Gear Obsession

[OceanMachine]

Step 1.Realize it's you, not the gear.
Step 2. Every time you want new gear, reaffirm step 1.

[Razmo]

We need to start a group...
S.A. — Synthoholics Anonymous

Certainly a single non anonymous thread would be enough... If you want to stay anonymous you would not exactly be admitting anything now would you? 

But honestly, even if a joke, I think such a thread would be rather interresting, if not even popular... I am certainly not the only synth musician with this problem, and it really would be nice to hear from others with this stupid addiction instead of always be corrected by those who got it all right, and always think that its easy for everyone else to fix, if they just be like themselves... Honestly, if they never had the addiction they do not know shit about it because it is NOT just a matter of being aware and pulling youself together... It is an addiction as any other with all the shit that comes with it.

I would certainly rather hear what others did to fix their addiction, than having the cure served from someone who never experienced it themselves. Having them knock me into seeing that I have a problem is fine, but telling me how to get out of an addiction they never experienced themselves is not the way... They may know the core of the problem, true, but certainly not how to fix it.

[Razmo]

Step 1.Realize it's you, not the gear.
Step 2. Every time you want new gear, reaffirm step 1.

I can only refer to my last comment... You make it sound much easier than it actually is... Have you ever had this addiction yourself?

Step1, yes it is me, and yes, the gear is certainly it, without it the problem would not even be there. You are telling a drug addict that it is not about the drug!?

Step 2, irrellevant, when step one is not correct.

[OceanMachine]

I was figuratively talking about gear (or junk). This is about literal gear, as in hardware. As far as I'm aware, there's no withdraws from getting off the stuff (I.e. more synths)... I know you already realize what the issue is, but I find reaffirmation (and obviously some willpower) is constantly necessary and key. A lot of people can't even get past step 1.

Well at least this is what works for me in this instance and all I'm really doing here is being my own psychiatrist. 

[Sacred Synthesis]

We had this discussion a while back (https://forum.sequential.com/index.php/topic,2396.0.html).

I went through Razmo's situation years ago.  I got back into synthesis only eleven years ago, and, because at the time I had some disposable income, I went bonkers with the gear for a few years.  But I've always hated materialism, and always hated clutter, too.  I soon enough decided I would own only the instruments I would use regularly, even if this resulted in a set up of only one or two synthesizers.

As has been said above, it's all about music, and the instruments are purely the means of producing it.  But some folks love the researching, buying, selling, and then starting the process all over again.  Personally, I find it to be a wearisome obsession - the endless hours online, watching countless YouTube demos, getting all worked up about some new forthcoming piece of gear, longing for NAMM, dreaming of the perfect set up, and so on.  It's too obsessive, like a mental disorder.  And the practical result is that you're constantly watching other people use this or that piece of gear, but seldom using your own.  This is the point at which you recognize you have a problem and are behaving in an irrational way.

I say, find the fewest instruments that suffice for your musical needs, learn to be content with them into the future, and skip all the rest.  It's the Internet that gets us, though, with its endless supply of synth news and information, luring us ever towards another instrument, and ever towards being discontent again.  Either you learn to tame this monster, or it will gobble you up.

[Gerry Havinga]

We need to start a group...
S.A. — Synthoholics Anonymous

Certainly a single non anonymous thread would be enough... If you want to stay anonymous you would not exactly be admitting anything now would you? 

But honestly, even if a joke, I think such a thread would be rather interresting, if not even popular... I am certainly not the only synth musician with this problem, and it really would be nice to hear from others with this stupid addiction instead of always be corrected by those who got it all right, and always think that its easy for everyone else to fix, if they just be like themselves... Honestly, if they never had the addiction they do not know shit about it because it is NOT just a matter of being aware and pulling youself together... It is an addiction as any other with all the shit that comes with it.

I would certainly rather hear what others did to fix their addiction, than having the cure served from someone who never experienced it themselves. Having them knock me into seeing that I have a problem is fine, but telling me how to get out of an addiction they never experienced themselves is not the way... They may know the core of the problem, true, but certainly not how to fix it.

Just my two cents about gear addiction and it stopping me making music.

The only thing that has stopped me creating my own music and publishing out there was my inner conviction "I am/will never be good enough". So I have in the last 30 years always owned one synth, but never wrote or published any music.

Till 4 years ago I realized that my own belief about myself was absolute nonsense and I forgave myself (and the world) for having and "giving"  me this illusion.

Now my process is quite clear and works in one of two ways.

1. I start with an init patch on the Rev2, Prophet X or Digitone (sometimes also the Evolver). I fiddle with the sound till I hear something that fits my mood at that moment and then I will figure out which key and chords work with that patch and mood.

