Gear Acquisition Syndrome (Help!)
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- Опубліковано 22 сер 2024
- Do you compulsively buy gear? Do you spend hours researching recording equipment and instruments for your home recording studio? Did your Sweetwater representative attend your wedding? If so, you may be suffering from GAS - Gear Acquisition Syndrome.
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Gear Acquisition Syndrome is the inability to stop yourself from buying gear. You find every excuse to justify the next purchase, but you really don't need it. Does that describe you? Or do you simply own one guitar, one amp, one interface, one computer, and you never find the need to look for more gear, and you are satisfied with what you have. Congratulations to you, Sir (or madame).
I just want to clarify I did not invent the term 'bulimic shopping'. (I understand Bulimia is a serious disorder). Bulimic shopping is a term used to describe compulsive buying and returning. You might say well, as long as you are not purchasing, what's the harm? Well, yes it's great to realize you do not gear that you don't need, but it feels like constant researching gear and sounds and A/B comparisons is a huge waste of time.
The other weird thing is that sometimes I'll need a specific instrument, or sound for a job, but instead of purchasing the piece of gear, I'll borrow it or find some workaround. Most musicians use any excuse to buy gear, but even in this instance I can't seem to purchase stuff. Purchasing gear has been permanently ruined for me lol. I borrowed my neighbor's acoustic electric for a decade for live gigs (thanks Mike!) cause I never wanted to install a pickup in my vintage Martin.
I compulsively sell all of my gear. I sell stuff I don't use, and nothing is too precious to me. It's not the gear, it's the operator.
I do a lot of window shopping, and unnecessary research which takes up hours of my time. Is it the forces of the internet that are to blame, or is it my own weakness? Or both? I'm interested in a lot of topics and I like learning and I like gear and physical things.
Tell me your thoughts below :)
#homestudio #recording #gear
Studio Guitarist & Virtual Guitar Teacher
www.TravisRaab...
Plugins are a Bad investment ua-cam.com/video/puXzZ7_p4NQ/v-deo.html
My view on analog v digital changed after this video. It might've changed too much and that led me to this video 😂
@@anderj4986 it's great to hear that
I do all of this. I think that's why I started a UA-cam channel. Now it's my job. But I still buy plenty of stuff I don't cover on my channel and return or sell stuff at a crazy clip. I decided to stop buying and start using stuff. I have so many songs written but not recorded and buying stuff gets in the way of that. I think there's a kind of desperation that goes into GAS. When you're buying something it feels like you're making an improvement to your work without doing any work.It's exacerbated for me because I work at home and rarely leave. Shopping it recreational for me, which is depressing. I'm trying to to be kind to myself about it while not succumbing to the GAS all the time, but it's a learned behavior. There's a reason they call it 'retail therapy.' Stay strong!
Yeah an easy way to feel productive good point! And cool channel you have Jason!
@@travisraab Thanks, man. I've really been enjoying yours as well. Been getting back to my 4-track, alas youth and have enjoyed your adventures!
I haven't finished a song in 8 years due to the studio never being quite right or in various stages of maintenance. I record 50s acoustic Gibsons with mostly 40s tube gear and old ribbon and dynamic microphones, into a cassette portastudio, mixing down to a mono cassette recorder - that's how insane i've gotten, but it's an equation i've worked on for years and that's where i've gotten. The visual aspect is also a big deal, i "need" to see old Ampex gear, like in those old studio photos. It took me years to settle on the right amount of acoustic guitars, i ended up selling 40s Gibsons and rescuing mistreated 50s Gibsons, for instance, as to not feel as guilty about owning so much expensive gear. It's all an equation and you better solve it quick, otherwise 10 years will have passed and all your music boils down to is a few hundred 20 second song "ideas" on your phone.
a solemn warning from beyond, diogo! spooky equation there. pretty sure my 10 years went by and i spent it all looking at gear lol
I’m in GAS recovery. Guitar FX pedals was my main drug though I experimented with other addictive substances. Stable at one guitar and bass for about a decade now. Down from 100 pedals to thirty I actually use. Still have too many keyboards and noise boxes, but I’ve had a bunch of analog synths on my shopping list, and I’ve successfully held out on purchasing those for three years and counting, every day is a struggle. I have a two out one in policy on new gear now. Down from over fifty tape machines to half that, but supposedly that’s for “work” so fight me.
I just imagine a dealer on the street opening a trench coat with a bunch of pedals all neatly lined up
@@travisraab Have you seen Andy Martin’s video demos? They’re like crack I tells you, crack!
@@Tetrakan no never heard of him I don't think I'll have to check him out!
I have 4 reel to reels now and its bad cause they break and are huge.
@tetrakan You're pretty much the only person with valuable 464 content on UA-cam, so I appreciate the content.
Yeah i have it. Started with mini peds, got them, then multi, then regular sized, then the big ones, then childhood dream gears, then vintage...then the beautiful sight of them arranged in a giant board.Tone chasing, the joy of programming,aesthetics, playing them new ones-pairing with old ones. Etc. I need to go to a gas rehab haha (pedal effects)
It is not just you, and now I know it is not just me. Thanks for the video. I spent a good part of my day today and every day since last Friday researching and shopping for two gear items related to my recording new music, I could have just recorded already with all the stuff I own and moved on 🤦♂️ or bought the items and moved on, what I actually did is neither, so I have not new gear or new recordings.
holy crap you are reading a page out of the diary of my life Levi. smhh.... this is turning into a support group lol
I feel your pain, I’m always wasting time researching new (old tape gear) that I probably don’t need. It’s the internet’s fault, not mine! Pre internet I’d just go to a guitar shop every couple of years and buy something I needed.
There you go it's the internet not me. I'm powerless Adrian
@@travisraab exactly, your conscience is clear! 😂
I've sold almost all my recording stuff back when I was in need of cash. Only kept one of everything: one guitar, one bass, one mic etc. Now I'm rich and famous there still isn't a need for extra equipment. So it's nice to know that GAS can easily be cured in one short (but painful) self-intervention. Or at least, thats how it worked with me.
there you go Donka! i guess it was like pulling off a bandaid. honestly i respect that. I want to literally sell everything. if it worked for you, maybe that's all i need to do
Decision fatigue gots me up at night. I want to wear the same blue shirt and brown pants, every day.
i wear the same black shirt, pants, socks, and underwear every day. once a month i wash them. that's why my mixes sound so good
@@travisraab 🥳🥳
You describe what I go through to a T. It is insane. And also feels good to hear it from somebody else. At least I don't feel alone anymore!
yeah once everybody started responding i felt slightly less insane. glad it's not just us haha
Haha classic. Yeah I was there when I was building my studio(every single day... This compressor... That mixer... That reel to reel..) Without even considering writing is actually the important thing ... But managed to settle down once I knew I could do what I need to do with what I'd got. I Still want better stuff but too poor to get it anyway!
