.

Stuntman_mike

@rs2000 said:

@Stuntman_mike said:

@rs2000 said:

@McD said:
I think I tend to get excited by most new synths because they have creative
internal FX options. Your plan to use fewer synths and master their capabilities makes sense in conjunction with mastering some additional FX apps to apply. MixBox would be a great mate with the Moog sound engines. Some might prefer even more creative FX like the Perforation and LFO driven FX apps. After layering on these extra FX apps and maybe doing some creative layering/routing in AUM you'll produce some very complex productions.

Maybe we can discuss top 3 favorites in categories:
Synth
Reverb/Delay
Compressor/Limiter (Dynamics)
EQ
Filter
Modulation
Combo-FX

One answer to all 3 categories: Drambo. With most other apps, I've sooner or later hit limitations that can't be worked around.
The only additional plugins that I wouldn't want to go without is Thafknar for using impulse responses, AudioLayer for sampled acoustic instruments and SpaceCraft for simply being the best granulator IMO. Optionally TB EQ because it's much faster for dynamic EQ'ing and multiband compression when I need it.

I actually bought a KeyStep Pro for Drambo. I was going to use Drambo only. Hmm...

Good to know! I thought about getting one too, I'm hesitating though because it's quite large...

Oops! I meant Beatstep; I have a BeatStep Pro. They are smaller, but just as powerful!

Stuntman_mike

@colonel_mustard said:
I delete things that get in the way. You still have them, and can easily get them back - they're just not in the way.

Tend to think of this as ergonomics rather than commitment to a minimalist ideal, but there is a crossover.

Good point. It definitely helps not having to page through to find stuff. What synths do you use most?

Stuntman_mike

@dendy said:

@Stuntman_mike said:
I’ve been considering paring down apps to only Moogs on my iPad to save space and force creativity. Has anyone tried uninstalling 99% of their synths to use just one for everything with the goal of mastering it?

I was always minimalist. Nanostudio 2 + just few plugins (in average i don't have installed more than 4-8 plugins on my iPad)

Now i'm a bit different kind of minimalist, i stopped using iPad at all and i have just Digitakt and Digitone, and occasionary 1-3 small synths (atm it is Crave, TD3 and skulpt, but it is always subject of change) - most of stuff i do just with Digitakt and Digitone.

Minimalism is inspiring. Limitations are creativity booster.

NanoStudio 2 is awesome! I love the workflow. I can’t wait for the developers to add audio recording and midi learn for the transport controls. I use a sustain pedal to toggle the record button while I play, work out ideas and layer.

colonel_mustard

@Stuntman_mike said:

@colonel_mustard said:
I delete things that get in the way. You still have them, and can easily get them back - they're just not in the way.

Tend to think of this as ergonomics rather than commitment to a minimalist ideal, but there is a crossover.

Good point. It definitely helps not having to page through to find stuff. What synths do you use most?

Obsidian, by far. It's a joy to program and if you're happy in NanoStudio 2, it's the most useful synth to have good patches for. It runs light, and it's extremely flexible and user-friendly. Love it.

israelite

@Stuntman_mike said:

@dendy said:

@Stuntman_mike said:
I’ve been considering paring down apps to only Moogs on my iPad to save space and force creativity. Has anyone tried uninstalling 99% of their synths to use just one for everything with the goal of mastering it?

I was always minimalist. Nanostudio 2 + just few plugins (in average i don't have installed more than 4-8 plugins on my iPad)

Now i'm a bit different kind of minimalist, i stopped using iPad at all and i have just Digitakt and Digitone, and occasionary 1-3 small synths (atm it is Crave, TD3 and skulpt, but it is always subject of change) - most of stuff i do just with Digitakt and Digitone.

Minimalism is inspiring. Limitations are creativity booster.

NanoStudio 2 is awesome! I love the workflow. I can’t wait for the developers to add audio recording and midi learn for the transport controls. I use a sustain pedal to toggle the record button while I play, work out ideas and layer.

The same here. Having an ability to cc map the record button will improve recording by 1000%. Hope it will be implemented. I have officially requested it on Nanostudio forum a while ago.