Remember, buying shit ain't the same as doing. Also: pour one out for my dog who's getting neutered today ✂🍒🐶 Become a Patron ► venustheory.com/patrons Free Kalimba Instrument ► bit.ly/kalimbavt New String Library ► bit.ly/alt-strings-vt
I would love to see larger creators convincing beginners and generally untrained or just musically untalented people to simply get out and start doing that thing they love, despite their own personal shortcomings. Almost in my 40s and I'm just now getting into music (my last experience being recorder flutes in elementary school) and sucking at it. But I'm having a blast and really surprising myself with something really beautiful things every once in a while. I would love to see others just get a mic and that old guitar out of the attic or a cheap MAudio interface and a synth or just a USB keyboard and Garageband and start creating bad stuff and maybe you'll eventually start making good stuff!
You mention the value of time. One thing that became clear to me several thousands of dollars into this rabbit hole is how much time it takes to learn new gear. So not only are you spending money, you’re taking time that could go toward making a track.
Great point, but I gotta say some of my own favorite creations were made while deep-diving into a piece of gear. It could be time well spent, not time wasted :)
This is why I like you, Cameron. You do what you want with your channel, even if it’s not the most popular. I’m sure the gear videos would be a lot more popular, but I enjoy these kinds of videos so much more. Keep it up, man
'Preciate it partner. More than enough gear videos to go around anyways, might as well do something more interesting than rattle off specs twice a month 😅
This isnt just him. The algorithm is borderline oppressive and people are exhausted. Expect to see even more videos of people going off their expected rails and "I'm leaving youtube" videos.
@@Clee3421 lol, truth! TH-cam is great isn't it!?! LoL More and more as time goes on I am sure youtube will find more ways to punish content creators hahaha 👊😉👍
"...because the hardest way to make something is to wait until the time is right to do it" I feel seen. Thanks for saying that, I guess I needed to hear it.
I'm a graphic artist and i gotta say this is something that is probably true for most creative endeavours. There's no better way of getting a project started than limiting yourself. Creativity is fundamentally a process about problem solving, so you have to give yourself some problems to solve. This is especially the case for aspects of your craft that you struggle with.
mannn i feel this in my bones. i made my first song with audacity, a fisher price piano, a pawnshop acoustic guitar and a rockband usb mic... and its easily the most authentic, soulful piece of music ive ever made
Ah the days of the 'dude we can record I have a rockband mic' haha. Good times - did that many times myself in my buddies basement growing up because his parents could afford rockband 😅
Sameeeee, I made my first song with my first strat, a Rocksmith real tone cable and mix craft midi bass and MTpowerdrumkit, ended up being one o my best songs to this day.
I made my first song with a mp3 player and ten dollar earbud mic. It was 4 cords from my out of tune piano, a drum loop from who the heck knows where and I used some DAW nobody has ever heard of
I've only dabbled with music production over the years but recall purchasing the original Dance eJay (1997). However my younger brother became particularly interested and from there went on to pursue an education and career in sound engineering and performance. Sadly he's no longer with us but that simple PC program was his acorn.
You hit the nail on the head. I've become more selective with my TH-cam subscriptions lately. I'm gravitating towards channels that prioritize genuine content over marketing fluff
I was 18, it was 1987. I had two old 1980's synthesizers and two cassette recorders (to bounce tracks back and forth), I would write and record a song each day, and then play it at my club that night (I was working as a club DJ in Toronto). Crazy how productive I was. Then I got a four-track Tascam cassette recorder, what a revelation! Now it takes me days to figure out which of the thousands of drum sounds I have on hand are going to be the best for the middle 8 of the song.
@@ShaunyWalker look up the video on my channel titled "the story of how I got started in music and synths" from June of 2021 - I tell the whole story there, including footage from some of the clubs.
BAck in the 80's and 90's, before "in the box", recalling your half-finished project was a nightmare. There was no "Save Entire Project" when you were using a sampler, analog synth (with no presets), analog mixing desk and some outboard FX etc. They'd note down mixing desk settings and everything, to try and carry on working later if needed. But often, it just didn't sound right! So most (electronic, house, DnB) producers finished and mixed tracks as fast as possible, just so we didn't lose them. Recall making 4 or 5 mixes of a track, doing live fader and filter changes on each, then choosing the best later. In hindsight, I think that's why many producers struggle to finish tracks now. You can always save and "perfect" it another time, so that's what we do. Always planning to tweak something, swap out the drums, change the bass, remix the sub. It wasn't an option back then, you finished and moved on, because finishing a half-done track a month from now wasn't an option.
This was a good to hear. Thank you. I have over the last 25 years bought, sold, re-bought and re-sold thousands of dollars of music gear . I just did it again. I bought a Novation Bass Station II for the second time. It is a good piece of kit. It is simple and does what it says on the box. So why did I let the 1st one go 3 years ago only to purchase it again? It re inspired me. When I was fiddling about with it in the store it gave me a feeling that recently I had not had. I don't feel creative.. I am bored. I have no steady source of income. I am in between jobs. I am 54. I am gaining weight. I just want to feel the dopamine and excitement of a purchase. I want to jump start my coping mechanism and buy some happy. The sad truth, I have played that Bass Station II once since I got it 4 weeks ago. It has collected dust sitting up against the wall .I have thought about taking it back to the store this loop has to end. It was ok 25 years ago with a steady stream of income, but now it's a gamble and risk. There is now this shame that I tricked myself in to believing that this purchase was going to make me happy. I'm amazed that such a simple instrument like the Bass Station II has created such a complex sequence of emotional responses that are not very pleasing to hear. Your segment here helped in a way. I never felt alone in this. I knew G.A.S. was a real thing. I lived it. Still do. Guess I got a little more work to do. Get a job, Get back to the gym. Respect and cherish that I still have my health at 54. Look forward to the future. Sell the Bass Station II new in box.
Anytime I see a video in my feed about procrastination I save it to the watch later playlist. "Get of the internet and make something" ... you know I just might.
