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May 30, 2015 editorial: comments

  • 15 replies
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  • 8 followers
Topic May 30, 2015 editorial: comments

Can You Have Too Much Gear?

Is there such a thing as too much gear for your studio? The reflexive answer would be “no,” but I wonder...

In the days where recording equipment was all or mainly hardware based, the amount of physical studio space was a limiting factor in gear acquisitions. You’d need room in your rack for that new compressor, or the floor space to fit that new keyboard or amp, otherwise buying them would be pointless. But today, with so much of our gear being software based, space is much less of an issue.

For most of us, the biggest limiting factor is financial, but putting that aside for this discussion, my point is that if you continually acquire new processors and virtual instruments and so forth, you could end up with only a surface knowledge of how to use them. You could be the studio version of a “jack of all trades, master of none.”

For example, if you have only three software synths, it’s much easier to learn the nuances of programming them, or at least effectively tweaking them, so that you can really gain control over them sonically. But if you have 10, and they all have different programming architecture (which is probable), you’re much less likely to work with any one of them enough to get to that deep-tweaking level.

I recently had to mix a song in a DAW that I was only vaguely familiar with. It felt like I was swimming in molasses compared to working in my usual DAW, where I can get around really fast. It drove home the point to me that it's much easier to be productive when working in a familiar software environment.

Of course, some gear is simple enough that you can master it instantly, but so many products today, especially in the software realm, are complex and require that you put in a lot of time in order to get the most from them.

Far be it from me to say one shouldn’t lust after and acquire cool new products. I’m hardly immune to Gear Acquisition Syndrome. All I’m saying is that sometimes, you can get more out of spending time with the gear you have, than you would buying something new.

Do you agree? I welcome your comments on our Forum, or you can message me directly at (Mike Levine).

Have a great week.

Mike Levine

U.S. Editor, Audiofanzine

 

 

2
Agreed - limitation is often the mother of productivity!

jelsonic – royalty free music

3
I agree with jelnet, I think that's why pink floyd and Jimi were able to get such mind-blowing sounds that one might say we're far ahead of their (and perhaps our) time.

That said, I'm a HUGE victim of GAS. Just made some of my biggest purchases (in my case, more as a musician than a mixer) but I've promised myself to study the manual and really get the most out of my gear before getting anything else, and if I DO see something else I need, then I MUST sell something to even out the scales :)
4
How correct is your editorial of this week...!!! I am in a position to have gathered so much equipment (VST instruments and synths etc) that i can claim that i do not know every synth i have. This is also my "fear" when i write a review for Audiofanzine. This is why i could not write a review immediately for Vienna Boesendorfer. I do not want to be unfair with an instrument or a collection etc. and give a review that is not based on my experience. Especially when are working people “behind” these companies… The only thing I can stress in my defense is that I have not the “knowledge” to create sounds and arpeggios and effects etc. and as a result I am buying almost every fair enough collection I see, of course after a small research in our forum and in others.

[ Post last edited on 05/30/2015 at 10:52:21 ]

5
I'm a hobbyist musician/producer and I believe that there is a such thing as too much gear from my perspective. I say this because in the last few years I've noticed that I can't focus on music so much because I'm distracted from all the gear that I have. As soon as I purchase something the next best thing appears on the market and then I focus on saving up to get that gear. So then when it's time to make music I have no direction. Do I start with the new gear I just installed in my studio? Do I focus on the synth I bought 2 years ago and still don't know how to use correctly? I just recently decided that there will be no more gear in my studio until I fully learn how to use everything I currently have.
6
"Far be it from me to say one shouldn’t lust after and acquire cool new products. I’m hardly immune to Gear Acquisition Syndrome."

For me, I am a virtual instrument junkie! I got a ton, and duplicates to boot. I got more basses than I know what to do with, just about every big band library there is, and ethnic instruments I never even thought of having. I just recently bought an orchestral library 'just because' someday I hope to do music that would need an orchestra.

I NEED HELP! :oo:

My guess is there are two kinds of Sample junkies. Those who use the in-house ones that come with their DAW or Sampler and maybe a few 3rd party libraries, and then there are those who prefer the 3rd party Samples and not use, or hardly use, the in-house libraries. I prefer the 3rd party Samples and honestly never even think to check out if a in-house Sample is available. I deleted those libraries anyway. (As a footnote to this, let me also say that the in-house Samples were instrumental to me until my own 3rd party library was big enough to suffice for all situations.)

Regarding usage I do have my favorites and those I know fairly well. I like to do all genre's of music which is one reason my Sample library is so big. I am a professional, but I do strictly my own product line of products, so I'm not under any time constraints though I hope some day to break into the field where I can submit my works for others to use.

Rich

webpage: www.livingwatersjazz.com

7
Quote:
I just recently decided that there will be no more gear in my studio until I fully learn how to use everything I currently have.

That sounds like a good decision. Good luck, and happy manual reading. :mdr:
8
Quote:
I just recently bought an orchestral library 'just because' someday I hope to do music that would need an orchestra.

