# Do you buy libraries to fill a void and hope it triggers creativity?



## creativeforge (Feb 13, 2021)

The worst thing that happens to me is when I feel like I'm losing my drive to create. It's like vertigo. I confess that I have bought a few libraries I never used, but I loved both their demos and their sound. However, after a few minutes, I never touched it again. Too many.

I remember when I got a D-50 the first time. From acoustic piano, to D-50 and a 4tracks. I could play for hours and compose a lot of stuff (not all good). I miss those days. Is it because I have too many libraries now that I feel dispersed? 

Just wanted to know if I'm alone buying libraries that inspire me, yet little ever materializes in terms of production. Also, I'm not a professional, so music is not a source of revenue. But it wasn't at the time either.

I heard of "Conscious creativity" yesterday. So bizarre...


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## synergy543 (Feb 13, 2021)

Hopefully, you'll have something else in your life other than just libraries that will inspire you to write (although I know it's great fun to play with a new library!). If nothing else particularly motivates, maybe just write some simple exercises that you can both learn from and that gets you moving. Just getting the gears moving can really start the ball rolling.

I've found it helpful to take a course and have an environment with others to learn in. It really helped to get me motivated and kickstart the old inertia. And while vi-control is great, it's wonderful to have a smaller group of students to learn together with. MITA gives me that dopamine boost and I've been surprised at how things are moving along. There are all sorts of different alternatives available and it's worth considering investing in yourself as well as new sample libraries (because of course, we're all addicted right?). YMMV


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## Illico (Feb 13, 2021)

I bought orchestral libraries because I wanted to create orchestral music.
Then I bought some particular libraries for a particular project.
I mean, I bought Solo instruments or Soundscape libraries to match some styles I wanted.
But I also bought instruments du to the marketing inforcment... I regret.
For me inspiration comes from video (like latest composition contest for exemple).
I'm a Pianist, inspiration comes by wandering playing from my current mood.


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## MartinH. (Feb 13, 2021)

I've bought plenty of things to fill the void in my life, but I can't say sample libraries are a particularly good fit. Games work much better for me and they also do more to get me to write. My last phase of actually writing music was sparked by both Doom Eternal and researching new sound design techniques with a friend. Partnering up and having a shared goal is a great strategy, I highly recommend it. 

But for me all form of motivation or creative drive is always temporary. Right now my drive to make music is near zero.





creativeforge said:


> I heard of "Conscious creativity" yesterday. So bizarre...


Sounds intriguing, what is it?


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## TomislavEP (Feb 13, 2021)

I understand what you mean and I must admit that this also happens to me from time to time. Although my collection of libraries and VI's is not overly huge - I'm making the ends meet with music and I'm always somewhat financially restricted - it is extensive enough. Therefore, I sometimes have a sense of guilt for not exploiting enough some of the things that I've purchased over time, while continually returning to certain personal favorites. On the other hand, I think that one shouldn't feel too guilty for buying something new while looking for inspiration, though it's also very important to be pragmatic at the same time.


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## AudioLoco (Feb 13, 2021)

I come from Rock n Roll, and for me having a great library is like having a nice guitar to play with.

When you find an instrument so good that you just play a simple chord and it resonates in a magical way it just inspires you to come up with stuff more easily.

Sometimes a really shitty or battered guitar works even better for inspiration. All the inherent imperfections related to tuning, a weird pick up sound, buzzing strings can actually be of inspiration.

Like when some people started playing an amp with a knife cut on the cone and starting overdriving amplifiers; initially by mistake, just to have more volume and going : mmmmm.... interesting! 
Distortion, especially on guitars, shaped the sound of decades and inspired new music.

So... A good/particular instrument really helps inspiration and pushes some of my dying brain cells somewhere new most of the times.

Having said that I don't NEED to get new stuff all the time otherwise I will not be inspired, but to play around with the sound and always try to come up with new ones, yes. 

Often the best music doesn't need anything groundbreaking sound wise. Bob Dylan anyone? Any good orchestral piece?
At the end of the day it is supposed to communicate emotions to others.

In "cinematic" music (and generally electronic) sometimes there is little space for expression in a certain way and THE sound becomes THE music. The sound of one, single held note becomes of fundamental importance regardless of the fact it is just one note.

my half cent


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## Bluemount Score (Feb 13, 2021)

Yes, been there, done that, more than once. The worst thing is when you buy samples when you almost know you are not going to use them a lot anyways, because they aren't actually what you like to work with (e.g. Pattern / Phrase based in my case) 
After all, I have a couple of libraries I always come back to since years, no matter what else I bought since. Nothing could replace them


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## Bluemount Score (Feb 13, 2021)

Demos and Walkthrough videos are the worst thing sometimes! Haha


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## South Thames (Feb 13, 2021)

Yes, although it's usually a sign of being frustrated at not making much progress on a project, and it rarely works/seems like a good idea in retrospect - my latest purchase along those lines was Contemporary Drama Kit.

Truth is, once you start counting your samples in terra bytes additional libraries aren't going to unblock anything for long.


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## el-bo (Feb 13, 2021)

> Do you buy libraries to fill a void and hope it triggers creativity?​


I believe that to a very large extent the industry depends on it.

