It's time.
I've written this post a dozen times over the last couple of years, but I think that it's finally time. It's time to end the Reason Patch A Day experiment and move on to other things.
It's been a long, weird, enjoyable, and sometimes frustrating trip. I've shared this a few times, in a few different places, but at its most basic level Patch A Day was a challenge. I had been trying to wrap my brain around synthesis and creating a new patch, every day, seemed like a good way to finally hammer home the concepts I had been learning over the years before. It was a way to force myself to actually work through creating new sounds, rather than just cycling through endless lists of other people's presets, and the blog began as an attempt to share those early, tentative attempts at sound design.
But, over time I learned that Patch A Day was also a distraction. I got stuck, musically, and couldn't seem to move forward, so I thought that time spent creating new tools would be time well spent. Once that musical rut ended, I'd have a collection of new, custom sounds that I could use to start creating again. But, over time, I wasn't creating tools for myself anymore; I was just creating them for the blog.
"Feed the blog," was a phrase I used too much and it was an action that was starting to make me unhappy. It was fleeting, of course. Blogging is often its own reward, and I have certainly found this blog rewarding, but I've come to the conclusion over the last year that as long as I continue to work on Reason Patch A Day, I'll never make any music, which ironically, is why I started all of this in the first place.
So, this is my last post. I hope you've enjoyed this weird experiment as much as I have. It's been outstanding getting to know many of you and listening to the amazing music that you've created. I wish you all the best of luck, in life, and in music, and hope that we can stay in touch.
I'll leave the blog up and running for a while. I'll continue selling the refills, if you want them, but I'm off to try to find my muse again and explore the explosions of energy and the chilly shadows of doubt that come from creativity.
Thanks again for your interest over the years and your support.
On to the next adventure....
18 comments:
aaaagh... sad to see the blog go... but I understand what you are saying. It is so easy to get distracted from making music when one concentrates mainly on patches... Keep in touch and send me your next masterpiece !
Good luck with your music making, and above all... have fun... Best Regards.
Thanks for all your hard work !!!!
Sad to see you leave the blog, but I defintitely agree with you on the focus of really making music, instead of wasting hours and hours tweaking your own sounds. Your sounds will be missed and what you've done, used in my pieces for sure. Thanks for all your hard work and share with us your future endevours.
Ceo
Good luck, man. Your patches have made their way into several pieces of my music. Thanks for all the patches and the time you have put into it. I literally check this site every day. Good luck on the next adventure.
damn... there should be more comments here... no wonder the blog is over.... where is the support people?
Rob has worked very hard on this project... a thank-you for his work is not TOO MUCH TO ASK... IS IT ?
Hey Robb,
As I have said in my own blogs many times, your dedication and productivity, demonstrated by this blog is nothing short of inspirational. Good luck with the creativity!
g
Thanks, guys! I really do appreciate your kind words and your support as I close this experiment up. It's been great to be a small part of your creativity and hear what you can do with the patches that were shared here. And, of course, I've also valued your own patches, so thanks!
Please stay in touch. I think you all have my email address, so I want to keep hearing what you're up to and what you're creating!
Thanks!
As you are letting your blog go, I annouce you that I'm opening one. This is a really fresh new born. So, I take over in a way.
Good Continuation
Simon Janvier's Blog - Ressource for Reason User and Music Prodcuer
Sorry to see you go, but I understand your reasons completely.
Thanks for all the patches over the years. It's been fun.
Very mature decision you've made. Regardless of your motive each day of this blog, you'll no doubt benefit from the self-discipline involved.
Although you may not have been creating your own music, you still created art that will manifest itself in the work of others for decades, I'm sure.
In my recent new work I've gone to your refills so much I may have to give you sound design credit :)
So, thank you, much success, peace and all that comes with it!
You're the man!! Much LOVE
Guys, thanks for the steady stream of great comments! I really do appreciate the kind words and the thoughtful comments. Best of luck to everyone.
As I said, I do hope you'll all keep me posted with your work. I love hearing what my fellow Reason users are doing, so if you create some amazing track, I hope you'll be sure to let me know.
Hey Robb!
I tried to leave a comment on your blog but Blogger went wrong and I think I lost it all! : (
I may therefore be repeating myself if the comment does actually turn up but heregoes:
Thanks for posting some great content on your A Patch A Day blog over the years. I have undoubtably benefitted from your inspiration, creativity and discipline in keeping this project up for so long.