Wow, Rich, you've got it bad. Sounds like you need a sample-library intervention. ;)
9
:-D
sounds like something for the AAoGWH
Hi .... " silents..... "
I'm Rich ....... and I'm addicted .........

-All

Hi Rich

... Oh well face it .... you are not alone :)

Spoiler - Click here to read more



ok enough fun.
I have here more than enough gear and i learned to understand every piece of equipment.
How are they build and what they do and why it is working.
There for i'm able to use pieces of equipment in places and situations for which they are not build.
This saved me in more than one situation where equipment failed while needing it.

And that brings me to the footer / sign of my posts :)

It's not about what you got to use ....    but how you use what you got...

[ Post last edited on 05/31/2015 at 06:03:39 ]

10
Well said, Angelie, thanks! I like the hidden "spoiler". :-D
11
With Samples (i.e. software) the situation is more fluid and often times the 'time to act' is - now. For instance, I don't even know if I can write orchestral arrangements but it is something I would like to do. So I kept my eyes open for Orchestral Libraries and then out of the blue EastWest announces Hollywood Orchestra Diamond and what they listed as a $3500 acquisition was introduced at $600. That's hard to flee from. I did something similar with Fables Big Band and Broadway. Normally a $2500 acquisition, via sales, I paid less than half. You could argue I'm a junkie for deals. I just purchased a Selmer Reference 54 Alto sax for $3400 (used ebay) and even for used, that's a really good price. Those Reference 54s are outrageously expenisve. Consider another deal I couldn't pass up, a SB500 Selmer Bari Sax I bought through a Gov't Liquidation site (apparently the horn was used in the Army bands) for almost a third of the regular used cost. Another instance I bought the Neuman studio monitors for a few hundred off (open box sale). I do this all the time, I keep my eyes peeled for deals.

In my opinion there's always time to get indepth with your gear. To me, the real question (and I'm just as guilty of this as anyone...) is do you have the discipline to do it. But understand, I'm only speaking to my own weakness here, I can't help myself!!

I need help!! :oo:

So Mike, where is the Sampleholics Anonymous meeting happen? I can see it now... "and your name?" I'm Rich. "Hi Rich."

Rich

webpage: www.livingwatersjazz.com

12
Quote:
So Mike, where is the Sampleholics Anonymous meeting happen? I can see it now... "and your name?" I'm Rich. "Hi Rich."

I'm not sure, but I'd be willing to guess that Sampleholics Anonymous is considered a "12-step sequencer" program. :-D
13
This makes me smile.
When I gave up my 8 voice JP8 (bought new) to buy a 16 voice DX7 (also bought new) I went to the trouble of writing an editor program on the Acorn BBC computer and got to know that synth really well.
As a joke for friend and fellow composer I calculated the number of patches possible and although I can't remember the number I do remember that if you listened to each patch for a just couple of seconds for a 8 hour day, 7 days per week, it was going to take you a couple of years to get through them.

Sitting here in a sea of synths next to my Motif XS I know the number of different sounds is massive.

So, have I stopped buying hardware and software synths?
No, but as I have so many now, I try to have a few rules.

I only buy something that I like the sound of (obviously), but I cannot make the sound with any of the gear I have.
I do try to match the demos on the internet and I must say this often prevents a purchase (and sharpens my listening).

This usually means it must have some unique synthesis method or the circuitry (software) means a unique sound.

When I get the new gear I have to create patches for at least one new piece that only uses that synth.
Knowing how much work there is in learning a new synth and writing the patches and music for a large piece also puts the brakes on.

Though.... a year or so ago I was thinking about how easy and fun the JP8 was .
Although I can already get most of the sounds I remember (and have heard on the Jupiter 8V ), there is something about the simple earlier synths that is attractive (and is probably fueling the 'analog' push).

I found a Novation Nova on Ebay and I have been having a great time just messing around with.
I discovered that the arpeggiator can be used as a real time programmable step sequencer (up to 64 notes). Playing other Novation synths, it looks like they can all do it which kills the arpeggiator on the JP8.
Instant "On The Run" anyone?

So I guess the real rule is 'if your having fun reach for the wallet'
14
:aime::aime::oo: *manical laugh* There's sales EVERYWHERE!!! I can't help myself!! *manical laugh* :oo::aime::aime:

Someone please call 9-11 Sampleholics Anonymous for emergency intervention, before they end up taking my house from me!

webpage: www.livingwatersjazz.com

15
Quote:
There's sales EVERYWHERE!!! I can't help myself!!

I'm afraid you may be beyond help. If you continue down this road, in a couple of years they may find you in an abandoned tenement building, huddled around a copy of East/West Hollywood Orchestral Woodwinds, chanting "Where are the key switches?" :mdr:
16
Oh my, this topic is epic :)
It is so fun to read.

Keep it up.

It's not about what you got to use ....    but how you use what you got...