The question this time was regarding the situation of what to do when there are too many choices and no idea of a starting point. This generally happens when people do not know how to fully use the equipment they have. I know because I have more equipment than I know how to use at this time. I am currently in the process of learning how to use about three synths and that is enough to get a surprising amount of variation in my music.
Ideally, you should learn how to use each piece of gear before you buy another piece of gear. This is often not the case and many a musician will complain of Gear Acquirement Syndrome - GAS! I believe the root of GAS is really lack of discipline in learning how to use the equipment you have. To put it bluntly, laziness. The effect of this lack of discipline is making music that is not up to your expectations and when that happens, people often look at other people's gear thinking that their equipment might allow you to make the music you want to be able to make.
This brings us, you the reader, and me, the writer, to the point of asking the question of what to do next? Read on, "salvation lies within" (a little quote from one of my favourite movies, The Shawshank Redemption).
Try paring it down to three synths and
see what you can do. If you do not have room, store the rest in a
closet or somewhere safe. Once you think you have working those three
synths down, push your creative boundaries or set some limitations so
you can make some new stuff. At that point, you have to imagine that
you are still limited to those three synths. Resist the urge to bring another synth back into the mix. By the way, learning those three synths means learning how to use each synth in its entirety, not just making one patch and how to use that sound in one song.
You might need to learn about subtractive synthesis in general. Or, maybe your synth is an FM synth. Maybe you have a sampler or it is a sequencer you are trying to use. So, yes, learn your synths in general, but all the other equipment needs to be learned as well. Effects pedals and guitars also fall into the range of your equipment so it does not have to be just your synths.
Once you can focus on your work to get
beyond the idea that you have too many choices by making yourself
accomplish the work with those three synths, add another synth. The
end goal is to be able to form a basic idea and build it up.
Three synths is just a creative
limitation. You might have read how some bands will give themselves
creative limitations for an album. It helps you to limit your choices
and be creative within that framework.
Once you create enough, you will
understand how to use all that you have and not be bogged down by
choices. This is a truth and essentially masters do it in all arts and
sciences. People work with their tools so much that they understand
how to use everything.
The image I have in mind as I write
this is the YouTube videos on Junkie XL's channel. Have a look at his
Studio Time series where he shows different synths that he uses. If
you gave all that stuff to a noob they would have no idea where to
start unless they picked just one thing. Yet he uses it all and he
knows what each thing can do. I also imagine that he can make very
new sounds using all of the equipment.
