I didn’t use any VSTis, but I did use a fair share of native DSPs and one or two VST effects. Mind you, I touched it up a bit on a nicer system before releasing it, but I didn’t make any major changes.
It all depends on what you’re trying to achieve. You don’t need a battalion of VSTs to make interesting or complex music. If you want a crazy, morphing, evolving bassline, then you’re probably going to want to use a bunch of effects/VSTs/automation, and then you’re going to need a more powerful CPU. However, you’re not going to need that much power all of the time.
I’m not suggesting that anyone should use a netbook as their main production machine. That would be stupid. What I am saying is that you can do a lot with a little, (especially with Renoise) and that sometimes less is more. Besides, even if you can’t produce an entire track on your 1.6GHz palmtop computer, it’s at least a very portable and reasonably powerful scratchpad for musical ideas.
Also, trackers need to get the idea that their work is any different from more “contemporary” music out of their heads. It doesn’t matter whether a tune was written on guitar, in Renoise, in FL Studio, or on a Commodore. Music’s worth can only be determined by the people who listen to it.
As for me, I write the sort of music that I’d like to hear other people writing. I enjoy a good ego-rubbing as much as the next guy, but I’d still be writing music even if everyone thought it was shit. (although admittedly, probably not as often)
Now I’m done with off-topic ranting about shit nobody cares about. Nobody take this post too personally. I’m just lashing out because I’m frustrated with my life.
[edit]Oh, and if anybody is interested, the track in question can be found at my SoundCloud (Kloquewurk - Last Transmission) or on the first IDMForums release: IDMF001: In Depth Melodics which can be found here or at www.idmforums.com (sorry, gotta plug a great forum)[/edit]
