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Reusing samples, synths, in production

Home :: Producer tips and DAW information :: Reusing samples, synths, in productionReply

Reusing samples, synths, in production Posted on: 10.09.2009 by Verona Fashbaugh So here's a problem that I've encountered as a producer: If I find a particular synth setting that I've made and like, or if I find a particular sample that I like, is it acceptable to use it in more than one song? Here's an explanation of that question. Let's say I made a really tight setting in a soft synth. For the sake of the discussion, let's also say that it's a lead, sawtooth sound, that is predominant in the song. Now, if I make a song using this setting, is it acceptable to use that same setting again in a future production? (Assuming, of course, that the new production does not have a similar melody.) Now, I'm not looking for an answer that is "who cares if it acceptable or not? do what you want." Because- obviously- I know that I can do what I want. All I'm saying is don't you believe it would be a bit boring if you bought a CD and all of the songs used the same synth sound? I guess this problem digs deeper into something I've been wondering about for a while. Guitar players, realistically, use the same (or very similar) sound on all of their recordings. However, if an EDM producer did this, it probably wouldn't be accepted very well. It almost seems to be that producers are obligated to come up with new sounds on every release. I understand that's part of the job, but going back to my guitar comparison, the sound of a guitar isn't dramatically changed on every album a band makes. Sorry for being long winded. I'm just interested in what people have to say.
Verona Fashbaugh 11.09.2009	Originally Posted by alien2k ...help you to create your own sound. I love when I hear a track and I just can tell who is the producer because of its characterisitic sound or style. Specially when you can see how they can apply their own sound with different variations and in creative ways. I believe that also is a huge problem with EDM. There are very few cases where artists/producers have a signature sound. It's not like you can hear a song you've never heard before and automatically be able to identify who made it. Granted, there are some instances where you can tell. Even though this is a lame example, I believe a lot of Daft Punk songs have a real definite sound and feel to them, and I'm not just talking about the use of a talkbox or vocoder. I believe a lot of it too is because producers don't generally stick with consistent vocalists. And even if they do, the vocals often times are so heavily layered with effects that it's nearly impossible to tell anyway.
Georgine Thanos 11.09.2009	Originally Posted by thanatos the problem is that a lot of EDM doesn't have complex melodical stuff. what make song interesting is the sound design part so obviously use the exact same patch is a bit missing the point i guess... but use different fx or resample and turn it into something else and you'll have totally different sounds ! Exactly. Chopin could get away with writing so much for piano because the music is complex in many other ways; if he had written all his Noctures with the melodic complexity of a Wolfgang Gartner track it would have been crap. There should be at least one thing, usually more than one, original about each different track, whether that is the melody, lyrics, chords, synth sound, etc.
Charline Dunch 11.09.2009	Originally Posted by BentoSan cough Pendulum cough lol was believeing about pendulum the whole time. i knew one of the dnb heads would come up with this sooner or later the problem is that a lot of EDM doesn't have complex melodical stuff. what make song interesting is the sound design part so obviously use the exact same patch is a bit missing the point i guess... but use different fx or resample and turn it into something else and you'll have totally different sounds ! i very much agree to this! what's important at the end is that the new song doesn't sound like a remix of the old one but like a totally new song. with EDM i would even go so far to say, that since a dj will usually pick the tracks from alot of different artists, the main audience won't listen to all of your tracks and feel like they're all the same but they will listen to one of your tracks that the dj feels it's the best and they will love the synth if it's good. ever since i got into buyin EDM online for my own sets i feel like EP-releases with like two tracks and some remixes on it are alot more interesting than LP-releases with alot of songs by one artist. it really makes you pick the best by whoever instead of picking the newest album by your favorite artist with 5 tracks on it that you don't like at all.
Xavier Emanuels 10.09.2009	Originally Posted by DJPhaidon will notice that most of there songs have the exact same chord changes in them, not to mention they fall in almost exactly the same order compared to the prior release. cough Pendulum cough
Verona Fashbaugh 10.09.2009	So here's a problem that I've encountered as a producer: If I find a particular synth setting that I've made and like, or if I find a particular sample that I like, is it acceptable to use it in more than one song? Here's an explanation of that question. Let's say I made a really tight setting in a soft synth. For the sake of the discussion, let's also say that it's a lead, sawtooth sound, that is predominant in the song. Now, if I make a song using this setting, is it acceptable to use that same setting again in a future production? (Assuming, of course, that the new production does not have a similar melody.) Now, I'm not looking for an answer that is "who cares if it acceptable or not? do what you want." Because- obviously- I know that I can do what I want. All I'm saying is don't you believe it would be a bit boring if you bought a CD and all of the songs used the same synth sound? I guess this problem digs deeper into something I've been wondering about for a while. Guitar players, realistically, use the same (or very similar) sound on all of their recordings. However, if an EDM producer did this, it probably wouldn't be accepted very well. It almost seems to be that producers are obligated to come up with new sounds on every release. I understand that's part of the job, but going back to my guitar comparison, the sound of a guitar isn't dramatically changed on every album a band makes. Sorry for being long winded. I'm just interested in what people have to say.
Verona Fashbaugh 11.09.2009	Originally Posted by alien2k ...help you to create your own sound. I love when I hear a track and I just can tell who is the producer because of its characterisitic sound or style. Specially when you can see how they can apply their own sound with different variations and in creative ways. I believe that also is a huge problem with EDM. There are very few cases where artists/producers have a signature sound. It's not like you can hear a song you've never heard before and automatically be able to identify who made it. Granted, there are some instances where you can tell. Even though this is a lame example, I believe a lot of Daft Punk songs have a real definite sound and feel to them, and I'm not just talking about the use of a talkbox or vocoder. I believe a lot of it too is because producers don't generally stick with consistent vocalists. And even if they do, the vocals often times are so heavily layered with effects that it's nearly impossible to tell anyway.
