Dawesome, HydraTek, and Spektralisk offer three FREE copies of the Dawesome Kult virtual instrument and a brand-new double expansion pack to one lucky BPB reader!
The expansion pack project is called Oblivium, and it’s divided into two individual packs: Oblivium Alpha and Oblivium Omega.
It’s a meticulous collection of handcrafted presets that explore dark synth tones. The patches result from a collaboration between two sound designers who combined their artistic influences and unique styles.
Originally inspired by the Doom soundtrack and designed for Dawesome’s epic Kult synthesizer, Oblivium features a dark dystopian vibe. It is perfect for any composer or music producer looking for aggressive, organic, and complex sounds.
The sound bank has a strong horror-movie influence, and you will definitely get some inspiration for a spooky cinematic soundtrack.
Each expansion pack features 75 expressive presets, deeply customizable for both traditional MIDI keyboards and MPE controllers. The patches offer a vast array of sonic variation and customization possibilities for each of the 150 included patches.

With a main focus on complex sequences and aggressive, abrasive basslines, Oblivium Alpha thrives in gritty cinematic scenarios. It works great for dark bass-oriented music genres, while its sibling Omega takes care of desolate soundscapes and apocalyptic drones.
For those unfamiliar with Kult, it’s the latest innovative synthesizer from Dawesome.
Its uniqueness comes from its +30 complex oscillators, based on the mathematical chaos theory called Strange Attractors.

While not the place to dive deeper into this fascinating subject, it’s enough to say that you must hear it to believe it.
Kult’s innovative sound shaping options allow for organic overtones, a paradise for west-coast buchla-style synthesis enthusiasts.
You can further shape the sound with intuitive FM and AM synthesis controls, which seamlessly interact with the natural, organic sources.
The expanded filter section features a formant filter per voice, two comb filters that are driven by a distortion stage, and an analog filter with two coupled stages.
Featuring also an arpeggiator and a powerful but intuitive modulation system, the timbres possible with Kult are countless.
This is now your chance to get your hands on Oblivium, which offers a wide range of sonic textures to discover inside Kult.
More: Dawesome Kult / Oblivium Alpha / Oblivium Omega
The Giveaway
Dawesome, HydraTek, and Spektralisk offer three FREE copies of Kult + Oblivium Alpha and Omega to one lucky BPB reader.
To enter the giveaway, answer the following question in the comments section below: Do you prefer using presets or programming your synth patches from scratch?
We will randomly select and announce the lucky winner on this page on Monday, September 25th.
Good luck, everyone, and thank you for reading Bedroom Producers Blog!
The lucky winners are:
- Klaus
- Dmitry
- KalnzEB
Congratulations to our lucky winners (you will receive the prizes via email)! To everyone else, better luck next time – more giveaways are coming soon.
574 Comments
Skyler
onI like to start with a preset and then tweak it.
Bob Linning
onUsually start with a preset and adjust.
Roberto Chehade
onStart with preset then tweak
Chris
onPresets with a generous amount of fx
Hell'ektrix
onI program synths for the weird psychedelic sounds I often use, and use presets and tweak them for more “regular” sounds.
Kiese
onDefinetly love using presets but i end up completly changing them up till they sound totally different
Jim Morris
onUsually a preset then tweak it if necessary.
Michael Marklin
onOnly with certain synth do I prefer to sound design. Generally, I do love me some sweet presets.
Steve Reading
onA bit of originality in a sound stands out so tweaking a preset is the quickest way to go, but random generated sound features on synths is becoming more popular and I’d like to see it introduced more. I realise for some synths this could possibly destroy the preset market though.
Morteza
onI’d prefer presets.
Jürgen Velsink
onAlways use presets.
Jacek
onPresets to check capabilities but usually either tweak or .ale from scratch to better understand the tool. for quick ones presets win though.
Monty adkins
onStarting from scratch. The fun is the process of making and tweaking something original.
Radiofloyd
onFrom scratch for me, it’s just more satisfying. That being said, I do make the patches often a fair bit before I use them, and I tweak them for every song I make just a little, aside from sound designing the output a bunch as well.
Antal Nusselder
onI prefer starting with a preset and tweaking a little bit to suit my needs/taste.
I usually don’t have the time to program stuff from scratch.
TheNowl
onI usually design them from scratch but like to be inspired by presets for a broader inspiration on what kind of sounds may be suitable other than what I have on my mind.
Tom Kelman
onI learned the basics of synthesis using presets and trying to understand what’s going on and what is affecting what.
With this knowledge now I always go for designing my own, unique sounds.
Alwayscool100
onPreset then twek it.
Miguel
onUsually start with a preset
Juan José Genesir
onAmbas cosas mechustan los preajustes o establecer mis propios patch
Andy Callaby
onPresets. I then give them a tweak.
Alex
onI usually start with a preset and tweak it 🤙🏼
monocycler
onStart with preset then tweak
Lindon
onIt really depends on what I’m making, if I’m working on a main instrument, especially if it’s for something like a pop track, I’ll probably start from scratch. However, when I play around with expansive landscapes, I’ll often start with a preset and tweak it, then I might bounce that and run it through a host of FX and engines.
Cesar
onI love to design my own sounds, but there are 10 or so presets on a couple of synth which are so good that I keep using them over and over.
Chris Alvis
onI love presets i own over 150 vsts. Im always looking for sounds that compliant the bassline I’ve created, with a midi tracks layered with a unique instrument preset. I feel sounds different to whats out there or trying to come up with a completely new sound. Unfortunately currently my systems crashed im in the process of a recovery…5days and counting. Pray im back at it soon and wold something like this took add to my collection. Peace
Marios Total Eclipse band
onBoth, we usually do our basslines and synths sounds from scratch as our band is known well for a specific type of frequencies and granular manipulations for the last 33 years, however, presets are very important for us in order to see and understand the instrument abilities and also a nice point to start tweaking and manipulate sounds to see what comes and also to enjoy the exploration process.
Charles
onI Def love presets. Without a starting point it’s hard to create a base sound of what your going for. But with the preset sky’s the limit. I have 2 go to vsts and they are mostly all I use because of the vast amounts of presets. But I will tweak my presets after I get a starting point because I like for my track to sound different. @dunlapexclusive
Herlu
onLately I’ve been making synth sounds from scratch. I found out that my music have more purpose. Every sounds have their own purposes. I started this full month beatmaking, where I make 1 short track every day, using synth sounds from scratch, with very minimal samples usage. And today is day 2 lol
Gunnar Schuettler
onI like to pretweak my presets and thenuse them in my sessions…
Chase Rockwell
onLike most, I think, use a preset as a starting point.
Idalberto Torres Premier
onFrom time to time I review the presets and if some of them are more or less what I’m looking for, I check them and adjust some parameters, but I use the presets.
Monty adkins
onStarting from scratch. The fun is the process of making and tweaking something original.
Łukasz
onYep, but depending on free time vs vision i currently have.
Alex
onAlways start with presets and then tweak them.
Emmanuel Tuts
onhi
I always start with a preset and play further with the knobs……untill it stops……
Matthew Flook
onI prefer starting with presets and then tweaking to my needs to fit the track.
rattala
onStart with preset then tweak and try to learn how masters have crafted their patches
Paul Tuoti
onI usually choose presets, and then add Vst Effects as needed.
Graham
onStart with a preset then tweak it
Nate G
onprogramming synth patches from scratch. then layering with a preset. deducting whats too much then thicken with my sauce
CeeJay
onI prefer using presets for my production
Maurice Doucette
onI prefer tweaking the presets.
Lindon
onIt really depends on what I’m making, if I’m working on a main instrument, especially if it’s for something like a pop track, I’ll probably start from scratch. However, when I play around with expansive landscapes, I’ll often start with a preset and tweak it, then I might bounce that and run it through a host of FX and engines.
Christoph Piminger
onI always start with presets to understand what’s happening. Afterwards, I try to use by myself.
Regards
Andō
onI tend to start with a preset and then edit it from there. Unless I’m using a sample based synth, in which cased, I start with a sample I import, and edit it from there.
Nat
onI’m a preset collector, but I love to tweak too!