2. I feel a mood, or sometimes just want to write something even though I don't feel inspired. I choose the key and chord sequence and then I choose a synth always starting on init.

On practically all my tracks, the sounds I designed myself from scratch, barring a few exceptions. I get bored real quick listening to the factory presets on every synth I own. They lack the creative juice that can only come from myself. Not sure how that works.

But the big thing was loosing this illusory belief that I would never be " good enough". Now I cannot stop anymore, I have to create, play write and publish music. Just matter of figuring out how and when.

Not sure if this makes sense.

[LoboLives]

For me, since selling my Oberheim SEM Pro, I think I'm looking really hard at what gear gets used the most that I have and if there's something that isn't getting much love, it's time to trade it in and put it towards something else. My Moog Sub 37 is next to go. I promised myself I would do at least 3 tracks with it before letting it go totally but after that it must go. It's just not getting as much use as my Sequential gear and I think two ARP Odyssey Modules would be better suited for my setup. The thing with my music is I want a mono synth that will handle all my sequencing and bass lines and higher arpeggiated sequences while my Poly Synths are doing pads, chords and leads and as cool as the Matriarch is, I find I'm going to be stuck in the same scenario with the Sub 37. I'm either using it as a bass synth or lead synth or having to overdub like crazy...eh...I'd much rather have two ARP Odyssey modules being sequenced with two different settings.

I think while I appreciate the new gear coming out, my original goal of duplicating the Carpenter/Howarth setup should continue to be my focus.

Prophet-5 & Prophet-10 w/ Poly sequencers
E-mu Emulator I & II w/CD ROM
ARP Avatar (x2) and Arp Sequencer
Linn LM-1 , LM-2 & E-mu SP-12 (this combination was treated as one gigantic drum machine.
Kurzweil K250 w/user sampling
Prophet 2002
Prophet VS-2400 Vector Synth
Oberheim 4 voice w/Midi (mostly used as a bass unit)

I mean it is the greatest setup in synth history so duplicating it with modern gear is 1. Going to take time and 2. Be everything I really need once it's completed. Not everything out there now is going to match that goal but from what's available now (and possibly in the future):

Prophet-6 & Prophet-REV2 (Doing the Prophet 5/10 work)
Prophet X and possibly an XL (Doing the Emulators work)
ARP Odyssey Module (x2) (handling what the ARP Avatars were doing-Still not sure about a sequencer though)
Tempest and SP2400 (handling the drum machine stuff and likely Roger Linn's new drum machine added to the mix)

As far as the rest-I haven't found anything that would realistically work-most of the following was rackmount or module stuff)

Kurzweil K250 w/user sampling-If Kurzweil would do a module with all their sounds that would be perfect...I really don't need a full size 88 workstation. It's too much room and I'm never going to use all it's functionality.

Prophet 2002-I don't see any budget samplers coming out in the near future, Sequential or otherwise

Prophet VS-2400 Vector Synth-Maybe we may see a P12 successor or New Poly Evolver but not any time soon I feel.

Oberheim 4 voice w/Midi (mostly used as a bass unit)-Unless Tom can get a handle on the production and distribution of his instruments and with his age-I have no idea if we will ever see another pure Oberheim product again. I may have to try and get a second hand TVS Pro down the line.

I have a long way to go, but venturing outside of that goal isn't going to satisfy me because I'll always be like "Oh yeah, I need to get this."

[dmfs]

Great thread everyone!
The eternal gear dilemma - When is enough enough?
I started my synth exploration 25 years ago thanks to an unhealthy obsession with John Carpenter and Vangelis. I bought  a matrix 6R and a K5000S. Soon I had a Korg 01W/R ,JV1080, JP8000 - I have since sold most of  the old synths including a P600 and Juno 60 and gone the DSI route - P08, P12 , tempest and recently OB6! I also have a JDXA, Taurus 3 bass pedal, BSII, Mono Lancet and Moog Minitaur so as you can see I already have a lot of gear...
And here's the thing- I now make less music than I did with only 3 pieces of gear!! I long to get back to the simplicity I once had but everytime I try to downsize I will turn on a piece of gear that I want to sell and instantly fall in love with that piece of gear again...
I am greatly inspired by your thoughts and music here Sacred Synthesis particularly the way you blend your DSI gear to sound so organic- reminds me of how Vangelis would use DSI stuff if he had this gear back in the day...
Does have anyone have any advice here on how to do more with less ?
 

[Razmo]

We need to start a group...
S.A. — Synthoholics Anonymous

Certainly a single non anonymous thread would be enough... If you want to stay anonymous you would not exactly be admitting anything now would you? 

