Thread: Gear taking priority over music making?

Where and how do You prioritize your time? When is enough, enough? Did you reach a breaking point? What were the clues?

The clue is when you spend more time sitting on your ass reading and/or surfing the web/newgroups then you do in applying what you know and gainning some real experience.

The breaking point is when your too damn lazy to go and try to learn, use, and master the skills of the current gear you have before you think you need to go and buy something else.

I see it everyday in every newsgroup I come across. Nobody takes the the time learn, or understand the basics and then apply them to gain experience. Everyone wants the quick fix, the shortcuts, the easy and lazy method, to be like a monkey and copy what someone else has done not knowing or understanding how or why. The other half spends too much time on the technical things most of which that make very little difference. They hold back or won't do something or use something in fear it is not going to be perfect or even close to perfect.

At least 85% of the questions that get asked that I see could be answered by those that ask them, and in the same time or less it takes to answer them if they only took the time to really think it out or to try it themselves. While they may not get the exact answer, they would at least come back to ask an intelligent question with the experience and proper context to learn something of real vlaue they could use to get them at least one step further.

I never feel bad disappearing from the boards for a week at a time (when making the music) for exactly that reason. RO is lucky to have folks like Kurt and AudioGaff who are (if I am correct) semi-retired and don't mind sharing the wealth of their experience. David

If it weren't for the fact that the sessions I do at work (I have a salaried position recording and editing audio for corporate A/V presentations during the day) are very often late or spend hours revising material at the last minute I would probably be on the internet very rarley. Who has the time? Between a regular job, family and trying to get my audio post career going there is very little opportunity to do anything else. I do watch a lot more movies that I used to, but with paper and pen handy and lots of rewinding to figure out "how did they do that?", stealing ideas, etc.

Peace to all,

Uncle Bob

:p:

I.m rarely without 10 projects somehow in the works and I've been spending time researching so that I get better with each project. While this is a balancing act and reduces the time I sleep to about 5-6 hours a night, I find that my projects are better and I'm in a better mood as a result- despite lack of sleep.
I was just kind of amazed at post after post on the DIGI user conf. seeming to echo this gearlust mentality at the expense of making music. I certainly can understand both passions, but how much free time and energy do these people have for BS?
I'm very happy with my OO2r set up and went in full knowing the shelf life, but I'm beginning to think DIGIs marketing is way too slick for these people to understand. They're buying equipment like its a Happy Meal.
Maybe I'm moving over to the dark side-
I used to/still do defend a company's right to make money with no altruistic ideals attached, but taking advantage of morons might be crossing a line.
Phil

RO is lucky to have folks like Kurt and AudioGaff who are (if I am correct) semi-retired and don't mind sharing the wealth of their experience.

Well, I'm a life long student of audio and have always made at least 12-hours week and usually more for study and educating myself. I'm not semi-retired but I have had a lot more free time in the last several months that I haven't had over the last 10-years as I sold out on my share of a public studio to avoid having to deal with the current crap music and their lack of talent, preproduction and the drag of being required to do and spend more time editing than making or mixing music, I also now want to spend my time and effort to pursue the type of people and projects that inspire me as well as satisfy me artisticly. Whatever time is leftover is up for grabs including newsgroups and turd polishing as long as I don't have to edit.

Originally posted by Uncle Bob:
...I have a salaried position recording and editing audio for corporate A/V presentations during the day...

I am a full timer also, A/V Producer/ Director/ Engineer, all aspects. I don't know what I'm going to be hit with when, or if I get the first cup of coffee in the morning.

When everyone is "into their own world" at work, there is little tech talk :( . I rely on the comfort of the folks here at RO. When I get home, I would rather browse these forums, than read any newspaper, or recording RAG. Also, RO is part of our family too!

I always make time for RO. Does it interfere with my music production? No, it is on, always, even when I am producing, like having friends over for support. When I break away, I come to see what's up while listening to my work. To me, this is my connection to the real world of audio tech talk. It isn't any better, anywhere. ;)

--Rick

In reflection, I have picked stuff up here that has SAVED me time/headaches by the virtue of learning from OTHER people's mistakes as opposed to having to make those mistakes myself.
Lately I have decided to focus my energy on MY band, Red Orchestra. We have put together some folks to help us get our album ready for next summer, we have written grants and FACTOR loan proposals, are putting together a tour of Europe next fall, and are writing like crazy. I am trying to remember that I got back into this to be on the other side of the glass.
David