Reality though.. it's actually hearing you can do what you want to do, with what you've got. Instead of going... "hmmm this would be better if I just had that limiter there"
Idk, nobody walks down the street whistling a pre amp 😂
wise words ANdy! couldn't; have said it better. whisling a preamp....
I just bought an MPC 2000. I had more than enough money and have been wanting one for years but I felt so guilty even looking at the one i eventually bought on Ebay. I was kinda hoping that someone else would buy it but eventually I just got drunk and pulled the trigger. Some regret now but I still love the sampler.
OMG I sold mine cause I wasn't using it enough....now I wish I had one again...even though I still wouldn't use it enough 😀😅
Drunkgear should be a website Mark
@@aaronw8525 another mans trash is my treasure
For myself i found that this kind of behaviour is showing up when i don’t have an inspiration to do the existing projects- composing, design, draw etc. etc..
i think that this also could be a way of procrastination- “i just need to get some more things to do the job, and you are not doing the main job pretty legal because you “just don’t have enough equipment”.
It is also could be a way that our brain is doing for ourself to rest and to be aside of the boring day to day things.
So here are my thoughts.
Thanks for posting yours!
Thanks for sharing!
This is great.. I suffer from all of this and can relate deeply!!!
Safety in numbers Vincent :)
I went through some GAS for a while, mostly with acoustic guitars but also with recording gear. I think GAS is really just us searching for things that will inspire us. I don’t think I would have ended up with my forever guitar if I had not bought, tried, and sold those that just didn’t feel right. Also how I ended up with the Tascam 246 after trying a bunch of computer interfaces and mics and deciding that keeping it simple is more fun and adding pieces of gear that each incrementally improve some part of the sound is a worthwhile pursuit. I think of it as relentless incremental improvements shopping. And the ask myself, is this thing really going to improve something.
yeah maybe it's not so evil. it's all about the narrative the perspective. if funds were endless what would be buy?
You're not alone! I do the same thing with obsessing, BAR, and interestingly selling everything to be a minimalist.
In college, I had a $800 Martin and kept it for 20 years and a $500 electric guitar. I could never have afforded a nicer guitar, so I never thought about new guitars or amps. A few decades later, I have more money to spend on gear, and especially since the pandemic, I have spent thousands of dollars buying, returning, and selling. The irony is I currently have the same rig I did a few years ago (after I sold it and had to re-buy it, of course for more money). So, doing circles with gear.
I agree with you, I think the Internet has made it much worse. I can spend hours and days researching gear, watching videos, etc... 20 years ago you were limited to what was in the guitar shop (no Craigslist, eBay, websites, reverb, Sweetwater, etc...)
b.a.r. is it an actual term?
@@travisraab I think it is now! It just like ROI... an investment term!
I’m not really like that with studio gear: I sometimes go a year without recording keyboards, just because I don’t happen to have a MIDI interface available and don’t bother to buy one.
However, when it comes to the shiny, fun different types of instruments, I have a problem. I do play and practice on all of them frequently, but I sometimes do regret not investing in one very high quality instrument rather than all these little instruments of decent quality.
I luckily have found a way to make my instrument addiction a bit more sustainable though. At my local store you can rent all types of saxophones and other woodwinds. The cool thing is: all the money you spend on renting different stuff, you can put to buying one instrument after a while. Thanks for listening to my story about addiction 🙏
I hear ya! Thanks for sharing
I think the solution is collaboration an eliminating self isolation and introspection. Philosophy is the rich man’s luxury. You should consider working within a community of people who perhaps share in your addiction and create music with what you have. That will create the essence of what you are chasing which is creating, playing and eventually recording a song that gives you the feeling of opening that magical musical portal we get from listening to our favorite music. But also remember, enjoy buying, playing, and coveting musical gear as it is part of your journey creating the stories of the gear that got away. Besides what else you gonna do. In the end, you are only a curator of musical equipment. I enjoy your videos and to acknowledge your video I will now go and play my over priced 1963 Fender Princeton Reverb that I love while I have it! Cheers
ooh 1963 princeton reverb! Yeah gear is part of the fun that's the point
Yees, I certainly do and being 20 doesn't help. As you described it - I tend to waste so much time just wondering what gear would be good for me. I have to admit that as a part-time mixing engineer, I find your channel so inspiring! This whole idea of making your studio only from free stuff / gear you repaired... It helped me a lot to admit something, what I know, but I prefer to avoid thinking of: I've got enough of everything. Even if I would have half the amount of the affordable gear I own it would be enough to get a great mix. The only thing that's left to upgrade is my knowledge and experience! Idk if it is your intention with these videos, but you've helped me alot :))
Wow Jasiek! That's really cool to hear I appreciate you sharing that with me. You sound very wise for your age. I'm sure you're going to be (or already are) an excellent engineer and artist! Stay in touch
anytime I really get G.A.S. like you describe here (and it happens often), I ask myself: do I know EVERY square inch of something that I already own? Then that can send you down a research-rabbit hole of something already in your possession...kinda deflecting that "research energy".
...but then I also bid on ebay too often...
That's a great idea Chris! I'll try to employ that
Hey Bro. I see you. Indeed we share that practice of asking that question. It work 90% of the times. Until that 10% chance of something rare comes into view, that will change my inspiration ideas going forward (LOL).
WOW! That`s something to hear from another dude. I myself reached that "window-shopping" phase myself. I´m done with buying but I still may got some piece of gear in my mind that I´m lusting after. Just like your 388...
It's TRUE got to much stuff as it is, but still look for more, I dont even use most of My gear.
Ahhhhhhhh
The one GOOD thing about being old is that ive been through this...
And ive done it.
I got to the point years ago where i just had to NOT GO into pawn shops or music stores .
Then it was Craigs list...
I went to 'horse trading' for a few years, and only got burned once or 3 times and thats ok...
I did other deals where i ended up with great TOOLS that i need...great mics, good guitars,
.every different sound i need to do my music.
Through the years ive def. Let things go i regret..oh well.
And ive GIVEN stuff away that was a once in a lifetime find for me, that i will never see again.
Dont do that.
The 388 For instance.
I DID go comepletly through my M216 mixer and fixed everything but the VU lights and it sounds SO GOOD...all because i saw YOU working on yours, and it inspired me.
And i have to say, you are real good at learning this stuff and making great music with it...so you deserve a pass...
Now, get some self control and quit LOOKING AT GEAR ALL TIME and only look for what you can USE...maybe upgrade some tools you have, to me they are all TOOLS.
im not a collector.....
And youll be fine
And thanks again...that M-216 desk has enabled me to hear new details on recordings ive listened to for 45 years.
You ROCK, MAN-
i'm not strong enough Ed! you're enjoying your m216? that's very cool. I appreciate you. wait you gave away a 388?
