Why did I originally post this?

I wish I had read this post three years ago myself.

Even though I believe that cracked software may create possibilities for people to try to the stuff before paying I wish I had never found AudioZ. It is true that if you pay for something you give it more value.

The real problem with warez is that the amount of software you can try neverending, though. And the same applies to updates. They are neverending, too.

For me, having a "perfect setup" is why I've kept downloading. "I install this and then my DAW is perfect." But as you know, nothing is perfect in life.

As funny as it may sound, I guess I've been afraid of software bugs. Everytime I've installed a new plugin, I've checked the bug fixes. Reading about the fixes has felt relieving. "OK. I don't have to worry about these. They have been fixed."

Does anyone else have had the same thoughs?

 

Man i respect everybody but i can't trust everybody!!!!
The rave is not for addicted peoples..is for free mind people...free music.....free everything...i mean illegal raves,not commercial...you can do what you want of/in your life and it's your own choice!!!
So because the life is one try to do the best for yourself to be a smart people and enjoy all the sisters and brothers!!!

 

what you expect? you are simply amateurs and what?. dont worry. download till the last day of your life. never finish anything
and never understand the amazing possibilities of all the plugins you have.

who cares? nobody, ofcoz' .

but.. in the moment that you care about yourself, and reflect that this isn't good for you as musician and producer you turn eternally to a pro. may some of you laugh now! let them laugh, they dont understand. they stay amateurs.

i downloaded since i was a young boy of 14 years. i have 100000000000000000000000+ x gigabytes of samples and all releases back from zone radium etc till today. a few mpnth ago i had this "catharsis" and guess what? i deleted everything!!!! my biggest treasure is my drive with the stuff i bought. i use it and i LOVE IT. Music is coming back in my life, i feel worth!!!! the addiction is over!!!!!!

Ask yourself what you want to be.

All the best my friends.

 

I agree with flyingsleeves @ post 10.

Indeed that sort of "addiction" - you're speaking about - takes you much time away!
Result = You have no time nor ideas for new music.

Somebody thinks about the situation of contributors?
Having to prepare, package + upload stuff for Internet-Audio-Junkies takes
also much time away!! Time we could use for real life & music.

Anyway it's not bad nor hopeless when your conscious of your actual situation,
you can anytime go back "to the roots" and make music.
It's all a matter of mind set.

 

Maybe we should all meet once a week here and show at least 1 or 2 things we have made during that week. I download a lot as well but keep it very organized and delete the stuff I don't like. Perhaps us having a weekly showcase will keep us somewhat focused.

 

I can relate to this thread.

Have been playing guitar for 20+ years and I'm now teaching too. Completed my BSc (Hons) Music Technology five years ago after flying through my A-level music. I can also remember the good old days of Radium's ReBirth et al. Even before that when I was a kid I was playing around with Pro-24, cracked, not really working properly on my single sided floppy of an old Atari STFM. Now I have a pretty good set up: Nice monitors, sub, RME, couple of analogue monosynths, etc., top-spec PC full of everything. Brilliant, all well and good.

Last few years have been a trip musically for me. From being a massive shred fan listening to nothing but the likes of Vai, Dream Theater, Paul Gilbert, etc., I've gone completely mad for electro house, dubstep and similar genres. Feed Me, Zedd, Skrillex and all of those nifty kids. Love it. I listen to that kinda stuff so much these days that I forget what real musicians sound like, and when I hear them I'm disgusted at their lack of precision and under-polished mixes.

I remember a turning point for me in computer based music, maybe 10 years ago or so, when Gigasampler started out. Those .gig files made MIDI sound awesome! It was now possible to make a MIDI tune sound brilliant, not like those shitty synth sax solos from the 80s. Hurrah! I no longer needed a band, the annoyances of a drummer getting drunk and being completely out of time. I could do it all ITB. All well and good. Thing is, no PC on earth (at least for real earthlings with normal wages from their normal day job) could run all of those tasty samples at the same time. Yeah, you could bounce them out as audio, programming one track at a time, and hoping the resulting audio tracks would all sit well together ready to be mixed. ..long, wanted my band back!

Bringing this back upto date, my set-up is now out of this earth, at least for a home studio. Thing is, even though it's the best of the best, I still can't run everything I use all at the same time. 32 gig of samples running, maybe 15 VSTi's. SoundToys and Waves plugs on every track. PC still starts farting and glitching out, and I once again have to start bouncing out stems.

