# The Various Shits...

- Site: Analog Industries
- Author: Chris Randall
- Date: 2011-01-04
- URL: https://analogindustries.com/2011/01/the-various-shits/

I'm monumentally busy. I will attempt to enumerate the things that are causing this rather distressing turn of events, and you'll rapidly begin to understand why it has been four days since I posted.

**1\. Moving**. Yee-fucking-haw. This move is only 28 miles, down to Tempe, instead of 1260 from PDX, so it's not near as bad. Even so, it's still moving, and still sux0rs. With loud sux0ring noises. Wouldn't be so bad except...

**2\. NAMM.** Fast approaching, and before which we'd like to release...

**3\. Phosphor.** I fully realize why people pay Richard Divine to write presets. Synths need a lot of presets, for reasons passing understanding. The Windows version is done, anyhow, and being beta-tested, sans presets. I'd just like to interject that the Minimoog, one of the most desirable synths of all time, has no presets.

**4\. Oh, and...** We just ran the numbers, and Audio Damage had its best sales year ever in 2010. I know I say that every year, but every year since we started has been better than the previous. Downturn, schmownturn!!!

So, that's what's going on. The Meeblip folks are in danger of getting bitched at, with loud bitching noises, as I'm not terribly fond of companies that sell something they're not prepared to ship; they get a pass for now, due to who they are, and the fact that they have good intentions, but let me state for the record that I'm the sort of person you want to move to the front of the queue.

In any event, if you don't hear from me for the next day or two (or three or four), suffice to say that I haven't turned in to a hermit or anything. Just moving and writing presets. This is an open thread, and the subject is bad buying/selling experiences. Go!

## Comments (10)

**bleen** (2011-01-04):

I'd be happy to have an AU of Phosphor w/o presets. It always takes me less time to program something than search through a list of someone else's idea of what synth sound I might need.

**Chris Randall** (2011-01-04):

You and me both. I don't even use presets with Massive. Might as well use samples. Unfortunately, we're in the minority.

-CR

**bongo_x** (2011-01-04):

I often start with presets, but never use them unaltered. There's just no way someone has already made the sound exactly as I'm hearing it in my head.

I need them on a new instrument though, even if I'll never use them; they're demos. I assume that the presets are (and demos) are showing me the width and breadth of the software's usage. Developers who skimp on them are doing themselves a huge disservice. Developers who make 50 trance patches smothered in reverb are wasting my time and won't get my money (although it's probably a winning strategy overall, if KVR is any indication).

bb

**Trackdriver** (2011-01-04):

I haven't even browsed through the presets on my synths. I have noticed that the preset users are very difficult to please. If a synth has few or bad (not bread and butter) presets the synth is worthless. Maybe they are a busy people and don't have time to create sounds but I can imagine that browsing huge libraries of presets is time consuming too. Personally I think programming my own sounds is half of the fun and is a great part of the composing.

**msouthard** (2011-01-04):

I ordered an MR816X from Sam Ash Direct. After 2 months, they couldn't tell me when it would arrive, so I got my money back and ordered it from Musician's Friend. I got it 3 days later.

Oh well.

**Chris Randall** (2011-01-04):

@bongo_x: you can rest assured that there won't be 50 trance presets smothered in reverb in this synth. First of all, there's no reverb (although we'll be very happy to sell you a nice one). Aside from that, I despise trance with an unbridled passion.

That said, your point is well taken. Nobody is going to know how to operate this synth better than Adam and I, and it falls to us to show the end-user its various capabilities. That's how I approach presets in general; I don't use them, even in our own products (although our own products comprise about 95% of my personal plug-in usage, for obvious reasons). I personally look at programming the synth(s) as part of the songwriting process, and coming up with an interesting sound is really helpful towards a track's completion.

-CR

**msouthard** (2011-01-04):

I generally go through the first few presets when I get something new just to give me ideas on how it works. Sometimes I'll use them as a starting point and tweak them to fit with the music. I do, however, enjoy some of the presets in "Ricochet".

**bodo** (2011-01-04):

For better or for worse, I tend to see presets as a very helpful add-on on complex (soft) synths.

Take the XILS Poly KB for example, there's no way you could get to a lot of lush-sounding err... sounds when you just read the manual and/or skimp over that damn damp GUI.

Sometimes things tend to get overtly complex, and then it's nice to have a few templates (as I see them) in software-land.

**ashtarbrian** (2011-01-04):

yeah, the preset vs. virgin setup argument..... it seems with a product like Phosphor, without most having a reference point to it's origins, you have to lay out some sounds for expository purposes.... and especially on a namm floor filled with *sigh* yet more 2 osc subtractive soft synths.... but that being said, if i wrote all those off i would have missed the XILS Poly KB2 and the surprisingly competent sylenth etc.....

but congrats on the good year chris, and why is it you KEEP moving? real pain for setting up the studio i'm sure... do you have room treatments etc you move with or do you just play it fast and loose?

best,

brian

**Chris Randall** (2011-01-04):

I don't treat my room. I have two lines of logic for that, and you can take them at face value, or think I'm crazy, as you see fit.

1. I mix at a very low volume, and I eschew sub-woofers. Since that's the case, I don't have to worry about standing waves and bass traps in my room, the two things you usually treat for.

2. I've been doing this for a very long time, and I've found that 99% of the listening public is perfectly happy with incredibly shitty mixes. Their car stereos are missing a speaker and distorted, and the rest of the time, they're listening on a home theatre system set on some bizarre THX setting or on iPhone earbuds. The moral of this story? The mix isn't 1/10th as important as the melody, lyrics, and song structure.

-CR