GAS is sometimes a good way to rejunevate the creative process.
Obsessive gear acquisition gets in the way of getting stuff done.
Been there, done that, almost did it yesterday but decided I haven't even mastered my Korg Wavestate yet.
Went home and made a nice patch when my kids were in bed. In the end the experience of making that patch beated 'unboxing' a shiny piece of silver by a large margin.
nice, Timo!
@@travisraab
Nice work on your chanel as well. It's much appreciated. Your way of showing your 'low tech' approach is inspirational.
Man, I have the same problem... and the more gear you have the more worries.... a lot of gear I just don't use... but there is always an explanation to justify why I should buy something... it doesn't help to make me more happy at all. Because I don't get into action using all that stuff... and because it is too much I don't know where to begin... so that gives even more anxiety and stress.... so now for one month I try to buy nothing.... I already made a list for stuff to buy after this month.... but I try to consider more if I really need it and it would upgrade my actions. I need to plan on using it and be creative with it... then I deserve it.
Because this addiction is just to make some endorfines and dopamines in your mind to create a short illusion of happiness for having new stuff.... and then you put it on a pile an search for more new stuff to order. It never ends until you say stop... I am trying this now step by step.... making pauzes... avoiding that phone and the internet.... doing other stuff like hiking... being outside in nature... and letting it inspire me to be creative with the stuff I already have and motivate me to create something nice with it. Which will give me much more satisfaction and happiness then chasing new gear again...
One of the problems these times are the internet with an overload of products available at any time which you can order at any place after reading several reviews and shootouts and an easy click on a bottom sitting in your seat... we've been constantly thrown too much information and impulses at thing we like and they became much more reachable then many years ago.... cheaper... and better.... but where does it end. ... think for yourself. I don't want to end in my sofa watching reviews, buying and selling stuff on the internet all the time and feeling restless and empty by not being creative. The point of the gear is to use it... be creative with it, work with it.... that will give satisfaction....
Yep... I'm guilty too. I've always looking online for used guitar and recording gear but never buy anything. Because today I need this guitar for this special project that I have but tomorrow I'll need this preamp to make better recordings. And so on... I spend hours on platforms like ebay and not buying a thing. You're not alone man ;) Cheerio
Hai ragione. Bello che non sono da solo! Grazie Andrea
I know exactly what you are talking about. Always shopping. Never ending desire. I think the internet had greatly amplified gas
But it has always been there. I submit that the music industry is now the selling of gear, and you tube channels telling you how to use it, or reviewing it. It sure it isn't the selling of actual music. It's just selling of gear and people showing you how to use that gear so you can make music that will be distributed for free. Ugh. My only effective counter to excessive shopping and longing is to just pick up my guitar and start making music. Until I decide it doesn't sound right and I need to start shopping again. LOL😬
You said it. More money in selling the dream than in dreaming parachute man
@@travisraab Well put.
Manufactured by the world we live in...definitely.
Good to hear that I don't want to be responsible Joaquin
DUDE...Your SICK.. Yeah ME TOO (lol). I DEFINITELY research everything that catches my attention. Hence, how I came across you... I was looking into Tascam mixing units. I went into GAS debt years ago collecting synth rack units. So, now I'm basically "recovered". I typically acquire at least (1-3) items annually. But, indeed I've learned the error of my ways. But, the BIGGEST part of my issue is this... I SELL NOTHING. So, space is a distant memory. I tend to collect rare pieces, so I look at them as investments. As you can imagine, my workflow has suffered drastically as a result. As of recent, I'm thinking of selling a couple not used items. In order to acquire something more desired. Here's where I'll drop my adopted affirmation. "Having Lots of gear is a GIFT & CURSE". Although I will say, when I'm creatively inspired... There's no place like home for me. Keep em coming Bro.
Sounds like you have acquired some really great pieces over the years! I'm not even hip to the rack synth thing. I'm sure you've made some great investments just like stocks!
I ran out of space. I found out that I no longer have any free space to put gear into, so I declared my "studio" to be finished. It was actually somewhat liberating feeling.
Also I noticed most of the gear is used only sometimes with notable exception of an old electric organ. It's too big to be hidden in some drawer so it sits on my desk and I play it sometimes.
That organ sounds pretty cool Nikolas. Congrats on finishing your workspace!
In the last couple months, I bought a 234, an old Teac mixer, a Model 16 Tascam, a normal tape recorder, a golden age ribbon mic, you get the point, traded for a 246, now looking at Art pro Mp tube compressor, which I actually bid on, pretty crazy. Selling the Model 16, that was to mix from the 234 which I don''t have
you're staying active I like that Benny!
G'day from down under!
I have so many tabs on my browser of gear I'll probably never buy..
Impulsively sold guitars and gear to 'declutter'.
Definitely know that 'guilt' feeling of buying something, even though I probably needed it.
Never ending life of a musician..
Love your work mate 🙌
I knew you were from down under when you said g'day Sean! But then you wrote from down under, and that left no doubt. No I know for sure you are from new zealand. Man so you know what I'm going through? It exists over in your country of Europe. Good to know. I appreciate you
100 % yes, we are all here.
My approach, I make a categorized list with different levels in where to include a potential bought, depending on the level of real "need" they represent.
But it's tough anyway. Everybody is trying to sell you something, ALL THE TIME, and the dopamine dose that a potential purchase triggers in your brain does not help at all. It,s absolutely exhausting. Capitalism...
mm mm you said it fernando. i'm weak. thanks for sharing your approach it's a good one!
I know, so here's my 2 cents:
Audio has always been my thing, so one develops an ear. And, in comes the gear.
That turns into becoming 'audiophile' as one matures and there is literally nooooo roof there. It's insane.
And one day while I was reminiscing, the first moment music gave me goosebumps was from a little transistor radio and that moment has put a a lot of things into perspective, where they should be.
You buddy, you need to snap out of the mindset of 'gathering', it served you well. Now it's time to get creative and use what you've got. Enjoy it for a while.
Good thoughts thanks Sool!
I definitely know what you mean… whenever I have a feint interest in a new hobby I spend all my online time on researching and learning all about it. For example, early COVID days, I got into coffee and spent hundreds on new equipment and coffee beans. Then on Christmas I ended up spending $90 for an 8 oz bag of specialty coffee, only to not be able to see what the hype was. I wasn’t experienced enough as a coffee taster/enjoyer to notice what made these beans different and sought after. Now I am 4 years deep into my coffee journey and I still don’t see myself purchasing those expensive beans again.
