I've Got G.A.S.
There. I said it. I’m not too proud to admit it. Everything in my studio is totally sufficient (and even a bit overpowered in some cases) to make the kind of music making I want to make. And yet… I can’t help but think that if I just had a slightly different interface or guitar or channel strip, my shortcomings would magically disappear. If I just had this plugin or virtual instrument, I could finally realize my artistic vision and fulfill my destiny. I’m talking, of course, about Gear Acquisition Syndrome.
These days I’m pretty good at shaking myself out of it before I do anything stupid, but usually not before two or three days of intense research and used-gear searches on Reverb, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay. Sometimes I have a legitimate reason for looking for another piece of gear, but it’s rarely the case.
Look. I get it. Music equipment has never been more affordable or available, and we’re constantly barraged with advertising and content creators telling us we need that [insert whatever gear here] to take our songwriting/mixes to the next level. To be fair, there is a lot of useful stuff out there, and plenty of it might be “better” than what you have in your studio.
I’m not here to crush your dreams. I love gear. It’s exciting. One of reasons I got into production and recording in the first place was because of the profound experience I had going to an actual recording studio with my band in high school. The console. All the rack gear. The vocal booth. Being in a place that was laden with all the tech was intoxicating.
As a teenager, I used to pore through the Daddy’s Junky Music catalog (which at the time was just a text catalog of available used gear at their stores) looking for guitars and amps I had no money to buy, for no reason other than “it would be so cool to have that”.
I’ve been through a lot of different musical phases in my life, and I’ve known a lot of different kinds of musicians. And I’ve noticed a few common archetypes.
- The Prepper: Wants to be ready for anything. Buys gear "just in case." Falls prey to the imaginary life situation. Usually ends up with lots of unused stuff. I’ve been there.
- The Minimalist: Wants to do more with less. Prioritizes workflow and versatility. Commonly looks for tools that cover multiple bases, and has just enough equipment to get the job done (and maybe a bit less).
- The Collector: Loves gear for gear's sake. May not use everything, but enjoys having it around and is inspired by its presence.
In my early days, I was a bit of a Prepper because I was trying things out and has lofty goals. I wanted to have as much equipment as I could afford and could fit in my space. Over the years, my goals changed and I started to establish my own way of making music. I still like to try new things out once in a while, like a control interface for mixing or a different style of guitar, but I’ve got my current studio needs mostly sorted out. At this stage I consider myself to be deploying a kind of intentional Minimalism.
There are a few main reasons for that.
- Maybe it’s the stage of life that I’m in, but I’ve come to the realization that having too much stuff around (even stuff that I like and could be useful) stresses me out. It feels like a liability. For example, having 3 or 4 guitars means that I have to maintain them if they’re going to stay useful. Also, my studio space is small, and I’m not the person that gets joy out of being completely surrounded by equipment. If my studio was in an attic space over a garage or barn, I might feel like I could have a few extra items, but that’s not where I’m at. Self awareness is the key here.
- The more stuff I get, the more I have to learn how to use. Although they don’t take up physical space, plugins are the worst offender for me. I keep hoping that some new plugin is just going to fix the issue that I’m trying to solve. But it rarely works that way. If you don’t take the time to read the damn manual or watch a training video (and practice using it), the results are usually mixed. Likewise, if you don’t understand how to use a the free compressor plugin in your DAW, buying a hardware compressor probably isn’t going to be a good way to spend your money. That being said, if you want to go all hardware and learn that way, go for it.
Whether you're a Prepper, a Minimalist, or a Collector, GAS is real — and it never fully goes away. But the next shiny piece of gear probably isn't going to solve your problems. The music you want to make is already within reach of the tools you have. It just requires some time, focus, and a willingness to get your hands dirty.