Howdy! Today I want to talk about minimalism and why it might be something you should try out as a creator...maybe.
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First video in a while with an original soundtrack! In other news: is minimalism actually beneficial? 🎸 Bandzoogle ► bandzoogle.com/?pc=venustheory
I was hoping to see what you were going to produce with an old laptop, free plugins, and a cheap MIDI controller.
@@christianholmstedt8770 Still considering that video! May or may not happen, not sure I want to be 'the free plugin guy' again. Just need to make it a video worth making, not sure what the story is quite yet.
@@VenusTheory Nothing wrong with being 'the free plugin guy' every now and then. I'd be an inspiration for musical idiots like myself to see what can be done. I can't read or write music to save my life but it's fun to just make sounds. Anyway, still looking forward to it.
@@VenusTheory Please do make that video. Don't approach it as 'the free plugin guy', approach it as 'how can I help beginners get up and running guy'.
Really great content here! Considering the type of music you're creating, what's the 2-3 plugins that's worth investing for if we are to move on from free plugins?
As a musician with ADD, I get easily distracted by too many options, but I also get bored by too few. So it’s a constant struggle to find the right balance.
The struggle is real!
I found a perfect middle ground. Set extreme constraints, then make something. It might be very bare bones but just do it. Then come back later to the project, and without significantly changing anything, edit the work without those rules
@@producerseph_ Very nice!
Second that! Have made the decision that my studio gear should fit into my backpack, and be light weight, hence have now got an iPad, two Korg microKeys and a Korg microControl. Working on reducing my some 40 softsynths to just a couple. Too many creative choices with the current stack…
I found that limiting your options based on project works great. I vary my setup based on what I want to make or perform. When I travel I bring a different little groovebox with me every time, unless I'm working on a specific project. This is great for songwriting, and depending on my setlist I just use the hardware needed for livesets.
It seems creativity comes more from a coherent high-level vision than from restrictions by themselves, and restrictions are just a way to sort of brute-force at least some high-level vision.
That why I used Reason 4 for ten years because I mastered the limitations to pretty much make any sound I wanted.
Great way of putting it!
I agree. In fact it's interesting when you think about how the first step of most scoring jobs is assembling a palette of moods and sounds, which is pretty much doing the same thing creatively - restricting down your options into something more focussed and manageable. Setting self-imposed restrictions just sort of simulates that and creates some kind of identity or structure that you can work within.
What a comment, succinct and sweet.
that’s the best articulation i’ve read
I think we sometimes confuse creativity with productivity. More options make me more creative, but not more productive.
I'd say less options actually make me more creative and productive. But everyone is different I guess
@@organicfrequenciesI guess I can see that but if you’re so limited there’s only so much you can to before it sounds all the same, if we’re talking playing wise limiting yourself is great you come up with way more interesting licks however if we’re talking producing and writing wise having a wide range of instruments to choose from and things to work with is wayyyy better because then you will be able to create a sound more desirable to you and make overall less same sounding music
@@Bloorgusgoorge Agreed, but I think it's all about balance in the end. Finding the right amount of gear that's just enough to make you want to create but that's not too much so you end up switching from one machine to another without getting to really understand them fully.
@@Bloorgusgoorge I don’t think it all sounds the same when you have less. I think you learn different ways to use the same thing. Take jazz or more acoustic music for example, imo because of more sound limitations there is a lot of variation in how the sounds are played and single sounds can sound interesting on their own because of that. And then I think, more so because the sound is analogue, it has a more authentic feel to it that makes me appreciate the musicality more.
Nailed it
Recently I went back to some old music I made and decided to try 'improve' it - I loaded up all the new VSTs I had, added layers to the sound, used all kinds of mixing techniques I had learned etc. I then listened to both pieces side by side and I just felt like... it's different, but is it better? At first I felt quite depressed about it - had I not improved? But then I realised that the original was made with intention, using my ears, just making what I wanted. My 'improved' version was just trying to substitute my creativity with technology and gimmicks. Since then I've tried to strip down my production process and it's been helping immensely.
I agree to an extent. I’m having this conversation with my wife (rapper). We have notice when we bring back a song we did years ago. That was out of key, mixed terribly and remade it on a better mic. Yes it improve drastically we both agree. Same time it’s like the “energy” was gone. Almost felt spiritual. I believe this has to have a deeper meaning behind it.
