Learning Massive inside out?

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Learning Massive inside out?

Postby KillerAmp » 04 Jul 2012 01:15

Ive been screwing around with massive for awhile, and i can get some sounds out of it that are unique, but 99.999999% of the time the sounds i produce are either not what i had intended for, feel empty/weak/8bit/trash/garbage/crap ect.ect.ect., or both. I would REALLY love to learn this synth inside-out and be able to have an idea in my head, and create it with little to no effort, this is something that i will put as much time (and more) as necessary because right now im at the point where (for dubstep) i can get a strong intro and a suspenseful buildup but then i get to the drop, and it sounds like:
KillerAmp wrote:empty/weak/8bit/trash/garbage/crap ect.ect.ect.
ANY AND ALL HELP WOULD BE AWESOME ;_;
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Re: Learning Massive inside out?

Postby Unlimited Mana » 04 Jul 2012 02:24

I'm not the best with Massive, but reading the manual/various guides and learning what every knob does helped a lot. (as it does with every piece of software ever)
I suggest not spending too much time watching videos on how to make specific sounds until you understand what every control does and how it affects the sound. That way you'll actually understand what they're doing, you know?
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Re: Learning Massive inside out?

Postby Edened » 04 Jul 2012 02:51

I'm currently doing the same thing with Harmless. What I've found is that reading the manuel really helps with understanding what all the knobs do. I'm not too familiar with Massive but I'm sure it would be pretty helpful.
Also, sometimes I'll try to recreate the presets, I think that helps a lot.

Best of luck
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Re: Learning Massive inside out?

Postby Seven » 04 Jul 2012 09:12

You can get pretty far messing around with knobs, changing presets, etc.

...but when it comes to actually shaping a sound you've planned in beforehoof, a complete understanding of each and ever aspect of the synth is required.

(I'm not quite there yet; still messing about and tweaking the factory library - Correct me if anything in this post is/might be wrong)

Unlimited Mana wrote:I'm not the best with Massive, but reading the manual/various guides and learning what every knob does helped a lot. (as it does with every piece of software ever)
I suggest not spending too much time watching videos on how to make specific sounds until you understand what every control does and how it affects the sound. That way you'll actually understand what they're doing, you know?


Got a point there

Nothing against video tutorials, but in the case of Massive, you'd get lots of tutorials on how to create that specific sound that that artist uses in that song, etc. The manuel can really help you there.

Edened wrote:I'm currently doing the same thing with Harmless. What I've found is that reading the manuel really helps with understanding what all the knobs do. I'm not too familiar with Massive but I'm sure it would be pretty helpful.
Also, sometimes I'll try to recreate the presets, I think that helps a lot.


Massive's factory presets are not the best, but recreating, as well as tweaking, is helpful.

KillerAmp wrote:...empty/weak/8bit/trash/garbage/crap ect.ect.ect...


Empty? - Add something.

Weak? - Give it strength.

8bit? - A lot of people like that.

Tra- No, no sound is 'Trash', 'Garbage' or 'Crap'.

It's a sound you don't like, becasue it's different. Go back to the 20's and show them what music's popular now. Don't think they would apprecheate, for instance, Dubstep that much. -Because it's not what they're used to call music.

Don't like the sound? Fine. Don't use it. Change it. No biggie.

KillerAmp wrote:...(for dubstep) I can get a strong intro and a suspenseful buildup but then I get to the drop, and it sounds like...


Before you invest in your own signature sound, perhaps you could make the 'drop' using other people's sounds. Get some presets, samples, and build up from that. If it sound 'good' - you've got yourself your 'drop'. It won't sound like your creation, becasue it's only half your doing. ...But that's also halfway there.

Take the chance and study the sounds, find what makes them appealing to you (Why you/people chose them). Then work out your own sound. Once you've got knowledge of how to shape the sound, and an idea of how you want it to sound, you can easily make your 'drop'.
Constructive criticism is more than welcome. I embrace it.

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Re: Learning Massive inside out?

Postby Versilaryan » 04 Jul 2012 09:24

The stage of sound design most new dubstep artists completely overlook is the post processing. If you were to hear my FM8 patches by themselves, and they sound pretty weak. Look into plugins like Ohmicide, and as well as other distortions and bitcrushers. Sugarbytes' WOW filter is amazing if you want vowel basses.
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Re: Learning Massive inside out?

Postby KillerAmp » 04 Jul 2012 10:29

Thanks for the help guys :D and as far as the 8-bit sounds, i can get a lot of sounds that would be really AWESOME in a chiptune, but when the whole song i have sounds like more of a smooth sound, it just sounds like i copy/paste the drop from somewhere else, and it doesn't really fit into the song.
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Re: Learning Massive inside out?

Postby Derpageddon » 04 Jul 2012 18:09

Unlimited Mana wrote:I'm not the best with Massive, but reading the manual/various guides and learning what every knob does helped a lot. (as it does with every piece of software ever)


Massive has a manual?!
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Re: Learning Massive inside out?

Postby Edened » 04 Jul 2012 21:46

KillerAmp wrote:Thanks for the help guys :D and as far as the 8-bit sounds, i can get a lot of sounds that would be really AWESOME in a chiptune, but when the whole song i have sounds like more of a smooth sound, it just sounds like i copy/paste the drop from somewhere else, and it doesn't really fit into the song.


I think you need to make some chiptune. Mix things up a bit :D
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Re: Learning Massive inside out?

Postby Unlimited Mana » 05 Jul 2012 03:05

ProjectCrusader wrote:Massive has a manual?!


Eeyup.
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Re: Learning Massive inside out?

Postby Captain Ironhelm » 06 Jul 2012 03:04

at least if you get it legitimately, it does.
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Re: Learning Massive inside out?

Postby Derpageddon » 06 Jul 2012 17:45

Captain Ironhelm wrote:at least if you get it legitimately, it does.

Oh wow would you look at that. A manual, Im going to read this so hard. And yes I did get it legitimately.
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Re: Learning Massive inside out?

Postby DJSheogowrath » 06 Jul 2012 20:53

I have a friend who is a professional producer, and he told me that he got really good at Massive by just fucking around with it until he got it.
...Not entirely specific, but I think you get the idea.
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