Georgine Thanos 11.09.2009	Yeah, I hope my replies haven't made it sound like you should never reuse your synth patch. Segfault is right; some artists are defined by a certain sound. For example, Jack Beats has that signature wobble sound that's different from other fidget/dubstep/bassline wobble, and he reuses it all the time. It's what defines him. You can find many ways to make each of your tracks sound original, and the synth sound is not the only way.
Mechelle Duncil 11.09.2009	Man, in my opinion is totally ok to save your settings and if it fits into a new production you should just go for it. This is just not for sythns settings, this could be applyed for equing, panning, and also you can have a common masterizing template and then you fine tune for that track. It just saves time and this is why producers can come up with new tracks so fast. Certain settings, synth sounds, drumm rolls, drop styles just help you to create your own sound. I love when I hear a track and I just can tell who is the producer because of its characterisitic sound or style. Specially when you can see how they can apply their own sound with different variations and in creative ways. You can have many examples but if you are talking about sythns just take Deadmau5, the side chain compression of the synth and the style of them is almost the same in most of his tracks. He shows lots of creativity though.
Kayleen Positano 11.09.2009	I believe it would be perfectly acceptable to reuse synth patches in songs. A lot of bands I listen to do this all the time, and it is one of the things that help define them as a group. Once you find your particular 'sound,' you stick with it if it works for you. For example: Funker Vogt uses the same twangy/bouncy sounding synth in a lot of their tracks, and its one of those things that help define them.
Georgine Thanos 11.09.2009	I don't mean to insult EDM or anything; I'm a big house and electro head. Deep, funky, electro, tech, minimal, whatever. I'm just saying that as far as musical features go, melody is not as prominent and important as it is in some other styles of music. With EDM, it's more about rhythm, tone color, texture, instrumentation, etc.; the melody is usually repetitive less complex. Of course, there are exceptions, but that's the general picture. Again, this does not diminish the quality of music at all; it just makes it different. No hate!
Verona Fashbaugh 11.09.2009	At the same time, I don't believe it's fair to say that all EDM is lacking in melody. I also don't believe it's fair to compare classical music to EDM. That's like saying guys that play soccer have no athletic ability because they don't use their hands. Kind of. I don't want this to turn into one of those debates, tho. ever since i got into buyin EDM online for my own sets i feel like EP-releases with like two tracks and some remixes on it are alot more interesting than LP-releases with alot of songs by one artist. it really makes you pick the best by whoever instead of picking the newest album by your favorite artist with 5 tracks on it that you don't like at all. I believe that says a lot about society, too, in general. People aren't interested in hearing everything that you have to offer. They want to hear the best of your best and move on to something else. Not to get all philosophical about it, I'm just sayin'.
Georgine Thanos 11.09.2009	Originally Posted by thanatos the problem is that a lot of EDM doesn't have complex melodical stuff. what make song interesting is the sound design part so obviously use the exact same patch is a bit missing the point i guess... but use different fx or resample and turn it into something else and you'll have totally different sounds ! Exactly. Chopin could get away with writing so much for piano because the music is complex in many other ways; if he had written all his Noctures with the melodic complexity of a Wolfgang Gartner track it would have been crap. There should be at least one thing, usually more than one, original about each different track, whether that is the melody, lyrics, chords, synth sound, etc.
Charline Dunch 11.09.2009	Originally Posted by BentoSan cough Pendulum cough lol was believeing about pendulum the whole time. i knew one of the dnb heads would come up with this sooner or later the problem is that a lot of EDM doesn't have complex melodical stuff. what make song interesting is the sound design part so obviously use the exact same patch is a bit missing the point i guess... but use different fx or resample and turn it into something else and you'll have totally different sounds ! i very much agree to this! what's important at the end is that the new song doesn't sound like a remix of the old one but like a totally new song. with EDM i would even go so far to say, that since a dj will usually pick the tracks from alot of different artists, the main audience won't listen to all of your tracks and feel like they're all the same but they will listen to one of your tracks that the dj feels it's the best and they will love the synth if it's good. ever since i got into buyin EDM online for my own sets i feel like EP-releases with like two tracks and some remixes on it are alot more interesting than LP-releases with alot of songs by one artist. it really makes you pick the best by whoever instead of picking the newest album by your favorite artist with 5 tracks on it that you don't like at all.
Xavier Emanuels 10.09.2009	Originally Posted by DJPhaidon will notice that most of there songs have the exact same chord changes in them, not to mention they fall in almost exactly the same order compared to the prior release. cough Pendulum cough
Belen Wermes 10.09.2009	i believe it's a good idea to save your good synth patches. it'll save you a bit of time if you have a bank of original patches to go back to once in awhile, that way you can focus on writing. i have really terrible producing habbits that i'm trying to overcome, including not saving my synth patches.
Mendy Folts 10.09.2009	the problem is that a lot of EDM doesn't have complex melodical stuff. what make song interesting is the sound design part so obviously use the exact same patch is a bit missing the point i guess... but use different fx or resample and turn it into something else and you'll have totally different sounds !
Herschel January 10.09.2009	ATB reused the same synth sound on many songs on "Movin' Melodies". The "Sandstorm" synths have been used several times over, including reused by Darude, for no other reason than it made a hit so duplicate it. And relating it to guitar bands, if you take a listen to any release by Linkin Park, and then listen to the next CD, you will notice that most of there songs have the exact same chord changes in them, not to mention they fall in almost exactly the same order compared to the prior release. Many bands do this. I would say do what works, and using the same sounds over again has worked for a lot of producers.

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