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ok so this is because i'm completely nosy but i wondered what everyone used to create their ambient sounds? Personally. im an Ableton live 9 suite user (my first ableton experience and loving it) and i have NI Komplete although i really only use Absynth and Massive on a regular basis. I've only just got into field recording so most of my loops and samples etc are either purchased or from sites like freesound and freeSFX
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My first drone was made using CM101 in EnergyXT. I rendered it to audio, processed it in audacity and reimported into energyXT to produce the final track, using extra VST instruments/FX
You can find it here:-
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Oh man, opening a can of huge ass ambient worms here with this one but since this is the forum to do it in we should just all spill the beans, yeah? Ambient Online is the best ambient site on the internet! :tu:
Where do I start. OK I start with Alchemy. Bar none the best synth out there for straight up "texture" or pad, drone, and lush and gorgeous soundscape. Layer few of those.
Then I move on to other methods. These days I'm thinking multi-dimensionally...electric guitar? Lead sound coming from Diva? If you check out one of my tutorials I'm also using Numerology to step sequence my stuff inside of Pro Tools.
Then it's on to the unexpected element. A vocal sample reversed possibly. A sample streeeetched in Paulstretch. My secret weapon is "Borderlands." Or maybe an instance of Zebra2 or two...maybe even some Vanguard, Massive, Reaktor?
Experiment. Find what works for you. Keep pushing towards a goal and never stop learning.
Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions.
-S1gnsComment
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About anything that produces a sound can be used in ambient music.
I often tend to use recordings of my super noisy computer fan, the dishwasher, the vacuum cleaner and so on, regular household items.
As far as DAW and VST's/VSTi's. I use FL Studio as some of you know. I am using it because I know how it works in and out, I can do music with it in my sleep.
I rarely use synths, but when I do I'll use iZotope Iris, painting out the desired frequencies is a good thing, and layering 3 of your own samples and creating a new one is kickass!
Sometimes I use the free ones from HG Fortune, almost all of them has something decent and I have been able the create some really weird shit with them by means of resampling and layering them in Iris later on.
I have fiddled around with Reaktor, but I don't understand it that well yet, but i'll continue to fiddle because I think that if you learn to understand the mechanics in Reaktor it can be a very powerful tool.
Paul Stretch is a fun tool as well. Who does not want to time stretch 0,5 seconds of sound to a length that is really, really, awfully silly?Comment
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Absolutely no audio loops and third party-samples, which I'm ferociously against, just my wild array of free vsts (for every kind of music I make)Comment
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:thumbsup: If you have made nice presets, let me know and i'll put it in there.Originally posted by aoVI
On Topic:
I use FL Studio, Komplete 7, Alchemy, CronoX, Sylenth1, CamelSpace/Phat, Deep Freq for Kore and of course My own effects en tools.Comment
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I try to come up with all sounds on my own, however there's gradations to this: synths - i absolutely stick to my own patches. drums - here i use samples from time to time drawing on drum racks and geist libraries. I always feel like a bit of a cheat, but (synth) programming my own drums, layering, compression and resampling just takes a looong time, so that is reserved for special projects. I use samples for non-electronic instruments. Where else will I get a tuba from? Also, I like to emphasise processing in such cases. add my own field recordings etc. according to taste So I guess it's a mix of techniques, trying to avoid dogma while using as much original material as possible.Comment
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Difficult to answer since I pick my plugins a bit @ random. Working in reaper and I regularly use Fabfilter Twin 2, Loomer Aspect, Synapse Audio Dune and KiloHearts One.
Most loved effect plugin; Valhalla Shimmer.Comment
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As far as VST synths go, Absynth, Massive, and Padshop are my go to plugs. For sounds based on field recordings, I use Adobe Audition with Fabfilter and U-he effects. I personally like Audition better than PaulStretch for time stretching material. I usually stretch the same track several times with different pitch shifts an then layer them back together. I also use VolumeShapper, FilterShapper, and PanCake from Cableguys. Using these plugs with different settings on the layered sounds from Audition stretching can yield some nice movement. I also use Nomad Factory Chromazone and Ableton's resonator to get field recordings to have a bit more tonal content. And finally there's Valhalla Shimmer. I just have to be careful not to over use it.Comment
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I just use whatever I want and not worry about things too much. Its too easy to get all wrapped up in the self-imposed artsy fartsy peer credibility aspect of things. Screw that."The only thing that means a thing in the end is what you loved, and who you loved, and you let it take you home..."Comment
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Historically, I have tended to use cheaper (or free) VSTis. These were the instruments I started out with and am most comfortable with, so I tend to use them more regularly. I have some more expensive plug-ins, but tend to save them for special occasions ;) I also do some audio processing with Audacity and Hourglass, cut up the occasional loop, whatever I feel like at the time. I have 5 DAWs but tend to stick with EnergyXT for 99.5% of my workComment
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It's daft what you can get for free nowadays thanks to Computer Music, Beat.de etc., to have had these tools available when I first started...
I've been wobbling on the DAW front again; keep having sessions with Reaper where everything goes awry, sure there's a better match for me DAW-wise out there...
But generally agree with Pyne nowadays, try not to get too hung up on having too many plugins or not enough, just make a noise and be done with it.Comment
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It depends really.
I use Ableton Live as a DAW and use Audacity for my audio manipulation.
For instruments I use Komplete (mostly Reaktor) and sometimes Propellerheads Reason.
There are a bunch of other things I use too, like PsyBOX which is great for making new landscapes out of existing sounds.
Then there's the various audio files that I might use - I'll grab them from anywhere if they sound interesting.
Oh, and sometimes I'll just play a 'real' instrument as I own quite a few.Comment
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I use very little software in my process, actually. My DAW was Ableton but I have been switching to Reason 7 since it now has MIDI output. I use mostly hardware for what I do. I have a eurorack modular, Elektron Octotrack & Analog 4, A Korg EMX1 and an Arturia Origin that are my main sound sources right now. I've also got a PolyEvoler Keyboard, UltraNova and a near death Korg Prophecy that I've had since it was new in the 90s. I have a Fractal Audio Axe-FX Ultra and TC Fireworx that I use for FX (in addition to FX chains in the DAW). Most of my 'sound' is in the FX, really. A lot of my tracks are built up by parallel processing the same initial source material from the modular and then moving it around in the DAW to create an arrangement. Oh, and I can't forget my Tascam field recorder. That's probably one of the most important pieces of gear I have.
I have the Komplete bundle from NI and Alchemy. I honestly don't use them much since I get most of my sounds out of the hardware. I think FM8 gets the most use simply because it is so good ad making evolving FM drones. I almost use it like modular.Comment
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