Back when I got my Native Instruments Collection, I was really overwhelmed, so I set up a challenge just for myself: Only create music using the Minimoog clone (Monark) and built-in VSTs of my DAW. This gave me two really good insights: How to best use the free stuff that comes with the DAW, no fancy plugins needed, and how to get the most out of Monark at all. Pads, Leads, Drums, I can now confidently recreate a sound I have in my head. If I wouldn't have done this I would probably still be doing preset-hopping instead.
Brilliant and courageous analysis. I've suffered from GAS for decades, but recently moved and discovered just how much crap I acquired, never used, and stuffed in a closet for some ersatz rainy day. In the time I owned the gear, I was so consumed with studying and acquiring the instruments, hardware, plugins, DAW alternatives, libraries, etc., that I also discovered that I didn't make much to show for my money and time. Since this epiphany, I've managed to sell about 75% of that very same gear that I spent so much time and money acquiring. With each sale came this cathartic relief, so powerful and rewarding, that I just kept selling more. After two years, I'm down to "just the basics", only the equipment and software that I actually use, and I have now re-discovered the concept of actually making music. I've completed a number of songs just in the past few months, songs that eluded me for years. Perhaps the "analysis paralysis" and acquisitions were an excuse to not create, but now they no longer exist, and now I'm creating. So, bravo to you for pointing this out. Here's to the actual process of creating using what we have, and nothing more.
You make several good points with this video (as usual!). G.A.S. Is a real issue for lots of us. To control my G.A.S. I started a policy (5 years ago this month): “If I want to buy something, I have to sell something”. In other words, take the value in what I owned, recover it by selling it, and then use that money to buy the next thing. That saved me from falling over the cliff. That kept me from filling a room with an impossible to use amount of gear. I also agree with your point about using things for JOY, and not limiting a purchase to mere utilitarian reasons. Rock on!
I recently did this and it was an awesome way to get rid of things that I didn’t use to get something rare and relatively expensive that I use a lot and sounds great. I bought things used, so the value stays stable when time to sell
I've always agreed with this. It doesn't just stop with gear and creativity though. There's also an obsession with perfect mixdowns and sound design that has a similar affect on productivity. I've tried to assure people repeatedly, that if the music is good, it doesn't very much matter if you have the worlds best mixdown. A good song with a mediocre mixdown is always better than a bad song mixed by Dave Pensado. People start convincing themselves that unless they have the best gear, and the best engineers, they simply can't make a good song. Obviously nothing could be further from the truth. The best songs I've ever made were when I spent less time worrying about the perfect drum sample, or the perfect synth patch, and instead focused on the composition and got the idea out of me. I can always go back later and make a new synth patch, or find a better drum sample, but what I can't do, is go back and get the creative moment I was having, after I spend 2 hours making the perfect kick drum. I think the dirty little secret is, some of us actually enjoy making the perfect kick drum more than we enjoy making a good song, and a lot of us just don't know it.
Like a slap in the face with a wet fish, this was just the video I've been needing to break the gear acquisition cycle! Looking back with fondness to where I started with a Tascam 244 Portastudio, four tracks on tape cassette, a Casio VL-1 and my mates dad's Eminent organ, bouncing tracks down to squeeze more tracks onto a C90 cassette....so much fun and such a creative time...Enough typing, time to go make some tunes. Thank you so much 😊
I agree all of it what you saying. But the last thing is the whole true! Time is going whatever we do or not. Every minute is a chance to do something beautiful.
I made an album 1 or 2 years ago using just one Microfreak and free reverbs with a DAW. I was just jamming and recording, took the best takes and saved each as a song. I'm not a "professional" musician and I certainly doubt I would ever make enough money with the hobby I do on my free time, but that album is one of the most listened on my bandcamp (which doesn't have a lot of traffic, so that's really something). It was really just one instance, of one instrument, and free plugins. Not a masterpiece, but plenty of people liked it.
Refreshingly honest. The most sincere message I've heard online in years. Me thinks this guy could do fairly well with a channel just on philosophy and culture.
I never commented on this channel but damn these videos help me a lot. With them I was able to make more music and evolve, today I got signed to two good labels under a new name and I'll start a new journey, thank you Cameron!
I got my gear acquisition syndrome by watching TH-cam videos to inform myself, making up my lack of knowledge about what "Works". As you rightly point out, it's not the gear that works but me. As I was watching I got all gooey over your 3rd wave desktop synthesizer. Like any addiction, mine required me to own it and figure out strategies to keep it under control.
Excellently put. Interesting note regarding anticipation and justification, simply talking about a project to others and feeding off of their reactions gives us similar feelings in our reward centres as actually doing the project. So it satisfies the same craving, but gets nothing done. I stepped back and realized that every good thing I've made did not go through that little hype train exercise.
Many thanks for this! I've done a few gear vids, but by far the most engagement I got is for my one on G.A.S. and I think that's cos it's a universal issue, and often gets in the he way of creativity to our frustration. Fundamentally it's way EASIER to buy things than to CREATE THINGS. Nothing is on the line when you click buy now. You get some dopamine, you can feel like it's an achievement. And you know don't get me wrong, it's fun to have stuff and that's fine to enjoy it however you like. But it's when it becomes an excuse for not creating when you know you want to, that I feel it gets quite toxic. When it's filling a hole that should be filled with art. It can lead to serious issues, debt and depression and so on. I too tire of the endless kit cycle and agree it holds back creativity, and try to stay out of it for the most part. Since I used to work at Sound On Sound as news editor about 10 years back it was very hard to let go of being deep into the industry and buried in gear cycles and so on, but I think it's good for you creatively to do so, so I'm trying my best!
Man I could probably unsubscribe from every other music channel on TH-cam, but yours always brings something valuable to the table. This vid in particular was exactly what I needed to hear this morning
You are so on point. I'm there now. I have 3 DAWS have not leaned them good enough But i keep buying plugins that sound good until I try to use them. I made more music for myself in the 80's/90's with cassettes the radio and dj set up. than what I have now. I go on YT to get inspired but stay there and never make anything. I'm just glad to know it's not just me. Thanks.