I've definitely done so. It often works out, so not something to feel bad about. Of course, if these excursions never actually result in that spark, then maybe it's time to look to what else is causing the impetus


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## Alex Fraser (Feb 13, 2021)

If you’ve got nothing but a knackered old guitar (or a single synth) you’ll make music with it because you’ve got no other choice. Nothing to fiddle with. I sometimes feel that the endless “twiddling” that we fall into can often kill the creativity. So we buy more to get the excitement back - or to postpone the moment where we have to square our skills with the existing library haul..

I have a mate who’s just discovering music tech after years away. With a single copy of Ableton, he’s having a great time and writing tons of music. I can see what comes next though as he starts to shop around for more gear and plugins...


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## Ivan M. (Feb 13, 2021)

creativeforge said:


> The worst thing that happens to me is when I feel like I'm losing my drive to create.


Take a break, that's all you need


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## muk (Feb 13, 2021)

Well, I certainly have bought libraries that I never use. However, never in the hope it would spark my creativity. I don't compose directly in the DAW. So I don't compose with libraries. Instead, I use them to create an interpretation of the pieces that I wrote. When deciding on buying a new library, my question is usually 'will this library help me achieve a better interpretation of a piece than the libraries I already have?'. Not always easy to decide, and I've erred quite a few times.

About creativity, for me there are phases where I write a lot, and others where I write nothing or very little. It fluctuates over time, and I think that is toatlly natural. I have made the experience that when I am creating little, other times will come where creativity flows again. That knowledge helps me. I never fear creativity might be gone for good, so I don't worry when I don't have any ideas for a certain time. What definitely helps though is giving yourself the time to be creative. Take an hour every day where you have to do nothing, and think about nothing else. Sometimes you'll just sit there and be bored. And that's a fantastic state of mind for creativity. Other times ideas will come effortlessly.

The other thing that definitely helps is a deadline that's too tight.


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## creativeforge (Feb 13, 2021)

I'm a piano player, I had to sell my piano last year to make ends meet. Little satisfies me besides the sound of an acoustic piano. So now I have to start over once I can stay afloat long enough financially.

But I got a digital piano. So in the meantime, I tend to explore small boutiques piano libraries, and find a lot to love. And,... I get hooked emotionally, and then I want to encourage the developer, etc (ah the excuses...!) 



> > I heard of "Conscious creativity" yesterday. So bizarre...
> 
> 
> Sounds intriguing, what is it?



It's actually not "bizarre," what I understand is that it may be some kind of mindfulness attitude as one engages in the creative process when it seems difficult to break out. Think of Brian Eno Oblique strategies, or Julia Cameron The Artist's Way.

(Here's a book with that topic, although the principles are not just for visual artists: *Conscious Creativity*

For someone like me, ADHD, I do face the need for structure but find it real difficult to have discipline. As if I'm waiting for the muse to hit. And then I remind myself it's just like getting in gear to clean up my place or do laundry? I believe so.

So it's more like my creativity is impulsive. And somehow buying those libs seem to - for a time - act as a trigger. I keep trying to identify the blockage. 

It's a bit like the movie Awakenings, and the lady who walks on the dark tiles on the floor up to the open space where she always stops. but never goes beyond. Until the Doc darkens the rest of the tiles leading straight to the window, and then she completes her journey to look outside. 

I'm reminded of this quote:

"Inspiration usually comes during work, rather than before it."
- Madeleine L'Engle


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## gohrev (Feb 13, 2021)

There's always the next "shiny big thing" to fall in love with. Better shorts, legatos, reverb. Even if I could afford all the libraries in the world, I doubt it would bring me anything but indecisiveness.


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## AudioLoco (Feb 13, 2021)

A certain green plant is complementary to creativity for many 

Not that I know anything about it....


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## creativeforge (Feb 13, 2021)

AudioLoco said:


> A certain green plant is complementary to creativity for many
> 
> Not that I know anything about it....


Someone else indica-ted this avenue of exploration to me tonight... As a former coke head (25 years sober) I've been reluctant to dabble out of fear. But I will go in town and ask questions tomorrow.


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## el-bo (Feb 13, 2021)

creativeforge said:


> I remember when I got a D-50 the first time. From acoustic piano, to D-50 and a 4tracks. I could play for hours and compose a lot of stuff (not all good). I miss those days. Is it because I have too many libraries now that I feel dispersed?



This idea of our much more productive pasts, especially when linked to the idea of the paradox of choice, is very common. However, I think it's flawed; at least in most cases. The biggest confounding factor, at least of those of us who were alive when D-50's were the big thing, (and when recording couldn't start until the tape had finished rewinding), is the presence of the internet and all its commensurate distractions. Even if you have the discipline to go offline while working, the accumulation of all the input we now receive in our daily lives can, to a large extent, leave us drained of the mental energies necessary to create. 

If you want to test the theory that too much choice is causing your lack of creativity, then purposefully restrict your toolset for each project, or in line with what you intend to create. 



creativeforge said:


> Just wanted to know if I'm alone buying libraries that inspire me, yet little ever materializes in terms of production. Also, I'm not a professional, so music is not a source of revenue. But it wasn't at the time either.