4 years!
That's some dedication, for sure! Well done!
It was really helpful to me when I was just starting out, trying to figure out how to hook stuff up (and after about 10 years of frustration of trying other software before I tried Reason) and it was this very morning that I was going to refer to your RX-17 and DD-5 articles that I saw you were wrapping up A Patch A Day. Shame!
I also appreciate the "plug" you gave me for my combinators on your blog too.
I returned the compliment on my blog and mentioned you may appreciate a donation, but I am not sure anybody ever read it to be honest!
http://www.howtoprogramdrums.com/new-rx-17-drum-machine-software-emulation-coming-soon/
http://www.howtoprogramdrums.com/new-rx-17-drum-machine-software-emulation-has-arrived/
"You still want more Free Stuff?
Finally, if you like to get more Free Refills for Reason, be sure to check out the excellent and aptly named Reason: A Patch A Day blog by Robbneu, he was kind enough to give us an honourable mention recently. I am sure he would appreciate a donation or even a purchase of his new Kick Toolkit Refill. A donation of $3 or more will bag you four years of his patches!"
Anyway,
I have also sent you a somewhat overdue and modest donation of $10 to demonstrate my appreciation of your efforts over the years.
I see you have been involved in the James Bernard Refill too, I am just catching up on all that but well done for getting involved and helping to make a difference.
If you have a SoundCloud account, let me know where as would like to listen to your new music as you create it.
Maybe we can collaborate at some point - throw in a couple of Yamaha drum machines for good measure perhaps?
My SoundCloud page is at
https://soundcloud.com/neilpaddock
All the best Robb
PS Are you able to squeeze the Kick Drum refill in too against this donation or would you prefer a separate donation / purchase for that?
Let me know!
Cheers and good luck with the music and your new adventure
Kindest regards
Neil Paddock
howtoprogramdrums.com
I gotta say I understand completely. I've been doing sound design way more than song design. It's hard to find the balance on that, but I can't imagine how much harder it must be when the sound design aspect has to be done every single day. We started within a few months of each other, but you were there a bit before me and looking at the way you were making patches helped me along the way for sure.
To greener pastures where the music flows freely, I say! I'm sure I'll be seeing you around on facebook etc, maybe even in the forum :D (though that's another time-suck). I'll be waiting to see your soundcloud explode in glory
Thanks, Neil! Thanks, BTC! As I said, I really do appreciate the supportive comments and the well wishes.
And, yes, the forum is a huge time suck! I lurk from time to time, but by the time I get there, everyone's already made all of the good or useful points, so I just continue on to another thread. If you feel a strange presence while you're on the forum, like maybe a ghost is wandering through the halls, it's probably me.
I'll drop in a late comment :)
I recently discovered the choice of giving the patch a day a rest. From a person who has been sitting in the same boat, I can fully understand the idea and reasons. It often goes with mixed feelings, but sometimes we just need to move on to greater things and enjoy the process of making music.
I never understood how you could keep it up though, a patch a day and write stuff about it. I will tap my hat off to you sir!
My personal highlight would be that vid you posted on youtube, the one where you "cracked" the props server to show us the vacation tool! Briliant!
Anyways, have fun while making music and explore new things in the reason rack!
Hydlide
I'll drop in a late comment :)
I recently discovered the choice of giving the patch a day a rest. From a person who has been sitting in the same boat, I can fully understand the idea and reasons. It often goes with mixed feelings, but sometimes we just need to move on to greater things and enjoy the process of making music.
I never understood how you could keep it up though, a patch a day and write stuff about it. I will tap my hat off to you sir!
My personal highlight would be that vid you posted on youtube, the one where you "cracked" the props server to show us the vacation tool! Briliant!
Anyways, have fun while making music and explore new things in the reason rack!
Hydlide
I'll drop in a late comment :)
I recently discovered the choice of giving the patch a day a rest. From a person who has been sitting in the same boat, I can fully understand the idea and reasons. It often goes with mixed feelings, but sometimes we just need to move on to greater things and enjoy the process of making music.
I never understood how you could keep it up though, a patch a day and write stuff about it. I will tap my hat off to you sir!
My personal highlight would be that vid you posted on youtube, the one where you "cracked" the props server to show us the vacation tool! Briliant!
Anyways, have fun while making music and explore new things in the reason rack!
Hydlide
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