My biggest problem with acquiring too many pieces is that no one of them gets enough attention Back in the day when I only had a few good pieces to work with I spent hours fantasizing about how to exploit them articulate with them Working with experimental electronic music I find this is where the really ingenious ideas come from and learning the instrument like the back of my hand Too many pieces of gear with too many capabilities leads to Endless noodle It sounds interesting but it's electronic elevator music Only Bye becoming intimate with the instrument and the sounds it makes How it behaves Do creative visions manifest from my subconscious I can literally hear the sounds in my mind and I know exactly how to get to them because I've had a lot of time I know the instrument like the back on my hand We all have our limits and we have to understand what they are

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

I hear you. Better to learn some instruments by heart than to stay superficial. Thank you, James.

@wackenthaljef

2 жыл бұрын

@@martingoldmannmusic Same for me,thanks Martin !

@goddamnit

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I heard that by having restrictions upon yourself, you will actually be able to be more creative, rather than be frozen with analysis paralysis after acquiring complete freedom

@patriciastewart2537

2 жыл бұрын

This addictive process can apply to EDUCATION, too! I HAVE enough already, why put off WORKING to get that ninth year college, higher Healing Level ?

@patriciastewart2537

2 жыл бұрын

@@martingoldmannmusic getting a brand new FOUR string ukelele The Waterman recently brought me back to reality, as I CAN already play this well.

100% agree, at the end of the day if you can't make good music with one or two synths, you won't make good music with 10 or 20 synths, GAS can become a talent replacement and talent distraction. Also being limited by your equipment can feed your creativity and create better results, in other words ... more gear doesn't mean better music and it can turn you from a musician into a collector.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

yep - I was quite feeling that collector's thing :) And limitation is a good thing - back in my days as writer we only hat so or so many lines space in the paper. It quite helped to focus and to write better.

@kvmoore1

2 жыл бұрын

Back in the day, computers only had so much memory. Programmers had to write better more efficient and robust code when developing software for them. As a result, the software was very stable with minimal bugs if any at all. Nowadays, computers have vast amounts of memory and most recent software releases have become riddled with bugs and sometimes unstable. Now that there is almost an unlimited amount of memory available, programmers are not quite as efficient with their code anymore. To relate this to the current topic being discussed, I suppose you could say the amount of memory represents the amount of music gear and the software code represents the music. Also, BEWARE!!!! Software plugins can become an addiction too, just like hardware! At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself: "How many eqs, compressors, and soft synths do I really need? This long list of installed plugs are making it more difficult for me to (quickly) find the specific one I'm really looking for, and ihey increase load time when launching the DAW application because they all have to be scanned." The upside to this is software is not as expensive as hardware and some of it is actually free. I'm glad you've cured your G.A.S. When it becomes mentally unhealthy, you know it's a problem. You recognize the problem and you decide to solve it by drawing the line. Your wallet and bank account will thank you as well. Good for you!

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

@@kvmoore1 yeaaahhh, working as IT journalist back in the day I cannot confirm, software was very stable. It was ok on my 800XL but my Amiga 500 was a mess. (Yeah, I should have updated some ROM or something...). I think the problem is not so much that there is too much space to work with but that there are so many libraries and dependencies involved. From that perspective 8502 assembler sure was more robust :) I agree with software GAS - but I always was quite reluctant to pack too much software on my computers. Thank you very much for your thoughts :)

@kvmoore1

2 жыл бұрын

@@martingoldmannmusic You are very welcome.

@GuitarsAndSynths

Жыл бұрын

true you only need 1-2 good synths and software has the rest. My Virus can do it all in one magic box and good sequencer.

Every musician deals with gas and when you start calling gas gas you're already in the addiction phase I just got sober and lost all my bass and recording gear due to my drug addiction so I'm starting all over with music and if you're addicted to music and music gear it's not the worst thing you can be addicted too cheers and keep making music

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you - you are right. There are worse addictions than GAS. Wishing you all the best!

@chrisisasavage

2 жыл бұрын

Good for you on getting sober!

@muzicluvrable

2 жыл бұрын

Good for you and best wishes to you staying sober. And yes you’re right I’m addicted but slowing down a lot.

@wd25a

2 жыл бұрын

@@martingoldmannmusic Software GAS is a lot cheaper - especially discounted and free stuff. Surge XT is excellent.

@AdamTheAd-vanc3d

2 жыл бұрын

I wish you well on your journey expect the unexpected and dont give up reaching for your goal/s.

I was going to buy something and I thought "Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, or Do Without". I'm now re-exploring Kronos and Triton for sampling and working on sound design. Getting new synths doesn't get you new sounds, crafting with what you have gets you new sounds.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Re-exploring synths is a great way. I'm trying this currently with my Digitone.

@CatmanJimbo

2 жыл бұрын

Especially if those kind of do-it-all workstation keyboards are the things you already have, those boards are crazy powerful!

@user-yq5il5nn3t

2 жыл бұрын

Correct, you. you can try all kinds of analog and digital synth hardware sounds, like a moog, a prophet, or various very old analog and digital synths, but with really beautiful sounds, then sample them and choose which one to play from the keyboard controller or a synth big, like exploring the Kronos, Nord, Kurzweil for example and processing everything you need/want from a couple of those keyboards ( in this point agree with Tele synth),and processing it from an ableton or whatever program you want. like and continue modeling it from / pc / mac that you. want. I understand your question clearly, because I spent years trying to wire all the synth modules via MIDI and it really is a problem, (besides taking up space), today you will see that there are many keyboardists who solve and summarize their entire set with 2 or 3 keyboards, or one or two rack modules and a good computer.....and from that point on, it's where you forget all the "gear" and start thinking about music. and to re-think that a work of art can be made only with a piano.🙂 (I hope I explained myself correctly, sorry my English is not that fluent)

@rachelar

4 ай бұрын

"Use it up, wear it out there's nothing else in this world that I care about Now won't you please shit your body down ?" Odyssey (not ARP or Behringer)

If we go by what you can do for the price, software will always win, but in the long run I find the overwhelming abundance of possibilities with soft synths is a curse, not a blessing.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Good point. On the other hand synths like a Waldorf Iridium can be pretty overwhelming too :)

@juanmico4085

2 жыл бұрын

@@martingoldmannmusic Agreed, but I find a hardware box (or module) helps me focus and get to learn it. The software equivalent of G.A.S. is a complete lack of focus as it's so easy and cheap to get new plugins almost on a daily basis.

@basstradamus1

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed, i completely shut down software synths as i like to interact with hardware and sound difference is noticable.btw i was very against hardware before that :) now preparing to buy ob-6 :)

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Juan - yep I have to stay away from plugins. But that is not a big problem for me, I guess :)

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Kris, I like and use both kind of synths. The good thing is, that I can always take the best out of both worlds :)

I have never heard this term before, however this sounds like myself when I was a carpenter. I kept wasting my money on new Dewalt cordless tools in hopes of working more efficiently and being able to ask for more money per hour, but I actually got burnt out from working so hard and people just used my tools and didn't bother buying their own. I eventually was able to escape the situation by changing careers, and I pawned all my tools for a huge loss. I simply prayed to God that the tools ended up in the right persons hands. I ended up feeling great relief from this, but I never totally understood the lesson I learned until I saw your video. Thank you! I have yet to purchase my first synthesizer, but I understand to not rush the process and to approach it modestly. I feel more relaxed now having watched this video.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I guess, piling up tools is never that good of an idea :)

Here's a pro tip from a guy who also deals with this disorder. There is no magic bullet. These pieces (even the Iridium) are only tools. Once I realized this I got rid of everything. Imchose to keep my minimoog. 1 synth. The rest is in the box. I promise NO ONE can tell the difference. Also (unfortunately) the listening public doesn't care. This hurt me when I realized it but so far it has continued to be true. Ppl cant tell if I made a piece using an FS1R and OBXa... or Korg Gadget off my iPad.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I should remind myself about that: Just tools... But they are so shiny! :)

@spurv

2 жыл бұрын

Personally, whether or not anyone can tell the difference, is not high on my priorities. I can tell the difference. I use hardware synths for my enjoyment, not for anyone elses.