Darshan Ajjamada
onI like to create my own patches
A J
onGenerally time dictates using presets, tinkered with to fit song.
Tom
onI like to start from a preset and programming further if necessary :D
isomatic
onfrom scratch
Johny
onI like starting from a cool preset then mangle the hell out of it until it’s a completely new sound!
3rdPersonProductions
onProgramming from “scratch” (changing a preset we like, or a randomizer button)! We save a bank of these presets we’ve made this way and usually there’s one or two qualities that might be in the original sound that we branch off of to make it our own.
AtomicSoul
onA bit of both, on days when I’m really lazy or just want to put an idea down quickly I fire up a preset. On other days when I’m struggling for inspiration I spend a couple of hours trying to create my own, success is rear though so I tend to just add fx to presets.
Fabian
onI love exploring presets and tweaking them
Chris
onGeek the programmed!
Michael
onI always start with presets 🎹 I love them there like a lonching point. I can get ideas and inspiration as to how
I will proceed in my project.
Kaspars
onI am a preset tweaker :)
JLB
onI love good presets. They are often designed by experts with more talent and experience than me. There is always the possibility to adjust and tweak them later to make them more suitable for a track. A clear YES to presets from my side.
Adam Zero
onPresets
I am a songwriter, music theorist, arranger. Not a sound designer. I get decision fatigue tweaking every knob & eventually can’t decide what sounds good anymore. With presets, I can focus on what matters most: making music.
Dirk
onDepends on the synth, some are intuitve usable, like most fm-synths (from the scratch). Most of the new instruments are so complex that I try the presets and tweak them
markus
onpresets and tweak..depends on the track! ;-)
Jon Carlos
onI rarely use presets. But I sometime like to study and try to reverse engineer them. There are really good presets, and many go beyond my understanding of sound design, and are designed in a much more practical way, than my own sounds. But I prefer to explore and enjoy the journey of designing a sound from the beginning. I also record a lot of sounds myself to later use them in samplers, and granular synths. Another reason I prefer making my own sounds, is that I can develop a more authentic character and style.
Ralf H
onI prefer to get familiar with the presets, analyze some of them,then use one as a starting point and develop something from there. This has proven to be a method with which I learn a lot and get great results.
Deepak
onPresets
Walter
onI like to start with a preset and tweek it.
I also make my custom presets from scratch for future projects.
PABLO CRESPO
onDepence of the complication of the synth, sometimes I prefer to use a preset and tweak or not, normally with soft synth. and sometimes with Hardware synth I prefer start form the scratch
Patrce
onif the preset looks good, I take it, otherwise I modify it to get closer to the desired sound
WinTP
onI prefer programming patch from scratch.
Jim
onMostly from scratch. Or start from a preset and change it.
Red
onI really like to make my own patches but I’ll often start with the presets in an unfamiliar synth as they can really help to show what’s possible and also provide inspiration!
JEP1928
onDepends on what my mood does or what sound needs to make them compliment
I do program mostly
I use presets if I don’t much time or even don’t find some sounds that might be compliment
Vik
onIt depends. Presets are good, but creating from 0 is not a problem :)
Angie
onPresets
MCCdusk
onTweaking good and perfectly categorized presets can be a real time saver.
Definitely my starting point.
Firefly
onMaking my own sounds :)
dan
onDefinitely presets.
CGrrr
onI like to start with a preset.
Oliver
oni usually use presets and then sometimes i tweak them but usually i just go with the preset
TNK
onMost of the time start with a preset and tweak it on the way + add effects on top.
Jacob Collins
onStart from scratch all the way. It’s a nice feeling to formulate a bass sound from scratch, or to make a nice melodic lead, or some intense super saws. I feel when I used presets in the past, upon listening to my creation, when everything is layered so nicely, the presets I used would often standout, and not in a good way. Sure, I went through the route of personalising then myself, but the satisfaction was never there.
Learning how to manipulate your chosen VST is a must for anyone, so instead of editing presets, why wouldn’t you just start from scratch, what’s the worse that could happen?
jp
onI prefer making a sound from scatch over using a Preset but not in every case
Spd2
onI like a bit of both. The possibilities of creating your own sounds are endless. Sometimes I might land on a preset, and I’ll tweak it until I find it suitable for my music. Either or, it’s fun.
gra
onI’m a beginner, so this is a preset for now.
RomHer
onGeneraly, I’m starting with preset and tweak it. I have Abyss, it’ an incredible synth and really easy to experiment !
Renan Victtor
onI prefer to use presets and then start configuring the way I need to get the sound I need
Cris
onFirst searching for a present and then reprogram the oreset so it fits well in the song.
que
onpresets
Guido
onI start with a preset, tweak it eventually or start with the init-patch, depending on weather and mood.
Nomi Sunrider
onBoth, it just depends on the synth.
BoogieNaught
onI Like to Freak & Tweak Presets !
Antoine B
onDear BPB why pick a random entry and not reward those who put efforts into writing a thoughtful comment?
Many such posts do have great value as research material for brands. They pay research companies when they can read quality comments on your quality site…
I previously wrote such posts, drawing on my 20y experience selling and buying gear and testing probably a good thousand plugins.
Anyhow as a reply to this post I start from presets, my valuable advice is for companies to devise a smart preset browser such as what U-HE do.
I don’t just tweak presets I most often will build custom FX chains on top, particularly saturation and filters.
Overall I find synths build-in FX mostly useless as I much prefer using my personal delays and reverbs.
Only a few synths have really outstanding FX. One area where many synths lack is a truly great filter section.
I can’t recommend enough the lesser known Zebra CM, goodness what a delicious freebie !!
Thanks BPB anyhow and best producing to all.
MRG
onHE’S TRYING TO CHEAT! GET HIM!
Illford
onZebraCM isn’t truly free if you need to purchase a magazine to get it
alex
onTrue, but it’s a great synth and you get a bunch of other useful plugins if you purchase an issue of magazine. I guess this post will be counted as an entry, so – I like to start from scratch, maybe tweak a preset every now and then.
Abhishek Stephen
onStart with a preset and tweak it later
Chris
onI prefer using presets.
Ulloo Drone
onPresets with small tweaks
HydraTek
onGood luck everyone! :)
Luke I.
onI love sound design so I like to start from nothing and build up a sound. However, when writing actual music it almost always makes sense to start from a preset and tweak.
Gonçalo Costa
onI prefer programming synth patches ;)
KURQO
oni wrankle the knobs and hope it sounds good. no presets.
Hana
onI like to start from a preset.
Andrew
onI usually find a preset.
Soni2Music
onI also prefer to start with a factory preset and later mold it to my liking.
Synthie Lauper
onI like to browse through the presets and then modiefy them
Sam J
onI prefer to use presets and tweak them, because I don’t have the patience to create patches from scratch. What I love is a preset randomizer but few synths do this really well. One of the OGs in my opinion is Oatmeal by Fuzzpilz which had a great randomizer that seemed to generate endless interesting patches.
Med
onStart with a preset and tweak!
Dmitry
onProgramming my own patches
John
on=)
Llatonnia
onI like to do both depending on what I’m doing. ❤️
ElDJabh
onI often use presets as inspiration when creating my own patches.
MRG
on– *inhale* Dude, but, did you know the init preset -IS- also a preset?
– Whoa, you’re 2deep4me dude, that’s… whoa…
Chris S
onI’m using presets & programming 50/50
Nik
onI prefer to use a preset as a starting point to get the sound I want. In other words, I almost never leave a preset in its initial state, but I do tweak it a bit more
Nicolas
onI prefer to tweak a preset, good luck everyone! ♥️👍
Jean Jacques
onI prefer start from a preset and tweak button and work on modulation options
svrc
onBoth.
Tyler G
onSame, love to check out and tweak all the presets before moving on to making them from scratch.
Dawesome
onBoth. Even though I am the creator of KULT I sometimes dissect the presets that other sound designers made, because they are using techniques that I had not in mind! there is always something to learn from. But sometimes its also fun to start from scratch. And when I create a synth … there are simply no presets in the beginning, so I have to start from zero.
Dee
onPresets for inspiration….from scratch for satisfaction!