Hey Cameron, there aren't many youtube creators that make me sit down, turn other things off, and really pay attention. You do. Thanks for all your effort. Inspiring stuff.
❤
Ayyyyyyyyyyy well glad to hear it, suppose that means I'm doing something right for once haha.
Same here! 🎉
One thing rarely pointed out about minimal setups, such as cash strapped musicians, is that it pretty much _forces_ you to explore the limits of your tools and become proficient in them. You can't just find something that works how you'd like, and as you become familiar with your tools it will reshape the ideas you're expressing into something new.
That’s just it. My buddy has three expensive synths and can barely work one of them. My sister has a Roland D-50 and has mastered the fuck out of it.
I think minimal choices are better for a lot of things. I seemed to enjoy video games better when all i had were a few. Now i have hundreds and play none of them. 🤷♂️
One time I went to my friends house, downloaded the demo of FL Studio on his PC and made what ended up being the leading song for my first EP. Limitations really do help a lot with creativity.
Definitely can make a whole albums worth of music from free versions of DAWs.
Absolutely. I think the times I'm most efficient with creating something are when it just HAS to get done with X,Y and Z and not my 'usual' grab bag of stuff.
That does work !!
Minimalism, let's GOOOOO. I'm very inclined towards minimalism as an approach and even an aesthetic, but I think the general ideas can be helpful for anyone (including maximalists and collectors of gadgets) to avoid unnecessary stress or have a healthier approach to stuff and work. It's all about intentionality, even if hipster nerds like us might tend to take it to more extremes.
I'm pretty sure it was you who said "better to marster using a few devices then to have loads of devices you dont".
This ties a bit into workflow efficiency as well. It's nice to be able to materialize your ideas without getting side-tracked by extra decision-making.
Absolutely. Way too easy to get caught up in the 'stuff' rather than working towards the 'thing'.
In 1995, I recorded an album on one cassette using an Ensoniq ASR-10 and a four-track Tascam Portastudio. A few people loved it. Good enough.
This is so true. I know producers who literally only use one softsynth for everything and their music is amazing. Limiting your options is better than having your options limit you.
I wrote so much more music when I only had a midi keyboard and a couple of sound modules. Now, I have seemingly unlimited choices of sounds and only spend time preset auditioning instead of actually using those presets to write.
When it comes to music my second favorite comes from Sun Tzu: “There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard." I learnt this more in 4 to 3 notes. Deciding to learn music for fun and maybe make some short melodies. I was shocked when I read the note sheets of some game tracks and saw that the same note was used twice or thrice, yet when played it sounds like completely different notes. Instead of 3, it sounds like they're playing 5. And when I made up some small pieces on a virtual keyboard, limiting myself to 3 notes. I was excited when I managed to do that illusion myself. To turn not 5 but mere 3 notes into almost a whole guitar string's worth of notes by order and tempo. That also confuse and infuriate me like the subject in your video about sampling. When I wonder "If I, an amateur nobody who just touched notes for fun could make original melodies and loops this easily on a whim. Then why is it that professionals, whose practiced and studies these things, resort to sampling and just straight out stealing entire pieces. Shouldn't these professionals be able to do what I just did like clockwork. Why do they need to steal centuries old pieces from Bach and Chopin. Why reuse the Hall Of The Mountain King a million damn times I KNOW WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMIND ME!"
minimalism is also a style, a way to create music, and not about how much equipment you have
I just acquired my first synth with no presets (Subharmonicon) and really appreciate how it forces me to stick with exploring a sound, knowing I can’t just switch away when I get stuck or bored.
I love that he doesn't answer the question for us, he leaves it open for all of us to answer on our own. Appreciate you being open to put your thoughts out here for us to wrestle with! ♥
Haha well appreciate it! Suppose the lack of an answer also comes from the fact that I'm not really smart enough to find a good one. Plus it's way more interesting to see all the discussion in the comments as a result!
thought provoking content is hard to come by in this age of Everything All the Time content. It's refreshing to mentally engage with the content you are consuming and have some introspection.
Solid work, I appreciate your conversation vids a lot! Thank you for putting in your time to do these!