But honestly, even if a joke, I think such a thread would be rather interresting, if not even popular... I am certainly not the only synth musician with this problem, and it really would be nice to hear from others with this stupid addiction instead of always be corrected by those who got it all right, and always think that its easy for everyone else to fix, if they just be like themselves... Honestly, if they never had the addiction they do not know shit about it because it is NOT just a matter of being aware and pulling youself together... It is an addiction as any other with all the shit that comes with it.

I would certainly rather hear what others did to fix their addiction, than having the cure served from someone who never experienced it themselves. Having them knock me into seeing that I have a problem is fine, but telling me how to get out of an addiction they never experienced themselves is not the way... They may know the core of the problem, true, but certainly not how to fix it.

Just my two cents about gear addiction and it stopping me making music.

The only thing that has stopped me creating my own music and publishing out there was my inner conviction "I am/will never be good enough". So I have in the last 30 years always owned one synth, but never wrote or published any music.

Till 4 years ago I realized that my own belief about myself was absolute nonsense and I forgave myself (and the world) for having and "giving"  me this illusion.

Now my process is quite clear and works in one of two ways.

1. I start with an init patch on the Rev2, Prophet X or Digitone (sometimes also the Evolver). I fiddle with the sound till I hear something that fits my mood at that moment and then I will figure out which key and chords work with that patch and mood.

2. I feel a mood, or sometimes just want to write something even though I don't feel inspired. I choose the key and chord sequence and then I choose a synth always starting on init.

On practically all my tracks, the sounds I designed myself from scratch, barring a few exceptions. I get bored real quick listening to the factory presets on every synth I own. They lack the creative juice that can only come from myself. Not sure how that works.

But the big thing was loosing this illusory belief that I would never be " good enough". Now I cannot stop anymore, I have to create, play write and publish music. Just matter of figuring out how and when.

Not sure if this makes sense.

I never experienced that, I always believed in my skills for some reason... What put my music creation on a hold for 20 years was gear obsession... Not because I thought I had to have all that gear to be able to make music, because I know deep inside that I could do music with just one synth and HD recording if I wanted to, but because I always said to myself, that if I just had that and that synth too, I would have more options, thus being able to compose even more complex music... I started an ongoing mission in finding as many different synthesis types I could, and stuff just added up, requirering more mixing channels, more MIDI ports, more space, more preset organizing, mor editor programing... It simply got out of hand, and having that much gear meant that I had to split fokus on so many things, slowing it all down as well... Not very productive behavior... On top of that I have an irritating flair for getting bored with what I have rather quickly, like kids with toys, making me seek the next synth fix by purchasing something new, and selling old stuff.

This is the realization I had to accept 5 years ago... And it is not easy to give up because the crave to buy is still there like the abstinences of an alcoholic... But I have resisted ending in a huge setup again... I am on the road to a definite small setup that I can comoprehend and still make music... It has taken both time and a few relapses in finding the right gear for me, but the hardest part is yet to be overcome which is resisting to buy more and actually stop buying more and get productive making music instead... But I will persevere... I have to... Hoarding gear and never making any music, is like collecting cars but never driving them... Waste of time really.

[LoboLives]

Meh that depends Raz. If collecting things makes people happy can’t fault them for it or say it’s a waste of time. The goal in life is to be happy and if that means collecting baseball cards, cars, synths, movies, guitars, comic books, wine, whatever. As long as you realize you can’t take it with you, no harm in doing something that puts a smile on your face rather than waste your life wishing.

[Shaw]

... because I know deep inside that I could do music with just one synth and HD recording if I wanted to...

Therein lies a nice little challenge for all of us on this thread: pick just one instrument, and record a piece of music with it.  Just one.  Any effects or outboard gear is fine... but one instrument (Synth, guitar, whatever).  And share your results here.


Any takers?

[LoboLives]

... because I know deep inside that I could do music with just one synth and HD recording if I wanted to...

Therein lies a nice little challenge for all of us on this thread: pick just one instrument, and record a piece of music with it.  Just one.  Any effects or outboard gear is fine... but one instrument (Synth, guitar, whatever).  And share your results here.


Any takers?

I was thinking of doing a cover or a tribute of the Xtro theme with only my Prophet 6. The original was done entirely with a Prophet 5 and loads of overdubs. The composer (who also directed the film) Harry Bromley Davenport was a classically trained pianist and it certainly shows.

[Razmo]

Meh that depends Raz. If collecting things makes people happy can’t fault them for it or say it’s a waste of time. The goal in life is to be happy and if that means collecting baseball cards, cars, synths, movies, guitars, comic books, wine, whatever. As long as you realize you can’t take it with you, no harm in doing something that puts a smile on your face rather than waste your life wishing.

Think I failed at writing that it was a personal statement... For me it is an admission of failure if I just buy synths and never use them... Collecting for fun is certainly legit, but it requires that you are happy by just collecting stuff... I cannot be happy collecting synths I would never use for making music.