@voodoohex72

2 жыл бұрын

Cool have fun doing poly with that minimoog. Do you track in 1 voice at a time for 6 note chords? LOL I think I could tell the difference between 1 voice and 6. Maybe put the minimoog away and get something a bit more versatile? Def would NOT be my desert island synth of choice. To me analog synths are boring except for my Avalon bassline of course. Maybe a modwave or irridium would be my one synths choice. Or waldorf M, PEAK or my opsix damn I just need them all. None for the closet! Anyway to each their own! :)

@stephenanthonythomas3533

2 жыл бұрын

@@voodoohex72 have you ever played a minimoog?

@aquaticborealis4877

2 жыл бұрын

This is true. One iPad and a bunch of inexpensive music software on a single iPad can basically do everything.

good advice, i think it becomes a problem when the creative process is halted because of telling yourself i just need that next piece of gear and then i can create my vision, this is just an illusion because there is always something new especially in eurorack. I quit gas and it’s amazing how liberating it feels knowing that the gear i have is all i’m going to have and now i can focus on the fun creative stuff.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Yep, it is so much easier to be creative with a well known instrument instead of learning a new instrument all the time.

@maccagrabme

2 жыл бұрын

Ebay and the scamdemic nipped it in the bud for me as the prices are now so ridiculous that I lost almost all interest in vintage gear. Still have a bit of GAS for the upcoming polysynths from Behringer though.

My antidote to GAS has been acquiring only 1-2 major modules/devices a year, but filling out my collection with things like cheap Doepfer utilities and kits. Its been pretty great, as it forces me to emphasize fundamentals.

I think there's one aspect that remains overlooked. I think there's one important difference between software and hardware synths, and that's the experience (the playing) with the knobs and sliders. That can be an important part of the playing and creative process. I did use MIDI-learn and used (some of) the knobs and sliders of a MIDI-controller but it's not the same. But apart from that, you are right. GAS is a mainly a void that never will be filled. If it hits, think of JMJ, who said you'd better learn a synth inside out (than get new ones for new sounds?).

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

That is definitely a point. I enjoy very much twisting knobs. And I am too lazy to assign MIDI controllers. However my workflow changed from playing "live" for myself to building MIDI tracks.

@ldandco

2 жыл бұрын

Buy one midi controller with knobs . Use it for all your software synths. There. You now have the "experience" with software synths

@fritsvanzanten3573

2 жыл бұрын

@@ldandco I do have some. But it's different. 1) you generally only have 8 sliders and 8 knobs, where many synths have (far) more knobs and sliders. 2) the same sliders and knobs on you midi-controller have a different ' meaning' for every soft-synth. And maybe even when working with a certain one, when you want to change. 3) You have to assign them every time or make a selections of which ones you want to use, for the current project/use. In short, it's not the same thing (experience).

@KoolteethDeBlog

2 жыл бұрын

@@fritsvanzanten3573 check the Novation SL MkIII controller. It can save many midi tables to choose from, 8 of them in each project and automation can be sequenced and saved, too. Btw. I don't think turning knobs and pushing sliders make good music or a better feel for creating good music. And most ppl tweak their hardware recordings in a daw anyways. I mean LFOs aren't bad though they do nothing less then automate any knob or slider movements in a perfect way, are they?

@isaacshamie9338

2 жыл бұрын

Ableton synths user and used an mpk49 midi-controller for 5 years. Bought my first hardware synth last year, the circuit tracks groovebox, and been loving it, but recently my midi controller broke! I’ve currently been back and forth on if I should get the hardware. I need 61 keys, and yes while most of my work is done or edited in a daw, the tracks showed me how much fun it is to not be reliant on the computer. So I found modal cobalt and argon 8x, really want those , but still have this dread of “buying a digital hardware” synth bc software can do the same.. I think I need to bite the bullet anyway sorry for this long rant ,

Word! We live in a mass consumer culture. I too went through this. I've been guying synths quite regularly since the late 70's......Now, I only buy a new synth when I've sold one that I don't use often.....We've become addicted to having the new thing, (and there are so many exciting new things) but historically, it was more about playing, writing and performing with them for many of us, not having to have all these different pieces of gear, with different workflows....which takes time. Great upload. A good perspective for us all......

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much for that. The sell one buy one approach is quite a good one. And, yes, I want to concentrate on creating new sounds and not so much on learning new hardware (or software).

I know it might be off the wall, but here it goes: I'm used to spend most of my income on gear, so I guess I'm guilty of GAS. But once war started, I'm out of the work, as all my gigs got cancelled and making music overall became hard for psychological reasons. So what I did? I'm selling my gear now! I always knew music gear was had a bit of contingecy investment, but at this moment it became very clear it was! It's remarkable, that market for this sort of things still exist within my country, but here we are: those synths bring me bread to my table.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

This puts my "problem" in a whole different light. Wishing you and your loved ones all the best.

I really needed this video. Thank you for putting it out. I got into synthesizers as tools to help me make music. But over the past year, I've sort of transitioned to it being more of a reward or treat like you say. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with that, but the joy of rewarding myself is short-lived. It feels great right when I get the gear, but then I end up another machine to learn, to find space for, and to feel bad about if I'm not putting the time into it that it deserves. Like buying a pet on Christmas and then having to take care of it the rest of its life. I don't want my desk to turn into a cluttered trophy case of dusty gear. I want it to be a productive space for making and finishing music. That probably means selling some gear and focusing more on Ableton and soft synths. I never find making music in the box as fun, but the music I get out of it is so much better for the listener.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

You have some really good points there: Focus on the listener, short lived joy and the thing about pets (we have two dogs). I really felt that the former treat from buying a synth turned into something staring at me and asking my "why don't you play with me"?

This is what I needed to hear! I started thinking of buying synths just “because it’s a good price” regardless of whether I can or should spend that money or if I even really want/need it in my setup! Thanks for the video.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

You are very welcome, Seth :)

@rachelar

4 ай бұрын

I just pick em up off the street for free or peanuts, then it's ok

Personally, I get the most enjoyable experience from making music in the box with a nice, tidy desk and a controller. I have outboard gear, I have hardware synths, I have pedals, and I have enough I/O to leave it all plugged in. I want to sell it all to build a new computer but I don't, because I feel as though it makes me lose "legitimacy" as an artist in the content age. I feel like we all want hardware because it all looks so romantic and orderly within the frame of our favorite content creators but in reality it's all just a mess of cables off camera for everyone lol.

@KoolteethDeBlog

2 жыл бұрын

I agree with you! I met ppl who think hardware equals analogue and analogue is best. It is such a hype...

