Your greatest musical epiphany.

[amaterasu]

What was your greastet musical epiphany? You know, that moment something just kind of clicks in your brain and suddenly a bunch of shit falls into place.

For me, it was when I stopped worrying so much about the logistics of everything and started to worry about how my music made me feel. Seriously, I'm an obsessive learner and was gathering so much technical info for a while, that I lost sight of the true purpose of music. It was also hard for me because I'm a very walled up person, and have trouble expressing myself.

[eatmeatleet]

Nice thoughts, I always thought that I have to like the music I make at first. I always have to be in good mood otherwise I don't like any sounds

[Mystery-Moon-Pie-Aud]

I may not have had that yet. Epiphany.

[amaterasu]

It doesn't have to be huge, I should have said "greatest musical epiphany so far" because we never really stop learning.

[SineRider]

When I found out there was more to a DAW than presets.

this was actually last week

[Back-From-Purgatory]

When I created a classical piece so epic that it sounded like it was straight from a blockbuster mega hit, only for it to vanish when I tried to load it up the next day.... Man, I was so pissed... Was the best thing I had ever wrote, and it just vanished... Poof.. Just like that.

[SolidElectro]

When i detuned my first oscilattor... Ahh... Thoose times :]

[the1manwiththeplan]

When I realized I wasn't really composing anything by dragging garage band loops onto the stage XD

[Kirbyfemur]

Mine took me a while. I'll go through my musical career to get to it:

When i was a baby till maybe around 3 or four my mom would play Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" on the piano. (To this day it remains one of my all time favorite songs.) I would just sort of wale away at the keys having fun making the instrument make prett noises.

When I started being able to comprehend things a bit better, (I man as well as a small child can comprehend anything) I started off at an early age wanting to play the xylophone, because to me those where the most interesting sounding instruments playing. I thought this because of our high school marching band, and instead of watching the funny formations i was listening to those phones.

Then 4th grade came along and I instead went towards orchestra and wanted to play the Double bass, but because of the expense and my teacher didn't have the knowledge to teach the bass along with the other instruments at the time. So i got the cello. Things went a bit bumpily with it, i didn't hardly practice and i had a couple times where i just plain didn't want to even touch it.

Years later, still playing the instrument. My music teacher, in which I had from 4th all the way till my last year of High school. (Don't ask how this worked, but it did) She helped introduce more of the classical side of music. I had also taken a music theory class and learned more about chords and scales.(This is just a very summarized thing of what i learned)

I had eventually picked up on learning the Bass and normal guitars.

This all may be useless info to some, but to me it's all just the build up to the epiphany that is to come. But so far my biggest epiphany has been, just how amazing a song can sound when just the right amount of harmony, dissonance, syncopation and very passionate individual instrument parts are used. And that the world has become far to structured, and people are too afraid to try anything strange, even things that may not be liked by people. And because of this nothing new and amazing can be made.

[Reaper93]

My biggest epiphany so far has been more of a string of little things.

Use the mixerboard for volume not the step sequencer, that's what the mixer is for: mixing.
Use panning because a straight on mix is really cluttered.
Use the frequency band because four instruments in the same band is really cluttered.
If percussion is not keeping a beat the drummer is fired in real life, apply to DAW also.
Do not rely on the limiter to keep your song's volume in the proper area too much.
Cut lows and highs on instruments that aren't supposed to have them, boost highs if the mix doesn't have a lot of it left at the end.
Cut key press noises from shitty samples that aren't supposed to have such distinct key press noises.

Just those little steps that we all gotta learn. It always sounded fine, until I learned what the hell I was doing with the next lil thing, then it sounded like garbage unless I used it xD

[Calamaistr]

At 11/29/09 03:51 PM, amaterasu wrote: What was your greastet musical epiphany? You know, that moment something just kind of clicks in your brain and suddenly a bunch of shit falls into place.

For me, it was when I stopped worrying so much about the logistics of everything and started to worry about how my music made me feel. Seriously, I'm an obsessive learner and was gathering so much technical info for a while, that I lost sight of the true purpose of music. It was also hard for me because I'm a very walled up person, and have trouble expressing myself.

To me it was the exact way around, it was when i stopped worrying so much about how my music made me feel, i lost sight of the true purpose in music, i found out a whole universe behind sound and started to make music according to logic. In the end it familiarised me with music and allowed me to make much better compositions.