Chris S.
onI like to start by browsing through some presets and then tweak from there to get the exact sound I’m looking for. Thank you for doing this giveaway! Kult is an amazing synth and the expansion packs sound incredible! Good luck everyone! :)
Matthew B. Carter
onI love trying to make and use my own presets on a vst synth. It can teach you a lot about how the synth works and then makes it easier to edit each sound to fit your productions better.
Marco
onI usually create the beat using presets with slight tweaks at most. Then at the end of the composition really dig into each sound and make sure it’s perfect to the idea in my mind. This way I don’t end up spending like 1 hour just tweaking a synth and forget my song idea.
– Marco
Sam Sephi
onHappy accidents are everything to me, and they are much more likely to happen if starting from a preset and then tweaking it towards the unexpected. To me there’s something much more inspiring about starting from a series of pre-established interactions, and changing the factors at play (very easy example, switching wavetables).
Conversely, if I’m not looking for inspiration and am trying to produce something specific – then of course starting from scratch makes the most sense (e.g. designing a sub bass or an overdub part).
It’s all about maintaining a sense of flow and not letting the instrument (or its presets) get in your way!
Good luck for the giveaway :3
Timo
onPreset from style at hand. If various sources, you get ideas which you might not get just by doing everything yourself from scratch.
Herbert Wallace
onUsually tweak presets.
Bogdan Shoshyn
onMost of the time i prefer use good presets and tweak them so they sounds even better!
Thank BPB for the giveaway! Hope i win license)))
Justin
onI usually start from scratch, but what I really ought to do is spend some time creating template presets for tried and true sounds and start from scratch when I’m trying to make something unique (like FX).
Starting from scratch may often feel like you’re trying to reinvent the wheel, but the other hand how do you get better at programming synths if you don’t start from scratch?
Fred
onPresets is the easiest way to start.
El°HYM
onGood luck, everyone!
El°HYM
on…from scratch usually.
SATYABRATA
onI m a preset guy , and these synth of dawsome are really awesome , thank u for giveaway BPB
Oliver
onI am usually too lazy and too impatient to create my own sounds from scratch. The selection of good synths and presets is also very large. But sometimes I change presets so much that they no longer sound like the original and then save them when I like them. Most of the time, though, they’re more random hits haha.
But I really like it when you can automate sounds to make them sound more alive or just to create some movement.
Dario
onI prefer using presets
Peter Neilson
onDo I prefer using presets or programming my synth patches from scratch?
Yes :-)
Chris
onPreset tweaking, nowadays.
NoChill
onPreset first to have some inspiration then tweak it
Lars
onPresets as good starting point and then tweak to fit the music you are making
Ryan G
onPresets
Eons
onPresets serve well as patch programming templates
Docent Novak
onIn most cases, I make the bass from scratch, and the rest I look for in presets and modify them.
Artex
onIf I know what I want, I create my own sound from scratch. If I don’t know what I want, I try presets. Sometimes, it gives a new sense of music.
bill edwards
onPresets
Krishna Seth
ondepends on your goals, Both approaches have their advantages and drawbacks .
at the end experience & creativity matter.
RadarMars
onI like programming my own synth patches from scratch. That said, I do use presets and even buy presets when learning a new synth, being able to load presets from other sources I feel like it is the parts of software synths I admire alot.
Michael
onFrom scratch!
Letizia
onI kinda like to take inspiration from what already exist and then start from scratch but with an idea in mind!
Steve Bernard
onI generally start with a preset and then tweak it if need be. I would love to be someone who could craft something new from an initialized synth but I am not there yet.
S.
onWhen I have a new plugin I listen to the presets to hear what the plugin is capable of and have a look what gets tweaked by the preset. Then I tweak myself and/or start from an init sound.
pk
onIf I’m looking for inspiration, presets. If I have a sound in my head I want to create I will start from scratch.
Haste
onStart with a preset, and then tweak it to taste and usually drench it in reverb
Prime
onIt depends on the synth, some are more straight forward when building a patch from scratch, but others have so many options and hidden settings that starting from a preset and tweaking is a more conducive to the creative flow.
mename
onDo you prefer using presets or programming your synth patches from scratch?
It depends on my mood… it varies.
I would try to program my synth patch from scratch if I have a particular sound in mind for the song I am working on…
But if I can’t find The sound by tweaking the buttons I would jump into the presets and use the one with the name the more appealing in accordance with the song’s vibe… and tweak the preset eventually to fit more with the other instrumentals…
But Sometimes I’d use a preset if I don’t have a chord progression… and fiddling with the preset could generate a chord progression…eventually a new song.
So.. it actually depends on the need or the mood or the time I have.
Cheers to all !
JAT
onfrom scratch…
Max
onI like presets
Scott
onI always start with presets, tweak from there.
Dan
onI often like to start with a preset since the larger details such as arrangement, song structure, and melody are what get me to a rough draft the fastest. From there I’ll tweak presets to fit the track better, along with adding effects, more percussion, ear candy, etc
Attaman
onWht’s good Bpb’s gang! I like both, use presets as an starting point and from scratch too, mainly when inspiration comes naturally!
Viktor
onPresets to get the flow going, then tweak them.
vadim
onPresets
ADNILSON
onCurto muito as predefinições do plugin, depois se necessário mexo em alguma área.
da
onI like to start with a preset and then tweak it.
Osidas
onNowadays I really like to program my synth patches from scratch and see where they will take me.
Buckine
onMake my own. I always start on an “init” preset and build my idea from there.
Dalitso
onI do prefer using presets. There are some conditions that require me to do the sound design myself. but I still use presets more often.
Woendiexp
onI usually use presets. Yet, learning a synth and know how to tweak some knob is great!
Simone Hmz
onPresets are a source of inspiration for me, a fundamental starting point for the creative flow
Moisés
onLove presets, but also programming.
Jay K
onBoth. First learn more about the synth with presets and then start making my own.
BrandNewSam
onPresetTweakersUnite!!!!
Ray G
onFrom scratch – I like finding out what I can do with the synth…
Wayne Parker
onI like using presets, but I will create my own as well and or tweak existing presets. My default tho is to rock inspirational presets first – mostly because if I’m in the moment of creation I go with whatever sounds good.
Andrew
onPresets to get get an idea down quickly, then replace later with homebrew patches.
SBTT
onSometimes i play around with the presets and sometimes i create my own synth patches
Rick S
onI create mine from scratch, it helps with growth.
ilias
onfrom scratch
Łukasz
onI usually use presets and modify them later, but sometimes I feel like making something from scratch and when I get the right effect, the joy of creating it is much greater.
Gery Zenz
onpresets most of the time
EL ZOMBIE
onDepende, a veces arranca de cero y otras desde un preset!!
Spanky
onI like to start from scratch
Alex Pons
onI start with presets and midify them if I don’t like the result I try to create my own synth patches.
I also like random little dice buttons.
Frank
onStart from some preset.
Patrik Roncolato
onSynth from scratch 4 life
Per
onMostly from scratch, but some presets are very nice.
Yifan
onPresets while producing. Programming when I’m bored / experiencing creators block
chaim
onPreset settings
Aitoreya Mukherjee
onI prefer programming my synth patches from scratch, but I do cycle through factory presets to get a sense of the strengths and weaknesses.
ASJ
onRigorously no preset, unless I’m dealing with PCM style sounds
Attila
onI start from some presets ending up programing
Numanoid
onI prefer presets, and to tweak them further
Also nothing that Audiolatry has a competition going, win all their plugins, one day left to enter
KalnzEB
onPreset and then adjust.. Thanks.
Ian Blake
onTweak a preset!
Alex Schiff
onI like to see what something is capable of by seeing how many presets sound good and then making adjustments starting from there. It’s rare I will start completely from scratch but it does happen
Eanna Butler
onA good preset can inspire a whole track! Presets for the win! Map three or four params in an Ableton rack, and automate. Done!
Temmeh
onI tell myself every time that ill make my own presets never happens doe
Rafael B
onIt depends. If it’s only a short DAW session possible, I click through the presets and then adjust them if necessary or use them that way with another VST efx or outboard effects. If I have a lot of time or a sound design session coming up, I like to “draw a sound out of the synthesizer from the init preset” myself. Kind regards
PHOO3Y
onI always start with presets to get me close to the sound I want then modify it to work with my track, and effects chains.