That Hainbach album is so brilliant. It's a perfect example of how real creativity will always shine, no matter what gear - if anything, it's the limitations that *especially* made it so good. And the fact you made a sample library on budget gear to prove the point is pretty funny, but definitely works. Always appreciate your honesty and cynicism on these topics.
You're right dude. I ended up uninstalling most of my vsts and have made more music than I did before. Choice paralysis and thirsting for the next best thing takes so much energy and time.
Most VSTs come with a googolplex of presets and you end up masturbating 90% of the time listening to the stupid presets than doing anything constructive. Kind of a reason i like old monosynths is you have zero presets, you work to get something that sounds like your imagined goal, or even better, stumble on the happy accident, then you make a tune with it. Minimal masturbation.
That last line hits straight to the core of being alive and, for me, makes this even more of a video i need to return too often. Definitely talked off the GAS sinkhole!
This is such a relevant and reality based video, perfect for the new year. I made a few unnecessary purchases as I just got into this whole music production thing 4 months ago. Jumped in fully. It was supposed to be just getting back into mixing music so I picked up a DJ controller. Very quickly I decided I enjoy making beats and bought the latest version of Beatmaker and that started a spiraling out of control purchase frenzy. First I purchased a Akai MPC Live 2. I then needed an Audio Interface and studio sepeakers which led to wanting to have a better mixer because of the other gear I decided I needed. I settled in on a Tascam Model 12 so I could hook all the equipment. A Keystep Pro, MicroFreak, Faderfox EC-4, T.E. EP-133, and to actually make sounds outside of VST's I just picked up a ASM Hydrasynth to round out my studio. Former gambling addict and I love to buy shit. Every hobby I've embarked on I've been a full or nothing participant. Well, now it's time to continue learning how to use all of this equipment and making some music. Stay tuned.
Absolutely feel you haha. Recently did a big purge a few months ago of that pile of 'stuff I probably might need' that I accumulated over the last decade or so and that was a massive eye opener of how many things I owned that needed dusted off every few months!
One thing I enjoyed about recording real drums for the first time recently, is that the sounds I got weren't exactly the sounds I was going for, but they still sound good.
Great stuff. In my personal experience, it can take a while and cycling through a bunch of gear, to find a setup and workflow that works for you personally. Yes, anyone can make music with almost anything, but there are some great devices out there that trigger the deepest wells of creativity inside of you. My current setup is almost completely different from when I started out over 3 years ago. But I am finally in a place where I feel that that well of creativity is ready to be fully tapped.
5:48 strangely refreshing and remarkably freeing thought. Sometimes it is just nice to have the stuff i have even though i dont use it all the time. No need to stress over it tok much. Thanks!
This advice applies to so many things in my life - gamedev, programming, music production, technical research/writing, etc. Thank you for these style of videos, they mean a lot to me and others, I’m sure.
"Whether you do, or whether you do not, time is gonna pass any way, and regret for having not tried sure makes suffering with existence a whole more harder." - Cameron (2024) Words to live by.
I built my studio partly because I always wanted to have a space that looks like that. It’s weird, but it’s a physical manifestation of my success at work. That said, I did start acquiring a lot more gear during the pandemic…at the same time I discovered music TH-cam. It’s really quite frightening the influence it has.
Just found your channel and love the wealth of content and prospective you bring along with you. I’m really new to anything music and barely know anything theory or otherwise I would love to hear your prospective of the journey from the absolute beginning as it feel soul crushing at time to make anything at most time not knowing what your doing and how to get better as there so much you can learn about production.
I’ve butted heads with GAS a few times and my best way to deal with it (when I’m able to resist) is to truly enjoy the research into what the new shiny thing can do and how it does it. I really enjoy the process of learning it’s depths and I think that’s to do with the anticipation you mentioned, and I’ve found if I ride that wave long enough the urge to actually buy it diminishes and I can move onto a new obsession without having spent my money on what would become a prop. I also having learned so much about what it does and how I find myself better able to experiment with recreating it with what I’ve already got.
Completely in love with this! The tools that we use are just an extension of our skills we already possess but relying on the tools as a crutch won't make us any better.
Preach. I bought my DAW, a few basic VSTs like Korg M1(I make house, can't live without it) & Pro Q 3 (for the mid-side goodness) and that's it! That's all you need unless you are chasing a specific sound or publishing commercially.
I have so many plugins, and honestly, my favourite ones aren't the ones that sound best, they're the ones that allow me to work quickly and save me the most amount of time.
How dare you be so factful and accurate!! Goddammit man, your videos are often right on the nose. I'd hate to know how many hours I've spent watching videos about gear I don't really need instead of just making music with the already significant amount of gear I have. Thanks dude, your videos are so often a kick up my ass to go and make music.
Oh yes, thanks so much. I cannot emphasize enough. The times of my life I was the most productive is when I had a single limited piece of gear, no Internet and... time ! Always good to recall this ! Cheers
just when i decided it was time to upgrade and buy a new interface and a sm57, and exactly right after ordering it this video pops up online! Thank u Cameron.
Thank god I'm not the only one thinking about this stuff. I sometimes feel like I'm the only one who's tired of jokes about buying more gear and the rampant consumerism surrounding music gear. Thank you for making this video.
Can't be more spot on as you presented . I have one soft synth I could make everything I need but the hydrasynth looks and sound so good !!! lol so here I am surrounded by all those things we want but really don't need .
Superb video as always! I also discovered a couple years ago that the research of the ''perfect gear/plugin'' for the ''perfect sound'' was just keeping me from creating music and complete tracks. At some point, I decided to just stop looking to acquire new gear and just create. And here I am three years later about to drop my first self-produced album that I recorded with a cheap audio interface, a macbook pro 2012, a guitars, a bass and a 500$ mic. I mean, it's probably not the highest quality, but still I created something and I will never forget these moments. I wish I could have seen a video like this one 10 years ago! Keep up the good work!