Not everything has to make it into a production to justify it's existence within your plugin folder. Even now, there are a huge amount of musicians who just play their instruments for the sheer enjoyment of making music. If you can get some enjoyment out of just playing with these lovely sounds, perhaps that's enough


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## el-bo (Feb 13, 2021)

creativeforge said:


> Someone else indica-ted this avenue of exploration to me tonight... As a former coke head (25 years sober) I've been reluctant to dabble out of fear. But I will go in town and ask questions tomorrow.


That's a double-edged sword, right there.


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## creativeforge (Feb 13, 2021)

el-bo said:


> the accumulation of all the input we now receive in our daily lives can, to a large extent, leave us drained of the mental energies necessary to create.


Yes, totally true! 



el-bo said:


> If you want to test the theory that too much choice is causing your lack of creativity, then purposefully restrict your toolset for each project, or in line with what you intend to create.


That is a great idea - think of and set aside a palette of sounds, tools, for a project, and let it be the inkwell. Good advice.


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## Alex Fraser (Feb 13, 2021)

AudioLoco said:


> A certain green plant is complementary to creativity for many
> 
> Not that I know anything about it....


I used to work with a songwriter who was much more creative when availing himself to a product from said plant. We used to timetable such “preparation” into the writing days.


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## el-bo (Feb 13, 2021)

creativeforge said:


> That is a great idea - think of and set aside a palette of sounds, tools, for a project, and let it be the inkwell. Good advice.


And if you're stuck at the choosing stage, list your options and use a random number generator to make the choice:






Random Number Generator


Two free random number generators that work in user-defined min and max range. Both random integers and decimal numbers can be generated with high precision.




www.calculator.net


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## ProfoundSilence (Feb 13, 2021)

in no shortage of irony, I find composing with worse sounds easier.

YMMV, maybe buying a lo fi/chiptune/ect cheapo library would be more fun?

I know Farkle has an SNES rpg style sibelius template IIRC


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## Illico (Feb 13, 2021)

muk said:


> ...
> 
> The other thing that definitely helps is a deadline that's too tight.


Yes, deadline help me too. It's a cure for procrastination. Then it's a dopamine for inspiration.


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## TomislavEP (Feb 13, 2021)

I agree that less usually means more and that having a limited set of tools can sometimes entice creativity even further. It is always possible to draw more from what you already have by employing various creative techniques, before resorting to getting yet another new commercial library.

Also, one shouldn't forget that today there are several ever-growing sources of quality free tools that can sometimes even rival many commercial titles. Spitfire Labs and Pianobook come to my mind first, though these are certainly not the only ones. Frankly, if these were available or were as sophisticated back when I've started building my music software collection, they would surely save me a ton of money for some other, more tangible things.


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## Stringtree (Feb 13, 2021)

creativeforge said:


> Yes, totally true!
> 
> 
> That is a great idea - think of and set aside a palette of sounds, tools, for a project, and let it be the inkwell. Good advice.



INKWELL? Last night I cleaned up an old fountain pen, and had been thinking anyway about getting a better pen for writing on staff paper. Yeah, a music nib pen would make my written music look better, but not sound any better. What a maroon. So I bought a .5 Pilot Precise V5 for two bucks. Done.

Weed, yeah. There was maybe one band practice ever without somebody unpocketing a sad sandwich baggie or calling a friend of a friend so we could be creative. Great for listening, but not so great for organizing. I'm now the proud owner of gigabytes of stonyjams I never listen to. 

Certain sounds (Vista) I know I could do some good stuff with. The truth is that I don't know what all I have or how to use it fully. Even Kontakt is something I just use and tinker with.


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## creativeforge (Feb 13, 2021)

Stringtree said:


> INKWELL? Last night I cleaned up an old fountain pen, and had been thinking anyway about getting a better pen for writing on staff paper. Yeah, a music nib pen would make my written music look better, but not sound any better. What a maroon. So I bought a .5 Pilot Precise V5 for two bucks. Done.
> 
> Weed, yeah. There was maybe one band practice ever without somebody unpocketing a sad sandwich baggie or calling a friend of a friend so we could be creative. Great for listening, but not so great for organizing. I'm now the proud owner of gigabytes of stonyjams I never listen to.
> 
> Certain sounds (Vista) I know I could do some good stuff with. The truth is that I don't know what all I have or how to use it fully. Even Kontakt is something I just use and tinker with.


Presently, weed is not an option for creativity in my case. I'm rather exploring if it could help my insomnia and executive function . That or prescription meds would need to be back in my life. I just hate "feeling stone." 

Or I'll have to explore meditation.


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## SlHarder (Feb 13, 2021)

creativeforge said:


> Just wanted to know if I'm alone buying libraries that inspire me,


My most recent inspiration purchase has been a total success for me.

I bought Ethera Gold for the vocal content a week ago and I haven't been able to tear myself away from it. It's not that often that I wake up thinking of another project that I want to tuck a library into. And so far it hasn't become trite or overworked.


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## Dirtgrain (Feb 13, 2021)

I just stupidly think, over and over, "Hmmm, I might at some point in the future want to have that in my toolbox." But my future self is the one who will forget he has this or that library/plugin.