Arkinefed
onI like to use presets, but I tweak them to make my sounds more unique.
Oliver
onI prefer presets as a baseline, and I tweak them as needed.
Carlos Romero
onI help myself from both. I never usually modify the factory Presets, if I do, I duplicate them and put the name with an indicator that I have modified it. First when buying a Plugin I look at all the presets that I like and when I start to master it, I create new ones from scratch. Greetings BPB!!!
Lyle Coldwell
onI prefer finding a preset, then tweaking from there. On ones I’m unfamiliar with, starting from scratch will help me learn.
Jamie
onpresets!
elka_11
onI prefer presets.
Charlie
onI’m definitely in the “preset as a starting point, then fiddle to taste” camp. Thanks for the chance!
Nick
onIt really depends. Sometimes making a synth from scratch really hits, other times, I feel better leaning on a preset. They’re there for a reason, right?
Gabriel
onFrom scratch.
samuel
onmaking patches. i use presets just when i have a new synth and want to see/hear the range of the synth
but otherwise i mostly make patch
judus
onI like starting with presets, and tweaking then until I get my own personalized patch!
Stephane
onPresets.
Denys
onIt depends on synth and my mood. Some synths are fun to tweak, and some are too complex. In that case I’ll prefer presets.
Kiran
onPresets as a starting point. Random button is good too.
Fabio
onI program my own patch from scratch
Alex
onI prefer to tweak a preset.
Sketz Ernas
onSounds good, i like it!
Also, right now i prefer to use presets and modify them a little if needed, but i hope to get into creation of my own from scratch.
Catt
onI prefer program my own patches from scratch!
Max Krynicki
onprogramming myself
Venkatesh
onI will use the presets, Then I will change into my liking.
Peter Olsson
onpresets
Yiorgos
ontweaking presets
Paul Korol
onI like both.
Myr
onDiscovering and learning synth with presets, tweeking and programming when using it in prod.
Andrew Forsha
onI prefer using presets because I am new to synthesizers. The presets help me understand how sound synthesis works.
Alex Holbert
onrogramming from Scratch:
Complete control: Starting from scratch allows for precise control over every aspect of the sound, enabling unique and tailored results.
Andreas
onI’m lazy ;-) Presets.
John B.
onIt depends on the synth I’m using and the complexity of the sound I’m trying to achieve. Some synths (eg Synth1) I am more inclined to program from scratch because I know the architecture and can easily home in on the sound I want. If it is a more complex sound I’m looking for, or a new Synth engine I haven’t explored much yet, I’ll more likely start with a preset and tweak (as the vast majority of folks have stated).
Often presets are the quickest way, and good presets can inspire me to take a different direction than I had originally thought I would go.
Mark Lorax
onAnything. Whatever works.
Arthur
onI enjoy the tweaking very much
Arash
onDepends on the synth , I make my sounds in vital from scratch , but Presets can be good for starting point in some synths like arturia with thousands preset library. They can also inspire you.
Different sounds = Different Mood & Melodies
frazer
onI start with a patch then break it and make something new.
GARMEN
onFrom scratch!
Martin
onProgramming from scratch… after having listened to the presets. ;)
Jareth
onI enjoy using presets often, but I will augment them and alter them to my uses
Fy-Organic
onI programme sounds for scratch, but for Inspiration I use presets as starter up
D1
onBoth but i mainly go for presets and change the end results with effects.
David
onI love using presets, but I usually tweak them to fit the mix.
June Bugg
onI like making sounds from scratch but I get into some pretty deep rabbit holes, you only have so much time and I’d rather spend it getting ideas and feelings down as quickly as possible. Presets presets presets definitely!
Matthias
onI generally prefer programming my presets from scratch, but presets can be a welcome inspiration and give an idea of a synth’s capabilities and functionality, especially if it’s complex or unique.
Jed
onI usually start from scratch if i have any idea in my head about the exact sound that i want to create. Otherwise, i just use presets and modify them a little bit. It also depends on the synth itself. If it is a wavetable synth or a hybrid one like Viral, Serum or PhasePlant, generally prefer to start from scratch and then experiment with the sound. If it is an analogue emulator, a semi analogue synth or something like that, i prefer to use an already programmed preset without modifying it at all, as long as it reproduce the original sound that the author wanted it to reproduce.
toffycof
onfor me both. just depends on how I feel like. if I feel inspirational – I usually make my own, and to be honest sometimes it turns out to be banger lol. feeling lazy or I just have bangers made by other artists in my pocket – I use them. I am a serum user tho
Kyle Cean
onI prefer using presets.
Sergey
onPresets!
Roman
onUsually, I start with the presets, then I try some tweaking on a sound that impresses me and finally I make my own preset after a while of hanging around with the feeling.of the sound, thanks!
Lee Morgan
onPresets
Jhonathan
onI don’t care, if the sound is good, don’t matter if it came from me or not… I try to learn How to create my own synths, But i use pressets often two…
Konstantin K
onMood dictates, some time it’s “preset – then adjust”, another time it’s “from scratch”
Bob8
onI use presets that I modify most of the time. Thanks for the giveaway !
Larreche
onMaybe start with a preset and adjust, “random” is a good choice too!
Suraj Singh
onPresets is Cool and When I Start Music Production I Always Using Presets
ER
onI prefer prefer using presets.
Chris
onGeek the programmed!
Avner
onAlways start with initial (if there is an option) and dive deep to explore the capabilities of the synth. On the way I save a l patches that I like the synth sounds.
Dhruv Negi
onLast Hope!!!
Cody
onI like to use presets to put in the clips to make adjustments to the settings
bskinny
onSometimes I use preset as it is if I don’t have a clear vision for a sound and maybe tweak it to match the song. But if I know what I want, it’s usually faster to make sound from scratch.
Christian Krupa
onI definitely do a bit of both, but got some reason I feel like I’m cheating unless I start from scratch, which if you think about it is a bit daft, unless you build the synth yourself maybe… hang on, is that why I’m building noise makers in a shed down the road out of old TV valves? 😂
Brenny C
onFor me it’s a combination of the two. I’ll often start with patches and tweak the synth settings in order to quickly get the sounds I’m looking for, but I do also start from scratch sometimes if I have more time and can spend it on sound creation.
Good luck everyone!
Raahi
onI will prefer ready to use preset and small tweaks for perfect sound.
MultipliedCow
onI typically start with presets and tweak from there. I occasionally need some new inspiration that only starting from scratch can fulfill.
Abhay Mehta
onI produce in a flow and if I started sound design while producing it will break my flow state so I love to use presets.
Ho Shui Win
onI like choosing a cool preset then mangle it until it’s a new sound!
PALATINUS
onMost virtual synths have one or more “init” presets. I have never missed the opportunity to start there and explore the thing. Polished presets are fun but often make us too humble to begin our own trip into the unknown!
Duncan
onPresets and adjust if I know what I am looking for. From scratch if I want to be more experimental
myron
onLove to hear awesome and inspiring presets but also want to create something new.
Sean C
onBegin with a preset. Sometimes adjustments are made. Sometimes only fx or amps and such.
prismatic brain
onI prefer to make patches from scratch.
Chris
onLove Fine tuning stock presets and renaming them as my own for reference
Sajid
onStart with a preset and tweak to taste
Snatch Numan
onDepends on the synth, to be honest. On classic subtractive synths I prefer starting from scratch. With FM, granular and more complex synths, I usually start with a preset and tweak it.
Pascal
onI use presets mostly, but only because my own sound design skills aren’t as good as I’d like them to be yet. I’d love to achieve the level where I could sell presets myself.
mikaela
onlately I find myself using more and more presets just so I don’t get stuck in sound design all day
Matthew
onProgramming for the win! Always fun and you can get the exact sound you need.
Robin
onI prefer to program sounds from scratch, starting from the init patch.
Jesus Angulo
onStart from presets and then go on from there.
Behrang
onPrefer to build my presets from scratch and then get inspiration from premade presets
Yi
onI program from scratch, but if there are certain sounds I can’t really replicate, I’ll open a preset and do reverse engineering to understand how they make the sounds.