As someone who works in music retail and is around it 24/7 I see all the new shiny things and always battle with what I want vs what I need. Thankfully I take the time to really put a lot of thought into my decisions. The gear I have are like tubes of paint to me, I get the colors I know I can afford and want to to utilize. In the past few months I’ve actually created more music with my old ass used MacBook that can no longer be updated, my scarlet solo 2nd gen, minlab 3 (traded my used mpk mini for it and some change) my minifreak (traded something else I didn’t need for it) samples I record on my phone and the many amazing instruments in the Decent sampler. Honestly, it’s because of people like you and David showing how to utilize what we already have available to use, who helped me to the point where I’m creating a few new songs every weekend and I thank you both for that 🙏🏼🥃 (for your buddy) bright side is you won’t have to help him pay for puppy support 🤷
It comes around the same old subject again, that you by the way did an amazing video about, concerning the fact you shouldn’t block yourself at not doing something g because you think it’s not good enough, who cares? As well I’m always repeating the same idea but many of us already heard people saying they wish they would had learned a music instrument but now it’s too late. Too late for what? What do you really want to do in the end? What do you need to do? And remember you do it for yourself at first… Anyway, really interesting video once again, feels refreshing to hear about it, thank you!
Amen! That’s one of the reasons why I loved the Pocket Operators while I did a lot of commuting by train. Crappy internet connection but a very limited and always working instrument in my hands. A lot of ideas got explored during those rides.
Very well said. We see this in everything. I see it in music, I see it in body building, in studio gear, in any hobby. At the end of the day, the people taking out ads, or sponsoring content have invested interest in selling you gear. No one is taking an add out in a magazine to tell you to learn and become an expert with what you have or that practicing more will make you sound much better in the long run than a new pickup or plug in. ❤
This video is beautiful and exactly what I needed to see these past three days as I've fought the urge to buy an ASR 10 that I absolutely DON'T need. I truly appreciate the honest conversations that you have with listeners of this channel 🙏.
One of the most relaxing and encouraging videos I've seen on youtube as a music producer in the last weeks. Lately it's become a process of FOMO and feeling like I'm lacking so much gear, technique and knowledge every time I go on the platform to see what's new. Thanks for this bud. It really is a moment to just focus on what I got - and I have enough - and go back to what I enjoy most: Just making music!
Every time I watch one of your videos (which I think are great, by the way) - your voice reminds me of Baz Luhrmann's Everybody Free to Wear Sunscreen and I find myself reciting in my head...!
This video is lowkey really beautiful in it's own way, and the ending really spoke to me. Thank you for always having a great viewpoint to look through.
Great message, thank you for sharing this. I am guilty of wasting too much time watching TH-cam demos of gear, thinking that a new device will make me a better musician. It won't. Only making music will make me a better musician. Like you, I have a ridiculous amount of equipment at my disposal now as compared to 30 years ago. Sometimes, I find I just have to grab an old acoustic guitar and get out of my studio to force myself to focus on creating something with only one instrument. When I return to my studio, I realize I already have more than I need. GAS averted for another day. Cheers Bill
Remember, buying shit ain't the same as doing. Also: pour one out for my dog who's getting neutered today ✂🍒🐶
Become a Patron ► venustheory.com/patrons
Free Kalimba Instrument ► bit.ly/kalimbavt
New String Library ► bit.ly/alt-strings-vt
sending love for your wee dog ♥
I'll pour one out when I get home. Hope it goes well for your pup
I would love to see larger creators convincing beginners and generally untrained or just musically untalented people to simply get out and start doing that thing they love, despite their own personal shortcomings. Almost in my 40s and I'm just now getting into music (my last experience being recorder flutes in elementary school) and sucking at it. But I'm having a blast and really surprising myself with something really beautiful things every once in a while. I would love to see others just get a mic and that old guitar out of the attic or a cheap MAudio interface and a synth or just a USB keyboard and Garageband and start creating bad stuff and maybe you'll eventually start making good stuff!
@@ghfjfghjasdfasdf Soundcloud isn't really Soundcloud anymore.
@@ghfjfghjasdfasdf So was the original Soundcloud. You probably weren't even born yet.
Casually creates a sample library to prove a point
'tis the way of the grumpstache 🤠
put a massive smile on my face
Seriously
@@VenusTheory to you sir, the highest of fives 🫡
Hours of work for about a 30-second montage. That's dedication
You mention the value of time. One thing that became clear to me several thousands of dollars into this rabbit hole is how much time it takes to learn new gear. So not only are you spending money, you’re taking time that could go toward making a track.
Great point!
Great point, but I gotta say some of my own favorite creations were made while deep-diving into a piece of gear. It could be time well spent, not time wasted :)
But then there's also the great fun in learning a new piece of gear, at least for me. That has great value in of itself.
By learning new devices u learn new approaches of making music,so I d consider it useful most of the times
@@soejrd24978Agree it can be fun to learn the gear, and that can be a reward in itself!
This is why I like you, Cameron. You do what you want with your channel, even if it’s not the most popular. I’m sure the gear videos would be a lot more popular, but I enjoy these kinds of videos so much more. Keep it up, man
'Preciate it partner. More than enough gear videos to go around anyways, might as well do something more interesting than rattle off specs twice a month 😅
On god this guy has helped me so much with these vids
This isnt just him. The algorithm is borderline oppressive and people are exhausted. Expect to see even more videos of people going off their expected rails and "I'm leaving youtube" videos.
@@Clee3421 lol, truth! TH-cam is great isn't it!?! LoL More and more as time goes on I am sure youtube will find more ways to punish content creators hahaha 👊😉👍
Suddenly feeling inspired. Thanks for this. Seems it was the 🔥 I needed lit under my ass! @VenusTheory
"...because the hardest way to make something is to wait until the time is right to do it"
I feel seen. Thanks for saying that, I guess I needed to hear it.
I was in that comment too 🫂
I second this. I spend waaaay too much time "setting the stage" as opposed to actually doing stuff... guess I'm a work-in-progress on that level.
I'm a graphic artist and i gotta say this is something that is probably true for most creative endeavours. There's no better way of getting a project started than limiting yourself. Creativity is fundamentally a process about problem solving, so you have to give yourself some problems to solve. This is especially the case for aspects of your craft that you struggle with.