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## Rodney Money (Feb 13, 2021)

I love libraries with sounds that would be near impossible to perform live. They always inspire me when I know I am just composing for electric media.


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## Living Fossil (Feb 13, 2021)

creativeforge said:


> Just wanted to know if I'm alone buying libraries that inspire me, yet little ever materializes in terms of production. Also, I'm not a professional, so music is not a source of revenue. But it wasn't at the time either.


In the last year, i worked on average between 10 and 14 hours per day in my studio, yet i never had the feeling i'm falling short on creativity. The problem was rather that sometimes i was simply fed up with working and had to keep myself motivated. And the method that works rather good in my case are small little candies in form of (mostly fx) plugins and sometimes, usually before starting to sketch new pieces, also soundlibraries for synths. This triggers something in me like getting a new toy as a child.
With orchestral sample libraries it is usually different: i have my standard gotos and i not only like them but usually i've also required some routine in using them. Buying a comprehensive library triggers rather some stress, because i know that it will most probably take a lot of time to set up the keyswitches, adjust the spatialisation and integrate them into my setup. But of course, sometimes also an orchestral library can be a welcome source of inspiration, specially if it makes it easy to achieve specific sounds that are hard to get with other libraries.

Another thing are bigger (film) projects (which are actually badly missed, thanks again, Covid), where i usually spend some quality time in finding an appropriate sound concept. This can include doing custom samples, programming [synth] sounds, thinking about featured soloists and also other stuff (like preparing my piano). And in such cases i sometimes also buy sample libraries, if i think one could be inspiring. This approach worked really well e.g. with Albion Tundra, or with some dulcimer, lute and zither libraries, or with LASS....


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## GtrString (Feb 13, 2021)

Yes, I have done that. Fortunately, Im a guitarist, so when I find out it doesn't work, I buy a new guitar to compensate..


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## Trash Panda (Feb 13, 2021)

I usually buy something new if there’s a chance it can do something my existing tools can’t do to my satisfaction or, more dangerously, is exactly what is needed for a very specific use. The latter is what gets me in trouble. 

Sometimes there’s a gamble on something that may or may not be of use, but is a great deal or cheap enough not to worry about how much use it gets.


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## purple (Feb 13, 2021)

no


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## purple (Feb 13, 2021)

"Maybe if I buy a hammer, I'll come up with an idea of what to build!"
???
For me the only solution to lack of drive to create something is to wait until I have something to write.


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## Alchemedia (Feb 13, 2021)

GtrString said:


> Yes, I have done that. Fortunately, Im a guitarist, so when I find out it doesn't work, I buy a new guitar to compensate..


Me too, after smashing the old one. 😎🎸


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## creativeforge (Feb 13, 2021)

purple said:


> "Maybe if I buy a hammer, I'll come up with an idea of what to build!"
> ???
> For me the only solution to lack of drive to create something is to wait until I have something to write.


Not exactly. But: "I need a desk for my studio, but don't want to spend hundreds. Maybe I'll go to Ikea and walk around, see what I see, maybe I can piece something together." 4 hours later... I drive home with a bunch of parts of furniture that I can assemble the way I envision.

Mostly, though, I am trying to find the worlds to articulate what could be demotivating me and motivating me, and I have been tempted to buy a few libraries lately, their sound and sonic textures seem to invite me to finally commit to working and suggest a direction. But experience showed me that these two things don't necessarily come to pass.

Then I pondered: so why did I do this many times before? Why do I keep doing it? I spend money I don't need to spend, as evidenced by the empty folder I convinced myself I could start filling with music exploration, ditties, etc. 

And I wondered how it is for others who experience these things. I don't have the answer, except: "Get to work, Andre. Do it. You have tens of thousands of sounds already. That is NOT your problem." 

Thanks for all your input, it's fascinating to see how you all deal with this (or with the white page).


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## dzilizzi (Feb 13, 2021)

Wait - there's another reason for buying VI's? 

I have to say, other than a few to start, the majority of my purchases are in the hope of making music writing easier and inspiring creativity. Mostly it doesn't work like I hoped, but a few have provided enough to practically write something for me. (Not in the AI/phrase library way, but in the this library is so easy to use, the music just works way)


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## creativeforge (Feb 13, 2021)

Living Fossil said:


> The problem was rather that sometimes i was simply fed up with working and had to keep myself motivated. And the method that works rather good in my case are small little candies in form of (mostly fx) plugins and sometimes, usually before starting to sketch new pieces, also soundlibraries for synths. This triggers something in me like getting a new toy as a child.


Exactly! Very good, thanks! Motivation is the factor I'm trying to address too. I think about music all the time. But I don't sit down to start and finish something often enough, not like I used to. There are times I hit a patch of funk. Sometimes that funk lasts until I jump into a project. Decluttering my horizon from all the explorations to just start a fresh project, be it one tune or a concept...


