Chet Faker Studio Tour
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- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
- Chet Faker shows us around his home studio and explains why ‘less is best’. After buying all the music production gear he had ever dreamt of, Chet explains how this led to one of the most inefficient periods of his life. Watch to find out why limitations in production are so important.
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EPISODE GEAR MENTIONS
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Electret Microphone - geni.us/maAbbKG
API Preamp - geni.us/SbLqB
Elektron Analog Heat - geni.us/v1w4bO
Bricasti M7 Reverb - geni.us/nlWi4
Fender Telecaster - geni.us/IqAMkmZ
Rhodes - geni.us/79UBJe
Moog - geni.us/XLj2va
Neve Desk - geni.us/qGPNIPy
Acid Loop Pro - geni.us/PJuL0Y
Ableton - geni.us/tMpiD
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This is so fukn true. For years, I thought I needed synths and fancy studio equipment. ended up buying a synth that i never used. the best stuff I created was with my laptop and headphones, sitting in a coffeeshop somewhere..
mood is 50% and the other 50% are the other 50%
49 keys are must
Look at DeadMau5 setup.. its like a labatory cross with a missile command launch centre.. but.. what awesome stuff has he put out since he got all this ? All his best stuff was done when he had very little.
Same with Calvin Harris
@@CFox.7duuuude what a fucking “nailed it” comment. Mau5 and especially Harris’ most special tracks were made when they were just getting started. Love this comment.
FACTS. Some gear gives you a critical bump in quality/tone, etc. But most of the time, YOU set your own limit.
Agree completely. Sometimes that one special synth inspires tons of ideas but five synths just become distractions. UA-cam is a great place learn about lots of beautiful gear that we think we need but probably don’t.
well said
I downsized to just two pieces of gear, and I've been happier with my studio than ever before. The limiting factor isn't my gear, it's me -- my imagination, my skill, and my time constraints. All I need is a DAW and one nice physical instrument, which in my case means an Akai Force and a Sequential Pro 3. Just use whatever DAW you like, and whatever instrument feels best to you. Oh, and a phone so that, when I get a song idea, I can hum and record it for later.
the song comes first. It's as simple as that. If the song can't hold up with only a guitar or piano and your vocal then is it really a good song? Stemming from that realisation it makes you just want to sit down and write! Steve Lacy is a perfect example of how limitations can impact your songwriting. He built his career off of making songs on his iPhone, HIS IPHONE. One of those songs has probably made millions in streaming royalties alone and allowed Steve to focus fully on his music career. A drum loop, a bass track, guitar/piano (or both) and vocals, what else do you need really? After that is when you should start to think of FX and textures if necessary to fill out the song. Ofc this comes from a biased songwriting perspective, other genres require a different workflow, but i think this is great advice for songwriters who get overwhelmed and I second what Chet was saying
Breakcore doesn't hold up with only a guitar and your vocal
@@machineagevoodoo2106 that’s why I said other genres require a different workflow, I’m mostly talking about more traditional styles of music that require vocals.
Exactly I've done this mistake many time . I'll have a great melody that I love & when I start to add counter melodies on top & other riffs they all work nice. But if that main hook 🪝 sounds like crap then no matter what I add to it it still sounds crappy.
For me personally alot of the fun is in the fx and having fun with crazy phasing, delays, Flanders, wideners etc. etc...thats not to say you have great advice, but subjectively for some of us alot of the joy is in the tedious tweeking hehe.
I understand his point, but what I have found is that the best way of getting to know what you need and what works for you best is by owning it...even though it is true that no new synth or drummachine will make the music for you...just don’t let GAS steal your music making time. I store in my basement what I’m not using and rediscover it once in a while.
I agree with this, you gotta dip into a few different varieties to discover what type of options are essential and what you can take or leave.
Specifically on the modular thing. I’ve heard so many accounts of people buying a silly amount of modular gear in one go. A 9k modular system is no joke and buying all that upfront is a terrible idea. You end up not having a clue how any of it works and you feel bad for not using it because you spent so much money, not to mention the time investment it takes to learn to use it properly. To anyone thinking of starting modular. Go slow, start small, take the time to learn every module you buy inside out and only buy a new module if you really think it will add value to your system. Then it is an amazing and fruitful journey into sound generation and discovery that will add uniqueness to your music and be a source of fun, not frustration.