As a novice guitarist/bassist I am also having GAS issues. Already bought 4 Mexican fenders (Strat, Tele, P Bass, J Bass) and swapped in custom shop pickups for all of em within a year. Yet I am gassing for their “superior” American equivalents, or worse the overpriced Gibson guitars. Knowing myself, I’ll prob be gassing for their Custom Shops equivalents if I do ever end up getting American Fenders. I know way too much about guitars and basses for someone who is essentially still at a beginner level. It’s in my best interest to work with what I have until I have the finances and enough experience and skill to reasonably justify these purchases. If my friends who actually play live are gigging with Squires and Mexican Fenders, I should be contempt with the basses and guitars I currently have instead of chasing the better instruments. Most importantly I gotta be practicing more 😂.
I thought the punchline of your coffee story was that you made instant coffee and it was better than the 90$ bag. You know who makes great coffee? McDonald's. I like it better than Starbucks. No joking.
I have the problem - it was remedied this way. I wrote down four categories - "Will this help me produce better", "Will this help me become a better player", "Will this help me write better songs", and "Does this address a legitimate functional constraint" - I put all the gear lust hardware and software into an Excel matrix and allowed three categories "Yes", "No" and "Maybe" for each category. When I was done, I think there were about 50 items I had considered purchasing in one way or another and I had only 2 "Yes" marks on the whole chart, with the vast majority "No" and a few "Maybe". If you are honest when you are doing it, you'll likely find you don't need what you think you need - and lose the temptation to go after all these expensive boutique groove boxes that don't perform as well as some iPad Apps.
I also came to the realization I was not using what I had to its full potential (software and hardware included) and that stopped the spending and most of the window shopping (every weekend at Music Go Round and Guitar Center, or even a road trip to Sweetwater). Are there things I would like to have in the future? Of course, but this brought me back to Earth.
The 2 "yes" mark, BTW were a newer more powerful PC or Mac (its close to time) and front ported monitors which do address a specific issue in my limited space. Best of luck to all.
great ideas!
I feel this with computers. I spend so much time researching computers for music work and never buy anything bc "it's too old or too expensive or it's a mac or it's a pc"
they got us by the iballs
I’ve made a resolution last year to not buy stuff I don’t need or won’t constantly use. I bought like three new pieces of gear last year and returned one of them. I’m doing okay and much happier using the gear I already own for song writing.
congrats!
Exactly mate. I can spend hours browsing reverb looking at Rickenbacker basses and Fender Nashville Teles and never want to buy a thing. I clearly know that buying unnecessary stuff is not good and so I don't really buy much gear at all, except for a DI box / tuner pedal etc. The basics. But that neverending window shopping. Gives me anxiety.
The anxiety lol 😂 I know it Alex
The whole world is doing this about everything…it’s human nature
Holy moly
You are not alone my friend. I’m almost over the worst of my G.A.S. Pandemic did it to me. I used the same gear for 15 years, but once everything shut down the Obsession kicked in about the right gear to have ‘once we get out of this covid deal' so that I am ready to hit the group running. I gig a lot, even during covid I was playing outdoor. My solo love rig is nailed down. But, during the pandemic I OBSESSED about my amps and pedal board and cycled through endless pedals. I think it taped into the same fear that made people channel all their anxiety into stocking up on toilet paper. I finally have sold off most of my pedals. I and have a great amp and two pedals. Selling off most of my extra guitars and am down to my "money makers" that get used for gigs and sessions; acoustic I love, Mandolin that I love, and tele that I love. Done. But, now I’m building my studio…just bought and returned two small consoles to GC…sigh…
😂 Everybody in your neighborhood had toilet paper and you have pedals. Whose laughing now though? You made the correct choice Rob
I'd like to think so... ( ;
You’re not alone. I feel like this video is targeted at me haha
I work at a music store so I spend 8 hours a day around gear that I want to buy. Then I get home and research gear until my last moments awake.
It absolutely creeps into every aspect of my life. I literally had this situation with the socks the past few weeks. I was researching every type of sock known to mankind but for some reason it took me 2 weeks to walk into target and buy some dickies socks.
When I shop it usually (lightly) annoys my peers because I drop the “ill think about it, I need to do some research” line.
Im not sure how unhealthy it is. I do like making informed purchases, but it does make actual shopping much more difficult because I have to research the best tortilla chips or read the reviews on a trash can.
Maybe its just a curious mind being fed, or the internet being a crutch once again.
Hope you get it sorted out for your sanity!
omg that's funny. I actually had you in mind Cole. but thanks to you, we no longer need to research. please share your sock research with the world to save everyone else. they had it good in soviet russia there was just one type of socks lol. man you got it extra bad in that work environment but you are highly aware!
sanity long gone cole...
I do recommend one thing for you, if you're gonna buy something, buy The Spire Studio, it rules. The Grace Design Preamps on it, sound better than any interface I've tried, portable not a computer, you'll get even more done with less hassle. It's awesome! Won't take the place of your 388, but I can pretty much guarantee it will become your goto for recording digitally. Any questions let me know, and no I don't work for Spire, I've just tried a hundred different things, and I grew up with a Tascam 688, and going to studios recording on 2 inch etc, Spire rules
great info Benny! i'll check out the spire
as i started with my first piece of gear in 2014, a yamaha su10 sampler, it went fast that i got more and more...i got an microkorg, a rc505 loopstation, akai xr20, dr202, br600, mixers, portable recorders, a korg kaoss pad and and and......was so much fun to explore all the gear more and more but if it came to use it in a setup, i realized i dont like that mess u get from too much gear and was optimize more and more to get the best i can get out of my setup. in this way i learned lots of limitations of single gear and how to fix it with combine other gear.
after i could do what i want to do with my setup, it turned out its just the most fun to have limitations in single gear so i decided so reduce all my gear to the things i rly need. now i just have my turntable, my sampler(sp404) a 8-track(boss br 600) and a fisher ph55 taperekorder and im happy with that setup. its simple but effective becuz its always the limitations that let find you new ways. btw, i found your channel a few weeks ago and its pure gold. the musical thing, the technical and the human thing. walter is a treasure!
wow lots of cool gear you got! yeah the mess is driving me crazy. regardless of the gear I want to simplify my workflow. I need it to be faster and more automatic. Yeah walter is the best!
@@travisraab yes true, it was always a hustle and hard to decide what to let go and what to keep...in the end it was the right decision for me to have just a functional and fun making setup. next goal is a tape recorder, its just awesome recording to tape i guess this comes from ur videos :-) good luck at this, u will do it!
Hello everyone! My name is Mute67 and I'm G.A.S. addict. I've been addicted to G.A.S. for the last 15 years or so. It started with a synth rack, it was so cute and adorable.. couldn't resist. Then I found out that it had a sibling that were even more adorable! I heard about the syndrome but never understod what people were talking about. Then, before I knew I was deep, deep down into the addiction. The last five or six years has been a pure hell. More gears, reading, listening to people reviewing gears - vintage and new ones - on internet ending up aquiring more gears and never satisfied. Leaving me with a hollow feeling inside like something is missing. Came to the conclusion that I'm not using the stuff enough if at all! Selling again and buying something else..