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## Ivy_13 (Feb 14, 2021)

Yes, I have bought libraries in the past that- I have later realized - I don't need.
Usually if the blank page is what i fear, I try to impose myself to use a certain patch, tempo, key ore even try a certain modelutaion. 
It is really helpful, though I am certain all of this will not stop me completely from buying unnecessary libraries in the future xD


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## Jimmy Hellfire (Feb 14, 2021)

Tbh, I think it's pressure. One believes they have to be creative because they made up their mind about being an artistic person and define themselves way too much over that one fact, or they _have_ to, because the made the ill-fated mistake of making their passion their job.

To me, the truth has always been that you can't create all the time. Actually it's one of the ultimate contradictions. Creating art is truly a very tough thing to do, but when we're inspired and we fall in love with an idea and the prospect of bringing it into reality, that carries us to the point of obsession so that we don't really notice the heavy lifting.

But forcing yourself to work in a creative and artistic capacity when it's not _time_ is a gruelling thing. And then we fall into the pattern of trying to stimulate that reward system of the brain.


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## Uiroo (Feb 14, 2021)

I can recommend this talk from John Cleese on that topic:


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## IgneousOne (Feb 14, 2021)

I have been building up a selection of Orchestral libraries for an upcoming project. I try to be frugal and don't want any overlaps, but I think I can see the GAS thing happening and thinking I 'need' that clarinet / oboe library to complete my tools and I actually haven't even started on the project..
.
On the subject of creativity, I have been releasing material since 2003 (not orchestral stuff) and I'm fortunate enough not to have had too significant gaps / blocks. An obsessive nature certainly helps !


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## MartinH. (Feb 14, 2021)

creativeforge said:


> Mostly, though, I am trying to find the worlds to articulate what could be demotivating me and motivating me, and I have been tempted to buy a few libraries lately, their sound and sonic textures seem to invite me to finally commit to working and suggest a direction. But experience showed me that these two things don't necessarily come to pass.
> 
> Then I pondered: so why did I do this many times before? Why do I keep doing it? I spend money I don't need to spend, as evidenced by the empty folder I convinced myself I could start filling with music exploration, ditties, etc.
> 
> ...


Last year I made a similar thread. Not sure if you've seen it, but there were some interesting replies there too: 





__





The illusion of unobstructed creativity


Have you ever thought "If only I _____, I could finally compose with much less friction"? I have a hunch quite a few people around here know the feeling. A while ago I wondered how it can be that the more sample libraries I bought, the less music I composed, and how some people manage to just...




vi-control.net


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## creativeforge (Feb 14, 2021)

Enlightening interview with Godfrey Reggio (The Qatsi Trilogy):




About the Qatsi Trilogy: ► https://www.criterion.com/boxsets/934-the-qatsi-trilogy



Spoiler: THE QATSI TRILOGY ▼



Koyaanisqatsi (1983): ​

*Powaqqatsi (1988):*​

Naqoyqatsi (2002):​


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## creativeforge (Feb 14, 2021)

John Cleese puts things in perspective for me and makes me think in a better way. Deep, lucid and funny.

QUOTE: "In this lecture-style presentation, John Cleese claims that creativity is not a special talent. People are either in an ‘open’ or ‘closed’ state of mind. The closed mode enables people to apply themselves to tasks with vigour and concentration; the open mode is more relaxed and conducive to creative thinking. Cleese talks about how leaders can induce an open mode in their team members and establish confidence in them to accept that there is a succession of learning steps on the road to total quality."


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## mybadmemory (Feb 14, 2021)

I used to, until I got BBCSO. Now I don’t anymore. I think. We’ll see. 

My first library was CineSymphony Lite. I loved its sound but missed legatos and solo instruments.

So I bought Berlin Inspire. Didn’t really like it’s sound. Too harsh, narrow, and wet for my taste. Still preferred CineSymphony but missed the solos and legatos.

So then I bought Nucleus. While I got what I asked for, I never really appreciated its sound either. Too hyped for me, and I still thought CineSymphony sounded better.

Then I bought BBCSO and finally found something that suited both my taste in sound and gave me what I wanted in terms of content. I think I have what I need now.

The only thing I would potentially consider adding in the future would be the complete Cinematic Studio Series. It sounds so gorgeous. 

Or potentially if CineSamples released something in between CineSymphony Lite and their full range. An expanded all-in-one package.


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## newbreednet (May 23, 2021)

Digging up this thread because the Spitfire sale starts tomorrow and it seemed appropriate. The temptation to buy things we might not "need" will be strong!

I started with NISS (the full one, but still...)

Quickly realised that this was not gonna do it.

Many months of thinking and reading threads here, and then eventually it seemed good timing and I got Hollywood Opus. I appreciate the depth of the sampling, and the range that it covers, but I've been struggling somewhat to make it sound the way I want it to sound. I've been obsessively demo'ing various reverbs over the weekend to try and place it where I want it.

But now I'm thinking, maybe I just want a library with a baked-in sound. Hence tempted to get BBCSO, probably just Core for now, knowing that I can upgrade it at BF/Xmas. 

Part of me doesn't want to accept that I made a "wrong" choice in getting Opus. At the same time, I just want a library that I enjoy the sound of, so that I can get on with creating music instead of obsessing over how it sounds.