Very wise words! I use my modular as more of a fun toy with no expectations, purely exploration. I felt like it expanded my musical palette even when I work in the daw adding more drift, noise and imperfections.
I think I wasted more time researching and lusting the gear which is another dangerous side of gas.
Thats why i got manuals of plug ins or any specific hardware gear that I currently don’t own atm but i read them from time to time to familiarize myself. Before i even end up getting it .. Cuz i know eventually the day would come when i feel im ready .n i made a list of which hardware synths n plug ins ill be settled with n its a very short list i might add .. at the same time a manual can only get you so far . But that being said .. me personally i always somehow find that push within me to keep going .. that drive . But it all comes from the memories i choose to keep with me . Memories that i cant let go .. it pains me just to think about it ..but ironically thats my drive .. ill always keep that in the back of my mind so when ever i feel spaced out I’ll remember whats my purpose in life .. to make music from the heart
his connection between laziness and creativity hit deep
I have lots of gear but I go with the approach of "if it sounds good, it's good." Therefore, I can grab a couple pieces of gear that I feel inspired to use at the moment and as soon as I make or pull up something that sounds good, I roll with it without any second thoughts. As a sound designer having all of these options ends up speeding up my flow since some things can achieve a vibe easier and quicker than others. I don't have to use everything at once. That being said, I limit the amount of gear I own and am pretty much done acquiring it. I definitely see the point he is making and agree with him.
if you want to be even more hardcore with the vibe of, limitation = creativity, try getting a 4 channel tracker (like the ones used in the early 1990s on Amiga computers), it's not for the faint of heart with some one coming from a modern DAW background!! but you might just like the limitations, also... only about 30 samples.
I remember seeing you, at Sasquatch 2016. So so good. Much love ❤️
Getting into modular is a step by step process. Not an all at once type thing. It's best to make purchases with intention and limitations in mind.
Personally speaking, I've been through a lot of gear acquisition in a short time (the last 3 years) and now I've reached my final resting point gear wise (🤞). The problem for me was that I had never made music before so was learning as I went and finding gear that worked for me was a big part of that process (DAWs leave me cold) and as I was trying to improve, I'd turn to UA-cam to watch tutorials on the gear I had but then the deeper down the wormhole you go, the more 'marketing' tutorials you see. I'd get creatively burnt out and turn to watching synth videos as a way to still be doong something music related but not necessarily learning the process. Its an easy trap to fall into. UA-cam is pretty much solely responsible for my GAS and now I skip past anything that looks promotional or just hit 'Don't recommend this'. I'm forcing myself to not be so interested in new synths and to just focus all my attention on making music now and I definitely feel more happy with things/life. This is a good video. Listen to his advice! And mine. 😁
so upload some music
@@rum5812 err, I have
"work with what you've got" is the attitude that has allowed me to be the happiest with my music and get the most done.
Don't worry about the stuff, just do the thing.
What a great video, Nick is one of my favourite producers and I appreciate this insight!
As someone who's wasted lots of time in sound selection, this one hits close to home.
FACTS. Refreshing to hear this
Good comments, and I agree for the most part. I do support high quality front end gear, e.g., microphones, preamps, compression and EQ, which can also be used later in mix down. But, yeah, focus on the music and flow of ideas.
finally someone is talking about it... gear trap! 21. century sickness of (many) musicians.
The song is everything. Thank you.
"Get on with the song." Good advice.
This was dope to watch today
Even though I do have a lot of gear. What you said is true. My version of this is limited what I use. For example limit my choice to 2 synths for this song instead trying use them all
Constraints is part of the artistic process.
Doing it your own way is using your creativity, that's far more satisfying than doing it the way you were told to, not lazy at all (probably the opposite).
Thats maybe the shortest Studiotour i´ve seen! :) Great!
Took Me a Decade to upgrade from Reason 4 to Reason 12 and the end result of music sounds basically the same despite having lots of new devices.