It's insane how right it is, whenever I make music and I just tell myself to keep it simple and to not be greedy for "catchy" melodies everything works out It's like adding too many layers in a song- everything gets messed up
"You know you've achieved perfection in design, not when you have nothing more to add, but when you have nothing more to take away." Antoine de Saint-Exupéry * (1900 - 1944) (*) He is best remembered for his novella The Little Prince (Le Petit Prince).
"As little design as possible" seems like good advice for any discipline, especially music production.
Been overthinking a lot of stuff recently and found this incredibly helpful and inspiring. Keep it simple. Thank you
There is non-stop wisdom in this video. Many things I've known intuitively, but you do a great job of articulating and expanding on them. It is tempting to use every tool in the shed . . . but it always ends in tears.
This is a great way to break the monotony and stagnation that can occur in the creative process. I recently did the exact same thing when I moved my studio space and upgraded my Mac.. I left a lot of old plug-ins behind on the old hard drive and reduced the amount of equipment I was pretending to use for my productions. It's amazing how much you can see when you clear out all the obstructions. Thanks, -The Moosh
Beautiful video as always & congrats on 200k subs.
I often struggle with this, and only recently was feeling stuck looking for new plugins, checking newsletters, etc., instead of just putting in the hours. Figured out some things on my own, but your video feels very helpful, too. Eliminating distractions and sticking to a few tools is key.
It's especially true in an era of free/cheap plugins, endless libraries of samples and presets and new gear coming out daily. I recently decided to focus on the gear I used the most in the last two years and tried selling everything else. I still have a bunch of stuff I need to get rid of following a major clean-up session. It says a lot about the crap we hoard over the years which end up collecting dust or giving you too many options that usually gets discarded after hours considering them. Less is definitely more.
Just wanted to say your videos are always huge source of inspiration and solid advice I apply in my music everyday. Great video!
Ayyyyyyyy thank you. Exactly what I want to hear!
Dense and thoughtfully orchestrated stream of wisdom as we love to see from you man! Your channel is so valuable, please stay inspired! I think you inspired a lot of people already with your work :)
I love your content man, thank you for making videos
Well, you've done it again. Thank you for exploring this topic in depth, as always it's been an excellent video.
I found this video at exactly the right time since i’m looking for ways to reexamine and improve my workflow. Thank you for making!
Nothing beats a strong composition. Adding too much will just make your comp messy. That being said, if your song has too many competing ideas, cutting the worst ones will take you to places you've never gone before. The most straight-forward way to create something great is just by having a ton of ideas, eventually you'll run into gold.
Essentialism is such a good read and this is a great, inspiring video. Been loving your recent approach.
I've been following this channel since I found a 5 year old Sylenth1+Saturn 2 neuro bass tutorial about 3 years ago and man it's fuckin awesome to see how much it's grown. Always dropping top-tier videos, Keep being awesome man!
Completely agree. I have recently been working on a feature film where I needed to develop a minimalist score. So my approach to the process was very minimalist in nature. I decided to only use a very limited set of plugins, less than 1/4 of what I would normally use . This forced me to really know the plugins well. Also, I made a conscious choice to choose plugins that I had NEVER used in scoring before. As a result, the compositions and ideas became the focus, not "finding the sounds". Martin Gore from Depeche Mode has one of my favourite quotes. "Constipated by choice." There are way too many options, both free and paid and if you start out trying to find sounds, you will never finish what you started out. Focus less on the options and more on the ideas. Free yourself to approach your compositional process outside of your comfort zone.
Brands of any type have to keep bringing out new products and keep selling stuff but much of it just repackage what you already have but dont know how to use. It is a big market to exploit.
That's some sort of miracle because just as i started reinstalling my windows and questioming all plugins that I own and considering to put limitations on my creative precess, here you are with this video, also I'm competetly in love with that Essentialism rule anyway.
I look forward to your videos. Helping me a lot! thanks Eddie
Amazing and detailed video of what the modern producer and creative human can find in its career as obstacles and dilemmas. I deeply, deeply love this philosophical and psychological format you went for, hope the other options on Quitting Music and Nostalgia from the poll are still valid for future videos!
