How to overcome compulsive download syndrome? (CDS)

Discussion in 'Lounge' started by TruBlood, Mar 21, 2017.

  1. Cav Emp

    Cav Emp Audiosexual

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    This was part of my decision to stop using warez and just buy all my stuff.

    But the main driver for all of this was simply this: keep my VST and sample libraries as organized and as simple and low-maintenance as possible, so that I always know which plugin is the one for the job and I can get to it without opening a hundred subfolders or looking through 100 plugs I never use but keep around just in case I'll need them one day.

    It's bullshit. It's all bullshit. And I never really did a ton of downloading, but enough that my folders were too bloated to be easily organized. Shit I remove plugins from my VST folders even if I own them but just don't use them.
     
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  2. errorjan

    errorjan Ultrasonic

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    Interessting, for me it's more or less the other way round. About two month ago, I did not have a single non-licensed software on my computer; I even bought about a year ago a VisuaI Studio Premium license with MSDN for over 4K € (~5K $) needed for my work.. And spend over 2K for plugs so far (just doing it as hobby)...
    And then, one day, I really needed this one damn Voxe.... doesn't matter^^ plugin-in and since I lost my job for health reasons (shortly after I bought VS for 4K - Murphy was right :( ) I found "the sister"... You hopefully can understand that if one is seeing the paradise, it's really hard to resist not to bit in the forbidden fruit resulting in getting "CDS" ;)
    But seriously, sometimes I'm a little bit afraid. I know that there is the possiblity of "time bombs" and I also know that the more is installed, the higher is the chance.. I don't need to explain the danger of "calling home plugs" and other issues realted using "borrowed" plugs. (of course I did safety precautions, but for reasons I need this comp for internet and only go off when starting the DAW - risky I know)
    So the devil is setting on my right shoulder and the angle on the left... But I swear, when things getting better finanically, I will make at some point a cut (then I also see what I really need on plugins and which one aren't worth the money) reinstall the OS and continue to be the nice guy (ok, "the guy"^^) I was. Maybe in case I wouldn't spend that much money for licenses before I would feel some kind of guility, but Waves&co got enough money from me and will survive it, I'm sure..

    But for now, we all seem to be forced to live with CDS until there is a medcine/cure against this TERRIBLE illness xD
     
  3. jkst

    jkst Kapellmeister

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    How to overcome? Easy, just bought another 4TB drive.

    The recent Sonokinetic treasures added over 100GB in 3 days.

    [​IMG]
     
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  4. mlb4sheaz

    mlb4sheaz Ultrasonic

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    https://www.noiiz.com/

    If i had noiiz 10 years ago i wouldnt have bothered collecting anything other than what i needed sample wise.

    Also in hindsight i probably should have realised that you only need a few vsts and a DAW to make and mix some music.

    Best bet is to pretend virtual software is a real life instrument. Then ask yourself how many of those instruments/effects/compressors and eqs could you cram in to your room. Then force yourself to keep just the things you really cant do without.
     
  5. errorjan

    errorjan Ultrasonic

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    What is that? The spotify / deezer for samples? I just was about to say "interessting", but where the fuck are the Loopmaster / Vengeance / etc. sample libs? They (you?) want have $17 PER MONTH for THAT? Seriously? In that case I would prefer to start to buy me a real snaredrum and congas and sample those on my own...
     
  6. Cav Emp

    Cav Emp Audiosexual

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    Sure. I don't worry about what anyone else does, and certainly don't feel any kind of way about people wanting to use/play with plugins they can't afford or shouldn't spend the money on. For me, making music is important. I have ambitions. And I need to make sure gear lust doesn't get in the way of that.
     
  7. Spacely

    Spacely Producer

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    As for Drum libraries I don't bother Downloading anymore. I have too many already and all the tools to make my own unique Drum samples as needed at this point.

    As for "Samples" to chop this I still grab whatever is dropped and I see what's usable and what's not. I file it into my file system. This way I can go dig through my own stash later if I want to flip something.

    As for Plugins I've learned over the years I don't use 90% of the stuff I Downloaded. That 10% I use pretty much on every track. So when a new plug gets released on the sister site I look at what the plugin does, what makes it special if anything and I figure out if I actually need it. This however most of the time involves me downloading and testing. My only problem is I struggle with the "uninstalling" if I realize I don't need it or won't use it.

    I've been trying to work with "limitations" to redefine my workflow over the past 3 months.
     
  8. digitaldragon

    digitaldragon Audiosexual

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    Yeah, I went through this shortly after I found the sister site. I'm reigning it in, but I still see over 1,000 plugins in DAW. Not really adding too many new ones. Trying to weed through several of the same type to see which one is more useful to me and making notes of what I'm using. The real truth teller, I suppose, will be when I upgrade the Music Computer. I plan on just loading the plugins required by my current projects. That should effectively trim the fat.
    Moving forward, I'm finding that things aren't "shiny and new" to me anymore, and something has to really catch my eye to make me bother changing my current workflow. In essence, I'm ready to "get some work done"!
     