Technology always seems to be one step behind innovative software. We have to wait for technology to catch up to be powerful enough to run software at it's optimum, and by the time it has new more advanced and power-hungry software has landed! Vicious circle!

I do, however, make music and make money from my music. It does, however, take fucking ages. I'm sick of these kids saying they made a track in two hours, three hours, half a day, on my tour bus, etc. ...Maybe so, but I bet it sucks, for 99% of those people anyway. Takes me about a month to finish a track from start to end, and then I won't really be happy. I just get to the point when I can't be bothered tweaking any further. I could be an endless journey and nothing would ever get completed!

There will be months though when I don't make any music, and simply download download download. Won't use half of it, but maybe something I'll like and use a lot, maybe something I hate and delete might still have something that inspires. Maybe it's all a pile of turd and I'd be better off with just my guitar, I don't know, but I do know that being able to try this stuff for free is a god-send and a lot of fun. I also think that a lot of people are collectors by nature and that probably the majority of users on this site and other audio warez sites probably don't make music at all of any degree other than a four bar loop to test a new synth. Hey, I'm guilty of that too!

Anyway, there was a point to all of this, lost somewhere in the rant. Guess my best advice is to just find your sounds! Settle on some synth patches, maybe don't even use them at first. Spend a day or two making an entire arrangement in MIDI, your soundcards onboard "ugly as a stunt man's elbow" sounds, and then run those patches through them. Then start mixing the sucker. It's tried and tested, and you'll end up with something "mostly" finished.

As for me, I'm not making a god damn thing until they figure out how to crack iLok2.

I absolutely and life-threateningly need the Kush plugs, Cubase 7, etc., and without them the rest of my gear and talent is useless. Also, I'll never be able to make a tune again without yet another sample pack full of 128 bpm loops of useless vocal edits only Zomboy could get away with. Come on!

 

And of course somebody had to wrote an igorant and needless comment like that

I'm not quiet sure if all the scene groups hack stuff because they want to support internet freedom and censorship... Just my opinion. And actually stealing dont make life and world better, would you like somebody going in your house, taking your PC and saying he do it for the freedom of the world, and because capitalism is bad?

 

Just to clarify, only one bit of my last rant was of any importance whatsoever:

"Anyway, there was a point to all of this, lost somewhere in the rant. Guess my best advice is to just find your sounds! Settle on some synth patches, maybe don't even use them at first. Spend a day or two making an entire arrangement in MIDI, your soundcards onboard "ugly as a stunt man's elbow" sounds, and then run those patches through them. Then start mixing the sucker. It's tried and tested, and you'll end up with something "mostly" finished."

I know there are many methods and approaches to production, and some will start off with sound design or even a synth preset as the first port of call. Tracks started this way can sound amazing, and I'm sure a great many artists start their tracks like this. Starting a track in this manner can be where obsession and addiction to software/sample downloading begins IMHO. I know from my own experience that trying to find "that sound" can be endless, and I often find myself looking elsewhere other than my current and very stable/capable set-up. Not sounding right? Go to Audioz and download something new! ...Nah, doesn't work that way. Not for me at least. I always end up on a futile and time-consuming hunt, and never end up with a finished product. Only thing I do end up with is a full hard drive, a loop that sounds rubbish and a bad headache. One thing I see these days is that a lot of the time production seems to come before composition. I guess that's why there are literally millions of producers and only a handful ever make it pro and are worth listening to. The tracks are polished, but the music sucks!

Composition is first, always has been. You have the musical idea, whether melodic, harmonic or rhythmic, and you track it. Record your idea, or program it in MIDI. This step is first, and as a quite arrogant purist I'd also say it should be the first step for every producer. Music comes first. If the composition is good the production doesn't even really matter. Good music is good music, end of.

This step alone will end your addiction. You don't need any VSTi's, VST's, new DAWs, sample packs, etc. You never have needed them. You want them, so do I, but that's not music.

Like I said, if you want a finished piece of music, finish a piece of music, then produce it! Write the sucker first, then start using nice synths and samples instead of standard MIDI sounds, then work of mixing and mastering the thing. Once step at a time my friend. If the composition is good, I bet you'll discover you only ever needed one synth, one drum machine, bit of reverb and a compressor.

