Hey! I wanted to you ask you what experience you have with signature sound? I try to develop an own sound and I do not know where to start with it. I am experienced with EQ, Compression and other important things for sound design. For example, when I go through my synthesizers, it feels more when I use some sounds, that I simple copy signature sound of the big names like Don Diablo, Avicii, Martin Garrix if I use it. I do not want to sound exactly like them, but my listeners should feel that they are important for my decision to produce electronic music. For sure they are my inspirations, but I want to start something new and maybe you have some good ideas how to handle my problem.

At the moment I produce Tech House and I want to have a good basic sound which I can develop in the next months maybe years. It sounds really complicated and maybe you can understand me or not. Sry if my english is bad :D

 

IMHO there can be a signature sound but, I recognised all of my favourite artists by their style of music creation.

 

So you decided to do tracks in this genre of your favorite artists, but do you have an own signature or is it not really important for you?

 

Spend a few years crafting your music and give yourself time develop in terms of sounds you choose, your orchestrations and all those little things that define not only your sound but you as an artist, and lo and behold, your "signature" will develop on it's own artistic accord. This is just an abbreviation of my thoughts on the matter as I am a bit rushed atm.

 

Your signature sound is just how you like things to sound. When you reach the point where you know what you like versus what everyone tells you should like - BAM - signature sound achieved.

 

I remember some of those top guys at mixing (I think it was Andrew Scheps) said that by the end of the day what you're really selling is your taste for music. If this is true for just mixing, imagine how much it matters for a whole production. Just like superliquidsunshine noted, if you give yourself more time, just by trying to make more music, you will develop your own style. Even if you try to copy your idols you'll end up making decisions based on your taste and this will take your music in a new direction. Just try to be open to it and have fun

 

I don't think "signature sound" means only, literally the "sound"
It includes the structure, the instruments/synths selection, how you put these together, etc. etc.

I'm pretty sure any sound you're gonna make, has already been made, so... lol. It's more about the "whole"
And let's not forget, how others said, music you like and listen to have a huge influence, whatever you want it or not

 

Unless your aim is to bust your balls in an attempt to perfectly recreate the nuances of another artist's performance, your aural fingerprint will be always remain present in your choice of instruments, timbre, tonality, rhythm, position in the soundfield and a tonne of other stuff. It's unavoidable. Your brain is unique. Your journey so far has been a unique one. Those elements are a part of your consciousness.

The signature of your soundset is all of the little unconscious things that you do without thinking too much about them.

^ This.

 

Yeah agree with all that said. There are so many variables that all come together to give an artist that "signature sound" I think the word itself is misused as unless the equipment is individually homemade say then there are several people using the same equipment.
Is a little like cooking I guess. Everyone can buy the exact same ingredients. It's the quantities in which they are used and the manner in which they are put together that gives each end product it's individual taste.
Of course in real music the most important thing is the operator itself. Within the operator there are also infinite variables. That is why no matter how hard you try you will never capture every nuance of another artist. Just practice as much as you can I guess on your own individual vision.
Of course take in as much as you can from other artists and listen to as much music from as many genres as possible. Over the years your mind will amalgamate those various styles and influences and they will come through in your own style. You will also create your own individual style and the result will be unique.
If you practise hard enough and the result is unique enough then people will turn their heads and listen

 

Your signature sound may or may not develop based on how you do things (record live instruments, your mixing preferences, effects preferences, how you as a producer approach arranging music and what performances you pull from yourself and other artists, etc.), but I think that happens naturally over time. Focus on making the best music you can. Everything else follows that.

 

For getting good at sound design I think it' s basically working only with a few synths and a lot of trial and error so you could know how to use them in depth. Looking at presets and study them is also a good way to learn that.

I really like artists that are having their own style. I quess you' re more into EDM? I know in the past that I could recognise immediately if it was a new Afrojack track or not. He had this unique style what others didn' t have. Not sure if you' re familar with his old tracks, but you will notice that he was using that typical bass sound in almost every track. It was just his style. For me I think it' s important, because you will distinct yourself from others. That helps always.

I think you will start creating your really own signature sound when having some of your own selfmade sounds and that you keep coming back into your tracks. But you also will start creating it by itself or by time. Nobody is the same. Nobody could have exactly the same. Actually everybody and you are already having their own signature sound ;)

 

Thank you, guys! It means a lot to me that you share your thoughts.

It was a question I have been thinking about a lot, so this will really really help me. I spend every day 3-5 hours with producing and I really want to keep it on this way. It is a passion and I am really happy about that I have found this forum.

Please stay cool in this way

If you like you can check this tracks out I have made.