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Yep romanticism and shiny lights. I love that about my hardware. :) The legitimacy is also an interesting point - it brings me back to a time when music had to be hard labour, sweat and so on. That is another good topic :)

Absolutely true! Vital is my favourite synth. I'm old and have had most of the classics over the years since 1976 and yet now, I just keep it in the computer. My new M1 MacBook pro is so powerful and I can take it anywhere. Right now I'm making music on a beach in Tenerife. It's a great way to work. Thanks for the video.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

A big advantage to softsynths - you can take them anywhere on your notebook. Happy beach composing :)

@fusionistaaaa

2 жыл бұрын

How is Tenerife? Do you have gigs somewhere?

For some reason KZread decided to recommend this video to me the day after my last big gear purchase arrived in the mail, almost like it knew, haha. But honestly I feel so much of what you discuss in this video, especially the 'making space' / 'gear shuffling' logistics it introduces. So, thanks, I think I saw this whilst right at my peak GAS state, and it is just the thing I needed to hear. Looking forward to watching through the rest of your channel's videos.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Hey thank you for watching (and thanks to KZread for recommending this video to you ;-) ). Glad, you are here.

This my introduction to you and it earned a sub. It's all bout just getting the right gear you need and knowing when you've had enough! And software can do everything.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for subscribing. Had quite some problems finding the right gear. Took me a few years to know what I need. And yes - most of it can be covered by software (yet I love tweaking knobs ;-) )

Thanks for sharing your story. I landed in a similar place as you. I appreciate hearing this :) these days having a great time using mostly software and some hardware.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

You are very welcome - yeah, I think that kind of hybrid setup works pretty well for me.

"I was planning my living and working space to fit hardware synths".. Damn that rings so true.!

@martingoldmannmusic

11 ай бұрын

Yep, it was quite a problem. Still didn't sell any synth but they are sitting on the shelves now. Every now and then I put one of them on my desk :)

Glad you realised this. Love the honesty. I’ve just got back into electronic music after a 25 year break! My GAS problem is I’m now overcome by playing with all the amazing free software! I’m not wasting space or money but I am not taking the time to learn in depth so far. This is still dangerous

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Adrian. Yep - too much software can become a problem too. I tend to remove plugins after not using them for a while.

A couple of year ago I sold quite all my gear. It was a long process, but it was worth the necessary time . I felt super free then !! Now, whenever I feel the urgency to buy new stuff, I just procrastinate a couple of weeks and suddenly that urgency disappears !!

Thank you for being open and honest. I recognised I was buying far more than I was creating years ago and actually made a decision to stop as like yourself I had run out of space, coupled with the fact I was a vinyl collector with turntables so you can imagine the amount of room that was absorbed by this. Anyways good for you and happy creativity today and beyond. 😁😁😁👊🏾👍🏾

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much - I remember how much space my only 600 vinyls back then needed :)

Funny I bumped into this while searching for analogue gear... Recently fought bronchitis. Dealt with it for about 3 months and when your sick you remove extraneous activities from your life, which one of them (for me) was music. Getting close to the end of it I was really wanting to create music but dreaded the thought of going into my studio, powering up the synths, mixer, effects box, monitors etc so I forced myself to pull out my iPad, studio headphones power up Garageband and see what happens. In about 4 hours I had a nicely done 1 minute piece of music for my Instagram. Exponentially faster than it would have taken me in the studio. The music, the video editing all one on my iPad. So I decided to spend more time just with software synths and see if it would make sense to sell my hardware setup.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

I hope you are fully recovered from your bronchitis. Thanks for sharing your experience and all the best :)

I love stumbling upon a channel I haven't watched before that has a ton of good content. Subbed.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

And I like nice people subscribing. Welcome :)

Dude this video spoke to me on so many levels🙌🏻 GAS can quickly get out of hand and kill the music, the creativity and worse, the joy that this beautiful hobby is all about. Thank you so much for sharing! Best of success with your music and channel my friend✌🏻

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Hey, welcome here my friend. Thank you for your nice comment and all the best. Your channel gave me so much inspiration!

I really enjoyed this video. I'd also like to add that Arturia's entire V collection is on sale right now, 28 virtual synths!! It definitely scratched my itch for new toys to play with.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! :)

I certainly recognize the 'giving yourself a treat' part. I stopped buying hardware synths a while ago and limit myself to the occasional effects pedal (I seem to have much less GAS tendencies with those). These can give a completely new dimension to the hardware synths I already own. I also got Pigments and V-Collection a few years ago for a very nice price after buying a Minibrute 2 (lol), and these are actually more and more my go-to synths. The nice thing with Pigments and V-collection is that you can use them as standalone synths, no need for a DAW. Plugins for DAWs are another GAS-trap I almost fell into. Because many are cheap it is very tempting to buy a lot of them and before you know it you spend as much as on hardware (and at least hardware you can still sell).

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. Jup - for now I was able to avoid the Plugin rabbithole. (That being said I bought some that were pretty useless for me :) )

GAS can progress from a mild obsession to a serious shopping addiction or compulsive buying disorder. We like to laugh about it, but it can become an existential problem for some of us. Thanks for sharing your story!

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your thoughtful words.

@johnsuggs3952

2 жыл бұрын

What the hell are you talking about? Bottom line, we like instruments. Existential Problem....nah. We're a bunch of people who if we have the money and can hide it from our spouses or significant others, we want instruments. My wife went into Guitar Center with me to look at Bass Guitars. She said in the middle of the store, don't you already have 3 bass guitars? What's the point in getting another one. Literally every musicians head turned in the store and looked at her. Was kinda creepy actually. Looked like a scene from star trek when they're on the Borg ship and someone does one thing to many and they all turn and start coming after you. Just chuckled to myself as I looked at the Sterling Music Man StingRay Ray34 Whatever woman. Whaaatever.

Nice video! Absolutely I’m a hardware gear person but I’ve definitely recognized the addiction of getting that next synth. I’m trying to at least only focus on machines that don’t overlap with other pieces in my setup but I find it difficult sticking to that. It doesn’t help being bombarded almost daily with synth “review” videos on KZread. Space is definitely a factor for me as well. I’m not sure if I’ll quite warm up to soft synths but that’s just me. Maybe one day! 😎

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Watching your videos I see a guy enjoying to play and to perform. I think there is not so much dancing around with soft synths ;-) As for the reviews: Jep - a lot of them triggered me to buy synths. But that is imho not their fault - I was easy to impress.

A question is the difference in sound quality between a software synth and a hardware synth?

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Oh, this is a discussion which is often led quite emotionally. I am totally fine with soft synths and I don't hear a difference. But that is just me. (I love playing with my analog gear - a lot.)