This concept is so important. Great advice.
Totally depends on what your goal is. Sounds like his is making songs. Some peoples goal is just blowing off steam and making fun sounds. I like the message as a songwriter, but I love noodling around on my synths. I am in no hurry and don't feel like I'm wasting time at all. Different strokes.
exactly
There are cheaper things than $4k synths to “blow off steam” and “making fun sounds”. Sounds like an excuse for “no talent”.
Yea if you're a perfectionist you don't wanna waste time on making crappy songs/sounds
If you're determined to "make a song"... maybe GAS is limiting you... but if you're on a journey of learning and developing or finding out what you don't know. Then new synths and even set ups can be a breath of fresh air. Finding that new work flow or approach tends to give me a whole new soundscape or options. To each their own.
if your rolling in the daw just reset the device your using basically defaulting it and start from the ground up then you get a personal sound, try it....
It's so easy to download megatons of vst synths and spend days and days searching The Sound. At the end I often use one of the most generic synth sound from somewhere 90s. Often every experiment with complicated synth patches end up being too separated from overall mix. I can even grab my good old 90s hardware synth and play keyb parts with it.
He really hits on something there about laziness being part of the creative process and gear acquisition is definitely a means of disguising procrastination, it becomes a total crutch.
His point about being able to leave gear set up to just play is critical too. It's a big mental hurdle to getting into the studio space if you have to patch a bunch of gear and set it up first. Now I just need to flip some power switches and get to work!
There's no such thing as "wasting time" when it comes to creating art. Product perhaps, but not art. The process is important. Playing around, messing around, making mistakes, trying things out...That's the entire point. He speaks of being "inefficient", but everything is a process and is necessary. Even that "inefficiency" has informed what he's done since and his process so therefore it was entirely relevant and important to his process.
Very well put
I’m an artist and I hate messing around trying a bunch of stuff. What ever gets me to the sound I want fastest-that’s what I’m doing.
@@Drfresh1402 I agree. Words and phrases like "less is best", "wasting time" and "inefficient" can be misleading however, so I put forward a counter argument. It's very difficult to be 100 percent productive and inspired 100 percent of the time and as artists we can put a lot of pressure on ourselves. It's important to understand that all of the bits in-between are just as important as when we're physically creating. Sometimes limitation is important for me and I write on one string of a guitar, sometimes I'm more creative with 5 different pianos, 50 synths and an orchestra. Whatever gets you excited and allows you to create in that moment is what you should do. Chet may well be in this particular part of his flow right now, but it doesn't mean to say in future he won't completely switch around and be inspired by the more is more/experimental/searching/playing around style.
Correct, he had to "waste" time to get to where he is now.
@@Drfresh1402 “messing around trying a bunch of stuff” is literally my favorite part about creating and being creative.
Fantastic insight here. So many fill their studios with toys and get nothing done.
3:41 says everything about this "creative genius"....and his "advice".
i have too much gear and software to the point that i never really learn any of them that well and just dabble here and there and the funny thing is i was way more productive 1 0 years ago when all i had was like a microkorg , a recorder , and an iphone with with about 10 music making / synth apps. oh well . although back then i was living in a really small town that i found incredibly boring so i did a lot more creative stuff just out of boredom.
why did u show arturia? probably one of the best plugin with so many different synths and the best sounds I've ever heard.
heard a good saying the other complete different subject but i feel it applies here - "when you capable of anything, you'll end up doing nothing"
Is there a full video version of this? There is only an audio version through the link
...there comes the time when every Artist realize this!!!
The best Songs I wrote were when I only had a JV 880 and a midi Sequencer.
he's giving more of a spiritual message than about music
Music is spiritual. Many writings on it. I would agree for those tied up in ego attachments to gear, which is why many can’t get to the source and stuck.
I think he's making a really good point based on his own experience ,too much choice can limit.
Yes!!
totally agree!