The vocal base ring in your voice relaxes me
the b reel of you writing video b reel on the to-do list made me very happy
Direct and to the point. You always find something relevant to really drive home and it's never really dumbed down so much as simply worded. My favorite example for this case is many of Jack White's interviews. He's so prolific because he's focused on limitations. If he's stuck, he removes bits rather than adding them.
Awesome message! Thank you so very much!
This was awesome, you made made me realize I have so many of those "not so important but they leave a sense of achievement" things to wipe out of my neverending to-do list to just focus on my real goals.
My brother I love minimalism, and also Im a musician who procrastinates a lot. Allow me to tell you this is one of the best videos I have ever seen, thank you for sharing your wisdom.
Thank you for this channel. This is the content I needed and I'm sure I'm not the only person in these comments who feels this way. It's like, producer specific therapy and your small doses of "laughter is the best medicine" truly make me feel better. Thank you
There is another point that perhaps we are at our most creative when starting out in a new field, hence the musicians that have a great first album but struggle thereafter. It's a separate, but equally valid issue that when we are starting out we don't usually have much equipment. Thanks for the great content!
I think compartmentalization of processes help with music production for sure. You can only do one thing at a time and it takes energy and focus to make it good.
You hit this one out of the park, mustache man. Your genius and awesomeness are on full display!
thank you for all your work.
Love your b-reel jokes!! The detail in the script and videography is amazing!! The subject of the video is a very helpful reminder
your more theoretical videos are some of the most valuable content on the platform and still crazy entertaining 👏🏾👏🏾
This video is eye opening. Thank you for this 🙏🏽
The simple laptop, interface, and controller setup has really helped me actually release more music. I like having options for input, but I need to be able to streamline everything so I get stuff done. Love this vid
This was so helpful. It's exactly what I need to reflect upon and put to practice.
Congrats on 200k🎉🎉
Arguably the best video i have seen from you and a great one to start the week
Thanks for sharing❤
always loved the minimalist approach. well done here and there's a few new ones i hadn't heard.
LOVE the thumbnail/ opening frame!👍
Cameron, you've dropped another winner. I like things that are thought-provoking and you always seem to meet the mark, often (as if) you're reading my mind about the thing that I need to be thinking about next! Thank you, sir 👍😀👍
I relate it. I own a Po-133 which is a tiny sampler that only play 4 polyphonic voices. It's very limited but once you understand it and coming to his limit, you start to create great things
Man, your thought process is so nice and you put the action into it.. This is helping me a lot for life, in general. Thank you for sharing, not everyone knows to where to find this kind of conversation or thought
Thanks. These are some very helpful observations. It just surprises me that I still need to hear them!
Great stuff man! Thanks for sharing, had to hear it from someone to believe in it ❤️
You’ve become very quickly my most watched producer/youtuber. And, as a therapist, I appreciate a lot the time you spend reading and quoting scientific literature, instead of reporting some folk psychology collected here and there. Thank you for all your work, Cameron!
man this music journey is so much fun the more you learn the more you realize you knew nothing, i started with an at2020 a broken laptop, leaking headphones and very bad noisy room after 2 years i now got an NT1 a brand new desktop pc with minimal fan noise, m50x and a room with very good acoustic treatment and honestly the difference is night and day i feel like i can finally produce in peace and let my creativity do the hard work without focusing on so much on technical problems
New to the channel. The vids provide thoughtful discussion and insight. A lot of my favorite musicians have always encouraged this approach to making music. Just recently, while listening to a twitch stream, it was said that, with regards to retractions, it was ideal to create complexity from a limited number of choices. For me, I like having a lot of things to choose from, but then working with only a few things.
I needed this!
Less is more was the concept I had in mind for my last album. I only used a handful of VSTs and effects. I can say that I was happy with the outcome and my music got more recognition than my prior release. For my next project I'm going to add a few new synths... but not too many. TY for the vid Cameron!
You are Going great with these type of content!
Thank You Very Very Much! 🙂🙏
Very good video! I like the feel of accomplishment, when things get finished. I'm a hobbyist in music, but try to every week get a short song together, finish it and move on. It doesn't have to be a hit song, just something to get the creative juices flowing and something that makes you feel good. This is part of me finding my musical "voice" and this way I build a good foundation for the future. Also, remembering "kill your darlings" is a nice rule of thumb 😀
For me, only having gear that I use often and for a specific purpose is necessary. Restricting choices forces me to learn my gear/software thoroughly and to use it creatively. For others, tinkering and getting inspired by new gear spurs creativity, but personally I feel this exercise often gets in the way. I like to learn and look at new gear and workflows but it’s important to consider the real creative implementation of things vs the conquest of more material.