Indeed. At first I bought a Mother32 as the first synth in my life. I really really enjoyed it. I think because of it’s well created limitations I can do a lot of things with it, and then I feel like it’s not enough. I then bought Moog Grandmother Subsequent 37. Suddenly I feels like I’m not happy anymore, even all my dream are fulfilled. The complexity and the alternative choices makes me sometimes feel lost. So that’s why I just decide to stop here, keep only 3 gears forever. This could be the maximum amount of synth I can have now😂Because it also takes a lot of time to learn them.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Guess this is a good choice to keep 3 synths. I love the Mother-32 :)

I'm sitting in front of my computer all day long, I don't want to use more software to make music. I also just use some guitar pedal for effects and a hardware sequencer and I love it. I do store my hardware away when I'm done to free up space again on my desk, but I might buy a different desk with some rackspace to accomodate hardware that's out of the way and still ready to use.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Putting away the synths after playing them is what I do now too. It really helps with a clean desk :)

For me it was the Andromeda A6 that banished GAS, completely unexpectedly. All of a sudden, I realized that for my musical needs, since getting it, no new or old synths were that interesting anymore. In my case it was a piece of hardware that filled the musical need I was searching for. For you, it sounds like it was software, which is even better, because that solves so many practical issues :) So yeah, no new (or old) gear purchased in well over a year now, just occasionally selling pieces from my collection, and I'm much happier this way. There are some synths that I will probably never sell, even if I don't use them that often, their specific sound or capability makes me want to keep them, but like you, stored away, so that they can be picked up when the need arises :) Thank you for sharing, this is an important topic, and congrats on making that important step towards greater happiness :)

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Good for you - to find the synth ending all GAS. Sounds like another Holy Grail :)

I sold a lot of my gear over the past year. I didn’t sell everything of course. In fact I feel like I still have more than I need. But just selling those different synths really cleared a lot of room for me and opened up creativity. I’m not planning on buying anymore either. I know exactly what you mean sir. It became an addiction.

Yeah I'm kind of agreeing with this and also G.A.S can occur in software as well. I have so many plugins I didn't ever end up using because it's so daunting to relearn the different UIs and interfaces. Hell, you could spend years with just one synth like omnisphere, zebra, serum, pigments etc and still not have explored everything. It takes so much experience to know when to use a certain compressor or saturation plugin in all the different variable situations, when you have 10 compressors then you never really discover the hidden intricate features of any one of them.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Good point, yes. Also we tend to forget that most DAWs have really good onboard tools and that we wouldn't need other plugins in many cases. :)

I agree. And the only thing that stopped me from buying more is space, which does go against creativity. One positive side however, is that these things don't loose much price, so you can always sell with good value. It's not like a laptop or a TV where after 5 years, it's already lost half value.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Completely agree - yet I hesitate selling my hardware. Never know if I could need it again. (That is another topic ;-) )

Thank you for the video and sharing your thoughts. We all suffer from GAS. We think that somehow we become a better musician if we buy a new shiny synth. What helped me is forcing myself to use just using one synth for a project to do everything. That way you learn the synth and my creativity comes out focusing on the music instead of the equipment. Zimmer also talked about that is better specializing in a few synths instead of spreading wide.

The acquisition of more stuff is a pervasive problem throughout the planet and isn’t confined to just musicians buying hardware alone. I’m notorious for buying plug-ins I might use once and never use again only to have anxiety over all the choices every time I produce something. Less is actually more and putting limitations on your creativity will always make you more productive in my opinion. But I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I’m struggling to minimise my life in every facet but I know it always makes you happier in the end.

The market of gear is a challenge one!! Specially the modular Eurorack boom. Now there are modules that do million thing in such a small space, and IC are getting smaller and smaller. For me it really helps to have a focus. For instance I love the concept of Serge environment, where you have minimal functionality but low level access. This really makes you thinking and get smart while patching. it is really a pleasure when you suddenly tune all the sweet spot and music screams at loud.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Oh yes - I love that "one button one function" approach. Thank you for contributing :)

I have spent countless hours watching gear reviews, just to see whether some device would reignite my creativity. I sat through hundreds of videos about VST's and there seems to be a new one every day, so I could fill my life with it. I seek help in many 'how to make music' tutorials and 'how to finish a song' lessons. All that time and energy did not go into creating actual music for me and perhaps others to enjoy. Let's all hope you will stick to the promise you made to yourself, and that others like myself learn from this video. Thank you.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Rayder - time will tell :)

@LifeInTheLastFane

2 жыл бұрын

Your openness and honesty is highly relatable and very much appreciated Rayder Rich. Thanks.

@wolfgangdevries127

2 жыл бұрын

Same here. That said, I always end up with Synth1 :)

@rayderrich

2 жыл бұрын

@@wolfgangdevries127 I have and used Synth1 but that one is definitely too dated for me. Since I purchased Falcon from UVI that has become my go to VST.

@wolfgangdevries127

2 жыл бұрын

@@rayderrich well, 90% of my reference tracks are from the 90s. But I try to craft my own sound.

Intersting vid mate. I recently sold loads of hardware as I was always buying midi splitters and cables and ran out of space in my 10 channel mixer and it just became time consuming configuring everything. kept just the hydrasynth keyboard (doubles as midi control for bitwig) deluge (for music outside the studio) and minilogue XD (just cant sell it) and with a smaller setup its just less stressful and simple. I still look at new gear but no longer ponder flogging a kidney to get them!

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Oh yes, I spent hours connecting my synths to my DAW or with each other. That can be quite frustrating and frustration inhibits my creativity.

@MoCheez

2 жыл бұрын

@@martingoldmannmusic I bought a 8x8 usb midi interface, plus a Behringer Eurorack mixer with 16 inputs and lots of cables. Each synth now has its own midi in/out and corresponding channel in my DAW. Each synth has its dedicated stereo audio input in the rack mixer. Everything is connected, always and permanently, and life's never been so easy :D Even better : I've finally started getting creative again thanks to hardware synths (and since I've quit using plugins). Frustration came from having to plug/unplug hardware or when cables were missing. Procrastination came from having too many soft synths with endless possibilities. I am now trying to reduce my sonic palette to 5 or 6 "essential" hardware synths/samplers which I know and love. My GAS has developped as a grown up, built on frustration from my younger years, when I was not able to afford my dreams ;-) Today I can hardly move in my home studio, partly because I collect too much stuff, but also because I'm a bit messy. But I kinda like it that way :D

Thank you, GAS had consumed me and replaced alcoholism, I have gear sitting in the trunk of a BMW (which costs much more in the US) and I have started my life over, I never really learned how to play the keyboard and spent thousands

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

All the best for you, mate!

Good for you!!! and great advice. Thank you \m/

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you :)

May I ask what is your workflow for drums? Pigments + Vital + ____ (drums?) This was a good video for me to hear! 🧡

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I use my DAW (Logic Pro) for drums. Also there is a Digitakt and a MPC One. But I don't do very much percussive stuff.

Nice share! Since calming down on gear purchases I have a lot less headaches. It’s madness out there.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I felt some kind of relief after deciding not to buy another synth. :)

Excellent video Martin. I am exactly where you were now. You have given me something to think about

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Very happy to read that, Adam. Thank you :)

I see Martin's point. I went through all this with my guitar playing days. I hope never again fall into the GAS way of thinking. -And, it's hard to get rid of the gear because I think it's somehow connected to my musical ability, -when I don't even use it! Growing into the synth world, I've learned to appreciate my three Korgs (Trinity, Wavestation A/D, and NX5R) and put the rest of my buying towards a faster computer, a small number of plugins, and a good controller. I tend to create more like this. Good video!

@martingoldmannmusic

10 ай бұрын

Thank you - still haven't sold one piece. However some synths are sitting on the shelves for quite some time now. And I didn't buy new ones (execpt from a Nord Drum 3p ;-) )

I talk a bit about GAS on my 2021 studio tour video, was grappling with it for sure but on the latest update I found the solution, and it has to do with workflow. It's easy to get different bits and pieces without thinking about having them playable and accessible. For sure when it comes to wavetables, samplers and granular we really need to stop and think about software before committing!