Every one is different if your workflow is to use only your laptop why not ? And contrary if you have 20 synth why not
This is spot on 👍👍👍👍👍
I have 4 synths and a sampler at hand 1x Modular system .. more then that would be over kill. Each synth/ modular brings a very specific flavour for me
Be it bass, pad, lead etc it’s nt complicated to know from each piece what I’d get from them
I don’t sit and scratch my head wondering before the idea is gone
I defo agree too much gear is going to be a hindrance but in my case I’ve reached a threshold that works well, for me*
It takes time to figure out/ narrow down
Which was in my case
outstanding this is gold
Honestly I been using a mpk Akai mini and it has helped me make all my songs you don't need fancy shit to make bangers bro
Dang such a great perspective
Thats so true!! i totally agree with him.
I would say it's all about balance. Explore as much as it helps you get what you want out of music. If you're trying to earn a living writing and producing music, I would expect the approach to being productive is a bit different from somebody who just loves doing it as a hobby. And as pointed out by a few other folks already, sometimes you have to explore something to find out you didn't really need to.
Chet is the best!💯🎹
Is that a dt770 he's wearing?
Awesome advice Bro!
Balance is key to everything
Totally agree. I’m an electronic music maker and my best songs started on a guitar…
i think when we are feeling determined to make a track, less is easier because it’s simplified. you can manipulate all sounds these days from a soft tap on a crash cymbal transformed into a distorted harmonic note flooded with reverb/ delay to create a sci fi experimental sound.
when we have too many sounds to play with we sometimes get second guessed with a small possibility with every other instrument subconsciously, only because we know its there.
I agree. Endless tweaking and menu diving - fun? Sure - but we never get anything done.
One good polysynth can take the place of like 4 or 5 of those items he mentioned... The two monosynths, the vocoder, drummachines, etc
Thought it was quite a weird rule tbh haha
That's not the point though, they're too flexible and get him lost. To each their own!
@@jaakbonenstaak8041 I have a similar rule, I get what he's saying. Polys are often really versatile and expansive studio centerpieces that require a bit more work to get them sounding the way you want them to. Loads of presets to scroll through etc. Every time I've owned a big poly I find myself trying too hard to fit it in just to justify owning it. Sold a Peak and an OB6 because of that. Now I've got a little Dreadbox Nymphes for poly duties, and it's great when I need it but small and cheap enough to not feel like it's wasting space if it just sits there. Note that's also got his rhodes and organ there, so most of his polyphonic parts probably come from those 'instant results' instruments.
YEARRRR NICK MURPHY !
Is there a full interview somewhere. These clips are awesome
I think it's so funny when videos have a bunch of messages all over them saying "STOP BUYING GEAR!!!" but then the guy has a s***-ton of gear he depends on to work.
And frankly, he only knows what little he needs because he has tried it all.
Well everyone is different. Personally i don't find mouse fiddling in DAWs really appealing and did MIDI tracks recording for VST synths way too long till it downright annoyed me. So instead just record raw tracks on actual hardware instruments (no MIDI tracks, just very oldschool audio-only) and then arrange the recorded tracks & overdub because i find it a lot more fun to do. Keeping it very simple because i need the physical aspect and being able to get lost and turning it into something listenable. Once i realize i don't really use any piece of gear enough or i have a feeling it simply doesn't suit me, i sell it off and make space for the things i REALLY need. Just use what suits your needs the best and what makes you happy to work with.
Love how there is a crt with smash on behind him haha
Really good advice here, he’s not as much of a faker as I thought
Love Chet!
Same here bro 😎 good advice
Well I've got quite a bit less stuff than he has in that studio so I guess I can still buy more..;)
I get what he says but I don't fully agree, It's fine having a lot of stuff, but you have to make sure you know most pieces very well and that they are plugged and ready to go at a moment's notice. That being said I agree that knowing really well what you have is a lot more valuable than having a lot of things but not being familiar with them.
FACTS peeps. Especially from Chet -- an absolutely great producer himself.
its not facts is it ffs, tame impala/Kevin Parker is a much better musician, more synths and experimenting the merrier.
@@danadams8649 not mutually exclusive brother! love Kevin as well
He still have a lot of stuff. You dont need hardware anymore, even preamps. Sold my synths, only have a Nord Drum that no one wants to buy lol
He’s absolutely correct
Best advice ever! Just make music and if you can’t complete a song because of a lack of gear than you buy the thing. If you do it the other way around it will consume you.