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## el-bo (May 23, 2021)

newbreednet said:


> Many months of thinking and reading threads here, and then eventually it seemed good timing and I got Hollywood Opus. I appreciate the depth of the sampling, and the range that it covers, but I've been struggling somewhat to make it sound the way I want it to sound. I've been obsessively demo'ing various reverbs over the weekend to try and place it where I want it.


Might be worthwhile starting a thread to get some ideas. Not saying BBCSO isn't a great option, but cutting so quickly on something you've bought seems a shame.


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## ProfoundSilence (May 23, 2021)

el-bo said:


> Might be worthwhile starting a thread to get some ideas. Not saying BBCSO isn't a great option, but cutting so quickly on something you've bought seems a shame.


I don't know if I disagree

I've come to really appreciate baked in ambience instead of reverbs, and it took drier libraries to discover this, along with "fake wet" which I find almost worse. 

The worst thing to me is libraries that are recorded in ambient location but the tails are snipped off so you're forced to add reverb to a sound that shouldn't need it.


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## newbreednet (May 23, 2021)

el-bo said:


> Might be worthwhile starting a thread to get some ideas. Not saying BBCSO isn't a great option, but cutting so quickly on something you've bought seems a shame.


Thank you! I'm a bit afraid to start a new thread haha, but I'll give it a shot!


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## ProfoundSilence (May 23, 2021)

newbreednet said:


> Thank you! I'm a bit afraid to start a new thread haha, but I'll give it a shot!


There's nothing wrong with refreshing old threads if it's the same conversation either

The only wrong thing is starting a new thread when there is already a thread right there with the same question in the first page


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## el-bo (May 23, 2021)

ProfoundSilence said:


> I don't know if I disagree
> 
> I've come to really appreciate baked in ambience instead of reverbs, and it took drier libraries to discover this, along with "fake wet" which I find almost worse.
> 
> The worst thing to me is libraries that are recorded in ambient location but the tails are snipped off so you're forced to add reverb to a sound that shouldn't need it.


No problem having that preference, but the poster seems to be having an issue that might not be too hard to overcome...with the right guidance. And maybe like you they'll come to prefer similar libraries. But cutting on a library (especially something as grand as OPUS) after only a few weeks, due to perhaps inexperience with reverb, seems like a huge waste. It would be different if it was due to a hatred of the sound of the library BBCSO will likely continue to be on sale, multiple times a year, so newbreednet could still get it at BF if all else failed.

Anyway, just an opinion from someone who owns neither 

Love the sound, personally (Pretty sure this guy uses Hollywood Gold):


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## el-bo (May 23, 2021)

newbreednet said:


> Thank you! I'm a bit afraid to start a new thread haha, but I'll give it a shot!


Don't be afraid! This is a great community.

Just try to use the search function beforehand, to see that it's not an issue that has been dealt with. Even then, somebody will just probably kindly inform you , and give you a link to the pertinent conversation


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## el-bo (May 23, 2021)

Also...just to confirm: I'm not trying to talk you out of BBCSO. It sounds great, and is fantastic value. But it will come around again, before the end of the year, if you son't want to make any rash decisions.

Also...Make sure to have the 'Discover' by then, as it'll get you an even greater discount.


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## Alex Fraser (May 23, 2021)

I’ve given up on libraries before (looks at NI SS with narrowed eyes) and life is only so long.

I think there’s a difference between blindly collecting and getting new stuff to give your creative juices a kick. Really, ‘Core at a sale price + a disco discount is bananas.


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## newbreednet (May 23, 2021)

Hello again, everybody. Thank you for all joining in so far. You're all so kind!

I've written my story now. I'm going to post it here, and if you think I should move it to somewhere else, then I'll delete it from here. Thanks again!


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## newbreednet (May 23, 2021)

Hello all, I'm quite new to posting here. Been reading for a long time though 

When I started to get interested in orchestral composing, it was just when BBCSO was newly released (back when it was just one thing, i.e. not split into the other versions like core, discover etc.) Immediately it spoke to me and I thought, "that's it! that's the thing to get!"... but it cost £1000 and I didn't have a particularly powerful computer to run it. So I didn't buy it, but I began reading many many threads here and collecting thoughts, opinions and wisdom from you all 

I did a month of Composer Cloud. I actually liked Symphonic Orchestra more than Hollywood! 

Then I got Komplete 12 UCE (the one with full NISS) in a crazy silly eBay resale. So I got my Kontakt/synth things covered. But I knew already that Symphony Series was not really where it was at. Luckily I didn't pay enough for it to feel burned, though.

I got BBCSO Discover for free by signing my life away in that questionnaire thing, haha. I then promptly never used it because I didn't take it seriously. I know, I'm a bad person.

It seemed like the best thing to do first was to get a better computer. Many months of saving later and then by December last year I had the sort of machine required to handle these bigger libraries (more cores, RAM and nvme than I know what to do with really.) Cool. But I'd run out of money to get BBCSO Pro in the xmas sale, and although I could afford Core, somehow I couldn't bring myself to buy it. Weird, I know, but that's just how it was. 

I saved up some more money and then Hollywood OPUS was released. I lusted after it, somewhat irrationally. Initially I thought it was too costly, but then I found a good price for it outside of soundsonline.com, so (in a moment of madness?!) I just bought it. Took me over a week to download lol (Diamond.) Great, right?