Listen to the likes of Noisia, Deadmau5, Zedd, Feed Me, any "top of their game" electronic producer for that matter. Notice that even though their songs are very diverse, have lots and lots of modern sounds, and are produced with sonic perfection, each and every track has similar elements. Madeon's snare is almost the same from track to track, Deadmau5' moog pluck is pretty much on every single track of his, Noisia's kick is pretty similar from track to track, Feed Me's arp growl is all over his EPs, etc. They have found sounds which they use, and they use them all of the time. Bet they have everything too software/sampler wise, but they have their sound-sets firmly rooted.

Exercise: Create deadmau5' pluck (or whatever sound you like). Save it. Get rid of whatever VSTi you used. Now, write a nice MIDI file, apply said pluck. It will sound good every time, time and time again. No more searching, no more labourious sound design, no more downloading. Same thing with any of the core aspects of a production. Kick, snare, bass, pad, lead, etc.

All about settling on your main sounds. More than that, it's all about writing a good piece of music first. You'll finish an album in no time if you stick to the rule, and you can pick and choose what to download becaue you won't be so bothered about "needing" new stuff. Your addiction will have ended, your hard drive will no longer be full of unused samples and software, and instead will be full of finished productions.

 

take it easy man...i don't use keys in my house!!!Come and steal so your life gonna be better!!!

 

I completely relate to this, and do sometimes tell myself off for getting carried away with downloading.

It's not the end of the world at all, though - take a break from downloading, and spend some time - and it doesn't matter if you spend all week doing this - playing around with all the toys/tools you DO have...get to know them...get to know what sounds they produce...what ones are better for what type of sound...write down some favourites as you go - it's all positive and constructive.

Eventually your inspiration will come back and you will start getting some music arranged.

Once you're back into the swing of creating, allow your self a once-weekly visit to Audioz (or wherever) and treat yourself to some new stuff. Don't go nuts, trying to download everything under the sun - just cherry-pick a few good-looking ones.

This is what I do.

Your creativity is always inside you. Just have to moderate your enjoyment you get out of downloading, with some self-discipline about getting into creation-mode.

Now, to finish this stupid update of Maschine and go practise what I preach! :-D

 

My name is Flying Sleeves, and I am a digital hoarder.

Whew, it felt really good to finally get that monkey off my back. For so long I never had a name for the disease. I think a lot of people here still don't realize that they also suffer from it. I think a good test would be to see how many days one could go without downloading anything.

That was an amazing thing to do Malco. I congratulate you. You are much stronger than I. I deleted about half of my HD. However, I still have quite a ways to go.

 

HOARDING AND ADDICTION ;
It's just like having a huge box of chocolate, or 100s of wine bottle. LEARN IT, but don't spoil it (if you drink the whole stuff, you'll just get sick)
I met a chocolate artist (the guy is a chocolate fan, crafty chocolate maker), does he eat a lot chocolate? NO
Can he tell you spot-on how is made and where is the cocoa from with just a little piece? YES.

MUSICAL TIME ;
It's not about piracy, hoarding, loading... it's about learning.
Download any way you can any stuff, try them inside out. Keep in mind : THIS IS NOT COMPOSING , DOING MUSIC OR ANYTHING.
Wanna check some cool update on audioz or wherever? DO IT, but not on your musical time : don't you have a smartphone? a dayjob? Do it in public transport or in "social networking" time.

Now you try some software once in a while (or read documentation, or watch tutorial)... This is not musical time either.

You woke up early, made coffee, got 2 packs of cig in advance, and food (junk and remain of yesterday) : NOW YOU CAN HAVE MUSICAL TIME. Turn off the damn phone. Take the cat to the bathroom. UNPLUG THE ETHERNET CABLE. Turn off wifi.
Cut anything that's not relevant to your music :
- no new synth / fx or sample bank you don't know.
- no new software. (whine : "I need to chop stuff with software X, Y told me it's more efficient" - "NO you fu*$ing don't, you KNOW your DAW, use it. I'm not aware of any common DAW which doesn't offer good editing, notes typing, mastering , wtfever , as long as you know it well". If you don't, read manual, watch some tutorials, practice. you'll make music later. (*)
- use paper.
- do silent breaks.
- don't be too loud, your neighbors don't really care how cool your music is. (and you can work longer and more efficiently)
- start early. I'm more productive in the morning with caffeine

