I have been working with synthesiers since 1980 and also right back in a time when you had to create a sound every time you wanted to use one. But I agree with people here in that presets are so great now it is just a matter of knowing what you want and being able to find it and then adjust it to suit your music.
There is also a case for spending some quality time just making a preset because when you do it becomes very original to you. When under pressure to get a job done it is quicker to find the sounds you are after and edit.
But there is importance to knowing what you have and being able to find it. You should audition
all your synth patches and maybe even create some sort of word document or database that can record your findings. You can put thousands of synth sounds under a finite number of headings and simply make references as to what instruments, and where those sounds are inside each instrument's library.
Often several synths will cover a sound well eg a great pad sound so you need to know you have got great pads in three or more places and where in the libraries they are. Personally I enjoy auditioning synth patches. I am always learning about what I have and making new discoveries as well. It is easy to end up with a huge number of synth patches. The auditioning process is also very creative and inspirational. You have got to load and play
every synth patch you own!
I still have not heard every synth sound I have got!
With editing if you have some basic synth skills under your belt you can edit a sound massively. Things like the amplitude ADSR, and the filter settings are going to allow you some massive sound changes. ADSR is one of things you often need to edit to fit your music better. If the filter has its own ADSR as well that one is important too. Main filter cutoff and resonance settings are going to also give you some big sonic changes. Some synths eg Wuskstation have 6 layered patches and a great mixer for fine tuning all these layers to one sound. Often sounds that are amazing on their own may not blend into a mix so well.
Make use of the effects processors in the instruments too. That all adds character. And don't forget the concept of maybe taking quite a still and lifeless synth pad sound and use something like Roland Dimension D
(plugin of course) to make it come to life and move in a very interesting and slow liquid way.
Back to making new sounds. Fun and interesting. I think too if you spend quite a bit if time editing a patch and often an ordinary patch can be turned into something amazing and beautiful, make sure you create a new name for it and store it as a new sound. Spend quality time in the effects part of the sound. To make new patches you have to invest some time learning more deeply about the instrument at hand. There are great tutorials around on this sort of thing.
(Groove 3) That link from
cliffsp8 above is excellent. I am going to get that book just to learn more about getting the best out of Cakewalk instruments. There are some great synths out there too. The virtual ones are awesome, sounding better and becoming more interesting all the time. I think it is also great that you can buy specialised expansion packs for your fave instruments too.
post edited by Jeff Evans - 2012/04/11 18:48:40