#152

I’ve massively reduced. I have a baby 3u 86hp rack, not full. A Digitakt, and the OP-1. I’m tempted to sell the OP-1 as I never use it. The Digitakt takes care of everything really.

Acquiring gear becomes thing for me, instead of the thing being the thing. So reducing down helps.

In my new studio (almost built) I’ll have a piano, Echophon, and Digitakt. Done.

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#153

(Speaking as somebody who has no modular at all) of all the manufacturers out there, Make Noise is the one I’m most interested in and Echophon is the most intriguing module in their line.

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#154

Check out Mimeophone, or Tapographic delay.

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#155

I couldn’t imagine selling everything. On the other hand my euro has stabilized the last year and a half, at least in size. I’m rarely buying new things, and if I do I’m swapping out, either selling stuff or putting it in the drawer.

I absolutely love making music with it, can’t see myself going back to software.

I know not on topic and maybe not very helpful to OP :roll_eyes:

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#156

I, too, have come full circle.

I was browsing this thread, ready to liquidate 90% of my musical equipment. My eurorack (Shared System Plus) is really a joy to work with, and I was ready to accept my fate as a modular synthesist and sell my stuff to put towards another system. I entered the electronic music world with a distinct interest in making airy ‘dance’ music. Fun synth-wave type stuff. I’ve been really stuck on it as I’m getting into more textural and tonal music (but still melodic - that’s important to me), this year hasn’t been good for my beat-based output.

When I stumbled on an earlier post about “depth year” and I realized that I’m at the perfect point in my life to take on such a challenge. Maybe I’m not exactly “established in my career”, but my job is secure and I don’t have to worry about being able to afford my cost of living anymore.

On paper I have a very complete synthesizer collection: a modular, VA keyboard, an analog mono, a few Yamaha FM units, and a pair of drum-machine/grooveboxes. Should be enough to make whatever kind of music I want, especially when augmented with software and outboard effects.

Starting next year I won’t buy anything I don’t need. This is actually a huge relief, as when I sell a lot of gear, I lose a lot of time thinking about what I can replace it with. In this case I’m going to replace it with nothing, but give it all more time. If you’re in a similar point in your life it should also consider making 2020 a depth year. Maybe we can start a support group?

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#157

I just happened to stumble into this thread at the right time. I was thinking of selling some gear (which I just recently acquired) to buy something else, something better of course!

So I have been reading here and I saw your post and the subsequent “depth year” article in the de-cluttering thread.

I was not familiar with the depth year concept but last year I made a new year’s resolution to not acquire any more gear. After a few months of keeping my resolution I fell victim to the “it would be stupid to not buy at that price” fallacy. Everything basically unraveled from there and I was back to my old ways.

Perhaps 2020 is the depth year for me too. I would be into a support group, or at least a new thread.

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#158

Apart from a Morphagene, I’m down with a gap in buying anything for a year.

Maybe we could set up a support group :wink:

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#159

I missed the depth year post but I think I need to go and hunt it down!

EDIT (thank you @bookmil ):

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#160

FWIW I’m allowing myself certain exceptions. I predict I might just start goofing around with my various dusty 35mm cameras, and I only have so much expired film around! I might also get around to finish populating those guitar-pedal circuit boards that have been in a drawer, and I suppose that will require a component order. I’ve always wondered what might happen if I plug X into X but I don’t have the right adapters.

I’m not sure if that is the point of the experiment, or defeating it, but I’m not going to feel bad about buying stuff that helps me explore what I already have. I won’t by buying more cameras, PCBs, etc.

I’m also going to exempt clothes and furniture from my “do not buy” list. I’m ready to overhaul my wardrobe, but fashion certainly isn’t a field I want to dive into next year. I just need some different threads!

So yeah, if you have 20hp in your rack and you don’t have the funds at this time, I’d say that qualifies as an exemption!

Edit: sorry for not including the article in my post. I’m glad you found it!

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#161

Oh clothes are fine :slight_smile: I need shoes.

I was talking about music gear only. I will be buying another camera, the Sony A7 is amazing but leaves me cold. Tempted with an X Pro 3.