I think it’s true for whatever you do when you are awake 😂 the info pipeline is strong 💪
That’s the reason I like using Pocket operators, limited capability while still being provided everything I need to make Musik.
Agreed for sure
❤️❤️❤️absolutely
I've always found this, regardless of the field I was working in at the time.
mannn i feel this in my bones. i made my first song with audacity, a fisher price piano, a pawnshop acoustic guitar and a rockband usb mic... and its easily the most authentic, soulful piece of music ive ever made
Ah the days of the 'dude we can record I have a rockband mic' haha. Good times - did that many times myself in my buddies basement growing up because his parents could afford rockband 😅
Sameeeee, I made my first song with my first strat, a Rocksmith real tone cable and mix craft midi bass and MTpowerdrumkit, ended up being one o my best songs to this day.
I made my first song with a mp3 player and ten dollar earbud mic. It was 4 cords from my out of tune piano, a drum loop from who the heck knows where and I used some DAW nobody has ever heard of
I've only dabbled with music production over the years but recall purchasing the original Dance eJay (1997). However my younger brother became particularly interested and from there went on to pursue an education and career in sound engineering and performance. Sadly he's no longer with us but that simple PC program was his acorn.
Year 2040... Brings out TH-cam video on why Fisherprice is the new go-to retro device for synth musicians. Costs: £2000 on Ebay. 😂
You hit the nail on the head.
I've become more selective with my TH-cam subscriptions lately. I'm gravitating towards channels that prioritize genuine content over marketing fluff
I was 18, it was 1987. I had two old 1980's synthesizers and two cassette recorders (to bounce tracks back and forth), I would write and record a song each day, and then play it at my club that night (I was working as a club DJ in Toronto). Crazy how productive I was. Then I got a four-track Tascam cassette recorder, what a revelation!
Now it takes me days to figure out which of the thousands of drum sounds I have on hand are going to be the best for the middle 8 of the song.
I miss my Tascam Portastudio.
Which club in Toronto, btw cheers fellow Torontonian 👍😎🖑
@@ShaunyWalker look up the video on my channel titled "the story of how I got started in music and synths" from June of 2021 - I tell the whole story there, including footage from some of the clubs.
BAck in the 80's and 90's, before "in the box", recalling your half-finished project was a nightmare. There was no "Save Entire Project" when you were using a sampler, analog synth (with no presets), analog mixing desk and some outboard FX etc. They'd note down mixing desk settings and everything, to try and carry on working later if needed. But often, it just didn't sound right! So most (electronic, house, DnB) producers finished and mixed tracks as fast as possible, just so we didn't lose them. Recall making 4 or 5 mixes of a track, doing live fader and filter changes on each, then choosing the best later.
In hindsight, I think that's why many producers struggle to finish tracks now. You can always save and "perfect" it another time, so that's what we do. Always planning to tweak something, swap out the drums, change the bass, remix the sub. It wasn't an option back then, you finished and moved on, because finishing a half-done track a month from now wasn't an option.
Scott what a moving video. Thank you so much! Come back to visit Georgetown again...@@ScottsSynthStuff
This was a good to hear. Thank you. I have over the last 25 years bought, sold, re-bought and re-sold thousands of dollars of music gear . I just did it again. I bought a Novation Bass Station II for the second time. It is a good piece of kit. It is simple and does what it says on the box. So why did I let the 1st one go 3 years ago only to purchase it again? It re inspired me. When I was fiddling about with it in the store it gave me a feeling that recently I had not had. I don't feel creative.. I am bored. I have no steady source of income. I am in between jobs. I am 54. I am gaining weight. I just want to feel the dopamine and excitement of a purchase. I want to jump start my coping mechanism and buy some happy. The sad truth, I have played that Bass Station II once since I got it 4 weeks ago. It has collected dust sitting up against the wall .I have thought about taking it back to the store this loop has to end. It was ok 25 years ago with a steady stream of income, but now it's a gamble and risk. There is now this shame that I tricked myself in to believing that this purchase was going to make me happy. I'm amazed that such a simple instrument like the Bass Station II has created such a complex sequence of emotional responses that are not very pleasing to hear. Your segment here helped in a way. I never felt alone in this. I knew G.A.S. was a real thing. I lived it. Still do. Guess I got a little more work to do. Get a job, Get back to the gym. Respect and cherish that I still have my health at 54. Look forward to the future. Sell the Bass Station II new in box.
Get in the gym yes, but even more, eat healthy.
This hits hard. Be well!!
Keep your chin up mate 🙂
Don't sell it. USE it!
You bought it for a reason. Twice!
LET'S GOOOOOOOO!!!
Ya you’re not alone It really is a matter of getting moving first thing in morning staying off phone and reprogramming yourself All the best
Anytime I see a video in my feed about procrastination I save it to the watch later playlist.
"Get of the internet and make something" ... you know I just might.
Back when I got my Native Instruments Collection, I was really overwhelmed, so I set up a challenge just for myself: Only create music using the Minimoog clone (Monark) and built-in VSTs of my DAW. This gave me two really good insights: How to best use the free stuff that comes with the DAW, no fancy plugins needed, and how to get the most out of Monark at all. Pads, Leads, Drums, I can now confidently recreate a sound I have in my head. If I wouldn't have done this I would probably still be doing preset-hopping instead.
Brilliant and courageous analysis. I've suffered from GAS for decades, but recently moved and discovered just how much crap I acquired, never used, and stuffed in a closet for some ersatz rainy day. In the time I owned the gear, I was so consumed with studying and acquiring the instruments, hardware, plugins, DAW alternatives, libraries, etc., that I also discovered that I didn't make much to show for my money and time. Since this epiphany, I've managed to sell about 75% of that very same gear that I spent so much time and money acquiring. With each sale came this cathartic relief, so powerful and rewarding, that I just kept selling more. After two years, I'm down to "just the basics", only the equipment and software that I actually use, and I have now re-discovered the concept of actually making music. I've completed a number of songs just in the past few months, songs that eluded me for years. Perhaps the "analysis paralysis" and acquisitions were an excuse to not create, but now they no longer exist, and now I'm creating. So, bravo to you for pointing this out. Here's to the actual process of creating using what we have, and nothing more.