[amaterasu]

At 11/29/09 07:35 PM, Calamaistr wrote: To me it was the exact way around, it was when i stopped worrying so much about how my music made me feel, i lost sight of the true purpose in music, i found out a whole universe behind sound and started to make music according to logic. In the end it familiarised me with music and allowed me to make much better compositions.

I'm not saying I've stop worrying about the mechanics of music alltogether. My studies continue to this day.

[Kirbyfemur]

At 11/29/09 07:35 PM, Calamaistr wrote:

To me it was the exact way around, it was when i stopped worrying so much about how my music made me feel, i lost sight of the true purpose in music, i found out a whole universe behind sound and started to make music according to logic. In the end it familiarised me with music and allowed me to make much better compositions.

Why would you want to stop worring about how it makes you feel, and how does this have to do with the "true purpose of music"? Music is a stimulus for the senses, that can make you feel so many things. And it can also make you think. There is no true purpose of music.

But by relying so heavily on, are you making music that you like, or are you only trying to make something that you think everyone will like.

My point is, I'm glad you have been able to make better compositions, but are you making them for you to enjoy, or for some other person to enjoy?

[alcatraz5]

My greatest epiphanies were:

Automation Clips.

Compressors, and using them properly.

Learning how to make patches from scratch.

and, The chopper.

[Mystery-Moon-Pie-Aud]

At 11/29/09 04:46 PM, SineRider wrote: When I found out there was more to a DAW than presets.

this was actually last week

That's extremely odd, since you have been on here for a looong time.

[SolusLunes]

At 11/29/09 09:13 PM, Mystery-Moon-Pie-Aud wrote:

At 11/29/09 04:46 PM, SineRider wrote: When I found out there was more to a DAW than presets.

this was actually last week

That's extremely odd, since you have been on here for a looong time.

In Soviet Russia, joke makes you!

[EoD696]

I dunno if this will work but here;

<img src="http://www.rempro.nl/images/SoundFo rum.jpg">
And here's a link just in case

Its supposed to be an image of the first VST/DAW I ever used. I say VST/DAW because it wasn't a VST, it was designed as a standalone program, not a .dll to be plugged into something else, but it couldn't record notes or music, just the settings of the synth in your own presets. And the presets it came with sucked ass. But, manipulating and messing with it was super easy. So making your own sounds was really all it was meant for. I made some of the coolest shit with this thing, and the experience I gained from working with it has made developing the music I make today so much easier for me. Without a doubt, discovering Soundforum Synth has got to be the greatest musical epiphany I've ever had.

Here's a link to download it;
Download Soundforum Synth

Like I said, it's not a VST or DAW , its just a synth. But its fun to screw around with, and its free.

[SessileNomad]

At 11/29/09 08:44 PM, alcatraz5 wrote: My greatest epiphanies were:

Automation Clips.

Compressors, and using them properly.

Learning how to make patches from scratch.

and, The chopper.

probably alot of the same stuff for

Fruity Slicer(more ppl will say "use slicex!", but i like the slicer better because...)

Automations, i use them like crazy

[djInTheDark]

I haven't had my big epiphany yet, but I think I'm close.

I've been trying to figure out whats wrong. When I hear my own music, it sounds so empty. When I hear other peoples music, it sounds like music. Its not that I'm not trying, believe me I am. For instance, dance music. I try to make something that you can dance to, but it just doesn't work. I put all the soul into it but it just sounds so not there. What is it that doesn't make it the way I wish it would sound? What am I missing?

Maybe I'm a perfectionist, Idk...

[Kirbyfemur]

At 11/29/09 10:26 PM, djInTheDark wrote: I haven't had my big epiphany yet, but I think I'm close.

I've been trying to figure out whats wrong. When I hear my own music, it sounds so empty. When I hear other peoples music, it sounds like music. Its not that I'm not trying, believe me I am. For instance, dance music. I try to make something that you can dance to, but it just doesn't work. I put all the soul into it but it just sounds so not there. What is it that doesn't make it the way I wish it would sound? What am I missing?

Maybe I'm a perfectionist, Idk...