DIYfuzz
onI prefer to program from scratch most of the time, unless I have a task which has to be done quickly.
Santiago M.
on90% of the time I prefer making my own presets
Spektralisk
onSo many interesting and inspiring comments! Thanks guys and good luck with the giveaway.
Jason White
onLove building my presets from scratch. Helps make my music more unique and I learn all about the synth in more depth, rather than just relying on the inbuilt presets.
Good luck everyone in the competition! :-)
Mikael
onI like presets to start off, and then if I got time I can loose myself in hours just tweaking around :)
Gary Thompson
onWell even though I love sound sculpting and feel the need to be original but have to be honest and say that I prefer presets. I gets me inspired so quickly and keep it melodic from there.
Niedec
onI prefer using presets if I had to pick. I like sound design, too, but when I’m in a songwriting mood, I’m not in a sound-designing mood and visa versa. Plus I like to treat presets as helpful band members: they contribute sounds I didn’t have in mind but changes the tracks for the better. It gets me out of the formulaic rut of dialing in the same patches and expands my understanding of options. Then I take what I learned and hone it when I’m back in sound-design mode.
HPN
onQ: Do you prefer using presets or programming your synth patches from scratch?
A: Any way the wind blows doesn’t really matter to me, to me.
West
onI just tell chat GPT to write a song for me and call it a day
Andrea
onIn my case it’s always a combination of both. I usually start with a preset and prepare a demo of a song, and the further I go, the more I tweak the patches and create a couple of new ones when necessary. With millions of patches available, often created by top notch sound designers, it makes no sense not to try and adopt them in my music. Besides, deadlines often make you take a shortcut when possible so you can spare some time just in case you have to focus a bit longer on mixing and mastering.
Jani
onBoth for sure! Depending on the mood and situation.
Halma
onI prefer doing my patches from scratch. But I like preset browsing too because sometimes thy can show the full potential of a synth.
Matt H
onI like to start from a preset
Francesco LM
onI prefer to program my patches from scratch
Bruno
onstart with a preset and then tweak it
Ossko
onI usually use presets and tweak them a bit, but depending on the context sometimes I prefer to make my own sounds from scratch
AJ
onI use every method available applicably. I use presets when I’m In the mood to make a beat fast, & get an Idea out more quickly. Then If I don’t like the sound/preset I will then use the secondary option which Is to tweak the preset to preference, liking etc.
Lastly. The 3rd method, in no particular order to prior methods, would be to just create a preset from (INT) scratch. I tend to sound design my sounds when I want a more unique sound stylistically for certain vibe.
Ultimately, (presets) teaches/shows you the inner workings structurally of what control features to be engaged for “sound design” is predicated upon theoretically..
In turn “sound design”, & having a grasp, understanding of it allows you to then masterfully create presets. Which IS why I say I use all 3 methods, i.e preset, tweaked modified presets, & straight from (INT) scratch
And I always start with the basics, essentials etc. Then I’ll try to get fancy with effects/modulation patterns lol..
Michael
onUsually just use presets honestly, tweaking them if necessary
Jordan Robles
onpresets
Andris
onI prefer use presets and tweak them till they fit in overall mix and blend perfectly in vibe.
Jan w.
oni am a tweaker, often starting with thoes INIT sounds and fiddeling around from there
Ben Swartz
onStart with a preset then customize it
Xaither
onTo be quite honest, I spent years trying to learn to make my own patches but honestly, I still love presets. Besides being great to study, they actually help me in writing music. I find a big issue with making my own for a project is often getting lost in said sound design rather than actual music writing aspect.
Jaromír
oni love make start patches from init patch .-) from null to somethink new :)
karim
onUsually start with a preset
Hubert
onUsually I find a preset that is the closest to the sound that I look for, and then tweak it to my taste
Igor
onProgramming my own patches which is the beauty of sound creation anyway.
Dan
onBoth depending on what I need.
Marc
onDepends, if time is a factor then presets offer a great starting point so you can just get on with making music. If I have more time I like to create my own weird and wonderful presets, especially in synths like Vital, Serum & Alchemy. I don’t think people should be so hung up on whether to use presets or not; if it helps you to make great music then why should you care?
Eksodizl
onProgramming patches, saving them and being surprised by them later when trying in the context of another track. Some become recurring, like when you make a unique and effective bass patch.
Jerry Abstract
onPresets – if they are good.
Oleh
on40% – use my own presets, 60% – presets from developer
Fotis
onUsually I use presets as a starting point, but I’m slowly learning how to make patches from scratch, especially in Vital. Some synths have a “randomize” option which generate brand new sounds on the fly, and I find that fun, especially in Melda’s MSoundFactory which has allows you to adjust the randomization amount by ctrl+clicking or alt+clicking the “Random” button.
Klaus
onPresets are a great starting point to see what the synth is capable of. There are some sound designers who can really create a work of art. And then you try to come up with something that is not a work of art but work in progress but that is fine. It is always learning from the best and trying to get better.
Florin
onI like to tweak some presets! But give me presets and samples …cause I don’t that much braincells to waste!
Hamish
onI can do both depending on what the music is doing or needing. I do like to find a preset that I like the general vibe of then launch off into new tangents with it and see where that ends up.
d(e_e)p VOiD
onFrom scratch.
Pablo Baico
onI prefer programming my synths patches from scratch.
Kadir
onYes, I prefer.
Francesco Ricci
onLike everyone else, I prefer to use the best of both worlds.
Pablo
onProgramming myself.
David Marek
onPresets I guess.
Martin
onI’ve been using presets a lot lately.
Vasya
onPresets…
Anna
onI prefer to use presets.
Andrew Hall
onHi. I prefer to tweak a preset.
Salvador Delatorre
onDefinitely prefer to scroll around through presets and build from there
Jonathan Marchant
onI like to use presets most of the time, but if I’m feeling froggy, I sometimes build one from scratch and save it for later.
Natan
onMe myself.
Mike
onI’d say it’s 50/50
Adam
onI like to be creative and do it myself. But sometimes presets are much more interesting than what I can come up with myself. In this case, I will select presets.
Mark Hughes
onI like to start with a present, tweak and add fx.
germán schlude
onI use presets because as a blind person, manipulate lfos or ascillators is dificult to me.
Cody
ona little of both for me. I’ll usually see what a synth can do by thumbing through presets, making tweaks along the way. Then I’ll often begin searching for the “init” patch or setting (sometimes for much longer than I’d like!). From there, I like to explore from scratch. When tweaking existing presets – they often sound so good these days, it can be pretty hard to make it sound anything but worse when tweaking existing presets IMO but all depends on the synth!
Lucien
onMostly use presets and edit them, only a few times have I found a preset fit so well that I barely touched it. More often it ends up sounding completely different, but the preset gives a good starting point.
Josh Cooper
onPresets define the sound I’m looking for, then slight adjustments can sometimes get it to a finished state, when I want to get really creative, I go for a preset that is not really suitable, then try to mould it using an arsenal of tools and effects… Experimenting can often bring totally new flavours to a once simple sound, which never fails to surprise my ears.
Arnold Robles
onI like to start with a preset and tweak from there.
Tonecii
onI love finely crafted presets that I can tweak to my liking rather than start from scratch. I’m not big into sound design, I’m more of a plug’n’play kinda guy.
Alex Hepting
onUsually the presets sound cheesy and not fitting really into other takes so I tweak sounds with a lower octave I have freedom layering with different tops which can be more detuned. Also splitting different timbres on the piano scale which is fortunately not only possible with samplers.
Joshua Veldman
onI like to find a preset, strip it of FX, tweak it and then later add my own effects. That’s the ideal way to get where I want to go
Daniel Calado
onDefinetely, from scratch. Where’s the fun otherwise?
Robert Saunders
onI prefer using presets because I don’t have any sound design skills.
Georgios Matis
onI love presets. if it needs some tweaking i might do but prefer the sound complete from the provider.
shane
oni tweak that preset til it doesn’t sound like that preset any more.., and then i’ll tweak it some more..
Kahlil Smith
onI would prefer to program my own sounds but I really don’t know how to create sounds useful to my genre(s). So ultimately, I scroll through TONS of presets.
jay jay
onPresets will make me lucky more :)
Corti.Son
onHi, I like to create my own patches.
