STOP HATING ON PRESETS!

I have been meaning to make a video about this for quite some time. I have been into keyboards and electronic music for most of my life. I got my first analogue synthesizers way back in 1994. It remains a great passion of mine. I have composed, produced and recorded multiple albums of original electronic music.
One thing I have noticed over the years is that many folks seem to look down upon the use of presets. That is, if there are sounds already in the keyboard that were not created by the player, it is somehow viewed as a sign of creative laziness. I disagree with this sentiment.
Yes, programming original sounds can be lots of fun, and very rewarding. I have done this many times over the years, and I must say it is an enjoyable process! It is exciting to create a brand new sound that no one else in the world has ever heard!
But on the same token, the use of presets should not be frowned upon. If an artist feels that that particular preset sound is perfect for a certain mood or sentiment they are trying to express in the song, then why is it wrong to use it? I have encountered many preset sounds that perfectly suited the song I was working on. I did not feel that any editing or tweaking was required.
Does presenting my musical ideas on preset sounds make them any less valid than if I present them with original sounds? I don't think so. First of all, please keep in mind that many, many of the biggest hits you have heard over the years have definitely employed presets. And also, many primitive keyboards (especially those from the golden era of rock and roll) did not allow any editing. Does that make any of those sounds any less valid? Not at all!
If someone chooses to use presets, just let them. Don't make some snarky comment, or be condescending about it. From your perspective, it may seem creatively lazy. But from their perspective, it may not be laziness at all. It's probably them feeling that that preset sound was perfect for the sound they were trying to achieve!
No matter what creative field you are in, there are going to be opinionated know-it-alls who are convinced that what they believe should apply to everyone. How self centred! I intend to talk more about this in future videos. I have seen this in every field I have dabbled in...music, photography, writing, theatre, videography, etc. People love carrying around their own personal list of "dos" and "do nots", and swiftly apply those rules to everyone around them. Please don't do this!
Do you like presets? Is there a particular preset sound on one of your keyboards that you absolutely love? Or do you prefer programming your own sounds? Feel free to leave a comment!
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