Kinda. It's obviously a mega library. It can obviously do incredible things in skilled hands. And I believe I can achieve great things with it too if I dedicate enough time to learning it. (I had plenty time to read all the manuals while it was downloading  But having owned it for about a month, I'm still struggling to make it sound amazing in the way that I think I want an orchestra to sound. And I don't necessarily mean that I haven't mastered all the articulations/scripting yet. (of course I haven't!) I just mean the sound of the thing itself. It sounds so, well... HOLLYWOOD!! I know, I know, you'd think that by that point I would have known what the difference between a "movie" sound and a "classical" sound would be. Sigh.... 

My current obsession is now reverbs. Since I have Diamond, I thought I could maybe get more control over the sound with the mics and an external reverb. I'm demo'ing Spaces II right now, and the "Reynolds" hall has given me some hope that I can actually love the sound of OPUS. I've tried various other reverbs too, I use Logic so have Space Designer and have been trying the Lexicon and Bricasti impulses that are floating around. The only one that really speaks to me so far though is the Reynolds hall. 

And yet, here we are, Spitfire sale time. I could buy BBCSO Pro. Or I could buy Core. Or I could try more reverbs and maybe learn to love OPUS. 

Ultimately, I wanted to make music that sounded "classical". Like, hmm, the Blue Danube when they play it every New Years' Day. That kind of sound. I know now, that maybe I shouldn't have bought a movie-scoring orchestra to achieve that.


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## LamaRose (May 23, 2021)

el-bo said:


> If you want to test the theory that too much choice is causing your lack of creativity, then purposefully restrict your toolset for each project, or in line with what you intend to create.


This is why I'm keeping the new base-model M1 MacBook Air that I bought for my wife - 8gb ram/256 SSD. The CPU really is a monster, but the other specs speak for themselves. 

Too many options, in life in general, is both blessing and curse. For me, less is more and ultimately leads to more peace and freedom from the bondage of overthinking and consumerism.

So my new unofficial handle will be "8-Track." 

And YES, I'll get my wife her own shiny new MBA - even though she makes more bread than I do, lol.


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## LamaRose (May 23, 2021)

newbreednet said:


> I actually liked Symphonic Orchestra more than Hollywood!


You're not alone... the Symphony Orchestra is still a much beloved library. And even though it lacks some much needed legato transitions for the strings, you can get lovely classical timbres from those strings, especially with the dynamic bowings.


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## wst3 (May 23, 2021)

TL;DR - Yes, I have purchased a couple libraries in the hopes of either solving a problem or just finding inspiration. In one case it worked, and the other case is still quite new... so I am optimistic. I have purchased several guitars, stomp boxes, and amplifiers in search of inspiration, and that has been hit or miss.

What has worked for me, every time, is taking a class, reading a book about music (either a biography or a text book), or challenging myself to do something new. It is seldom instant gratification, but it works. Some of the best have been when a friend joins the challenge.

The long version:

Every single time I sit down to write something, whether for a project or just for fun, I panic - was my last idea my LAST idea? I wish I knew where inspiration comes from, and I know it isn't just one thing, but still...

To answer your question, I try not to buy libraries, or plugins, or really anything for the studio on a lark. I've probably missed some excellent tools, but my batting average is pretty good. While I've outgrown some things, I've yet to purchase something only to never use it again. (hope I did not just jinx myself!)

Twice now I've purchased libraries in search of inspiration. The first one worked out well - I purchased Vir2 Mojo2 because I am extremely frustrated with writing for horn sections - I just stink at it. I thought perhaps a better library would help, and it did, but I have a long way to go. And yet, dinking around trying to figure out the key to writing like James Pankow I have stumbled across new musical ideas. Hey, that makes it money well spent in my book<G>.

The other is still a work in progress. I picked up Nashville Scoring Strings just a few days ago. The jury is actually still out! This was another case of trying to solve a problem more than looking for inspiration. My string writing is barely a notch above my horn charts. I can do the bit epic thing (by formula, but it works), but writing a string quartet or a piece for a small ensemble escapes me.

I am far worse when it comes to guitars, stomp boxes, and amplifiers. I have purchased several in the hopes of finding something new. Sometimes it works, sometimes the end up in their cases for a while. I do pull them out from time to time, but so far this has been much less successful. Not a complete failure, but there are a couple I wish I had not purchased. I consider selling them, but for some strange (deranged) reason I can't part with guitars.

While I still do not know from whence inspiration comes, I have found two ways to jump start it.

Taking a class works every time! At least so far<G>.

And challenging myself to do something I've not yet tried, whether on my own or with friends, seems quite effective as well. The results can be weak at first, but the idea is there, and if I am patient, and persistent, it often grows something.


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## emilio_n (May 23, 2021)

newbreednet said:


> And yet, here we are, Spitfire sale time. I could buy BBCSO Pro. Or I could buy Core. Or I could try more reverbs and maybe learn to love OPUS.