Claud Anghel
onpresets all day
Swazi
onUsually but not always start with a preset
NITYA
onpresets mostly
valerov
onpresets
Gabriel
onI like using presets as a starting point fit programming my own patches quite often.
Christian
onI prefer DIY with Phaseplant
Oliver
onI usually go through the presets when demoing a synth and then, if the synth stays in my toolkit, I try and ignore the presets and make my own until I have a good grasp of the instrument.
Jack Armstrong
onI definitely use a combination of both presets and making my own sounds from scratch. There’s often a steep learning curve when figuring out what every parameter of a synth does and how they work together, so taking a preset and deconstructing it down to the simplest part, and then reversing all of that is a nice way for me to understand how the preset is built and how the synth works. And then I can tweak the preset or use similar elements when making a sound from scratch to make new sounds without feeling like I’m just flailing and turning knobs at random.
Aaron
onI like to explore presets and then I tweak them to get the sound I want when inspiration hits.
Marcelo
onI prefer a preset setting and then modify it to my liking.
Niklas
onPresets
Arshan
onI prefer watching a tutorial about all the features and that helps not getting stuck mid-way in a project. Either that or reading the manual is always an option
Radiofloyd
onFrom scratch for me, it’s just more satisfying. That being said, I do make the patches often a fair bit before I use them, and I tweak them for every song I make just a little, aside from sound designing the output a bunch as well.
giovanni
oni prefer presets
Steve
onI like to start with a basic waveform then discover where I can take it via various processings and manglings:)
Krzysztof Szychowski
onHello
It is dependent on what is being done. Some situations demand a new sound other situations can be a derivative of a preset. So, both is the answer.
Thanks for the opportunity to win the plug-in.
Philip
onI like creating my own patches, but that’s more random exploration rather than designing a particular sound. When producing, I tend to use tweaked presets.
Mike
onUsing presets as a starting point and working from there. Unless I have a specific sound I am trying to create
Falko Erkmar Freund
onStart with preset then tweak
Al Felton
onI usually prefer presets so that I can get a feel of what else I can do with my track. Once I get a handle on the synth then I will create my own.
Thanks
Masat
onI would try the presets first.
Solo
onBrowsing presets is a great way to have a starting point for tweaking and sculpting the sound, of for finding inspiration, and discovering the instrument capabilities, even if you have a very specific sound in mind.
Jay Tea Moore
onI prefer to use presets and then do some tweaking, if needed.
el-bo
onPresets, then tweak to fit the track :)
Roberto Bravo
onI like to build a synth by myself with a reference sound to achieve the sound that I want.
Gangiacat
onPresets are the tools that teach you how to get what you want.
Karsten Krause
onIt entirely depends on each new track; presets as starting points or starting from scratch.
bCow
onPresets can be good for inspiration, but I never leave them unedited. I love sound design, about as much or even more than I love making music.
Mike
onI prefer to create a patch from scratch. I use presets to learn and for new ideas to explore.
PsychoTomek
onSometimes programming is good what’s make the sounds unique but I like too good preset’s. Both options are good!
Patrick Osterday
onBoth!
Felix
onI like to look at presets to see how sounds I like are programmed. After I understand how to get specific sounds, I prefer to make the presets myself.
Hellmuth
onStart with preset then tweak
Pedro
onI create generally my own sounds …
Oper-8
onPresets are a great way to get inspired !
Al F
onI explore the presets, choose one I like and then change it to the context of what I need.
Martin Osteroth
onMostly Presets, but later adjusted to my needs.
Kick Thakur
onI personally find that it really depends on my creative process and what I aim to achieve. I see the merits in both approaches. Using presets is fantastic when I want to save time and have immediate access to a wide range of sounds. However, when I’m looking for complete creative control and the ability to craft one-of-a-kind, personalized sounds that can truly make a composition stand out, I enjoy programming synth patches from scratch. To me, the ideal approach often involves a combination of both techniques using presets as a starting point and then fine-tuning or layering them with custom elements to create a genuinely unique sonic palette.
Arsenial
onI’m a preset tweaker!
Jörg
onI usually start wirh preset and fo fromm there
Piotr
onI prefer to made my own presets from scratch and I use them if I can.
Of coruse I also like to use original presets or modify them – it all depends on what I am looking for.
Making sounds is for me nice hobby – like making music.
Andrew
onFrom scratch baby!
Lipton
onI like to mix and match. If I like the preset then I use as it is otherwise I tweak it till I hear what I like.
Ryan Martin
onFrom scratch, but sometimes use presets to work off of if I have a more specific sound in mind:)
Alex
onI’m relatively new to making electronic music, so I always start with a preset that matches the vibe of whatever song I’m working on. From there, I’ll modify it (usually with a bitcrusher or LFO, my favorite effects).
Pman
onProgramming from scratch
Mikael Fredriksson
onI like to start with presets and then go crazy experimental :)
tom
onUsually start with a preset and adjust.
Robert
onpresets
wagner Alves
ondeve ser maravilho essa predefinições top demais esse eu queria
Martyna
onI usually start with presets and then tweak them also. I actually find it quite hard to create whole sound in any synth from the scratch
Damya Thompson
onI’m trying to learn sound design so when it comes to synths I program my own sounds :)
Wiktor
onI start from scratch to check, using a few of my favorite settings, how the synthesizer sounds compared to others that I already know.
xchak
onI start with the presets because is faster but if and when I have time to play around I will make my own. thnx :)
Joe
onI overwhelmingly prefer creating patches. Some days I’ll sit with one of my synths or plugins and just design sounds, with no goal other than the pleasure of creating something new. And those experiments often inspire new tracks, which demand more new patches. It’s a beautiful creative feedback loop.
Nathan
onDepends on my mood, but I often start with a preset and tweak it as I see (or hear) fit :)
Artioc
onPresets
Bruno
onI like building new sounds out of inspiring presets
Daniel Ene
onQuality presets are always welcome
Dave Younger
onInprefer to roll my own, but am not averse to a good preset.
Dave Thomas
onuse preset settings as an idea to help understand how a new vsti can be used
Nattapak Kaweethammawong
onGreat presets, its make more idea for work
Frank
onI like me some well-crafted presets
Mori Frik
onI like to use presets, to tweak them. But sometimes I create a self-made presets
Laura Reynolds
onCombination of both. I understand synthesis and enjoy programming my own patches, but sometimes I just need something quickly. If I am familiar with the preset library, that can be the fastest way to get a patch I want; but if not, then it may be faster to just program a patch from scratch, depending on the synth. For FM stuff, I tend to use presets.
Mate Simunić
onI like and use both but i prefer building it from scratch.
Cody T
onMan, tough to say as it really depends on my mood and the synth and what I’m trying to achieve. I always feel slightly weird about using presets in a song (zero judgment of others doing this though!). Dawesome is becoming a top 10 dev in the past couple years. Epic style and ear for what sounds great!
Jim
onCustomize presets
Max
onStart with preset then learn to build from scratch.
Dawesome & Spektralisk both killing it at the moment!!!!
eric J
onI love good presets. such a good way to learn some of the synths features.
BeakyJay
onI prefer to start from a preset and then tweak it a bit, for speed.
Ivan Grigorov
onusually i try both
KozmykJ
onBoth ways, but most often I tweak a Preset.
Robert
onBoth:
I love sound design and creating my own patches, but I also use many presets when composing.
Suny
onI prefer to program my synth patches from scratch, but whenever I have time, I try all the presets and save those which inspired me as favorites, either to use as is, or to dissect how they were done, or as a basis for a new patch.
Johnny Yesno
onSCRATCH
Axel
oni prefer to use presets, but i always tweak them (and they end up sounding totally different and not like what I expected, but that’s the fun part of producing :)
Steffen
onPresets.
Success Ajayi
onI love using presets and then set to taste
Yanko
onthere are companies and designers who know this well and I will never create better sounds than them, which is why I prefer to use ready-made presets,
emre babus
onMostly prefer programing my own patches from scratch.
rosqa
onI Prefer starting with preset, then i tweaking them
pupkin
onPresets
Alexander
onI use presets a lot and I don’t think where anything is wrong with it.