One positive thing though with aquiring older gears; I have managed to repair and save some of it from the scrapyard and if not using it my self someone else - hopefully - found use of them.
You nailed it Travis! I think the whole society is pushing this consuming hysteria. We never take the time to learn the gears we have in a deeper way. I think one can do better music if we are limited to less gears and therfore forces our selves to use them in new creative ways.
hahaha. i can't be creative i'm too busy researching crap i never buy mute!
@@travisraab That is even worse! you have developed a deeper neurotic behavior! 😂🥴😟
Regardless where we are we all share the same experience. Reading all comments here. It's pandemic!
covid changed it for me. Realizing all I need I already got. Not being consumed by stuff and not having to find that one needle in the haystack spec wise, freed up so much time to be productive or just daydream. Finding your channel last week helped a lot as well, my ancient 4 track has gotten more uptime then my PTrig.. Thx for the amazing videos you put out!
Wow that's cool to hear Justus! You're becoming enlightened I wanna be like you Thank you
Man I’m like this but I CANNOT sell things. I make sure I’ve got all my stuff set up and it gets used, and it’s all historically relevant / vintage stuff which helps me justify hanging onto it but it’s definitely an anchor sometimes. I’d be happy with a couple of things but would regret selling whatever I moved on. Heck, I still get aches of regret for old cars I no longer have.
Do you have the most heavily outfitted studio in tasmania? Before you answer that I'll just say that my remote in the middle of nowhere has a billion state of the art studios. Why are there so many studios everywhere? Who even goes to record at a studio anymore? You have a lot of great vintage pieces SPOD keep it up
I have wish lists with dozens of items on them with most major music gear distributors, and I put new things on and take old things off all the time. It's not as though I don't have the gear I need to make the music I make... But there's always that next step up and the addiction of wondering how much better it'll make my music or how much easier it'll make my job when I finally get ahold of it.
These wish lists are evil huh Kyle? you never know maybe that next piece of gear WILL finally take you across the finish line
@@travisraab maybe so! There's definitely a few pieces of gear I hovered over like that that I couldn't work without now!
I totally understand your hypothesis and I agree with you completely about our (global) problems with uncontrolled impulsive consumption. Personally, I believe in balance. I know what I want, but also how much of it, which is often the difficult part. And yes, I'm 58 ...
It sounds like you have figured out how to manage it and battle the situation! 👏I'd like to believe in balance Dusan but for myself I can only find success in abstinence (so far). I can't seem to manage moderation.
Yes and no. GAS is a substitute for work. I buy or sell gear when I have a creative block. It seems the new gear can inspire new songs. I sold a lot of my my studio gear during the pandemic. Console, outboard effects, racks, synths, speakers… all gone. I went entirely digital with virtual instruments, Apollo Twin X with plugins, new M1 MacBook, digital console… minimalist and mobile is my new mantra. Ok, ok… way fewer knobs to play with has been tough. Maybe I’ll start smoking 😄
you've reached enlightenment! kudos
I'm guilty. Skipped the returning face, but everything else checks out.
Wow ok glad to hear I'm not alone cheek bone
there is one more element of this.... i do sell off what i can but the used market is so bad i end up keeping alot of middle vintage stuff...... ( silver face twins, Carvin x100 heads, cymbols, mics, single luddy drums.....). so my gear collection has a ton of used good gear i can't sell.... or won't take pennies for...... i love your take on use what works :). allthough for me that is not a choice, if i am gonna record i gotta make do with many hacks n crappy set ups :)
Silver face twin sounds cool!
Hey Travis! We are all in the same boat! If you are asking these question it is that your are willing to change. First problem is the economic system in witch we grow. Second problem is internet, and mostly youtube. You access so much information. They are the reasons of so many G.A.S. But on the other hand, a musician has to explore, and get new pedal or new amp can help to explore new music. Just enjoy music, wether you have to buy new gear or not!
P.S. I think you said in a video : Don't buy new guitar, there are enough guitar on the planet already!
Great ideas deadfall!
Started reading a book on economics today and realized the real definition of liability is what happens to me after watching UA-cam pedal videos.
I once read an economics book. over a year. I remember one fact. in soviet russia stuff didn't get handed out properly cause there was no normal supply and demand. those lucky devils don't even have pedals over there. i have a sovtek amp Bob
I'm glad I'm not the only one 😂
100% certified sock researcher
G.A.S. according to my Dad(an engineer in the biz since 77') the disease has always existed. The playing fields have just changed, now you have everything at your fingertips, whereas before you never knew if you would see the gear again because it was rare to even hear about fancy gear.
Your dad is cool. that's all i know.
Completely relatable. Women watch your video btw. I am one, lol. An enthusiast guitar player here, and among all things I like tonebenders and I still mess around buying fuzzes out of curiosity. I have curbed my pedal buying habits since the end of last year, I hope it stays that way for longer and just buy and keep gears I really use.
Hi very glad to hear that! Glad to have you. I've never had a tonebender that sounds fun I'll add it to my list
@@travisraab stack tonebenders with treble boosters, maybe you”ll dig.
I learned it from the 70s rocker granpas back then
Similar thing happens to me because i feel bad about the waste that the constant flow of new gear and musical accessories must create. I don't want a stock pile of things made mostly of plastic that i don't use very often.
bunj i hear you! a whole lot of stuff piling up i'm with you..
I will own what I wish; there is no guilt, I need no justification, and do not apologize. :D But I do research the living snot out of nearly everything before I buy, and usually know more about it than the seller does. I see that as wisdom and prudence.
Haha you are wise
Yep. I have a PHD now in TV's and home theatre and it's a never ending worm hole. Became heavily addicted to buying boutique label blu ray s during the pandemic as well and have a crazy collection of movies. I have researched the most mundane shit and I really don't think it's ever going to end. Weirdly, though, it does make me happy! As long as no one's getting hurt and you can still pay your bills I think it's fine! Now back to looking at guitar pedals and watching JHS videos over and over....
I have a VHS collection vance. No one's technically getting hurt except me. So I'm glad to hear that. researching mundane sh*t. ain't that ehe truth! i feel your pain
Totally. You noticed i wanted to but a digital multitrack i don't really need because I have a computer. Just because i was looking at the ads and saw it was cheap. Actually i feel bad for selling my tascam back in the 2000's! Or for "loosing" an advertised Tascam porta 02 for 40 euros (i think the same gear is beeing sold for 180 now). The only reason I maybe should buy it is if I had a barn and wanted to get away from internet and finish songs. But i should totally stop browsing for gear and play the guitar. Note the chords I use, name the songs, practice the riffs, write some lyrics, make a melody... but i loose easily the focus to the digital window shopping as you described. And the algorythm plays a HUGE part in it. UA-cam is contantly reminding me about that funny gear. Social network plays with our dopamine. It all about expectation. It resembles the gambling addiction and it was totally designed by the silycon valley gods. I feel like enter here to see what is the cool thing i don't have yet. You don't have to find something amazing but the expectation brings the excitment. And the more you do it, the less reward is going to give you so you're gonna spend more and more time doing it to have the same sensation. This is awlful. Actually i had seek for help and stopped selling guitar pedals because I saw it was out of control. It was a way to stop this crazy stream that was making me miserable and actually enjoy less of this amazing activity that is making music. Thanks for sharing it! I hope you all find a way to fight against it.
