Does instrument's quality really matter?

I'm saving to get either Hollywood Strings or 8dio Adagio Strings bundle. But should I do so? Does instrument's quality really matter? Not really...

I had beaten myself for not getting high quality instrument libraries and VSTs. All the song you have listened or will listen on here are from cheap/free instruments. My kits are only Edirol Orchestra, Miroslav Philharmonik, EW/QL Symphonic Orchestra Free Edition, Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra, Magnus Choir, Stormdrum and whatever in FL Studio 9 Signature Bundle.

For years, I told myself these were enough for my weapons of choice. I went to 'wars' made by these instruments, and managed to won several competitions & awards. If you thought the song High Seas (and its drum version), The Cliff or Last Stand's instruments were good; it was because of heavily mastered sounds & FXs. In fact most 'epic' drums were from FL Studio electro and acoustic samples.

One day somebody PMed me and say I need to upgrade to something with better quality. And I'm quite agreed with it. I'm longing to fully upgrade everything. From software to hardware. Problem is I'm not a money guy, every month I have to worry about paying enough rent for the landlord, taxes and insurance. So I may have to pause my dream.

This is the message to send out to all young and/or new composers who wishing to have full powered tools. Don't even think about it. What you need is composing skills and creative. I could craft an orchestra bass drum out of a electro dance kicks with distortion and reverb. You could do the same.

Important quality tool is just 1% of your needs. The rest is you, and how you do it.

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SimplyRobot 2013-06-18 01:40:01

Yes.

gridcrawler 2013-06-18 01:40:01

Everyone has their opinion. But a fully written opinion is a good opinion.

S3C 2013-06-18 03:57:30

to answer the question in title with a rhetorical question: does the song's composition matter? Yes! Instrumental and sound quality is half of music, composition is the other half.

but before i could even finish my thought, the rest of your post echos my line of thinking.

a 20$ book that will expand your knowledge is a hundred times more important than 2000$ worth of high quality plugins and libraries (considering what can be gathered for free).

knowledge, ideas, skills, creativity >>>>>>>> quality tools, and you can't really purchase the latter.

sorry to end with a cliche, but it's completely true, there's no such thing as a professional equipment, only a professional user/creator.

gridcrawler 2013-06-18 03:57:30

You put it right on. Thanks.

S3C 2013-06-18 03:57:58

purchase the former*

Troisnyx 2013-06-18 07:05:02

Instrument quality matters in part, yes, but it's not the ultimatum. It has to be combined with sound compositional skills.

On that note, one of my better known tracks, Capriccio Bullet Heaven, was done with all soundfonts.

gridcrawler 2013-06-18 07:05:02

It is an awesome track. A very powerful example. Actually if you didn't tell me it was done in Soundfonts, I would think it was done by some power libraries. Awesome.

Wurfel-Waffles 2013-06-20 01:50:52

Look dude! I see you as a decent guy. However What The Fuck was happening in the TroisNyxEtienne's thread? I demand an answer.

samulis 2013-07-30 01:43:28

"Important quality tool is just 1% of your needs. The rest is you, and how you do it."

Very true point here. I know people who have things like EastWest Symphonic Orchestra Platinum, but are terrible composers and completely uncreative! People always seem to be "I am a ____, ____, and Orchestral Composer".... but do they UNDERSTAND what an orchestra is? Can tell tell me the way the oboe sounds in its high register vs. low? Can they tell me if a trumpet or a violin would sound better with trombones? No. Most of them seem like they cannot.