I love the term "equipment influencer" I'll be using that about ppl
John Darnielle recorded at least eight Mountain Goats albums on a Panasonic RX-FT500 boombox using the built in microphone and cassette tapes.
You make several good points with this video (as usual!). G.A.S. Is a real issue for lots of us. To control my G.A.S. I started a policy (5 years ago this month): “If I want to buy something, I have to sell something”. In other words, take the value in what I owned, recover it by selling it, and then use that money to buy the next thing. That saved me from falling over the cliff. That kept me from filling a room with an impossible to use amount of gear. I also agree with your point about using things for JOY, and not limiting a purchase to mere utilitarian reasons. Rock on!
I recently did this and it was an awesome way to get rid of things that I didn’t use to get something rare and relatively expensive that I use a lot and sounds great. I bought things used, so the value stays stable when time to sell
I've always agreed with this. It doesn't just stop with gear and creativity though. There's also an obsession with perfect mixdowns and sound design that has a similar affect on productivity. I've tried to assure people repeatedly, that if the music is good, it doesn't very much matter if you have the worlds best mixdown. A good song with a mediocre mixdown is always better than a bad song mixed by Dave Pensado. People start convincing themselves that unless they have the best gear, and the best engineers, they simply can't make a good song. Obviously nothing could be further from the truth. The best songs I've ever made were when I spent less time worrying about the perfect drum sample, or the perfect synth patch, and instead focused on the composition and got the idea out of me. I can always go back later and make a new synth patch, or find a better drum sample, but what I can't do, is go back and get the creative moment I was having, after I spend 2 hours making the perfect kick drum. I think the dirty little secret is, some of us actually enjoy making the perfect kick drum more than we enjoy making a good song, and a lot of us just don't know it.
Perfect can be the enemy of finished.
Like a slap in the face with a wet fish, this was just the video I've been needing to break the gear acquisition cycle! Looking back with fondness to where I started with a Tascam 244 Portastudio, four tracks on tape cassette, a Casio VL-1 and my mates dad's Eminent organ, bouncing tracks down to squeeze more tracks onto a C90 cassette....so much fun and such a creative time...Enough typing, time to go make some tunes. Thank you so much 😊
I agree all of it what you saying. But the last thing is the whole true! Time is going whatever we do or not. Every minute is a chance to do something beautiful.
I made an album 1 or 2 years ago using just one Microfreak and free reverbs with a DAW. I was just jamming and recording, took the best takes and saved each as a song. I'm not a "professional" musician and I certainly doubt I would ever make enough money with the hobby I do on my free time, but that album is one of the most listened on my bandcamp (which doesn't have a lot of traffic, so that's really something).
It was really just one instance, of one instrument, and free plugins. Not a masterpiece, but plenty of people liked it.
Dude, I'm so glad you had to prove a point! This kalimba plugin was exactly what I needed
Refreshingly honest. The most sincere message I've heard online in years. Me thinks this guy could do fairly well with a channel just on philosophy and culture.
i remember the days when hardware sound modules were all the rage. you want more sounds, buy a new piece of hardware! God I wanted all of them!
I never commented on this channel but damn these videos help me a lot. With them I was able to make more music and evolve, today I got signed to two good labels under a new name and I'll start a new journey, thank you Cameron!
Making music ought to be both an individual way of creativity and interpreting life itself.
Thanks for your inspiring thoughts.
I got my gear acquisition syndrome by watching TH-cam videos to inform myself, making up my lack of knowledge about what "Works". As you rightly point out, it's not the gear that works but me. As I was watching I got all gooey over your 3rd wave desktop synthesizer. Like any addiction, mine required me to own it and figure out strategies to keep it under control.
Excellently put. Interesting note regarding anticipation and justification, simply talking about a project to others and feeding off of their reactions gives us similar feelings in our reward centres as actually doing the project. So it satisfies the same craving, but gets nothing done. I stepped back and realized that every good thing I've made did not go through that little hype train exercise.
Oh wow I resonate with this here
"Whether you tell yourself you can, or tell yourself you can't, you're right!
- Henry Ford
ooh... a Henry Ford quote! Spot on!
Many thanks for this!
I've done a few gear vids, but by far the most engagement I got is for my one on G.A.S. and I think that's cos it's a universal issue, and often gets in the he way of creativity to our frustration.
Fundamentally it's way EASIER to buy things than to CREATE THINGS. Nothing is on the line when you click buy now. You get some dopamine, you can feel like it's an achievement. And you know don't get me wrong, it's fun to have stuff and that's fine to enjoy it however you like.
But it's when it becomes an excuse for not creating when you know you want to, that I feel it gets quite toxic. When it's filling a hole that should be filled with art. It can lead to serious issues, debt and depression and so on.
I too tire of the endless kit cycle and agree it holds back creativity, and try to stay out of it for the most part. Since I used to work at Sound On Sound as news editor about 10 years back it was very hard to let go of being deep into the industry and buried in gear cycles and so on, but I think it's good for you creatively to do so, so I'm trying my best!
Wow, I never have felt more attacked yet more understood at the same time, ha. This was fantastic.
Man I could probably unsubscribe from every other music channel on TH-cam, but yours always brings something valuable to the table. This vid in particular was exactly what I needed to hear this morning
You are so on point. I'm there now. I have 3 DAWS have not leaned them good enough But i keep buying plugins that sound good until I try to use them. I made more music for myself in the 80's/90's with cassettes the radio and dj set up. than what I have now. I go on YT to get inspired but stay there and never make anything. I'm just glad to know it's not just me. Thanks.
Just stop watching TH-cam until you get yourself back
I love your regular reminders to be creative delivered with self-reflective psychology. Thank you.
That Hainbach album is so brilliant. It's a perfect example of how real creativity will always shine, no matter what gear - if anything, it's the limitations that *especially* made it so good. And the fact you made a sample library on budget gear to prove the point is pretty funny, but definitely works.
Always appreciate your honesty and cynicism on these topics.