Christian GERARD
onI prefer using presets
Steve G
onI always start with presets to then tweak from there.
Alex
onWhen I had time in my youth? programming them.
Now that I’m a father and need to pay the bill, presets !
Aleks MZ
onI much prefer programming synth patches from scratch.
James
onI do a combination of both. I make presets from scratch, and use factory presets (mostly tweaking the parameters)
Thanks for the chance!
Ben Jammin
onFor the most time I listen to the overall sound of a synth and it’s presets to get an idea of what to create out of it and then I either pick a preset and experiment with it or I take the idea of my journey through the bank and start from scratch and try to get to the vibe I captured and try to create it.
Good luck all!
Sezinando Manna II
onI start from a preset and then I work from there if I feel the sound needs that.
Freddy
onI think it’s best to start from a preset that suits your production and then modify it to your liking to give it the final touch.
sai
onUse your favorite presets. Program the software you are familiar with from scratch.With love from Japan!
hmztsurukawa
onBasically, I create a preset myself
Darrel
onFor architecturally complex/unusual plugins my standard MO would be to pick a preset that’s close to what I want and tweak to taste. Or, if there’s a randomise button, I’ll hit it until I get something I like, and tweak. Subtractive analogue-style patches are way more likely to be built from scratch.
Jamie Marvel
onI prefer not to prefer :)
THRL
on– Do you prefer using presets or programming your synth patches from scratch?
– I prefer tweaking the presets. We can learn much by analyzing the included ones.
I think it helps to understand the workings of the more complicated plugins.
It would be awesome to animate the changes (sliders, knobs) – some interfaces can do that, but that can be very process-heavy and can increase latency.
Scott Sturgis
onI like starting with presets and then modifying them from there. This is perfect for my Techno too!
Peter Teipe
onUsually start with presets then dial it in further to my preference for a given track.
Darin Paterson
onPresets then tweak as f
Matt DragonDope
onYea, I’m usually a bigger fan of making my patches from scratch.
Reg
onIt depends if I need inspiration, or if I have a specific idea in mind
Michael Curry
onI prefer presets for a starting point, if I really know the synth, I will make adjustments, or occasionally start from scratch.
monocycler
onStart with preset then tweak
Yvan
onOoh! Pesets save me Time….and I Can sculpt myself from them.
Dee
onBoth…& everything in between…
ollo
onOften I using presets for a starting point but I also built sounds from the scratch or using random generators.
Boogieman
onBorn as a preset man :P
L
onPresets and then some tweaking
Marco
onI do both, but mostly using presets and modify it.
Dennis
onSometimes from scratch, sometimes start from preset
Nick Severny
onEither starting from scratch or with my own patches I created earlier. It’s always good to know the intricacies of a patch, and there’s so much new and exciting stuff to explore about a synth when you set it all yourself
Joseph Wilk
onI like to use random parameter generators and then tweak from there.
Real Trepanier
onUsually presets
Thomas Tweak
onDo you prefer using presets or programming your synth patches from scratch?
Sometimes I prefer tweaking a preset and at other times I want to create my patches from scratch.
davide
onUsually i start from preset and then tweak a lot to fit my taste!!
Dennis
onBoth of course
Rolly Gao
onI like to start with a preset.
Maurus Fernandes
onMaking your sounds from scratch can be fun and unique but I prefer presets. As presets let’s me get vibe of the melody more quickly as I can change through fast.
JASPER LABUSCHAGNE
onI like to see what I can do before I check what others have done. Have spent countless hours designing sounds.
Joel Gomer
onI always start with a preset as a jumping off point.
David Noll
onI like to program my synth patches from scratch
Karl
onWhen I was much newer to music production, I would exclusively use presets, but now using some knowledge that I have gained from learning synthesis, I like to experiment with synths to get the sound that I want. However, if I am a bit bored, I might use a preset.
Vasek
onStart with init preset then tweak
Anime
onI like to program my synth patches from scratch, but sometimes i surf factory presets
Jason
onPresets and distort to my liking. Dawesome is Awesomeness!
Douglas
onI use presets
David
onAfter getting myself familiar to the options, I prefer to have a quick look at the entire preset library but then start from a preset to sculpt a sound I need.
Luis
onI usually start with presets that get me in the ballpark of what I need, or presets I have made beforehand :)
Thanks for the chance!
Dana
onI prefer to use preset. Because i can imagine how the arrangement would be if i heard the preset first.
Granular love
onPresets for inspiration
Charlie
onI’ve used both methods. It depends on what kind of sound i’m trying to reach.
Nicola De Ieso
onI prefer using presets
David Hoover
onIt always depends on the synth itself. Presets are the start of exploration and sometimes they are good enough to throw in a mix with amazing results. Phase plant got me introduced and hooked on exploring sounds by building and tweaking. I haven’t found another synth that makes me want to explore tweaking yet I’ve used Phase Plant presets that worked well for my ears. I’m open to new synths though haven’t found any I’m more interested in yet.
Nielsen
onI like to design sounds from scratch, it’s really exciting when you’re looking to make a specific sound and then find yourself lost in a galaxy of other sounds while experimenting… then you end with a full bank of synth patches while you were « only » trying to create one sound!
BKooshian
onI prefer to start with presets and tweak them from there.
Panagiotopoulos
onI make my own presets, I get inspired by the motion of the ancient gears of the universe that is determined by the rules of consonance and dissonance. What I listen at the demos reminds me of these motion. I want to tweak further.
Medulasa
onI definitely like to start out with a preset and then tweak it, automate it until it suits what I’m trying to achieve.
Lawrence
onMainly design my own but will use a preset for some sounds, like a sampled instrument for example.
Vish Sr
onPresets with required effects and fine tuning
Ari Politi
onI’d love to design my own presets, but I’m afraid it would take me too much time.
That’s why I stick to existing presets.
Tristan G.
onI prefer to use presets to start, then I tweak it.
tkachen
onPresets
Aubrey
onOh, presets for sure.
Jaydreamer
onPresets normally but I do like to experiment from scratch to blend a sound to a track, normally lead synth.
Marieke
onDepending on ideas I have I’m working with either or both to be honest. Love to get creative motivation from presets though.
Ray
onI do both
Vinícius Lessa
onHi, so the presets help me out in what for me is the most vital part of Producing: the composition. I mean, I get an Idea, I start immediately writing some melodies and harmonies with the use of a vast list of presets that I’ve got, I love it, it helps me a lot.
Ytse
onI create my own patches or modify an existing preset. Occasionally I use a preset but make it my own with effects.
SMT
onI often start with preset and end up tweaking it into something completely different, but sometimes a good preset can write a song itself.
goshae
onOnly from scratch !
Max
onItS a fun challenge to start from a INIT patch.
To see were it can take me.
ninna
onUsually presets
Xiu
onWhenever I really want to get an idea rolling, I go for presets. When I already know exactly what sounds I want, but am still crafting the main idea for a song, I take more time tweaking presets, and or making new ones from scratch.
Kieran
onI like to use presets when sketching out a track, then tweak / remake them / kill my cpu with a giant fx chain to start building the colour and character. :D
Ryan Gemmel
onI try to patch from scratch, but definitely find some inspiration by going through any presets.
Mark
onI like using presets, but modifying them if necessary.
Robert
onA good preset can lead you down a surprising creative path so good presets as a starting point are important for sure. I always start with a preset that inspires me and tweak it to taste.
Lyke Paws
onI’m on a slow path to get to design my own patches, but as of now, I use presets and tweak them if necessary.
Stefan
onWhen new to a synth or just looking for a variation: Start with a patch.
When familiar: From scratch. Otherwise it feels hard to completely leave the original.
Ronan
onI find whenever I try using presets I spend so much time sorting through ones that aren’t quite what I’m after. Especially when I’m not tying myself to a particular vst so I have potentially thousands I *could* use. In the end I get much more done making my own cool sounds and then working out what I’m going to do with them.
David
onINIT ;-)
KINGMO
onI like to do both and I like to tweak presets to fit the vibes i am going for!
Rhett
onI prefer to start from scratch- it’s usually easier for me to form my own ideas and create them from a blank slate
Justin Wright
onI started out making patches from scratch, and sometime still do when trying a new synth. However when actually in the zone, making a song, I always reach for presets to tweak.