Since time doesn’t exist, it can’t be waisted.
Time doesn’t really exist. So who cares about wasting it. I agree about the simple instruments though. Analog Poly synths and eurorack are a clusterfuck, unless you use the presets which don’t exist in eurorack. I mean, hindsight is always 20/20. For awhile, i just had an ASR-10 and it forces you to focus and use every feature of the machine; which is the best thing about less is more. I don’t find using plugins gratifying though, so the ‘just the computer’ way doesn’t inspire much.
if time does not exist then how do we hear music at all? Surly there must be a dimension moving along some manifold where objects appear and later dissolve and hence, the name time.
How can less be more? It’s impossible! More is more!
To create music. Sorry about that ending of the sentence. One day I just couldn't take the clutter. Started throwing things out.
There's a interview of Jacob Collier where he said that one thing he learned from Working with Quincy Jones was that the best kind of music is a balance of science & soul . I think what he means is that even when you make your choices when creating song from following your gut & how a melody can set a certain mood or how a beat can make you wanna dance it is still okay to swap between that gut feeling of what feels right to you & a little music theory the scientific part of it either what chords work together scientifically & what sounds good to you. If you got too much technicality there is no soul in your music then it it be stale & bland . But if you get just the right balance of The music theory & the soul "how a chord makes you feel , or of you get goosebumps hearing a melody" then you can start making interesting music. it's a mix of those 2 ingredients
Preach it!!. I feel the same of what it's done to me too.
all you need is one of what you know you like, and two of something you don’t know yet and are comparing. And then sell one of those and end up with one
Makes sense, but no poly synth?
There's no way to find out what you really need without trying out things.
''not allowed to have poly synths'' and a polyD appears. and it's not even a polyphonic synth lol
I thought the same
is not an ideal picture and it's not a true polyphonic , but technically is still polyphonic as you can play chords being paraphonic
So you answered your own observation? Lol
Who's Chet Faker? The Aussie accent has me curious now. He's right about gear, especially synths.
I love buying gear but you right lol
When I had my motif I knew how to get the most out of it. But when I upgrade it changed
same..i love keeping it really simple. gat a minilogue XD and i never use the sequencer..its crazy deep divable..i get nothing done..lol.
That's exactly my go-to method!
'Cause I'm poor.
I know what he’s saying. Because it’s relatively easy to obtain equipment. We become collectors more than creators. Some of the greatest music that is the roots of all modern popular music. Was made by ex slaves that just about owned the clothes they are wearing.
God this guy talks absolute truth, all light bulb moments for me there hahaha
I respect what he's saying but I've made more music with my Elektron boxes in two years than in the ten years prior with just a DAW.
I think electron boxes kinda agree with what he’s saying! Have your gear and stick to it, know it really well, and don’t waste time looking for hours. Definitely a different method but similar approach!
@@jacksonmiller2307 Very true. I faffed around with other gear, synths and shit, for a while but I never used any of it long term except the Elektrons. Developing muscle memory and knowing something like the back of your hand is so valuable.
@@kp8923 seriously!! I just got a digitakt and it isn’t working for me yet. I’m tempted to sell it, but know if I stick with it it will be so worth it! Cheers!
Doesn't mean I'm great at it but grabbing a mobile device to make music was what made me start wanting to make music my pc wouldn't hold up , but on a mobile I can work with something very similar to a pc daw so I'm like let's goo!
I'll move to pc when I can but my point is when we want it we find a way , there's people making music with cooking pans and wood spoons .
Great video man
I got rid of a few of my synthesizers last month. I also got rid of some cameras, a guitar too. I just didn't use them anymore. I just use the instruments on my DAW. They have a lot of instruments. I also have over 47 Virtual synthesizers. One of them has over 50,000 presets. I haven't used all of those either, but I have enough resources to help me create music. I just use my 40 dollar laptop, and my 14 dollar headphones to create music. Plus I have millions of samples some on cds, and flash drives. I have a lot to work with. I figured out I didn't need much to
He Speaks Truth
This is so true