Ruining my bank account :) I think in the internet age it is way easier to get lost in purchasing gear rather than actually working on our art and science. I mean, when I'm surfing the web and answering RO questions at 0130 because it's the only time the rest of the family is asleep and leaving me alone, all kinds of crazy gear purchase scenarios dance through my head like visions of sugarplums.

It is fun, but most of us are recording and producing all our own music. The recording industry has changed. 12 years ago I started a thread on the DUC about how Pro Tools and was going to kill the big studios. It got pretty heated and many disagreed. In a matter of years, Pro Tools studio's and others were everywhere, thus eliminating the need for all these mid level studios and severely challenging and changing the need for large studios. Mastering studios are the next to go IMHO. There is new software coming that is measuring your sound in ways that was never before possible.

Most of us will never become world famous and ever need to go into a "Big Studio" . $2000 a day + engineer is what I know it costs. Why would I spend that much money when I can buy a DAW and do all the scratch pretty pro. At least good enough to get signed. And truthfully, when that time happens where you need stellar, the record company and you won't care at that point. You choose the place you want to go and enjoy. So, those are the studios that need it all.

My point is, if you are recording mostly yourself and/or your band, do you need all the products you think you do? Most of you are seriously confused. If you are a big studio however, yes you do for obvious reasons. If you think you are going to make a ton of cash recording people in a mid level market.... , don't forget that almost every block in your city has someone with a DAW that will claim to be a recording and mastering studio. Even if your studio has better gear than most, in the big picture it won't make much of a difference with your bottom line. The market is so over saturated with know-it-all's and competition good and bad that its beyond profitable, so be smart and buy gear for your sound.

It is my opinion, you need specific gear for your setup and then after that, its all GAS.

Personally, we all would benefit far more by learning and investing in room acoustics and how to record with what we have. So many people are very confused and it is becoming ridiculous. Good companies are being disrespected because people are buying the wrong products and asking questions after the fact. Its just all becoming an out-of-control mess. I think that is what G.A.S. is all about.

Your turn...

ALL OF THEM!!! :-)

Ok. A slightly more serious answer. I think GAS is being perpetuated in the US because the average schmo is too lazy to work on actual skills. Then because that individual doesn't understand even the pattern and diffusion of the microphone in their hands, they decide they need some better gear to make good recordings. Then because this same individual is too lazy to learn to listen, they believe every bit of propaganda the predatory advertising industry can create. This gear then doesn't make them sound better, and in fact if it's actual decent stuff, make them sound worse (or present them a mirror as it were) which then sends the individual off to the next bit of propaganda.

Basically, we've gone to he!! in a handbasket because of a refusal to use our god given mental capacity and a society that preaches you can get something for nothing and that if you fail don't worry, someone will bail you out because we like everyone to be equal.

phew. /tirade.

Tirade away my friend.

It IS all about the developmental skills that todays musical wanna-bes fail to take into consideration. Because of the plethora of tools, and the access to millions of opinions on these tools, recordists will rely on the opines of bored iconclastic know-it-alls that inhabit all these recording sites on the internet........uhhhh....hang on a min.........errrr.... these highly intelligent and experienced individuals with golden hearts willing to share their knowledge on the ins and outs of the mysteries of recording sounds. Whew.

Seriously. For every question involving a new piece of gear theres only one out of twenty who couldnt solve their current dilemma with more knowledge of technique and a greater depth of knowledge and resourcefulness about their currently owned gear.

For those few who have rung the last drops of quality out of their stuff, its good to have such a great choice as there is. For those that dont want to learn and think that the best sound is only the turn of a dial away, theres always craigslist for a portional return on your investment and plenty of experienced and knowledgeable guys like me out here to feast on the losses.

Thanks.

Next I suppose you're going to tell me that buying that new set of Nike irons won't make me the #1 golfer in the world.

Consumerism isn't isolated to audio gear.

Nike irons basically suck. Sorry. Hometown brand and all. I was always a Titleist guy.....except now I'm old and need all the help I can get.

Hey here's something. Who was the number one money winner on the PGA tour last year and what was their favorite club?

Elian?

Sharp people, marines.

And her favorite club was a nine iron...I believe. Used it to open windows........

That's me. Sharp as a bubble!

Use it, don't collect it!

Here is a full explanation on wiki. [[url=http://[/URL]="http://en.wikipedia…"]Gear Acquisition Syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/]="http://en.wikipedia…"]Gear Acquisition Syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/]

apparently its also coined Guitar Acquisition Syndrome by Steely Dan
[[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.steelyda…"]G.A.S. Attack[/]="http://www.steelyda…"]G.A.S. Attack[/]

I have a friend that can't play worth mentioning that never stops bragging about all his guitars. Everywhere he goes he impresses people as they think he is a master. Drives me nuts how much of a BS he is. I know what to say to him now. He is suffering from GAS hehe. he won't know wtf I am talking about lol.

Great thread. Guilty as charged. I don't need more. I barely have time to use what I have but it always seems like there's something better around the corner. The thing about record deals is that they are withering away. There are few if any to be had anymore. Consider [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.youtube…"]Pomplamoose[/]="http://www.youtube…"]Pomplamoose[/]. They don't have a record deal but there they are on TV doing ads for Hyundai. They have a following. They make money apparently. I don't think they are rich but it seems that music is a source of income for them.

I think this is the way of the future. G.A.S. aside.

What I hate is the fact that I had an easier time without all the new gadgets. It was way easier for me to get decent sound with mics and tape and a limited number of effects. Mind you the effects were not cheap then. The cheapest reverb was the Alesis Quadraverb or some preset on the SPX 90. Other than that, you either had a Lexicon or TC Electronics. There weren't many cheap reverb makers and there were no plugins to speak of really. You had to get the sound right before it hit tape. If you didn't you were screwed. If it didn't sound good there, it would never sound good.

Now it seems there's a digital fix for everything. Out of tune? Fix it. Off beat? Align it.

Even five years ago with cheaper gear I was able to get better results than I have been lately. Not because I've gotten worse but I've just gotten lazy. I've forgotten how to take the time to make sure everything sounds good before hand. I just clued in on this a few weeks ago. I listened to something I was working on and it was crap. GARBAGE. What the hell was I thinking? Why didn't I take the time to deal with that phase issue that was jabbing me in the face? Little Labs IBP. Would've been better sounding, easier if I just dealt with it head on to begin with.

Sorry. Ranting.