Thanks Gustavo! yeah social networks and algorithms and the gambling thing. you said it. it's all that. it's like that documentary the social dilemma
It has reached Norway at least ;-) I am on our «Craigs list» every day looking for gear I dont really need. Mostly I mark them as «Interessted» and dont end up buying. But quite often I have a parcel on its way. Its not expensive gear but I have way too much … you are not alone.
Whoa very cool this video has reached you in Norway! Is craigslist even a thing there? I heard people don't use it in Europe
there's a reason optimizing webshops, like the algorithm, the design, the cookies and suggestions, saving your cart for when you return, is a big industry.
it is designed to get you to spend a lot of time, and then after that, hopefully a lot of money.
i'm naive kassemir. it's a sick world out there!
Therapist: Now what do we say when we see vintage 70s gear on sale?
ME: Will that be on credit card or PayPal?
Therapist: No.
And yes, I suffer from the exact same thing where I'm curious about (old) gear that I couldn't afford when I was a kid. It's 'buy it now' then sometimes 'oh wow this sucks' and eventually 'sell this forward'.
Hahaha 😂
I feel bad about buying gear (or anything) and then not using it, which discourages me from buying a lot of stuff. I've gotten a lot of my gear for free or for cheap and make use of what I've got. Then, if I do feel the need to buy something, I think of all the money I've saved and feel comfortable treating myself
You sound very well balanced Matt are you sure you are a musician? Just kidding. You are enlightened.
@@travisraab however I am going to be starting a new job soon, so we'll see how the change in cash flow changes my philosophy....
mmm fixing stuff is the best way to buy gear for me. Beacuse I get to deal with G.A.S and I also get that really great feeling when you fix something and it works 100% and you got it cheaper than most people. Also buying used. I havent bought a new piece of gear for 3 or 4 years and that feels great because its good for the environment and, again, cheaper
love it!
i feel it to the core, i can't get the idea of "i'll buy it in the future when i will be okay with my money" out of my head even when i have the money, it feels bad to spend on something that i love and i don't know why
maybe it's that we are realizing it's no good and it's the first step towards absolution! crazy stuff, Mate!
I can relate. I have noticed I am either interested in gear or music. When I am writing or working on a project that usually keeps me pretty focused. Between projects I can go down the gear rabbit hole. I think that's how I found your channel actually. Lol.
Ah the irony 😂. Lincoln you're right. It's the down time and the scrolling that leads to all that. Ok I should go delete this video now
yep. Every time I see your videos I immediately go check the prices of 388s.
oh man wisterio. i'm literally the root of the problem. the irony
@@travisraab Or perhaps we're both just nuts for old tape machines lol. We're all victims of both retail therapy and buyers guilt. Duality of man
You are not alone!!! 🤣
happy to hear that :)
I don't really practice any of those behaviors although sometimes find myself compulsively looking for cool new modules. I set myself to a budget, always buy used and 80% of the time only make the purchase if I am guaranteed to make a10-20% gain or at most take a 10-20% loss. If I am not averaging out on making more than I've spent on gear if I were to sell it all I know I'm in bad territory. I almost never look at gear out of my price range outside of say Buchla Easel or a Prophet 3, but I truly have no use for them so that is more just general interest.
Denial is not a river in Africa. Jk
@@travisraab is not only a river in Africa! Check me out though.
Thanks for the great films, really top notch! Man you just exactly described my life, years ago GAS, then selling off gear and now the horrific, not buying but endlessly researching. I need a 57 for a recording project but instead of getting one, i research dynamic mics like a loon... A month later and I know everything about dynamic mics and i still need a 57. This could go on for a while! I also find it hard to figure out who is just selling me gear and who is giving sage advice, do you find that? I hate it, it wastes time and i still haven't got things i need! It is a symptom of us trying to fight against the consumer culture the internet has become...
you sound just like me Nipper! it's a sick world. But if I need some advice on 57s I know who to talk to. Is the pyle mic the poor mans 57? is transformless superior?
@@travisraab You are trying to draw me in... Got to drag myself away from gear advice and concentrate on the music. Got a big jazz festival this summer... maybe I need a new amp... Ahhh
Yes! It comes from the environment: especially in the US where everything (eg "the mindset", horrible word) is marketed/marketable. In a post-industrial society the value of a person depends on its ability to consume, if you want to know more about it read something from Bauman or Baudrillard.
interesting! great tips just bought a couple of their books.
I have the same problem, I spend all my free time researching gear and window shopping on kijiji and reverb.
What are we gonna do?
@@travisraab I'm gonna try buying more gear and see if that helps
@@ProSimex84 me too
I am glad you took this subject up, I have a serious G.A.S too, It is a sign of the human is in for a spiritual growth, cos the reality we live in is changing, Love cheers to ya' 🎹💚🙏
Yeah agreed 😊
I do this to the point that once I’ve hoarded all this great gear, I then get obsessive about doing things with the minimal amount of gear and sell of all the stuff I don’t get round to using. Those 2 cycles have been revolving one after another over the last 20 years. 😂
Man oh man finn. Well hey it sounds like you're enjoying it. We're having fun and that's what matters
It's a combination of a lot of things. You have to dive into your into your subconscious because it is a problem and it's good you can observe that it's an endless pattern with no fulfillment. I don't have the time to go into too much detail but I would say it's what I call "shiny-new-object syndrome". Chasing a new object that the marketers/you convince you that you need or your life would be better if... dopamine spikes. It's like your default mindset is programed to "I'll be happen when..." So If you'll only be happy in the future that means you'll never be satisfied because there only is the present moment. If you're not relatively fulfilled by default then there is something lacking in you, so you search for it externally e.g. buying things. And the guilt is a whole other area to tackle on it's own e.g religion, social programing ect. Capitalism benefits by you feeling like this (not a coincidence most of us have this) so if you want liberation you'll have to introspect to find ways to understand what's going on under the hood to have power over yourself. I don't know you, but these are a couple thoughts to take with a grain of salt. Good luck.
great ideas cranjis!
@@travisraab Thanks man. It's coming from a guy who no longer has G.A.S if that helps.
I am on Reverb. Literally more than I study for the master's program I'm in. It's really bad. I bought a Tascam 58 reel to reel, a 42, and a m520 console and I do not have money. Beyond that only one of then had like this specific kind of rack for the tape deck and I have spent HOURS looking for a Tascam CS-607B reel to reel rack, and I literally have memorized model and part numbers for screws tascam made 35 years ago. And of course now I need outboard gear. It's bad and it makes me actively depressed.