You're worrying to much on the outcome, work on focusing on what your doing. If you focus to hard on what you want something to sound like, the more disappointed you'll be when it's done and doesn't sound exactly how you want it. Keep low expectations and just enjoy the process, rather than making it feel like work.

[Calamaistr]

At 11/29/09 07:42 PM, Kirbyfemur wrote:

My point is, I'm glad you have been able to make better compositions, but are you making them for you to enjoy, or for some other person to enjoy?

Im making them because i enjoy the dimension.

[DJ-Chilvan]

I know you say "Greatest Epiphany Yet" but what I'm about to tell you is the greatest ever. I can't get better than this. When I signed up for the school/church choir in my school when I lived in Nigeria. Now, what I learned in just one year of choir is what all of my songs released in 2009 are made up of. It's what helped me figure out the whole concept of harmony. If I would have decided not to take choir, I would never have produced any of the songs that I have now. I can never even explain how much I am grateful for my decision. I can now create harmonies and different melodies in just seconds, while there are many people who have trouble coming up with melodies, not to mention harmonies.
I am extremely grateful for this 'epiphany.'
Thank you God.

[Calamaistr]

At 11/29/09 11:17 PM, DJ-Chilvan wrote:

I am extremely grateful for this 'epiphany.'
Thank you God.

Well, its good that you figured out a way for yourself to understand harmony better, there are also some that are naturals and have a musical mind to whom it it would not really be of use.

what do gods have to do with it?

[DJ-Chilvan]

At 11/29/09 11:33 PM, Calamaistr wrote:

At 11/29/09 11:17 PM, DJ-Chilvan wrote:

I am extremely grateful for this 'epiphany.'
Thank you God.

Well, its good that you figured out a way for yourself to understand harmony better, there are also some that are naturals and have a musical mind to whom it it would not really be of use.

what do gods have to do with it?

Well, (I'm Christian) since I sang for God, he bestowed me with some indispensable musical knowledge. I know half the population on here is atheist, but I'm just standing by my beliefs. Plus, I learnt a lot more than harmony, it's just that harmony is the best thing I got out of all the new knowledge I acquired.

[btriangle]

My greatest musical epiphany was on December 9th 2008, at approximately 8:50 - 9:00, when I heard the school band perform with the strings as a full orchestra. Its a moment I will probably never forget.

I had never heard an orchestra play in my entire life. So many amazing things at once were happening during those short 10 minutes. I was calculating every single instrument that was playing and trying to understand everything I could about them, I was truly in a trance.

Since than I knew that I will be making music for the rest of my life, and have been able to orchestrate all of my songs.

Since than I have been able to make Orchestrated music. (Just in case you wanted to know, my first orchestrated song after listening to them perform is on my profile, its called Team of 3 demo, my second is Paladins Ride.)

[Calamaistr]

At 11/30/09 12:46 AM, btriangle wrote:

Since than I have been able to make Orchestrated music. (Just in case you wanted to know, my first orchestrated song after listening to them perform is on my profile, its called Team of 3 demo, my second is Paladins Ride.)

Cant say i liked that piece much, however your dnb track ended in my favorite list :)

[Psil0]

My greatest one would have to be when I rediscovered why I began composing and started to ignore much of the theoretical and technical aspects and just got back to making music I enjoyed. It's the best feeling when you use theory as a tool and not as a platform on which to compose various pieces.

[EvilRaccoon]

The first major one was when I got Edirol for the first time (after using fruity for a year), nobody had told me about it, I wasn't on here at the time, and I was like. WOA! I have an ENTIRE orchestra here. (lol me = big n00b). Many months later I realised that I could midi channel set. And I was like. SUPER WOA! (obviously still a big n00b here. lol)

The last major (years and years ago) one I remember was when I realised each channel could have its effects channel. That was a glorious day. lol

[btriangle]

At 11/30/09 01:40 AM, Calamaistr wrote:

At 11/30/09 12:46 AM, btriangle wrote:

Since than I have been able to make Orchestrated music. (Just in case you wanted to know, my first orchestrated song after listening to them perform is on my profile, its called Team of 3 demo, my second is Paladins Ride.)

Cant say i liked that piece much, however your dnb track ended in my favorite list :)

lol *sigh*, I think should change my background color for my level. People keep thinking im someone else lol.

[Envy]

When I downloaded Magix and realized I could just throw loops together instead of actually having to do work.