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. It took me quite some time to find a workflow that suits my needs. Unfortunately some hardware doesn't fit as well as I thought before ;-)

I just started making music last year and I have 5 synths and just ordered a Circuit Tracks. Truth is, I hate looking at my screen and I love playing with physical toys and learning them. I now can play the keys and have incredible fun with it, and have setup some synths together so they all are synced. That's just part of the fun. I tried Vital and hated it. You can any sound with it, that's true, but for a beginner I also needed some parameters. A synth that's built a certain way that has character such as my beloved Reface CS taught me so much by turning the dials and exploring how to sculpt sounds. I don't regret any of it for a second knowing that I've tried my hand on music and the limitlessness of the digital world was so overwhelming it had no beginning or end to enjoy. It was just a big hole with no character or direction.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your point of view. I agree with that knob turning thing. I really enjoy playing physical synths but most of the time I go with the softsynths. (Might change - then I will pull my Minilogue out of the shelf again :) )

I feel like I have a bit of this now. Never had the problem before. I was always content with my bass and the few effects that I had. I’ve recently started exploring hardware and have fallen in love with it. I think I’m pretty darn close to having what I need to be set for a long time but I am drooling over some more gear lol. I’m almost there though! You gotta have some hardware to work with. I think both hardware and software are useful in different ways but complementary. I’ve gotta have a plan on when I’m going to stop. I can’t blow all my money!! Good thing if you take care of it and keep the packaging you can sell it and get a chunk of change back.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

That is the good thing: we can sell the hardware without losing too much money.

(G)AS is not restricted to hardware synths. The same can happen with VSTs and sample packs etc. Once you bought a lot of them you will get option paralysis. I guess the best thing to do is focus on the music instead of the tools used to make it.

@martingoldmannmusic

Жыл бұрын

I just made a track with Logic Plugins only. Didn't work too bad. But I also have some plugings bought on some kind of sale and never used since then...

I'm using pigments a lot these days. I'm curious what Vital gives you that Pigments can't. I've not looked into Vital yet.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

I like the Wavetable-Designer in Vital. I think they both add up quite well.

@diarmidbaillie

2 жыл бұрын

@@martingoldmannmusic THanks, I might give it a try. I am wary of 'GAS' even in terms of free software. It's not the physical space or cost, more the sense of 'I have to learn this new thing'. I think getting really intimate with a small range of tools and instruments is better than knowing a larger amount of things at a more superficial level.

You can “rotate” gear. Buying a new shiny synth/gear can be very exciting, but if you find that after like a year you’re not actually utilising it inside projects, you have to sell it. A piece of gear is like a book or film, it just draws you in without conscious effort. (I’m ignoring the learning part, because if you’re reading this, you most likely enjoy that part). So, getting back to “rotating”, sure you lose some money by selling it, but it’s going to be in “mint” condition so within a year you should be able to reclaim 2/3rds of the price. The kind of “entertainment” you get out of it, it’s totally worth it. The real problem is when you keep the gear that you’re not using, because you become a collector rather than a musician. And that can be detrimental for inspiration. The reasoning behind this is that Synths are deep, and good ones can be explored indefinitely to discover possibilities. This process is creative and new ideas are always born as you’re doing this. If you get new gear (or even software) too often, you barely touch on possibilities of what you already have and the overall process is much less creative in nature. Gear just loses its power as a source of inspiration. The number of gear a person needs before it becomes GAS is purely subjective. If you have 20 synths and you’re actively using all of them, it’s not GAS. But if you have gear that’s just never being used, you should call it like it is - collection. People collect all kinds of things, butterflies, stamps, coins… nothing wrong with that. But if you want to be a musician first, and foremost - get rid of it, it’s holding you back creatively and will even prevent you from buying a new shiny gear. It can be hard to let go of it, or money loss can also be a factor, but I like to think of it as a journey - not destination. Those several ones that you will keep, they’ll become even more special and actual go-to gear. All the other stuff, it just creates confusion and and unmusical thoughts about management/judgment/finance. Music should be about pure joy, anything that interferes with this - cast it away ;) That’s my 2c on the subject as well as personal reflection.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Emil. Exactly: If a synth doesn't sparkle joy - get rid of it.

I recently bought the Arturia collection, during the black Friday deal, I now have all the synths I'll ever need. I have just one midi keyboard and a Push 2. But I am always tempted to buy those pretty hardware synths just to turn some knobs.

@martingoldmannmusic

Жыл бұрын

Yep - those knobs are calling me all the time :)

Every synth I possess has or had a function/space. The ones that are put away have stage and road abuse. I keep a current 88 key ROMpler for gigs and then have a curated collection of synths (22 total, synths/samplers/drum machines included) for the studio, designed by specific types of synthesis without much overlap. I also keep a satelite workstation outside of the studio to jam on. My wife calls it my superstation. It evolves and allows me to separately explore the instruments more intimately without as many distractions. All that said, I've never gotten rid of as many synths as I have in the past five years. Besides, with the routing I can pull with my interface, I can just pipe the softsynths to an amp and put a mic on it to get a "live" sound if it's coming out "too sterile".

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Gotta try that routing with my tube amp - guess this should sound interesting. Also I like to record to tape for a little extra warmth/saturation/analog feeling :)

Great video and I think many of us can relate to it. My setup as of now lives by the principle “one in one out” GAS is nothing to take lightly upon.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

One in, one out is a good concept. Had a problem with the "out" so far :)

@synthfellow

2 жыл бұрын

@@martingoldmannmusic It´s often the "out" that is the problem..

This is an important message for musicians/composers/sound designers. I am almost positive that I will get the Iridium, but I have a worry that even that holy grail won't be enough. I look longingly at the Majella Implexus and the UDO Super 6 and wondering, where does this narrative of "need" and _burning_ desire end? At least I am satisfied with my Eurorack setups and can say I consider them essentially complete, and I have made a firm determination not to also branch out into 4U-format Serge, Bugbrand and Buchla. The only reason I can even justify the Iridium is that I currently have no polysynths at all, not counting the Tasty Chips GR-1, and if I prefer the granular on the Iridium (and also get attached to the wavetables on it), I will sell the GR-1. There has to be a logical conclusion where the pursuit of gear reaches a plateau, at least for a multiple-year or decade-long span.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

I am not so sure if one ever reaches that plateau. But it could happen: I used to buy too much camera equipment for my day job in video production. But that leveled out and I only buy new gear that I do need. (5 years between the two last cameras is fine...)

