Invest in you FIRST. Don't get G.A.S. You don't need more stuff...

[Nerozumiem]

I just joined the thread because I wanted to get in with this community, but I have been recording for 12 years.

I don't consider myself an expert or anything like that, but I do have some humble advice for people who are just getting started. After being on the site for ten minutes I have already noticed a theme that can get beginners, rooks, and newbies all screwed up. It's called, G.A.S.

G.A.S. stands for Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Gear Acquisition Syndrome (sometimes Guitar Acquisition Syndrome, both abbreviated to GAS) is a term used to describe an urge to acquire and accumulate lots of gear. This term commonly associated with: Guitarists (tend to acquire guitars, guitar amplifiers, pedals, effects processors).

The bottom line is this: learn how to use what you've got. Get the best out of what you have. If your mixes aren't as good as you want them to be, don't just go buy plugins, software, and hardware, just get better at mixing. Master the art. And master it with what you have. You can do it. Plugins and other things can help, but if you rely on them and never take the time to learn and hone your skills, you'll probably never get your music where you want it to be.

I've known so many guitar players who are constantly buying new effects and pedals, but still struggle tuning their guitar. Invest in yourself, and then invest in equipment!

Hugh Macleod, in his book, Ignore Everybody and 39 Other Keys to Creativity, said, "The more talented somebody is, the less they need props." He went on:

There’s no correlation between creativity and equipment ownership. None. Zilch. Nada.
Actually, as the artist gets more into his thing, and as he gets more successful, his number of tools tends to go down. He knows what works for him. Expending mental energy on stuff wastes time. He’s a man on a mission. He’s got a deadline. He’s got some rich client breathing down his neck. The last thing he wants is to spend 3 weeks learning how to use a router drill if he doesn’t need to.
A fancy tool just gives the second-rater one more pillar to hide behind.
Which is why there are so many second-rate art directors with state-of-the-art Macinotsh computers.
Which is why there are so many hack writers with state-of-the-art laptops.
Which is why there are so many crappy photographers with state-of-the-art digital cameras.
Which is why there are so many unremarkable painters with expensive studios in trendy neighborhoods.
Hiding behind pillars, all of them.
Pillars do not help; they hinder. The more mighty the pillar, the more you end up relying on it psychologically, the more it gets in your way.

Focus on you. Learn to use what you've got first. I run a recording business and my most recent contract to record an album was $25,000. It will take me less than two months. My most expensive mic is $300. You don't need a $2,000 mic. You need to know how to use mics and improve your post-production skills.

Invest in you first.

That's all. Keep it up everybody. Have fun. Change the world.

Signed,

NeroZumiem

 

[scrapheaper]

This is really true.

Only thing I would say is you need decent monitoring speakers or headphones. I didn't have it for a long time because I thought it wasn't necessary but now I do and it's improved my mixes considerably.

But the rest- mics, DAWs, VSTs, MIDI controllers, hardware samplers/synths- they're only toys really.

 

[I'mNoGuru]

I love a bit of GAS.
Music production is a hobby I enjoy and there's different tools that let you do things in different ways. Those differences in workflow definitely effect your output - whether for better of worse is for you to decide.

I've definitely bought things I haven't used much don't get me wrong.
I picked up an MPC500 and hated the workflow - sold it (for more than I paid - lucky) and bought a Novation Circuit which I love.
I won a DreadBox Erebus in a competition - thing sounds great but could never get anything from it to pop in a track - recently swapped it for a BassStation2 - which I'm fairly confident will make it into 90% of every track I make for a while!
I also bought an old ER-1 MKII - love the sound but really dislike the sequencer - solution... Saving for an Arturia BeatStepPro, which I'll run in sync with Maschine (which is my main piece - every track starts there!)

I grew up with 4-track cassette recorders at home and going into studios with big desks with bands I was in so I'm more comfortable with hardware (and/or controllers) than a mouse.
I like to hit stuff, twist stuff, move stuff.
Hardware gear is fun but you gotta be sensible about your choices. If a piece doesn't work don't be afraid to either sell it on or add to it so that it does.

Just make sure you pay your rent/mortgage before you buy.