John you are deep in it. I admire your commitment to gear. You are a pioneer of sorts. Nothing comes before your interest in these parts, and once you get them your life will be complete. You will no longer lust after gear. You will focus on your masters program and most likely graduate top of your class. I see what you're doing, and I like it!
You were speakin to my soul - lol i have soooo many tabs open right now
tabs is the devil
Yeah, it happened to me very heavily, with the exception that I never had the money to buy stuff. Always saving up throughout the year to buy what I NEEDED not what I WANTED. Learned more through cheap gear honestly.
As of now I'm 20, dumb autistic female who hasn't finished high school yet (this week I'm about to finish it) and yeah, I prefer building my stuff now instead of working shitty jobs for months to get one piece of gear. I'm interested on building amps, cabs, maybe pedals, I just don't wanna spend so much money for stuff. I want the cheap Jacksons and make them boutique (and by boutique you know I'm going to scratch the wood and make a bad paint job, put some fancy, state of the art components, a 4,5kusd guitar right there).
Idk, building the place for my studio, building it and getting studio monitors is already tons and tons of money that I never had. Why spend money on expensive amps, guitars, pedals, synths, mics, pickups, cabs, cables, plugi-
That's very cool I like your aesthetic umrasangus! And it's cool to hear at least one female has watched a video of mine. Thanks for your comment stay in touch
simply lovely
Thank you LIBOR!
Hi Travis, I think I've got some really useful personal experiences to share here, I think you are searching for a deeper answer than how many others will reply. The response mostly will be along the lines of believing you have to have the gear before you can be good, or variations of. However, the way you describe your experience it sounds to me that you might have what would be described as a compulsive disorder, in particular your description seems to be built on a lot of anxiety and procrastination, I think you have a superb presentation style, but I think some of it is shot through with a nervous energy - this is what makes the channel compelling, but hearing you talk now, it makes some additional sense. I should be clear, I don't think there is anything wrong with you, rather that your compulsive behavior is antagonised by a passion for making music. Most musicians are compulsive and fixated on things like perfecting what they do, but for some of us, especially if we are hyper critical can let it take us over, and rather than be consistent musicians, we kind of become drug addicts, chasing the adrenalin feeling that comes from breaking new ground.
Sadly, its not the formula for success, it is an inhibitor, we tend to judge success as a gratifying adrenalin shot and anything less a total failure - therefore Sell Everything and Change your Life Completely!
The first thing that peaked my interest was you talking about how you went through a phase of buying lots of high end gear and that you are now in a place where you won't buy anything. Maybe I am projecting, but my sense is rather than having some sort of guilt, it is actually a fear of responsibility. Owing money is stressful and it means you have to get a job or as a musician take work you maybe do not want to do. Debt can feel like a prison sentance, it can feel like enslavement, it can feel claustrophobic, intensely so if you are free spirited. The fact that you cannot even buy a thing you need, suggests that you may have an unhealthy relationshp with responsibility, ultimately, while I don't recommend credit cards as a way to get through life or aquire goods, its a perfectly ok thing to do, so long as you are committed to paying it off and you know you will do what you have to do. Lots of people can manage money and credit without it ever becoming a source of anxiety. It is perfectly reasonable for you to aquire something if you know that you need it. You are refusing yourself because your requirement bar is set too high, deliberately so. There is something about yourself that you know - that either you won't be able to stop buying once you start, or that you will be kept awake by the fear of debt.
While good financial awareness is important, so too is your requirement to grow and expand. I found for many years I worked with a basic system that I convinced myself was all I needed, sure, I suppose it was all I needed - especially given all the 'advice' I had about how if you can't make it in the box, then there is something wrong with you...that shit can become quite crippling and actually, you need to develop. I found when I did open my wallet that I was suprised at the exponential leap in my progress and cursed the fact that I had ignored my intuition for so long. Again, this is not to endorse an unhinged spending spree, but rather having a relationship with yourself that you can determine when you are buying something because you are bored and un-happy and buying something because it is inspiring and will push you forward. Well adjusted artists can invest in equipment without it becoming some enormous existential crises. If you ignore all of your intuitions, you will simply be stuck. We can fool ourselves that if we minimalise our lives we can live free and be satisfied and not exploit the Earths resources, I think this is a powerfully seductive ideaology, but like anything we do, if we are completely uncompromising, if we completely abstain - we can become stale, and stuck. The trick is to recognise that its ok to do what you want to do - unless what you want to do is become a bhuddist monk, and even then Eastern philosophy like Taoism, suggests a more lenient approach to self actualisation, it is ok to fail, it is ok to make mistakes, it is ok to live both in the spirit world but also, the marketplace...yep capitalism.
A second thing that I was interested to share with you, something I am suprised to find myself struggling with, is buying new gear. At first small things like a new US Fender Stratocastor, this seemed ok, because they were huge milestones for me - having grown up in a poor single parent family. However, I find myself today, living with far more financial advantages than I did when I was a kid and I have been suprised to find out that I am not comfortable giving myself things. Especially things where a significant manufacturing process took place, i.e. lots of materials sent to me in tons of packaging. Its not used...somehow I am responsible for the creation of all this garbage and landfill. The item in question was a Vocal Booth, I felt like I had hit a wall and I couldn't imagine how a person, can give themselves permission to do something like tear down a perfectly servicable building, just to rebuild a space perfectly bespoke to them. I had thought I might think this was the most wonderful experience ever, but just getting that vocal booth made me realise that I felt a certain amount of horror at the idea that I was having some sort of impact on the environment for the first time in my life.
I think this is a fair enough moment for reflection, it does seem extraordinarily indulgent when you see the way some people live and you can tell they have no problem pouring acres of concrete in the ground to construct a thing for them. It reeks of self-importance and a disregard for the environment, a kind of bigotry where on the one hand I'm sure they would claim to care about the environment, but at the same time can switch this off when it comes to such an exciting project for them.
Just to be clear, I am no environmentalist! I am simply surprised - and a little disappointed - to have the feelings that I do.
On all this I am conflicted. I do wonder about the resources we give ourselves when we begin to scale up. I suppose I just never imagined that I might be in a position to ever ask myself how I feel about this, and now it is here, I wonder - am I now just a consumer, a capitalist contributing to the destruction of the planet? How we come to terms with this is very much a personal outlook - successful people, including musicians are not burdened like this, but are perhaps simply more comfortable with consumption and have not experienced what it is like to get by with very little, or they regard the world as a place of potential that they want to be part of.