[Gerry Havinga]

Interesting Raz, good that you do believe in your own skills 

Another thing that might work is to prepare as if you will be giving a live concert. Because you'll have to build the stage-set yourself you need to limit yourself to a few synths. I myself have limited myself to 4 synths plus one effect box on stage.

Shaw, regarding the challenge to only use one synth, do you mean recording in one take that is no overdubbing?

[Shaw]

Shaw, regarding the challenge to only use one synth, do you mean recording in one take that is no overdubbing?

Either... there’s a guy on GS whose signature reads: “get what you can afford, and hit record.”


I think there is some wisdom there.... unless you’re a collector, the music is the most important thing.

[Sacred Synthesis]

DMFS and Shaw -

Challenge is indeed the word.  It's one thing to theorize about cutting back on equipment; it's another thing to apply self-discipline and actually do it. 

I went through this identical dilemma many moons ago, and of my tottering stacks of instruments I reduced the set up to a Crumar drawbar organ, a Minimoog Model D, and a set of Taurus bass pedals.  That particular choice of instruments was so poor that I could do little that was musically satisfactory.  I had gone too far with the ideal.  But today, the situation is completely different because the synthesizers are far more capable.  That's good news, because a synthesist can now do more with one synthesizer than once could be done with two or three.

So, the challenge is to cut back to a minimum, but then draw out a maximum from what remains.  And rather than daydream about the latest and the greatest equipment, one daydreams about the joys of not needing it.  The key, of course, is to select for the keeping the right instrument(s).

The first step in this challenge is to determine the maximum amount of equipment you need, and then to work towards determining the minimum.  If you're a YouTuber, you can start by making recordings/videos that use only one or two pieces.  How's that for a challenge - to make a complete piece of music with a single synthesizer?

[blewis]

Someone on GS said this, and I don’t remember who, but I wrote it down.

I want 2 monos, 1 analog poly, 1 digital poly, 1 drum machine, 1 sampler.

(I might add sequencer to the list, but there I go again)

That list seems both minimal and full of wealth at the same time.

That’s my goal.

It’s interesting to me that someone can see that as a growth goal and someone else will see it as a reduction goal.

[Sacred Synthesis]

Compared to what's common these days, that's actually not a large amount of gear.

It would be interesting to have on this forum a challenge to produce on YouTube one synthesizer piece each member, using a single instrument, start to finish, and with only the usual effects as compliments.  Again, not a competition, but a challenge; and not a demonstration, but an actual complete piece of music.  That would be a fascinating refreshing thread.

[blewis]

Compared to what's common these days, that's actually not a large amount of gear.

I'm on the side where I'd need to scale down to that setup, but it seems like its a full blown setup where there are no excuses to be made.

I like that it represents a goal to people with too much stuff and to people just starting out.

[Razmo]

The one synth plus fx on DAW HD recording has actually been on my mind many times, and for many reasons.

1. I do not have to wait for more gear to get started.

2. Recording to HD gives the advantage of using the same synth as many times as you want.

3. FX in the DAW can be live, and separate on each track.

4. You can easily record live knob tweakings directly into the audio track

5. You can do a lot of neat recording tricks like double record a track, and pan the two tracks left and right for wide stereo effects, or record delayed versions of a track for artificial delays that change with each repeat by slightly changing the parameters like the filter for example.

6. I like working with limitations, and squeezing the most out of a synth... It is a challenge

7. Fokus is narrowed to a single synth.

8. Cable clutter can be a minimum.

9. Do not need a hardware mixer or huge soundcard with lots of inputs or big MIDI interfaces etc.

10. It is very space effecient.

11. You can buy all the synths you want, when you feel you have the funds, and just store them until you feel the urge to make a tune with one of them, making sure you never grow bored with a definite setup that will eventually leave you with GAS and sell them to buy new stuff.

... All in all a lot of good reasons to work this way for someone like me... The drawbacks to me are:

1. HD recording which makes editing notes etc. Impossible unless you re record everything.

2. Having to record a track all in one go if you use a non preset synth since you would have to dial in the same sound again if you want to add something later, which is simply too cumbersome.

3. Using only one synth can and will give you some limitations you will just have to accept. First off, vocal FX is basically impossible unless you are using a synth or sampler that has sample playback as well... Also sounds like drums can be very hard to create with some synths, resulting in puny noise bursts for snares and hihats etc.

... Not many drawbacks, though the three require you to radically change how you record and edit, especially if you are used to live MIDI sequencing and editing.

I might actually do this... At last... It will not solve my addiction of buying synths, but if it will at least make me make music, that is a price worth paying I think.