You're right dude. I ended up uninstalling most of my vsts and have made more music than I did before.
Choice paralysis and thirsting for the next best thing takes so much energy and time.
Most VSTs come with a googolplex of presets and you end up masturbating 90% of the time listening to the stupid presets than doing anything constructive. Kind of a reason i like old monosynths is you have zero presets, you work to get something that sounds like your imagined goal, or even better, stumble on the happy accident, then you make a tune with it. Minimal masturbation.
That last line hits straight to the core of being alive and, for me, makes this even more of a video i need to return too often. Definitely talked off the GAS sinkhole!
This is such a relevant and reality based video, perfect for the new year. I made a few unnecessary purchases as I just got into this whole music production thing 4 months ago. Jumped in fully. It was supposed to be just getting back into mixing music so I picked up a DJ controller. Very quickly I decided I enjoy making beats and bought the latest version of Beatmaker and that started a spiraling out of control purchase frenzy. First I purchased a Akai MPC Live 2. I then needed an Audio Interface and studio sepeakers which led to wanting to have a better mixer because of the other gear I decided I needed. I settled in on a Tascam Model 12 so I could hook all the equipment. A Keystep Pro, MicroFreak, Faderfox EC-4, T.E. EP-133, and to actually make sounds outside of VST's I just picked up a ASM Hydrasynth to round out my studio. Former gambling addict and I love to buy shit. Every hobby I've embarked on I've been a full or nothing participant. Well, now it's time to continue learning how to use all of this equipment and making some music. Stay tuned.
Absolutely feel you haha. Recently did a big purge a few months ago of that pile of 'stuff I probably might need' that I accumulated over the last decade or so and that was a massive eye opener of how many things I owned that needed dusted off every few months!
you kinda helped me get back into making new music
As a frequent sufferer of gear acquisition syndrome, I felt this in my bones. 😂 Your channel is gold, Cam!
One thing I enjoyed about recording real drums for the first time recently, is that the sounds I got weren't exactly the sounds I was going for, but they still sound good.
I’m learning to appreciate the imperfections and flexibility of live instruments and getting out of the grid of the DAW
Great stuff. In my personal experience, it can take a while and cycling through a bunch of gear, to find a setup and workflow that works for you personally. Yes, anyone can make music with almost anything, but there are some great devices out there that trigger the deepest wells of creativity inside of you. My current setup is almost completely different from when I started out over 3 years ago. But I am finally in a place where I feel that that well of creativity is ready to be fully tapped.
5:48 strangely refreshing and remarkably freeing thought. Sometimes it is just nice to have the stuff i have even though i dont use it all the time. No need to stress over it tok much. Thanks!
This advice applies to so many things in my life - gamedev, programming, music production, technical research/writing, etc. Thank you for these style of videos, they mean a lot to me and others, I’m sure.
Been struggling with this lately. Like how to stop shopping and start doing. So thanks 😊
I totally agree: It’s not about the camera … it’s about the Cameron!
The video applies to all creative disciplines. Thanks for reminding us of this important fact of life.
one of my favourite creators on this platform. So inspiring
Glad to be of service!
THIS is why I follow you. Thank you.
"Whether you do, or whether you do not, time is gonna pass any way, and regret for having not tried sure makes suffering with existence a whole more harder." - Cameron (2024)
Words to live by.
Yeah that was hilarious! :D
Good video too. I like these essayistic styled 'gear/music' videos.
You couldn't be more precise with timing and content. It's so obvious, but also so hard to determine on your own. Thank You.
Another astute observation on creators and the creative process, my friend. You show wisdom beyond your years.
"On the Shortness of Life" of Seneca is a gem. So inspiring.
I built my studio partly because I always wanted to have a space that looks like that. It’s weird, but it’s a physical manifestation of my success at work.
That said, I did start acquiring a lot more gear during the pandemic…at the same time I discovered music TH-cam. It’s really quite frightening the influence it has.
Just found your channel and love the wealth of content and prospective you bring along with you. I’m really new to anything music and barely know anything theory or otherwise I would love to hear your prospective of the journey from the absolute beginning as it feel soul crushing at time to make anything at most time not knowing what your doing and how to get better as there so much you can learn about production.
I think what my question is. Is how would you go about music and being a creative from absolute zero?
this video convinced me to shave my chest
It also convinced me to grab a Moog (and not pay for it)
😂😂
I’ve butted heads with GAS a few times and my best way to deal with it (when I’m able to resist) is to truly enjoy the research into what the new shiny thing can do and how it does it. I really enjoy the process of learning it’s depths and I think that’s to do with the anticipation you mentioned, and I’ve found if I ride that wave long enough the urge to actually buy it diminishes and I can move onto a new obsession without having spent my money on what would become a prop. I also having learned so much about what it does and how I find myself better able to experiment with recreating it with what I’ve already got.
"Babe wake up VT just dropped a new hard look in the mirror."
You're F'ng Right! I love you and what you stand for. It's been quite in influence on me in regards to just... doing what I WANT TO DO.
Intro gave me anxiety 😂
This is me every time I try and work on learning something new.
himbo-casual slutty thumbnail is a blessing
Spent a solid 3 hours figuring out that intro having to edit it over and over and over haha, was on the verge of a mental breakdown myself 😅
I had my work volume up too loud as I walked away and had to turn right around and bring it down...😬
@@VenusTheory 🔥
Completely in love with this! The tools that we use are just an extension of our skills we already possess but relying on the tools as a crutch won't make us any better.
I’m pretty sure most TH-camrs make these gear videos just so they can get a new piece of gear and write it off as a business expense.
My introduction to recording was making pause tapes in the 90s.
I have literally never spent I cent on music production. I am a firm believer that working on your skills is far more important than the tools you use
As grandpa would say: a bad craftsman blames the tools.
@@VenusTheoryGranpa also said: "a goot tool will allow you to forget about it and focus on your craft"
Truth!@@VenusTheory
Preach. I bought my DAW, a few basic VSTs like Korg M1(I make house, can't live without it) & Pro Q 3 (for the mid-side goodness) and that's it! That's all you need unless you are chasing a specific sound or publishing commercially.
