I need help with my gearsluttyness...

[The Hamburglar]

Accept whether you're more interested in being a collector or musician and prioritize your life as such.

[sftd]

This thread is very strange to me.

I am in no way saying anyone is right or wrong, but I am so completely the opposite of this mindset that I find thinking about it somewhat mind blowing.

As an example, I started a project (unfortunately my fourth active project at the moment) three weeks ago in which I use only the FX, instruments, and samples included with Ableton 8 Suite. In addition as a slap in the face to 18 years of training, I am forcing myself to not use a keyboard for the inputting of my melodic sections.

It is not easy, far moreso in the lack of a keyboard than the limitation of tools soundwise. However, it is greatly helpful for someone like myself who always put sound design a distant second to just writing and playing melody after melody.

I get very frustrated trying to draw in simple melodies knowing I could feel through them by hand in seconds. However, my sound design skills are increasing at a surprising rate due to spending much more time making the sound make the part rather than the part making the part, if that makes any sense.

I feel when I am done with the album that I have made in this manner I will be a more talanted "producer" because of it.

Perhaps you should put togother a little plan somewhat like this. I should say that prior to the starting of this project I was very much a "use what I have" type of person anyway so the transition is a much smaller one for me than it would be for you. That said, the limiting of myself to work without a keyboard is a huge transition, one on the same level as you would experience if you attempted to the same project tool wise as the one I described.

I still use a keyboard and all of my normal FXs/instruments in my other projects, so I don't want that to be misrepresented, just as you could keep everything you have and use them when you wish.

I travel a ton and am constantly making music wherever I go on my laptop. The laptop is the system in which I have executed my little plan, so tempted as I may be to give up and go grab a keyboard or plug in my big red beauty, when I am 1000 miles from home with nothing besides the laptop, Ableton Suite, and some headphones, the forced limitations truly become forced and I have no option but to work under those guidelines.

I'm not sure how you could accomplish something similar short of giving your gear to a friend that would only allow you to use it at certain times, but at least for me if I did not find myself in these situations so often I probably would have already given up three weeks in.

Sent from my PC36100 using Gearslutz.com App

[Teknobeam]

Don't worry about any of it. You are cognitive (possibly a bit too much). Your direction is results based, not hoarding based. Think of everything that you have obtained in your quest to put your studio together as liquid. You can always sell it. Picking up that Mackie LM3204 and a patch bay is like a serious painter buying an easel. You needed it. Whenever I start thinking I might have too much stuff, I watch this video

[The Architecture]

Excellent posts here.

Something that people have asked me over time is why dont you just stick with software or do this or do that? Alot of what I am doing now with gear and everything, I have over time figured out what I want in my setup and what I dont want in my setup. 11 years of making music with many different platforms, going software, doing hardware, Ive reached the point where I can say this is how I want to make music, and so far I havent really regretted my choices, except for a few peices here and there (RM1x, ES-1, Micron, Etc).

Maybe part of me is synth collecting...but I actively use my gear for making tracks...and I have made lots of tracks with what I got, probably 100 songs in just the last 2 years, either quick jams that I finish or full fledged tracks. I dont just buy the stuff to have it look purty, I use the crap out of it :v

I think if the intent is right...then go for it...if you just want another shiny toy just to have a shiny toy...reevaluate that decision before you make it. Or spend 11 years evaluating whether or not you want it :V

[cramseur]

Originally Posted by The Architecture

Excellent posts here.

Something that people have asked me over time is why dont you just stick with software or do this or do that? Alot of what I am doing now with gear and everything, I have over time figured out what I want in my setup and what I dont want in my setup. 11 years of making music with many different platforms, going software, doing hardware, Ive reached the point where I can say this is how I want to make music, and so far I havent really regretted my choices, except for a few peices here and there (RM1x, ES-1, Micron, Etc).

Maybe part of me is synth collecting...but I actively use my gear for making tracks...and I have made lots of tracks with what I got, probably 100 songs in just the last 2 years, either quick jams that I finish or full fledged tracks. I dont just buy the stuff to have it look purty, I use the crap out of it :v

I think if the intent is right...then go for it...if you just want another shiny toy just to have a shiny toy...reevaluate that decision before you make it. Or spend 11 years evaluating whether or not you want it :V

nice post, but I'll add:

If you want to buy shiny toys, just to look purty that's okay too.

It's your money, spend it as you want. You don't have to justify what pleases you.

(think of it as buying sculptures or other forms of art).

[Yeah, right...]

I understand ECT can be sometimes successful in such cases...