Thanks, i really needed this now! 🙏 i started to drown in all the stuff i have, but this video opened my eyes.
Imagine a world where everything was presented with such clarity, detail and absence of bias. Well done sir!
Great Point/video... I agree 100%... When I was a "starving" artist alongside starting out i had minimal supplies and shared equipment I felt i made some of my best work... Now that i have the funds and equipment I find myself falling into endless rabbit holes... Though creatively fulfilling, I feel the amount of completion is much more limited...
Man, I came across your channel a few weeks ago and there hasn't been a single video that hasn't helped me in some way. From the free plugin recommendations (including your Decent Sampler packs, which are awesome) to all the insights into the mental/philosophical side of making music and being creative in general, it's a real treasure trove of useful information. Thank you!
great vid cam! I enjoyed this
Great video. I've been a minimalist for a year or 2 now and its cool to see a video on how it can play out in making music.
Great video. Great topic. Compels me to see what I can and need to prune from my set up. 👌
Loved this video. Just subscribed. Great argument for the minimalistic approach.
Great point. Thanks
Procrastinating on a ton of projects that are soon due, and then I get a Venus Theory recommendation. Your videos are SO on par, dude. Gonna try harder to stick with what I got👌
There's a beautiful value in embracing your limits and working with what you have. We have an innate drive to acquire more because we think that will remove creative limitations... But in the end what we thought would free us ends up paralyzing us.
This video was extremely insightful. Thank you!
Masterpiece of a video, thank you for the really good tips and guidance, I'm trying to get better at avoiding creative blocks and burnout
So true in a lot of cases. I was lucky to see a complete audio chain from the recording of one of my favorite sounding artists on his Patreon. Simply copying that and using just those tracks and effects lets me focus on making music and the song for a change. Instead of recording whatever as 'never to be redone'-scratch tracks, just so I could have fun mixing with shiny new plugins.
I think that limiting your resources can make you strive for more creative solutions, but I really want to shout out that you mentioned Braid because that game is phenomenal.
That's why I still use Reason 4 despite having Reason 12. I like the limitations.
That final level was utterly 🤯🤯 ingenious
two equally important points: 1 - limitation absolutely does breed creativity, and i really wish more youtubers in the synth & gear world focused more on "do more with what you have" versus advertising whatever is hot & new. do musicians truly have GAS, or is it just a case of constant advertisement to a demographic that maybe has a little more disposable income? (you & benn jordan are doing a great job at providing a great counterpoint to that) 2 - i moved to italy 3 months ago & would kill for a case of flavored sparkling water from aldi
Absolutely. Definatelly in my case. I super love being limited, as it doesn't distract me, makes me focus more on creative things, and most important - ideas. My stuff is super minimal, starting with my gear and ending with minimum sound sources, as it allows me to focus on more interesting arrangements and musical things.
such amazing approach to creativity, kudos to you!
Great video 😁 I've often thought that my best work has been done due to some form of limitation or restriction; I think it makes me dig deeper and be more creative with my decision making/problem solving. Thanks for sharing your thoughts ✨
Great video. Thank you!!!
Love the Eisenhower planner. I use it regularly.
Impressive video. I really like it. You covered such an interesting, important and real topic in a very easy to follow way. thank you!
Less, but better - I can wholeheartedly agree to this. Getting rid of distractions and minimizing decision making really helps to clean up everything in your life - not just in the creative realm :-)
Great topic, excellent presentation. Subbed.
Wow! This was very helpful tbh! 😊
i think this is why switching to mostly DAWless for my work flow has improved my output significantly. Having limits on how many channels, drum sounds or synth sounds I can generate causes me to hyper focus on fine tuning each instrument rather than giving into the impulse to just keep scrolling through hundreds of samples or VST's and not actually making anything. I say this after writing exclusively on Ableton, Reason, Acid Pro, Sound Forge and Rebirth and Fruity Loops 3.0 (in my teens) for over 20 years.