Does trying to copy the reference track exactly help in terms of sound designing?

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ehxhfl443

New member
Hi guys, recently, i try to copy the exact sound (not awkwardly similar, but exact) referencing a certain instrumental track. I get to look for samples a lot, trying to figure how to EQ blah blah to make the same sound. But i don't know if people usually do this to practice something. Do u guys think this thing could help? Or not really?
 
Absolutely! When you learn to play an instrument guess what? You start off by learning other people's songs! Why should this be any different? If you're a beginner try to find some simple tracks that you like and try to reproduce it as best as you can. Then slowly build from there.
 
Only as a starting point, not as an end point.

The major issue with trying to sound like something else is that, firstly, with the exception of only straightforward sounds you won't be successful. There are too many variables involved. The artists themselves probably couldn't recreate it. And if they can they probably are and there's no point in copying them.

The other more important problem is that you give yourself the idea that that sound is the correct result and might ignore far more interesting results on the way because they aren't 'right'.

Look at how other sounds are created and mimic them but only as part of an exploratory process.
 
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MarcDHall said:
Only as a starting point, not as an end point.

The major issue with trying to sound like something else is that, firstly, with the exception of only straightforward sounds you won't be successful. There are too many variables involved. The artists themselves probably couldn't recreate it. And if they can they probably are and there's no point in copying them.

The other more important problem is that you give yourself the idea that that sound is the correct result and might ignore far more interesting results on the way because they aren't 'right'.

Look at how other sounds are created and mimic them but only as part of an exploratory process.
Click to expand...

You're not really mimicking them as much as you're learning the tools of the trade. Think about it. When you're learning Beethoven's 5th symphony on the piano are trying to mimic Beethoven?
 
I'm not sure how that applies to this. Beethoven wrote sheet music for you to play. I don't see how that relates to actually creating something.

I'm also not sure what 'reference track' means in the context either. How can you be designing sound with a reference track? Surely you're just sound copying?

Reference tracks in mixing are useful but that's more about calibrating ears and listen environments, or getting a general vibe, not about specifics or matching levels.

You learn from Beethoven or mix engineers or sound designers by internalization and experimentation. Mimicry is great for some things but sound design is, by it's nature, exploratory and about doing things differently, doing things incorrectly. It's almost built into the concept of sound design that you have no reference. I can't see how you can open a reference track and in any way learn sound design from it. How do you know what they did?

Unless of course you are making, like, specific sound effects for foley use.
 
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There's no question that it's good for learning how to record what you mean to record. Any interaction with music software will do that. I always like to think that any track you record, no matter how good or original, will teach you something valuable for the future.
 
i would much rather create my own piece of music than copy or cover anybody elses. Are you the artist or just the voice for another artist? Art is creating some new from nothing. That's powerful.

..but noe the less, it is good practice to copy or cover somebody else's song.
 
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