It take some effort to be productive with a hobby.
But it's rewarding

(you'll find some "know-it-all" trolls that will tell you : you can't arrange with protools, don't do mastering with Ableton, Cubase is the stuff you need. You can't do electro without FLStudio/Logic/Audacity/....... (or such). These morons don't have any idea what they are talking about : if they do music, it usually sucks, or they're just quoting some magazines. You won't know every software, one or two, maximum). (I never saw anyone productive and professionnal (making a living with music) knowing more than 2 software, and they never had such position about any DAW)

***For TLDR :***
don't listen to trolls (forum troll (sth to sound clever) or software company troll (sth to sell)).
don't be obsessed with supposed obsessions.
segment your time wisely, get off internet (TURN IT OFF, UNPLUG,...) when it's not necessary
if you don't use it, delete it or keep it. Just make sure you don't struggle to find the stuffs you use and know.

Buy some stuffs if you wanna get deeper (you don't have the same relation to stuffs you paid and stuff you "got"(**)) : yes it's uncool, but that's how it is.
(**) the girlfriend you struggled to get off her previous bf or the one who just asked you out... Yeah, that exactly. We're animals.

 

I also have this problem !

I have talent and i know it, i can compare and know that i only need to get out of my bubble and make some PR to get some good material out but ONE THING is happening with this ''download/more recent program'' problem......

I am also a perfectionist...and for me...this is where the 2 problem come together and where i cant get out of it.

Here's my logic:

1- To be recognized you have to make better material then your competition ( i dont do it for competition but we have to admit that category in music are there to put you in certain box )
So to make better music i need better tool and better mix and actualized music ( so more time ....and less release )

2- I know i need to let go my babys....but since im in my bubble of :''fuck the world, anyways the rich get richer and im fuckin broke''....i cant seem to get in touch properly with ''common'' people......like if i was almost someone SUPER different

3- I feel part of a ''revolution'' where sharing is knowledge even tho' i dont share release and i mostly download them, i try to keep my torrent alive for the most time possible.

So .....
for all those reason, i have an addiction that makes it hard ( in fact its more IMPOSSIBLE) for me to get a livin out of music.

I love to produce/compose music but i dont like the ''industry'' and the ''trend'' even tho' i make pretty Trendy music....

Finaly, like you can see.....i find myself having multiple EXCUSES to explain my problem....and i will end up OLD WITHOUT NEVER HAVING RELEASED THE MUSIC IM SO PROUD OF

I dont need help....i need to FAWKIN WAKE UP AND TRY MY LUCK FOR REAL

I ont find my story sad.....but i must say i'm ashamed of myself when i think of the big picture !!

 

Sorry for the long post.

As a last advice : check out Ill Methodology Part 1 on youtube or whatever, and some other learning materiel he made.
Ill Methodology is for any artistic creativity, the other material is more oriented to Ableton.
It's by Ill Gates (aka. Bass Nectar, awesome musician, awesome man, the greatest advices)

 

you sound like a tool...grow up

 

"Music Industry", "Star-system", "Trends".... Yes, I don't like that too.
But nobody has to like it!

We must not forget that the music industry itself has made famous many
talentless idiots but also some rare Genius, and has spread out the messages
in the music all over the world! I think a real Artist does not really care
if his music is appreciated or honored in the moment....because that moment
will come - or not - later, perhaps after death.

ONE thing i really don't understand is: why so many under you folks are
needing tons of tons of stuff, Gygabytes of Sample-Libraries to create
good sounding music! All that stuff only slows down the work-flow and the
performance of your Digital Audio Software.

 

So true, nice post kook

 

I'm not surprised the staff is sticking together. However it bothers me that they would rather ignore that there is a problem and instead encourage people to continue downloading. How can you not admit that you have a problem when you already have 5 TB of media, and you still want more? That just boggles my mind. You could never in a lifetime ever use all of that.

Here is an interesting article I read a few weeks ago called "10 Truths No One Will Tell You About Music Scene!" written by Dr. Kucho! A bit off topic, but has some good insight on the music industry.

 

" but general i have 6TB storage now here and almost 5,5TB is full."

Wow.

And I thought my 20/25Gb samples/stems/plugins intaller were oversized :/
Even including movies, pron, music, TimeMachine backups and videogames, I have less than 2Tb.