I have a serious problem…

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Let's take a look at Gear Acquisition Syndrome (G.A.S).

🎸🎹 MY STUDIO GEAR

AUDIO INTERFACES I USE

STUDIO MONITORS

MIDI CONTROLLER KEYBOARDS

MIDI Control Surface

MICROPHONES

HEADPHONES

MIC PREAMPS

RACK GEAR

🔌🎹 MY FAVORITE PLUGINS

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CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:53 G.A.S
01:37 Insecurity
03:48 Distraction from Creativity
04:35 False equivalence
06:06 Don't let BAD gear get in the way
06:55 Motivation and Inspiration
08:37 Refinement
09:43 G.A.S Tip 1
10:26 G.A.S Tip 2
10:56 G.A.S Tip 3
11:55 Why I bought those cables

✉️ CONTACT ME:
#HomeRecording #CreativeSauce #HomeStudio

[marciosilvaoficial]

I used to suffer from G.A.S too, but thanks to a revolutionary treatment called poverty, I'm finally cured.😂

[omar-trujillo]

Here's a tip that's really helped me manage my GAS: reconnect with your old gear! Sometimes, I dive back into the manuals and watch reviews of my older equipment. It reignites my excitement and makes me want to use it again, keeping my mind off buying new stuff. Just a thought—hope it helps!

[orryfishburne]

My latest GAS journey has been modding the electronics on guitars. Not just pickups, but completely rewiring them with all new components and wire. Im still giving into GAS, but on the other hand I'm developing the new skill set of soldering and understanding instrument circuits. It's a double edged sword. Im still spending money and spending too much time on gear, but I'm learning, and I'm transforming instruments I'm not too fond of and turning them into something i cant put down. It's definitely a good skill to have, but i need to spend more time writing and recording music instead of noodling for hours.

[kevinalanmattson]

You have a gift for both caring and clarity. I have a little radio show and promised my 27 fans I’d write a new song each week. 50 songs later I finally have more songs written than I have plugins in Studio One. Well, almost…

[AVDRE]

Perfect timing, instead of finishing a mix I'm here on YouTube scrolling lol

[danylatulippe]

I have a variation of G.A.S. I don't buy hardware anymore, but I buy way too many plugins and virtual instruments.

[mikebauer]

I have found it rewarding to give my unneeded gear to my local school music program rather than sell it.

[Stonesilk-Music]

Great advice on avoiding debt. One thing I would add is that certain gear can save you a lot of time. While it's possible to get good results with cheaper equipment, you might spend more time adjusting and troubleshooting. This is why some professionals prefer specific preamps, channel strips, or cables. For instance, Amazon offers a line of cables called 'Cable Matters' that are very good. They may not match the high-end cables entirely, but they share many of their characteristics.

[rickdauer]

Mike, I've developed a touch of buying plugins that go on sale that I probably really do not need.

[garethde-witt]

I once had G.A.S. alas I can no longer afford to buy things as I retired from work. It’s a good cure😂🤣😂 I still find myself looking…….sometimes though

[dogpdsound]

This is scary. Some of us know this but push it to the back of our mind so we can satisfy the GAS high. You are 100% correct. Now, onto Sweetwater😮

[gypsysinger]

Great video Mike! I always recommend beginners not to buy the most expensive gear. The reason is you can give an inexperienced person two pieces of gear and they will likely come up with the same results because they haven't learned how the gear works and how to achieve the sound they want. After that don't upgrade until you can hear the limitations of the gear you have. That way you know why you want the new piece of gear and how to achieve the sound you want.
On another note, the song is king. That's why Van Halen had a cover on all the early records. Roth said, a hit is still a hit. Look at all the people doing covers on the Internet today. Keep the great videos coming!! I love the channel and community.

[Ray-umif]

Hi Mike, wise words as always, thank you. I have, over 50 years of playing guitar, spent thousands because of GAS. It has never really helped except for one or two items that I believe made a real difference. I have learnt, that gear, most of the time, is less important than working on my skills. I have now find the perfect solution to GAS. Lack of money ! Lol.

[roqueavellaneda]

Thankfully i can't afford g.a.s., so i must squeeze my brains, tutorials and free DAW and plugins... I just bought an M-Audio m-track solo to properly record guitars (I've been using the onboard jack input the whole time) and have a decent monitoring on headphones. Thanks to you Mike, and other mentors here in the community i've been able to learn and grow. Success to me is learning and putting something out from time to time. Cheers!

[claroghi]

Very philosophical and very correct. Great considerations. I myself try to have only the necessary resources, but the best ones I can get.

[RonBaker]

I bought a Tiger Woods driver once so I could hit it like him. I did hit it further into the woods. Effective recording and practice strategies are still the key skillsets to develop IMO. Nothing fixes bad performances as quickly as practice.

[wiseoldfool]

I can't speak to bought cables as I make my own, but I can say that even the quality of the raw cable itself does make a huge difference. One of the worst problems with cheap cables is microphonics. That is, when the cable is tapped or knocked, it generates an electrical pulse. Drape a cable like this over something that is vibrating at 50Hz (or 60Hz) due to a transformer or motor, and it will produce hum that cannot be fixed by screening. It can take a lot of time and effort to find out that this is the problem!

[thestockers]

I love gear but I can’t afford a lot of. So I’ve made sure what I have is solid and reliable for what I do and doesn’t slow me down.
Years ago I was assisting for a producer/engineer. The band had booked time at a studio that said it had an Amek board. We were expecting a Mozart or at least an Angela. Nope, it was a TAC. Made by Amek but not an Amek. After grumbling a bit we just got down to work.
It taught me about getting the best out of what you have.

[skelligringphotographyandw]

I've had a decent enough microphone (Marantz) sitting on a stand since I bought it 4 months ago. I don't sing, so it doesn't get much use, other than the occasional toot on my saxophones. So, yesterday, I decided to splash out on another instrument to use with it - while simultaneously indulging my GAS. I spent €15 on a vibraslap! It's perfect for a 'snake' noise in my currently-being-written TV cue track, for a music library. Not all GAS has to be expensive.

[sausage]

I suffer G.A.S too. Usually after eating beans 🙂