  9. Cav Emp

    Cav Emp Audiosexual

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    I'll say this though...

    It's really hard to overstate the importance of warez, as pertains to finding out what's worth buying. Especially when you're just learning to make music. I went through 3 DAWs and god knows how many plugins before I developed enough knowledge to really have informed "preferences". If I hadn't had unbridled access to this stuff I'd have spent a fortune on a bunch of plugins that are totally irrelevant to how I like to make music.

    Not to mention... the one thing I do still download with any kind of regularity... educational materials. Can you imagine having to buy all that stuff and then finding out it wasn't relevant to your skill level?
     
  10. curtified

    curtified Rock Star

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    Its hard for me to not get FOMO from what I could be missing out on. If there were a trustworthy archive of downloads I might feel comfortable not going to sister site daily. haha.

    One workaround that has helped me stay focused is. Spend a day and make a minimal but solid lib of sounds plugs and presets for ideas and stick to that for a month. It helped me work with what I have and realize I dont need 2millon plugins and samples etc..

    Ive also kept all the extra junk on my external and point to it with symlinks. So if I feel stuck my archive of content is at my fingertips.
     
  11. sparkles

    sparkles Guest

    Too much time for download new things, and they never stop ,lol, actually i stopped doing this ,focus the updates on what i have already and any new kind of toy that i obviously will like, when i have some money i buy
     
  12. G String

    G String Rock Star

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    I wish I could download new ears. And talent.
     
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  13. mlb4sheaz

    mlb4sheaz Ultrasonic

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    No it wont have any of the vengeance stuff there. Its run by samplephonics so its their libraries only i think, you are right about the price being high, that will hopefully drop. I got it on an early bird deal which was $89 dollars a year if i remember right.

    I like it because you can really filter through all the useless stuff that you dont need and create sample packs based on the content that suits your own productions. But its really each to their own on stuff like noiiz
     
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  14. dr.evil

    dr.evil Kapellmeister

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    :guru:
    Rx

    for moderate symptoms:
    Adderall 30 mg twice a day.
    Ritalin 20 mg twice a day.

    for acute psychotic symptoms:
    Haloperidol 5mg after dinner.

    Side effects:
    And last but not the least death. But you are going to eventually die anyway. So why not give it a try??
    :wink:
     
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  15. turntablebeatz

    turntablebeatz Member

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    no disrespect but it comes down to professionals and those that do it as a hobby.. what I mean by that is professionals are only going to download what they want and need and won'te be wasting time browsing and or download every and everything just because it's there. regardless if it's actually buying software or downloading freeware stuff or "test driving softwarez" people that are serious about making music most likely have a routine and they stick to it... the same with DJ's.. there are DJ's that waste time downloading music all day and then you have DJ's that dedicate a day or certain time to get new music and the rest of their time is dedicated to actually working.

    I will say this much.. when you're "test driving softwarez" and releases seem to be daily or hourly.. it's easy to get caught up in leeching/downloading everything you see but the reality is you don't need it all and probably have everything you need already.

    For example people spend time searching for drum kits when they could just spend time layering (eq'in, filtering) the drums they already have and make their own original and ass kicking kits.

    If you wouldn't buy something there is no reason to download it lol.. most people download crap they wouldn't even pay 1cent for.
     
  16. PopstarKiller

    PopstarKiller Platinum Record

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    Well try to analyze why you're doing it... I had a period when I would download every big plugin that I could, and I think I was doing it mainly to get a taste of what's out there, to find what tools I'm most comfortable with, or because I didn't like the tools that I had (took me a lot of time to find a reverb that I liked). Once you find the tools that work for you, you'll probably be less interested in other things, at least that's how it worked for me. Though there are still some tools that I'm on the lookout for.
     
  17. digitaldragon

    digitaldragon Audiosexual

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    One other thing that helps me, but some times stings. No internet where the studio is. It forces me to focus on what I have at hand when making music. Of course I can't ask questions when I need to, so have to learn on my own until I get to civilization and can ask questions.
     
  18. subGENRE

    subGENRE Audiosexual

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    Believe it or not, CDS lol helps me to produce more.
    Between this site and others Im active on, plus the cataloging of audio warez, is how I force myself to take a short needed break every hour or 2 since I gave up cigs. To give my ears a little rest and come back to the project with a different perspective. This allows me to actually work longer before my ears blow up and I have to give them a long rest. Also it helps to make sure I wasnt just lost in the groove and playing weird stuff when I was tracking those last few synths. CDS has saved me from producing sh1t many times, lol
     
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  19. errorjan

    errorjan Ultrasonic

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    You are probably from the US? You're so lucky... I would give a kingdom (German saying) when there would be Adderall around here in Germany... Really good stuff :) Here is just cheap Ritalin (methylphenidat) around - that's not close to the good DL-amph stuff :beg:
     
  20. Andrew

    Andrew AudioSEX Maestro Staff Member

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    Less is often more

    How to overcome CDS? Simple - stop looking around for what's new and don't download. :thumbsup:
     
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