#162

I think there are definitely exceptions, I am mostly focused on ending the non-stop cycle of buying and selling. I realize there is sort of an experimentation aspect to it, but I think this would be a good goal. For me personally it would be sticking to my guns on the music gear that I have. If I feel like I need to buy some cables or an adapter or something to aid that, I think I am okay with that.

I can see how that would be a slippery slope though. I. E. “geez I could really explore my guitar playing better if I went ahead and bought the entire Strymon line.”

I like the idea of books as well. I have been stuck on page 200 of Infinite Jest for about 3 years. I’ve also bought out of print books about the Roland System 100 and Low Pass Filter design over the past year that have done nothing but collect dust.

And also clearing out the pcb pile I think is a good idea.

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#163

I’ve found it helpful, with resolutions or intentions of any kind, to frame it as “I’m going to tend in the direction of doing less $whatever”, rather than “I am going to abstain entirely from $whatever”, because the latter sets me up to feel like with one exception to the resolution, it’s effectively broken and therefore done with. Tending towards a thing feels more resilient, to me.

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#164

Back in my youth (the 80s) I basically decided making a living from music in any reliable way was impossible (had been bass player in a few bands) and decided to go to Film School to become a sound FX editor… Such was my determination I decided all my music must stop & I must dedicate myself to making a career happen… Sold my two synths, a Sequential Circuits Pro 1 and a Korg MS20… Eventually bought a portable Tascam DAT recorder and a MKH416 mic…
A decade later slowly got back into music via a Juno 106, an SH101 and a RE201 space echo and Opcodes StudioVisionPro on a Mac Quadra 700 with Samplecell… Have never sold another bit of music gear, and slowly built my ideal studio including a monster eurorack modular over 10 years… which I will continue to noodle with & learn until I eventually skip off this mortal coil.
As with all my studio gear I’ve found the only cure for GAS for me is to research & nail exactly what it is that would be permanent solution (eg been through many mixers over the years, but eventually bought a TOFT ATB 24/8/2 and have no need or desire to look at other mixers ever again)
ps still miss my Pro 1 and MS20…

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#165

I actually caved and ordered a Source Audio Nemesis and Ventris. :woman_facepalming:

I wasn’t really happy with my outboard effects, and figure those two gave my some pretty deep options while still being easy to use and portable.

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#166

There’s always a couple of things that you‘ll miss right after you sold them. I never sold musicmachines, but i‘ve sold records. I miss some of them. Since the musicmachines were way more expensive than some rekkids, i decided to keep them all. With the years i became accustomed to lending some of them to friends-my clavia nordrack is in very good hands for the last 5 years…my friend did more with this than me in my entire career…so
I‘m thinking about opening a place where you can play lines on some of the most important VA synths from the nineties. Times will come back when ppl want to have some Waldorfpads, i‘m sure! But before that i‘m looking into ideas where i can give away my extensive (around 500 plates) Jungle white label singles. 5years ago nobody wanted these, the time has come now…there is always a time to let go!

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#167

You’re in luck because its still 2019!

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#168

Really trying to avoid this train of thought over the next week :grimacing:

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#169

It certainly gives interesting context to @sandettie comments about the danger of absolutism in your goals. You could set the goal for absolutely not buying anything in 2020 and buy a full studio setup on the last day of 2019 and still technically meet your goal (probably).

From this perspective it seems that maybe the spirit of breaking the buy/sell cycle is more important than actually breaking the buy/sell cycle itself. Ahhhh, I don’t know. I think the important thing is to try and focus and be grateful.

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#170

Yeah absolutely. I do feel a bit like a mug for making a fairly big purchase immediately after setting the goal, but in the context of my “studio” it’s a pretty minor hiccup. I absolutely want to keep trying and buying new gear, but I’m at a good spot to step away for a year. If anything it was an easy way to trick my brain to stop wondering what my “last purchase” will be.

I also want to say that I absolutely DID NOT feel this way last year, and I would hate for anyone to feel bad if you aren’t at a spot in your life where you are comfortable with a gear/hobby/game/media freeze.

#171

:wave: :wink:

Ah but actually you could probably get a decent penny for those…