For me, I find myself lamenting the end of my 'struggle' I seem happiest on the fringe and 'trying' to make it. Ironically, I sometimes wonder if I want success at all, it may well be that I have recognised the beauty of the struggle and that anything more is really not that interesting, success is the end of our younger selves and the rejuvenating Elixir that keeps us open minded, hungry for new experiences, living in hope can be the most wonderful thing.
Gosh, what an absolute essay, I am sorry - never am good at holding back when a question peaks me interest like this.
All the best
Jon
Thanks for sharing Jon!
Dude, you're cracking me up, totally relate. I do feel though I buy a lot of stuff so I can try it out, then I can simplify by keeping the stuff that I will actually use. But it does get a little crazy. Just bought a Tascam 246 in perfect working condition until the ups guy threw it over our 8 ft gate onto a stone step, totally bending and breaking stuff. Oddly enough it still works perfectly, just looks a little beat up. Can u believe that shit..makes it from like 1983 and dude just forged a signature and launches it over 8 ft gate
that's sad and hilarious all at once. I have a 246. I've used it once. those things sound wicked btw
@@travisraab yeah, they sound great. for some reason the dlx on 246 sounds a lot smoother than on 234, which sounds like a noise gate, very noticeable. But the 234 sounds best when I would use my outboard preamp and still go into the instrument input rather than line in. Whereas the 246 sounds a little dark and bassy when going through the whole channel strip. 234 just has a preamp to go thorough no eq section so it's different. With the 246 I will pick and choose when to go through the channel strip and when to go line in with outboard preamp which sounds incredibly clean, but doesn't have the strange Tascam mojo.
Yep, and you're the current biggest driver of this for me. My wife has heard about these videos I watch on UA-cam where the guy makes music in a barn on a 4-track recorder. I've thoughtfully and coherently explained to her how I would be as good of a player, and produce equally, if not more music than him if I just bought a barn and a four-track recorder instead of using Logic Pro with a metric ton of amazing software and my 8 guitars here at my house...Joking, not joking.
That's hilarious 🤣. If I take out my channel I'll improve you the quality of life for your entire family. And you def deserve a barn Nick
yeah I feel like im spending more time looking at gear than making actual music sometimes which is absolutely insane. I think its a form of procrastination for me.
sometimes? i spend about 10k times more time looking at gear than I ever have making music. You're right Graham it must be a form of procrastination.
Only shop on craigslist, FB marketplace, or offer up, never buy new gear it's a suckers market, never ever EVER buy plug-ins!!! Only buy gear that you can sell for more than you paid for it, only buy things that will educate you on new processes or that is useful. Buy things that are visually impressive especially if you have clients. Buy a shit ton of microphones even if you are never ever going to use them all, because they make the pain and hurt of your childhood go away. Simple
great thoughts right there billy!
I do it bro. It's real and rampant.
Ok glad to hear I'm not alone Sean 👍
I have really bad GAS. To me it all comes back to the tactile experience. It reminds me that I'm alive and operating in a non-virtual version of reality. Maybe its because my generation grew up playing with toys, not IPads? Theres a nostalgia and feeling of intimacy with the experience that dissipates the doubt. That being said, when I havent been using something for a certain amount of time I sell it (often at a huge loss). Whatever
like there's nothing wrong with gas necessarily Robin. at normal human healthy levels. which i don't have. I actually have been thinking lately how I would practice more guitar if I had a guitar and amp I loved. but is that real or is that the gas talking? i'm way more into tactile real things over plugins. i'm with you
@@travisraab well that most certainly seems like the GAS talking. Have you ever read The War of Art? It talks about how many artists will obsess over anything as a distraction from their craft. One of the biggest distraction of all is actually.........being hard on ourselves for not being disciplined! A viscous cycle. Be gentle, youre still a total baddass. Discipline is one of our greatest challenges/virtues.
@@RobinApplewood I read it!!
I had a sweet mid life crisis recently and went through four sets of studio monitors.
Cheaper than a vintage car (I hope)
Stands up: Hi. My name is Rook, and I'm addicted to analog gear.. It all started when someone gave me my first compressor that they didn't want anymore. I should have walked away. But now I can't stop.
Rook do you get the cold sweats if you try to go cold turkey?
@@travisraab and the shakes.
Totally with you. I have less space (I live in Japan) which helps... Like you, gear that isn't being used makes me feel sick. In my case I've ended up with several old computers, and I absolutely have to try and find jobs for them to do or I feel guilty about it, so I spend hours trying to install Linux on ancient stuff just so they will function as a digital radio or something, which my phone just does anyway. And yeah, several hours a week "researching" things I almost certainly won't buy. YOU ARE NOT ALONE
are you an american living in japan? I love japan. i actually started making a video about refurbishing my mac SE and I was going to program midi with it and it became such a clusterf**k i got half way through trying to 3d print a damn holdster for an sd card and researched a damn ancient interface. what kind of sick bastard does that. glad to hear there's at least two of us Sanger!
@@travisraab Hahaha, that's top-level futility right there! Admirable, well done. I'm British, as it happens, but I've been in Japan for a while now. I put stuff about my weird studio on my UA-cam channel, too, if you're interested, but I don't update it very often. Must do more videos...
@@SangerStudios great stuff you got!!
@@travisraab thank you, man! Same goes for you!
Not gonna lie, I was doing the sock thing a few weeks ago 😆 ...but I’ve got some nice socks now.
we should just make a repository where everyone posts the answer so we can all stop researching all day (i have a fb group btw but only 3 members) sad
finally someone put it in words
chris good that you're here!
i have so much gear that I'll get option paralysis and not know what guitar to use
welcome to my world
I had this when I bought a space echo, since it was a big purchase my entire writing process became centred around it and it was damaging in the long run. Selling it felt good because it represented the obsessive part of me.
😂 so you just has space echo on every single song. That's actually pretty good use of it glad you were able to let it go you are strong
Could be worse…you could be selling insurance…
Good point pnaf!
I mean, I really think these lyrics I just wrote in 2 minutes tells it all from my side:
I’ve got some serious GAS, I love ALL that stuff,
Some of it’s shiny, and some of it’s rough.
I’ll take on that old crap, and I’ll get it all clean,
Or I’ll buy the new fizzle fazzle, you knows what I mean.
Research and want, then want and need,
I’m gonna pound that buy button like Apollo Creed.
But then comes the sorrow, too much makes me cry,
Time to sell ALL this stuff, now I’m happy, and my shorts is dry.
wow my grandpa used to write poetry just like that. you are channeling some good stuff there my dawg. that is a timeless poem and I loved it and it should be whittled and framed!
like 2 weeks ago i was going to buy new furniture for the living room but instead i found an 8 track portastudio and i went with that lol.
You can't record anything using furniture. Tascam488 MK1?
its not a tascam its a Yamaha MT8X (i forgot that only tascam uses the name Portastudio lol) i can do a video of it later
from here it doesnt look so bad!
That's comforting, Don!
I've got GAS for your 388.
I just have regular gas.