I've gone the opposite direction. I have a laptop loaded with tons of synths and effects. I love making songs in the DAW, but wanted a way go make music without a computer so I got an old fostex multitrack tape recorder and a few cheap synths and effects. Im trying to avoid GAS even if ive done a little bit of it lately. My laptop is far more capable since I went down the PAS route a couple years ago (Plugin acquisition syndrome). I like sound design so plugins actually make a ton of sense as I have more options to make and manipulate sounds on my laptop than I could ever afford with hardware.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

PAS can be a problem too :) . I guess a good mixture of software and hardware is key. I use to have quite powerful machines since my day job is in video production - there is room for plenty of plugins ;-) (actually I don't own that many)

@randomchannel323

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah I agree I bought a bunch of VSTs but then realised they were useless because I didn't have the music theory knowledge to create good productions

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

A bit of theory is quite helpful. This video by Andrew Huang helped me getting started: kzread.info/dash/bejne/pJuVtq6riqrSm5M.html

Yo, this is a great video. I would love to see more of them. G A S is more insidious because it almost overlaps and compliments the creative process even while being an iddiction. Still, I am highly encouraged by your statements. I think not buying synths in itself is creative.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Yep, there is not much creativity in buying things. On the other hand: assembling the right combination of instruments could be a creative act. Thank you :)

replaced my synth gas with eurorack gas. not sure it's an upgrade. still I think long and hard before justifying any new purchase. I want to explore a few things in eurorack but I tell myself it will wait till next year as I have more immediate needs (like a good midi controller).

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

I think Synth GAS to Modular GAS is kind of a sidegrade :)

Thanks for shareing Mr Goldmann, I am seriously feel some G.A.S creeping up on me too, I am now also set an STOP for buying more gear and synths, ive vill see how it goes =) I am glad you shared this video,..Thanks a lot,..=) Love cheers

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching :)

I’ve heard this many times before… fast forward a year or two. “I sold most of my hardware and now I regretfully want it back”.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. Didn't sell anything yet (except a Volca Beats a year ago). This is not about getting rid of all hardware but about stopping to buy new one.

In my case I threw out my synths, and my guitar. I only use my laptop, headphones, and my midi controller. I have accumulated 47 virtual synthesizers that I can work with. One of those have 50,000 presets to work with. I also have accumulated over a million sound loops to work with. I made sure to get equipped with what ever I need. I didn't need a room full of equipment, or speakers to create my work at all. Just a 14 dollar headphones, and a 40 dollar laptop.

@martingoldmannmusic

Жыл бұрын

Yes - there is so much you can do with just the right software :)

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I see what you mean. I can feel myself getting sucked in. I’ve started adding a few more hours to my job to get a little more money to pay for my extravagances. Now I have the Minilogue XD coming this week, that should tame me for a while. However, eventually there will be more stuff advertised and that dopamine hit to chase… Will need to check out Vital myself. I have it but I’ve yet to use it.

@martingoldmannmusic

Жыл бұрын

Vital really is some fun. And, yes, buying synth hardware can be a slippery slope. :)

I am a software guy. I love software, and I feel very comfortable with it. I own a hybrid piano and run a software synth on it (Pianoteq). That's an incredible combination as I get the high quality touch from the piano and have software that can constantly get updated (it's amazing). However, after experimenting with some (more general) software synths, I really came to the conclusion that it would facilitate my learning process to buy a hardware synth: the quite integrated user interface helps me with experimenting. I indeed have the Iridium keyboard (which saves space as it contains five engines). I also own a Microfreak which is quite tiny as the name indicates. But, these are together already quite a lot of keyboards. So, I think that's it's a good time to stop. Owning too many things is just a burden, and software is always more flexible.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Good point - I don't want to miss my hardware experience with modular or the Elektron devices. Especially Eurorack helped me to understand the basics. :)

I was already ITB - but I've slimmed it down even more by going to Linux and omitting all the VST plugins. Renoise, my preferred DAW, works on Linux so there's actually very little adjustment in the workflow. There are hundreds of free LV2 plugins that come preinstalled with Linux distributions intended for audio. They don't do the same things that the plugins I had before do, but they do what's necessary without any separate install or licensing troubles. The "collection" is now just samples, loops, and presets, and my spending goes towards buying those and adding more disk storage space. My new setup can be restored just by copying some files. Basically, for me, less "gear", more "references". I have a library of sounds instead of lots of devices that make sounds.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Hm, maybe I should put Linux on one of my old macs and try that. Thank you!

@YlowX7

2 жыл бұрын

That's a good idea. I used to be obsessed with getting VSTs, and a lot of them I don't use. I don't think I'm going to try linux any time soon, but it's in the back of mind. For now, I think I should sort through my VSTs to delete the ones I never use to simplify things. Also, I used to use Renoise every day until I got Bitwig. I plan to use Renoise for its Redux sampler plugin to use for multisample instruments in Bitwig, but I'm still getting the hang of Bitwig and seeing what the limits are with CPU usage and such. I also got into buying hardware synthes lately, and I was already getting GAS, so it's time for me to stop buying hardware and focus on the keys I play instead. It has also made me lose interest in soft synthes, but I am getting back into using the soft synthes I used to use daily. I'm still cooling down on using too many effects. I lied, I need a bigger midi keyboard so I can more easily learn piano, but I swear that's going to be it besides maybe some monitor speakers. The speakers can wait though.

Smart and sane approach. I recognize the feeling.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you 😊

i totally feel u in this one. for me the aha moment came, when i realized evry time i had a major plateau in a music project, like i couldnt solve a musical riddle, more like on the song writing/conceptual level i wanted ti fix it by buying a new piece of expensive! gear. covering up creative problems with this allusive promise, never works. sure new gear can inspire us in the phase of exlporation and trying it out, help over plateaus of boredom, but its almost like a religion and for sure an addiction, because its not looking at the root of ge problem: boredom with our approach to making musik, lack of inspiration or vision. "im sure i will finally get to make music i always dreamt of, if i buy this xy machine"... which musician hasnt told himelf that ? sure, the best sounding gear is what we all dream avout, but honestly in most musicians lives, qhen we are young, dont have much money but boast o creativity, flexibility, curiosity, we change the game, invent new genres, stumble upon new things. sure its nice to finally have that fender, or that iridium(i also fell into st trap) but if we spend more time display browsning and learning th instrument then playing, it gets in e way of xreativity. because we need to be free in our head, hert and space.. the older we get, the more we repeat ourselves r get stuck in the past, while a new generation brings definin tings to rhe table. so im telling myself another niceexcuse, if i just able to reduce my gear i can focus. and honeslty its just about sitting down (or standing up) and just f**ib doing it right now with what u have 😂😂😂 i have a truckload full of harware grar i cant emotionally depart from, telling myself i cant move to this or thatcountry or dont tour so much, because i need to finish this album with all the machines waiting my return. thank u for this video, it reminded me !!!!!!

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your thoughts, Marco. Much appreciated!

I now look at demos of the new tech coming out to inspire me to try to make what I'm hearing with the gear I currently have. You get that endorphin hit of the window shopping and then a second one when you find some technique you'd never tried on something you already have. You might realize that you're making a more flexible and interesting sound than whatever inspired it. I haven't bought anything new in years.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

That is quite good advice. Thank you!

Started 11/21 with moog studio/trio. Justified a number of upgrades and fx along the road to work with guitar rig. Then Matriarch happened yesterday. Points for going demo I believe.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Moog Matriarch is such a wonderful synth :)

In the VST era, digital sinths are useful only in live enviroment: in your studio a pair of good master keyboards, a PC/Mac filled with good VSTi and 3 or 4 analogs are all you need

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed :)

I was thinking as you, it's true, 149€ VST can do more than my Iridium, but... last week i was expecting to simply change my vst folder organization and now i can't use my software anymore. I lost it from my defect backup USB key! Waiting and waiting for an answer from seller... At least, today, if i push the ON button on my hardware synths, i'm sure i can play on them...

