Another aspect is the speed of generating initial ideas – I can sequence, record, and loop parts very easily in Maschine, which allows me to build up the basic idea of a track faster. This often makes it easier to get into that glorious zone of creative flow we all seek.
Having a limited set of tools is another part of this – when using the computer, we have an overwhelming amount of plugins and samples to choose from. If I limit myself to the sounds in my Maschine template and the small selection of hardware synths I have, I can immediately start creating and chase the spark of a new idea, rather than getting lost in an overwhelming number of options.
I’m by no means an analog purist, and use plenty of soft synths in my final productions, but sometimes being all in the computer can distance us from the fact that we’re making music meant to be felt in our bodies in the physical world.
Maybe it’s my history as a guitarist, but there’s something that satisfies the soul about playing around with a real instrument. It’s simply very creatively satisfying and inspiring to jam around, smash pads, play melodies, and twist knobs without a computer in sight.
Pro tip from Night Breeze: It’s beneficial to split the creative process into two parts – one part where you’re just playing around, brainstorming and creating new ideas without judgment, and another part where you’re being more analytical and making decisions about the ideas you’ve come up with. A Maschine+ – driven hardware setup is amazing for the open-ended brainstorming side of the process, as it makes it incredibly easy just to get lost and absorbed in the music.