So what do you use to upload the music 💀
Thanks Cameron! I wish you'd write a book at some point
I have so many plugins, and honestly, my favourite ones aren't the ones that sound best, they're the ones that allow me to work quickly and save me the most amount of time.
Such wise and true words.
How dare you be so factful and accurate!!
Goddammit man, your videos are often right on the nose. I'd hate to know how many hours I've spent watching videos about gear I don't really need instead of just making music with the already significant amount of gear I have.
Thanks dude, your videos are so often a kick up my ass to go and make music.
Nice to know I'm not the only one who's gone through this crap. Thx!
Oh yes, thanks so much. I cannot emphasize enough. The times of my life I was the most productive is when I had a single limited piece of gear, no Internet and... time ! Always good to recall this ! Cheers
You are wise for your years. I happened upon your post just now. It’s exactly what I needed to hear today. Thank you!
Thank you Cameron, excellent video.
just when i decided it was time to upgrade and buy a new interface and a sm57, and exactly right after ordering it this video pops up online! Thank u Cameron.
Thank god I'm not the only one thinking about this stuff. I sometimes feel like I'm the only one who's tired of jokes about buying more gear and the rampant consumerism surrounding music gear. Thank you for making this video.
Can't be more spot on as you presented . I have one soft synth I could make everything I need but the hydrasynth looks and sound so good !!! lol so here I am surrounded by all those things we want but really don't need .
Superb video as always! I also discovered a couple years ago that the research of the ''perfect gear/plugin'' for the ''perfect sound'' was just keeping me from creating music and complete tracks. At some point, I decided to just stop looking to acquire new gear and just create. And here I am three years later about to drop my first self-produced album that I recorded with a cheap audio interface, a macbook pro 2012, a guitars, a bass and a 500$ mic. I mean, it's probably not the highest quality, but still I created something and I will never forget these moments.
I wish I could have seen a video like this one 10 years ago! Keep up the good work!
As someone who works in music retail and is around it 24/7 I see all the new shiny things and always battle with what I want vs what I need. Thankfully I take the time to really put a lot of thought into my decisions. The gear I have are like tubes of paint to me, I get the colors I know I can afford and want to to utilize. In the past few months I’ve actually created more music with my old ass used MacBook that can no longer be updated, my scarlet solo 2nd gen, minlab 3 (traded my used mpk mini for it and some change) my minifreak (traded something else I didn’t need for it) samples I record on my phone and the many amazing instruments in the Decent sampler. Honestly, it’s because of people like you and David showing how to utilize what we already have available to use, who helped me to the point where I’m creating a few new songs every weekend and I thank you both for that 🙏🏼🥃 (for your buddy) bright side is you won’t have to help him pay for puppy support 🤷
You mentioning mixcraft literally sparked my oldest musical memory of starting on that and god damn it was fun
Absolutely. Thanks for that
It comes around the same old subject again, that you by the way did an amazing video about, concerning the fact you shouldn’t block yourself at not doing something g because you think it’s not good enough, who cares? As well I’m always repeating the same idea but many of us already heard people saying they wish they would had learned a music instrument but now it’s too late. Too late for what? What do you really want to do in the end? What do you need to do? And remember you do it for yourself at first…
Anyway, really interesting video once again, feels refreshing to hear about it, thank you!
I'm honestly feeling so called out right now... and I'm glad. Thanks, Cameron!
Haha well hey glad to be of service. 🤠
Dude the kalimba library sounds so good
Amen! That’s one of the reasons why I loved the Pocket Operators while I did a lot of commuting by train. Crappy internet connection but a very limited and always working instrument in my hands. A lot of ideas got explored during those rides.
Very well said. We see this in everything. I see it in music, I see it in body building, in studio gear, in any hobby.
At the end of the day, the people taking out ads, or sponsoring content have invested interest in selling you gear.
No one is taking an add out in a magazine to tell you to learn and become an expert with what you have or that practicing more will make you sound much better in the long run than a new pickup or plug in. ❤
This video is beautiful and exactly what I needed to see these past three days as I've fought the urge to buy an ASR 10 that I absolutely DON'T need. I truly appreciate the honest conversations that you have with listeners of this channel 🙏.
I used to have a Casio SK-1 when they originally came out. I miss it very much.
So very very true. I will save this video for replay whenever I have the urge. Cheers Bruv
Damn bro, once again your voice lightened the burden I bear by having some stuff I never really used to production. I love it
One of the most relaxing and encouraging videos I've seen on youtube as a music producer in the last weeks. Lately it's become a process of FOMO and feeling like I'm lacking so much gear, technique and knowledge every time I go on the platform to see what's new. Thanks for this bud. It really is a moment to just focus on what I got - and I have enough - and go back to what I enjoy most: Just making music!
Thanks for speaking it out!!!
Such a profound statement. Your talent will be the biggest highlight of your carrier, your gear will only amplify that. Thank you
Every time I watch one of your videos (which I think are great, by the way) - your voice reminds me of Baz Luhrmann's Everybody Free to Wear Sunscreen and I find myself reciting in my head...!
This video is lowkey really beautiful in it's own way, and the ending really spoke to me. Thank you for always having a great viewpoint to look through.
Great point, excellently made! again!
I'm as glad I just found your channel as I was glad finding In The Mix
If I am not mistaken, Brian Knutson played briefly in a band with me in the 80's. He played Sax and Yamaha WX-7. Excellent musician!
Great message, thank you for sharing this. I am guilty of wasting too much time watching TH-cam demos of gear, thinking that a new device will make me a better musician. It won't. Only making music will make me a better musician. Like you, I have a ridiculous amount of equipment at my disposal now as compared to 30 years ago. Sometimes, I find I just have to grab an old acoustic guitar and get out of my studio to force myself to focus on creating something with only one instrument. When I return to my studio, I realize I already have more than I need. GAS averted for another day. Cheers Bill
You hit the nail on the head with this one.
So glad you're here, Cameron.
You’re such a refreshing voice online.
Thank you.