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

That is a good point. Sometimes I just grab the Digitone and a pair of headphones :)

you will buy another one. i can see it in your eyes :D

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

maybe some day - but I need a bigger room first ;-)

@ronaldwild

2 жыл бұрын

I can see it too ;)

@ronaldwild

2 жыл бұрын

But Martín, I can hear you! My problem is that all those machines don't really help my creativity. The opposite is the case ... so, what to do? Just one more synth... Hydrasynth Deluxe and I am done 🤪

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

I can understand that. For me usability is the number one factor for getting creative. As soon as I understand a synth I can work with it. Thats why I like Vital and Pigments. (And my Mother-32 and the Digitone. Still trying to truly understand the OP-1 ;-) )

@Wagoo

2 жыл бұрын

@@martingoldmannmusic you have tons of wall space behind you. Space is not an issue. Get some proper THIN 45U 19" network racks and fill them with synths. Iridium would do nicely. Why not add Q and XT racks too?

This GAS issue is so true and common and hard to get on by. What’s worse is that it can be replaced by GAS of software synths and plug-ins just as easy. Finding what works for you, either a few pieces of hardware or some plug-ins, and sticking to them to their full potential before acquiring something else is a real challenge with so many options out there, but something that the most dedicated musicians will always say: focus on your sound and master your instrument. This is how you battle GAS of either form.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Maybe getting a guitar helped me. Learning that from scratch is very satisfying and lets me appreciate my synths as (for me) more easy to use tools. Thank you for your comment.

I got really bad during pandemic. There was nowhere to go, so I filled the void by having packages arrive. Building new eurorack cases to accommodate my increasing eurorack addiction gave me something to do outside of the study/studio. So, having a bit of GAS during pandemic brought back a bit of the joy that was otherwise missing. All of that was nice, but in the end.. I spent my actual music making time learning theory and playing scales. 99% of that was done with a controller and a vst. Which is interesting, as I have loads of hardware, but tend anyways to use a couple of VST's and the Roland cloud for nearly everything. Last year I was making jokes about how my GAS had gotten bad enough that I am now doing construction to accommodate my habit. As I am getting the third floor renovated into a new work from home space and much larger studio space. going from 80 square feet to nearly 1000 square feet. Interestingly enough, despite the more space I am now really just looking at having more space for what I have. ( i may add a full 88 key controller ) The rest is just upgrades to audio interfaces and monitoring so that we can have a band practice up there and record a stem for each part.

@martingoldmannmusic

Жыл бұрын

Fortunately enough I only have a small room and the rest is occupied by my family :) About hardware and VSTs - I tend to use what is quickly accessible. I have my Korg Minilogue on my desk and found me using it quite often. As soon as I put it back to the shelf I'm sure I will go back to VSTs.

Makes total sense to me. Pigments is amazing and has made me wonder why a home musician needs much more. Almost any sound imaginable can be made there.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

and the UI is really making the synth accessible :)

@andrewsmcintosh

2 жыл бұрын

Agree re Pigments, both on the range of sounds and manipulation of sounds, and on the user interface. It's the one synth I recommend to others.

Exactly. And cables are a nightmare. Software and a controller or two is all that's required.

I’m not sure when this happened but computers used to be seen as hardware … and I think the reason why people choose to view it as something else seem to have a lot of trouble with the enormous value proposition a computer gives you. If the screen is really distracting you are always welcome to turn it off or close your laptop case

@the_glove

9 ай бұрын

Or as kraftwerk says … it’s more fun to compute !

I am in the same situation. I have a lot of machines that take up all my space and it's a lot of money and you end up getting into some pointless problems. And of course it's nice to have them, but if you're not going to touch them later, because learning to handle some takes a lot of time and hours. It is not worth it for money or for time and space. Before, I would say that Software did not interest me, but with a good midi keyboard and today good software, the money is better spent. also for some things like microtuning it is even better. Do you have some favorite software programs? apart from pigments and vital. Thanks a lot for sharing your experience.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Juan, thank you for writing. Actually Vital, Pigments and the Arturia V Collection are my goto synths. Apart from that I enjoy the Valhalla reverb and delay as well es Fabfilter's Volcano, Saturn and Pro Q.

@juancruz-ne6jk

2 жыл бұрын

@@martingoldmannmusic Thank you very much. And thanks for sharing your experience. Unfortunately I do not speak German or English as I am Canarian from Tenerife and I only speak Spanish. But between the Google translator and see the subtitles even if they are in English. I'm learning a little about your videos.

At the same time, it's nice to be able to window-shop instruments by video without feeling the need to buy anything. Sometimes this inspires me to go deeper into hardware and software instruments I already have.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Yep, this is what I enjoy doing - watching @Loopop testing new synths without me feeling "I need that" :)

For me, hardware synths work when they are connected, turned on and most importantly: within reach from the sweetspot. I have a DSI P10, OB6 and Korg Arp Odyssy directly available when I want to use them and hence I use them often. I used to have hardware synths a few meters away (or even unplugged) and then I would never use them. Like others already said, making music with hardware can be more fun than plugins. 10 years ago I made tracks with plugins like Massive, Serum and tons of samples. ITB only. At that time it felt great. Now I rarely use any softsynth VSTi at all because it doesn't inspire me anymore.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

That is my experience too - as soon as a synth is not connected, I rarely use it. On the other hand, I did use my hardware synths less and less in the past months. I am curious: maybe it helps to really get to a decision pulling one certain synth from the shelf, because I really need it for a project. Maybe this will give me more focus on the synth. Time will tell :)

@bakerbakerbaker305

2 жыл бұрын

I definitely feel what you’re saying like if they aren’t already close by I hardly pay attention to them. In reality one person can only handle so much it is unrealistic to work with so much

Add Surge XT to your list of software. Doesn't matter what classic hardware or top end software.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Gonna look at Surge - thank you 😊

@xadovitch6630

2 жыл бұрын

Beware of plugin addiction 😉

Hello friend. that sound just like me. I just bought a novation 49sl mk 3(I love groovebox style sequencing) and I was thinking about buying a large touch screen to use with my akai v.i.p software( it only runs vst instruments and effects). that would relieve me from using a mouse. (I really don't like daws!)

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Hey Terry, thanks for writing. Working with a touchscreen is a nice way to make music. I enjoy my iPad as Synth a lot.

Remember: Pink Floyd made their best records with a VCS3, a couple of Minimoogs, an ARP Solina, piano, Rhodes, Wurlitzer piano and Clavinet, a Fender Strat, MXR Phase 90/Univibe/Binson Echorec/Electric Mistress/Coloursound overdrive/Fuzz Face, Jazz Bass, Drumkit and not much else.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed :)

@callactm14

2 жыл бұрын

You think thats little equipment? Bro...

@tarkus3004

2 жыл бұрын

and without any microphones :D

@unemployablegraduate

2 жыл бұрын

@@callactm14 Er…yes. With hindsight my comment is a bit silly! I suppose what Imeant is that their equipment was pretty basic by modern standards. It also didn’t change much between 1972 and 1977.