Damian
onI like to start with a plain ol sine wave and just start tweaking synth parameters and flipping through wave tables…
SEHYUN
onusing presets
Hugo Brown
onI like to use a preset to get close to what i’m looking for and then change it till i get exactly what i want
modular
onPresets. I then give them a tweak. :))
Mark Gibson
onI use presets a lot, so I buy soundbanks
Eric
onI start with a preset and then make adjustments to match what is in my head
Christophe
onboth
Michael Ner
onI like presets first to get a base for tweaking and inspiration
Gage Howe
onSounds are cleaner from scratch.
Jim Cairns
onI usually start with a preset, then tweak or add effects.
Wojtek Cholascinski
onI prefer using presets, they are a base for further twraks but I definitely start with presets.
Rob Turner
onI like to start with presets for inspiration
Sebastian Pantu
oni prefer presets!
Luca
onI usually start from an init patch and create a sound, but sometimes I do the opposite, start from a preset and tweak it to my liking
Jack
onI prefer making my own sounds, but I often get inspired by going through presets and tweaking presets is often really effective. Deconstructing presets has also been a great way to learn sound design.
Elier
onI find look for a preset that sounds good and tweak it until it sounds perfect.
Mark
onBoth. Presets assist in time-based constrictions in projects. Presets also especially assist in deeper understanding of the synth going in different directions in sound design than one may have.
Peter Bos
onI like starting with presets to get a feel for the instrument, but then tweak or start from scratch to get the sound I’m looking for.
Quentin D.
onI like to start with a preset and then I tweak depending of what I’m looking for.
ElVicente
onI prefer to patch from scratch but still like to study good presets. !
Jurgen
onBoth, I like programming sounds from init but also get a lot of inspiration from good presets
Richard
onI like to tweak presets because they have usually been made with an understanding of the synth’s architecture, especially if it’s a complex one.
Julen
onI like to start with presets and when I find one i’ll usually tweak it
Quetzal
onBoth, but usually I start with a preset.
Alex M.
onFor sounds that I have used a lot, mostly hoover and reese basses or pads, I tend to program them myself. But for the majority of leads and plucks, I prefer to edit the presets. I have found that most of the synths I’ve been using have great starting points within their presets, from simple to complex, and many work great just as they are, droping them directly onto my tracks. I’d say a 50/50 overall.
yiquoc
onIf I start from scratch, I lose track of time,
I try to start from a preset.
Ben Pluck
onThese days mainly using presets.
Dave
onI like to do both. It depends if I’m in a hurry or not.
Paul Nattress
onI started off loving presets then learnt about creating my own and get a lot of satisfaction in creating my own. There’s still space for presets as there are so many talented sound designers out there creating some amazing presets.
Hans
onI might use a preset to sketch in a sound—to figure out the general kind of sound I’m aiming for, but I almost always end up rebuilding the sound from scratch.
Semarus
onBoth, presets are helpful for learning, but I invariably tweak them to my liking or to use as a platform to go further.
Artem
onI prefer using presets and maybe tweaking a little since I’m bad at synth programming..! :)
Richard Lovell
onI usually start with a preset that’s close to the sound I’m looking for and then tweak it to my liking.
Aethyr Heartsong
onHonestly I go with presets more often than not, but sometimes I’ll tweak it and almost always I’ll use various FX to customise the sound to being more to what I want. It’s very rare that I’ll just use a preset ‘straight’ as it were, but also I’m still figuring out how to make patches from scratch.
axb312
onPresets with a little bit of tweaking
Iam
onWith so many great producers good enought to provide fantastic presets, why re-invent the sound? Just use the presets as a base and develop the sound you need. The only difference to this scenario are synths like Omnisphere that can accept your unique sound input to develop …… still a bit like presets I suppose:)
TR4
onPreset Gang 👌
DMN
onPresets – Depending if I can be bothered, I have the option of reamping through all sorts of FX pedals and Valve Amps.
Jason
onI program my own patches for synths 80% of the time but still buy presets to learn new tricks and get ideas.
Arne Svendsboe
onI prefer presets, bacause that is faster for me.
skyscape
onI enjoy designing from scratch, however it is also good fun (and an excellent way to learn) to try to recreate an amazing preset from one synth in a different synth.
dbn-creation
onI always start with presets to hear the synth capabilities at first, and for inspiration before tweaking them…
Luka Dujmic {theperfectnumb}
onPresets are fun to get inspired, especially if I’m feeling stuck and need something to get me excited and get the creative juices flowing or to use in ways to try and decipher/deconstruct just how the producer/musician was able to make the particular preset and usually during that somewhere along the way I hear something I like that’s nothing like the preset and off I go into sound design and creating my own sound that feels one of a kind and inspiring to me. I’m already an owner of Kult and basically any and everything that Tracktion/Dawsome have put out but REALLY wanna get my hands on those presets by Spektralisk who I’m also inspired and motivated by as well. Thank you for your consideration and for doing awesome giveaways like this!
Danny
onNeither. I just like looking at the interface.
Frank
onI always run several presets to check what’s possible, then I start to tweak them.
Gabriel
onI like to mix and match, sometimes craft a sound from scratch or tweak it a little or further affect it with other plugins or bounce it in place and then reverse it or something interesting! Kind of depends what you’re going for and how much time you have. Presets can be good especially if you know what you’re looking for. I don’t like to scroll endlessly, so quality all rounder sounds make a big difference.
PeachRow
onIf I have time I like to start from scratch! But when there’s a deadline or other time constraint I’ll pull up a preset and tweak as necessary.
Fabio
ontweaking
Ashy
onI’ll usually throw a preset on, then build off of it/tweak it to my liking.
Someday I wanna start from scratch, but it’s a little too time consuming to make the sound I’m after… maybe I’ll become more competent starting from scratch someday ;)
lairyboy
onI get inspiration from preset and sometimes tweak if required, usually remove or reduce the effects.
AS
onAh. This is a tough question. It depends on the project.
Sometimes a preset just nails the sound I am seeking. I will do very little to it at that point. Sometimes adjusting the cutoff filter and light modulation effects. Other times, a preset is not sitting how I want it and it requires customizing, often those would be ARPs. Rarely is the ARP hitting the exact notes needed.
Thanks for doing this giveaway; looks and sounds amazing.
Akoustecx
onI love both.
Preset tweaking is a great way of learning how a synth behaves, but when a patch built from init is a perfect fit, it’s a beautiful day.
Ken
onIf I have a very specific sound in mind I’ll try and make it from scratch, otherwise I’ll start with a preset and make adjustments.
Cristiano Barata
onI’m a compulsive tweaker, so I prefer to create my sounds, either from scratch or by editing existing presets.
Feyra
onPresets to start so I can get my idea down fast. Then the tweaking of the preset to the “let’s make this difficult!” I typically revert to tweaking of original…
Austin Hardy
onPatching synths is part of the fun, but naming useless patches is my passion!
Irion Da Ronin
onI do my presets sometimes, and some other times i use already made presets. Good luck! :D
Jim Achen
onI’d say both, but mostly preset and tweak it.
RotoGluOn
onWell, I usually start by listening all the presets and then I try to pick the ones I loved and see how they’ve been built, sometimes I’ll just tweak them a bit and see whether I can achieve to “create” a derivative sound out of it that I like.
sc
onI prefer programming sounds from scratch. I like to start with something as universal as a sine wave and then see how things evolve from there. That said, you can learn a lot about how a synth works by studying presets.
Glow
onPresets then tweak them to taste!
T.ROCKS
onstart from scratch, end up hating it, use preset instead :)
Bart
onA preset first if it sounds interesting and work on it until it sounds more ‘ like it ‘ .
DJ Nielsen
onI love creating from scratch. I think you’re much more confident in your sound/music when you understand and know your mastery of different synthesis/techniques. This leads to a bigger ease in finding your signature sound as an artist.
richei
onme diggums presets primarily, lest me feels emboldened to cook up me own sauce, then me gets cooking
Niko
onI like creating sounds myself using basic forms like a sine wave and then seeing what happens. However, it is helpful to study presets to understand how a synthesiser works.