If I am you, I will try to work more with Opus. I have both (Opus and BBCSO PRO) and both are great. I know that BBCSO will maybe fit better in the "Classical" sound that you are looking for but Opus is a very powerful library and will keep you busy for sure until black Friday. Offers are tempting. I always buy something and sometimes I know is only GAS even before buying. 
All the developers have a lot of sales (And Spitfire even more) so pass and wait is usually the best choice. 
If you really need to get inside BBCSO, I will recommend getting the Core version. You can upgrade down the road in the close future for the same amount of money and with Core, you will see clearly if you prefer the sound and the workflow than Opus. 

Just my two cents.


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## newbreednet (May 23, 2021)

el-bo said:


> cutting on a library (especially something as grand as OPUS) after only a few weeks, due to perhaps inexperience with reverb, seems like a huge waste.





emilio_n said:


> If I am you, I will try to work more with Opus.





emilio_n said:


> Opus is a very powerful library and will keep you busy for sure until black Friday.



thank you guys, I think this is what I needed to hear. There is still so much I have to learn, and I surely have enough tools to keep me going for now. It was just with the sale coming up that I have to fight with the thoughts to buy more just because it's there. I'm a bit of a weirdo in that I believe in things like Mercury Retrograde (and I know there's a thread here on astrology!) and the Spitfire sale is appearing just as we go into one of these phases, so, knowing my luck, I'd buy Pro only to later realise that OPUS is actually much better with all it's dynamic layers or something xD

again, thank you for your responses, and sorry for derailing this thread somewhat!


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## el-bo (May 23, 2021)

newbreednet said:


> I could buy BBCSO Pro. Or I could buy Core. Or I could try more reverbs and maybe learn to love OPUS.
> 
> Ultimately, I wanted to make music that sounded "classical". Like, hmm, the Blue Danube when they play it every New Years' Day. That kind of sound. I know now, that maybe I shouldn't have bought a movie-scoring orchestra to achieve that.


Actually, now you've fleshed out your story, my advice has changed 

Nothing you can do about OPUS now. You have it. Hopefully you'll eventually try your hand at the kind of composition that plays to its strengths. However, it likely won't scratch that classical itch. So there is not really any real crossover.

If it were me I wouldn't jump straight into PRO, though. Nothing lost by starting with CORE.


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## newbreednet (May 23, 2021)

el-bo said:


> Actually, now you've fleshed out your story, my advice has changed
> 
> Nothing you can do about OPUS now. You have it. Hopefully you'll eventually try your hand at the kind of composition that plays to its strengths. However, it likely won't scratch that classical itch. So there is not really any real crossover.
> 
> If it were me I wouldn't jump straight into PRO, though. Nothing lost by starting with CORE.


I'm pretty sure I'll get into BBCSO sooner or later. Maybe I can hang on until BF. We'll see


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## Oakran (May 23, 2021)

I used to buy certain types of libraries that would cover a niche very well. Pretty expensive stuff but obviously useful to trigger new musical ideas, at least for a few days/weeks.
But these days I try to focus more on score analysis. Man it's truly a rabbit hole. Right now I'm studying like a monk some John Williams scores and next I'll try to work on Holst and Wagner.
There's no better way for me to excite my musical senses and sharpen my ability to hear new things thanks to the techniques I discover in these complicated fragments of written music.


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## Jamie Hunter (May 23, 2021)

creativeforge said:


> The worst thing that happens to me is when I feel like I'm losing my drive to create. It's like vertigo. I confess that I have bought a few libraries I never used, but I loved both their demos and their sound. However, after a few minutes, I never touched it again. Too many.
> 
> I remember when I got a D-50 the first time. From acoustic piano, to D-50 and a 4tracks. I could play for hours and compose a lot of stuff (not all good). I miss those days. Is it because I have too many libraries now that I feel dispersed?
> 
> ...


I think everyone has made at least one impulse buy and ended up not using it. I went through a period of every month buying new VSTs which have never seen the light of day, my ilok account is full with unused licences. When I upgraded to Ableton suite I went through all my VSTs and only installed the ones that I had used in the last 6 months, I ended up with Native Instruments, iZotope, Softube, u-he, Spitfire Audio and some Denise plugins. I actually found that with less I was more creative as I focused on what I had and spent a lot less time going through presets and settings trying to find the sound I wanted.


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## lullaby (Jun 3, 2021)

Simple answer: YUP


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## MA-Simon (Jun 4, 2021)

Shure do. And I see nothing wrong with it. For me it's not so much about "really" using it, but rather to get inspired. Like listening to a new soundtrack.


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## doctoremmet (Jun 4, 2021)

Yes I do


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## mybadmemory (Jun 4, 2021)

I buy libraries in the search for the one that will cover all my needs so I can throw all the other ones away.  I’m kind of obsessed with the idea of having just one coherent sound, and not having to mix libraries at all. Obviously there isn’t one that is good for everything. The closest I’ve come is BBCSO Pro, but it’s just close.

My second best idea is to at least just use one library per section of the orchestra but that too is difficult. I always end up not liking particular instruments and sounds even within a section, and have to reach elsewhere. “The winds in BBCSO is all I need! But the flute in Berlin Soloists is better… and the Oboe from Nucleus…” 

Always a mix in the end. Have to match mics and rooms and reverbs. So I keep searching for “the one”…


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