KZread/Google is clearly listening in on my recent conversations to put you in my suggestions! I recently deleted the eBay app from my phone because the constant GAS had me treading water financially. I fell in love with Arturia's SQ80 V when it came out and ended up buying an ESQ-1 when one became available, and recently sold it when an SQ80 became available here. After testing it what have I discovered? The plugin sounds 99.9% the same as the real thing, and includes additional effects an options the the hardware doesn't have negating the need for additional software or hardware effects external to the patch. The SQ80 is easy and fun to program and it does give me access to a poly aftertouch keyboard, but it was definitely my last purchase for the forseeable future.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your comment - for me it all started with VCV rack, the software modular synth. After playing with it for half a year I wanted "the real thing". That is when GAS started. Now I am happy to be back with software and a few hardware synths I like :)

nice! My tip is buy what you're attracted to - because you're more likely to use it. I can relate with having a lack of space, I think thats the only thing that can help defeat GAS.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

But I am attracted to so many synths. Ok, only the Iridium at the time. But I also enjoy the space without any synths cluttering my desktop. :)

I just got my first synth module (jx08) for my birthday and I can see how it would get additive

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Seems like a nice little machine. But, yeah, it is a slippery slope :)

The mismatch between video and audio edits might seem artistic but it's really, really distracting. I related to the message of the video but when the mouth stops moving but speech continues, my thoughts drift to: what is wrong? Hope this is helpful, and thanks for this good message. This helps save me space and money!

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your feedback :) Appreciate it.

@shadowcircus

2 жыл бұрын

@@martingoldmannmusic Thanks for your gracious reply, it's just one opinion, of course, you be you!

I was kind of lucky. I played bass for most of my life with zero pedals. I was a bass player that played clean, had a nice head and speakers and one bass. I never went beyond that. Then I began moving toward becoming a musician full time in my 40's. I have a very specific list of pieces for my studio. I didn't buy a pedal until I was into my 40's and I just bought my dream guitar about 3 weeks ago. I need to have an amp, which I haven't owned for years. VOX AC30 for sure. I have one more guitar, two more basses, and one more synth I would like to have in the studio. Then I will have the variety of hardware I need. I did hours of research, looking at my soft synths and then hardware and seeing what would compliment the other and what pedals I would even need give the vast array of effects I had in my computer. My rule of thumb is, most VSTs work just fine. I know people feel weird being on stages with a computer and maybe a controller but I have forced myself to do just that. Thanks for this Martin. I'm always told by people that it is impossible to avoid G.A.S. I'm not so sure and I'm glad someone on KZread has addressed the issue. We, as musicians, have so many people that want into our pockets, from hardware makers, to streaming services, to promoters, and so forth. It is very hard to keep it all as simple as possible and make sure you take care of yourself financially in the hubbub.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your experience. Let us keep it simple :)

Correct, you. you can try all kinds of analog and digital synth hardware sounds, like a moog, a prophet, or various very old analog and digital synths, but with really beautiful sounds, then sample them and choose which one to play from the keyboard controller or a synth big, like exploring the Kronos, Nord, Kurzweil for example and processing everything you need/want from a couple of those keyboards and processing it from an ableton or whatever program you want. like and continue modeling it from / pc / mac that you. want. I understand your question clearly, because I spent years trying to wire all the synth modules via MIDI and it really is a problem, (besides taking up space), today you will see that there are many keyboardists who solve and summarize their entire set with 2 or 3 keyboards, or one or two rack modules and a good computer.....and from that point on, it's where you forget all the "gear" and start thinking about music. and to re-think that a work of art can be made only with a piano.🙂 (I hope I explained myself correctly, sorry my English is not that fluent)

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much. Yeah, I focused to much on gear and not enough on music in the last months. :)

Space?! I want to be surround by hardware synths. I want my workspace to look like synth museum and funland

@martingoldmannmusic

Жыл бұрын

I still want to be able to move in my room ;-)

@Chyuuch

Жыл бұрын

@@martingoldmannmusic I only need paths to get in and out lol

I started with software and didn't understand why I'd even want super expensive hardware. But a man needs at least one set of physical knobs. Sifting through menus and tabs to find one effect ... or just trying to jam on software is really tough.

@martingoldmannmusic

Жыл бұрын

I exactly had that problem the other night, when I just wanted to jam a bit without staring at my sceen. That is where the Digitone came in handy. Some knobs are absolutely necessary :)

Nice video, thank you. Let alone the power costs!

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Yes correct - they eat up some power. Thank you :)

Exactly. When I get GAS, I tell myself that after 3 weeks it isn't new anymore. I will only buy something now if it's something I've wanted for years. The last thing I bought was a Lexicon PCM-81, but that can also do stuff that's hard to come by in the box, and the price was right. Apart from that, I don't really need more gear. // Jakob, Sonic Peak Studio, Copenhagen.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Jakob. Unfortunately my GAS has a quite long breath - I can tell myself for months that I need a certain synth ;-)

I've gotten to this point too and I'm lucky because I got here kind of early-on. I got a Mininova, then a Strymon Night Sky, played around for a while and lost interest. I barely touched them for a year or so. Then Ableton 11 came out--with Hybrid Reverb which rivals my Night Sky, and like you mention Pigments is pretty amazing too. I decided to get my first "real" synth, a Hydrasynth Deluxe, since it's 0% interest for a while and I have a decent job to pay it off. Each time I went to get it, I pulled out the ol' Mininova and ended up realizing I could do almost anything I wanted to, with a little ingenuity and creativity. But ironically my wife convinced me to get the HS since I kept it in my cart forever and wanted it so badly. But having gotten it, I came to some of the same conclusions you have. It's more fun to focus on the gear I have to try to make the sound I want, paired with computerized synths or my DAW and I won't find joy in continuing GAS. Hell, software is far more flexible and capable than any single synth and it's only getting more advanced, to the point that synths like the Fireball/Lemondrop are just tiny computerized boxes powered by DSPs. Hydrasynth Deluxe is such a beast and has been endless fun, but KZread still crams gear reviews and demos in my feed and I have no interest in any of it. Though as an electronics technician, I have been following Moritz Klein and am planning to get into modular--it's purely for the joy of designing and building my own hardware 100% from scratch, and for the joy of electronics as a hobby, which I do not at all equate with GAS (not yet, at least.) And getting into DSP programming and developing hardware on the Daisy DSP/Patch Submodule out of similar interests. At this point, if I can't build a piece of gear entirely from scratch as a project, or at least as a kit, then I'm not too interested in getting it. GAS is completely unfulfilling, and for me there's more joy in creating hardware rather than consuming, IMO.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Wow - building your own hardware surely is not GAS but a whole other level of creativity. Thank you for your comment. And have fun creating!

@edtotman2952

2 жыл бұрын

Building eurorack modules from a kit is pretty fun and slows down G.A.S. if you only have one build going at a time.

STIMMT!!! I'll admit that this is absolutely true with me. My studio has literally become a museum of synths. I have decided to pare down fairly drastically; I want to walk into my spacee and feel calm, not overwhelmed. Alles im ordnung. ;)

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Danke Dir :) We all need space!

@Noise-Conductor

2 жыл бұрын

If it's not bringing u joy let it go

It usually feels kinda pointless buying digital hardware when a plugin is actually much cheaper and more practical. Something has to be pretty unique for me to consider the expensive of hardware.

@martingoldmannmusic

Жыл бұрын

definitely - still the Iridium is so shiny :)

Brian Eno's setup blew me away. A computer and a controller keyboard. That's all.

@martingoldmannmusic

2 жыл бұрын

Saw a video where he was using Logic Pro's Scripting Tool - I tried that too, based on Javascript you can do amazing things. Computers are incredibly creative machines.