The Year Without Gear

[friendship]

There is a new release from Fairfield Circuitry coming tomorrow, and this will be my first big GAS Test of the year.

FC.JPG

*bops you on the nose with a rolled up newspaper*

[Blood_mountain]

There is a new release from Fairfield Circuitry coming tomorrow, and this will be my first big GAS Test of the year.

FC.JPG

*bops you on the nose with a rolled up newspaper*

I can handle it!!

[coldbrightsunlight]

I think this is a good idea. I consider it (then quickly decide not to) every year, but I have been trying to buy less and less as time goes on. I definitely find that I create more when I have a stable, fairly minimal board to plug into, if I'm using pedals, and otherwise just focus on playing.

The consumer hole is real. Not that I'm judging people getting their kicks this way, that box in the post is a lovely shot of joy sometimes.

Good luck!

I really put my mind to it after Black Friday this year. I was just mindlessly searching for anything to buy, and thought enough is enough, I'm not really achieving my goals I need to make a change. I am typically nauseated by "Achieve Your Goalz" culture, but I'm succumbing to it a bit I guess.

Yeah I don't like the culture of "maximising productivity" more than I like the culture of buying everything! I just think that not buying things or worrying about gear can be good for your playing. But if you still don't get anything "finished"? Who cares if you have fun playing!

[le lambin]

I think this is a great idea and may actually feel more meaningful than buying the shiny new gear. 2022 taught me a valuable lesson as I ended up flipping 9 out of 10 pieces of gear I could have sworn I “needed” in that moment. It’s really easy to self-reinforce these purchases by dreamily thinking of all the creative new sounds this pedal or this amp or whatever will allow you to make- that the acquisition of a new piece of gear is the key that is going to finally unlock the floodgates of writing.

In the end, it takes a long time to really learn a new piece of gear well enough to seamlessly write music with it- hence the flipping. And at this point in the game, I know what I like and I know how to use the 5-6 long term pieces of gear I’ve had.

This is a long way of saying I’m with you- I’d love to join you in a new gear-free year. Maybe I’ll finally learn how to play the Digitakt that’s been staring at me for months.

[Blood_mountain]

I think this is a great idea and may actually feel more meaningful than buying the shiny new gear. 2022 taught me a valuable lesson as I ended up flipping 9 out of 10 pieces of gear I could have sworn I “needed” in that moment. It’s really easy to self-reinforce these purchases by dreamily thinking of all the creative new sounds this pedal or this amp or whatever will allow you to make- that the acquisition of a new piece of gear is the key that is going to finally unlock the floodgates of writing.

In the end, it takes a long time to really learn a new piece of gear well enough to seamlessly write music with it- hence the flipping. And at this point in the game, I know what I like and I know how to use the 5-6 long term pieces of gear I’ve had.

This is a long way of saying I’m with you- I’d love to join you in a new gear-free year. Maybe I’ll finally learn how to play the Digitakt that’s been staring at me for months.

I'm on round two with the Chase Bliss Blooper, and still haven't really unlocked all of its potential. This is the year! Looking to ding into Midi and CV capabilities with it too!

[le lambin]

I'm on round two with the Chase Bliss Blooper, and still haven't really unlocked all of its potential. This is the year! Looking to ding into Midi and CV capabilities with it too!

I tried the Blooper and kept trying to get it to be a cool live looper- but I think it’s niche is a songwriting device- using it to create several pieces that you stitch together into a song- or using the layers knob to switch between parts in a musical way. Maybe one day I’ll give it a second try. Good luck with the CV control, I wonder what sorts of things you can do with that?

[friendship]

I think this is a good idea. I consider it (then quickly decide not to) every year, but I have been trying to buy less and less as time goes on. I definitely find that I create more when I have a stable, fairly minimal board to plug into, if I'm using pedals, and otherwise just focus on playing.

The consumer hole is real. Not that I'm judging people getting their kicks this way, that box in the post is a lovely shot of joy sometimes.

Good luck!

I really put my mind to it after Black Friday this year. I was just mindlessly searching for anything to buy, and thought enough is enough, I'm not really achieving my goals I need to make a change. I am typically nauseated by "Achieve Your Goalz" culture, but I'm succumbing to it a bit I guess.

Yeah I don't like the culture of "maximising productivity" more than I like the culture of buying everything! I just think that not buying things or worrying about gear can be good for your playing. But if you still don't get anything "finished"? Who cares if you have fun playing!

Instead of thinking of it maximizing productivity and achieving the sigma male grindset, maybe you can think of it more as realigning with what's most important to you. Nothing wrong with collecting gear. But if that's not as important to you as making noise, then it's a good time to refocus on making noise imo!

Immediately after posting yesterday I had to talk myself out of buying a Boss DC-2W for a great price locally. It's an effect I've wanted for years, but how often am I going to use it? I rarely use chorus effects and I'm a little weary of stereo processing at the moment. Also, just because it's a good deal doesn't mean I have to buy it. Right? Right...¿

[Chankgeez]

Thread title keeps makin' me think of this song:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xZmlUV8muY

(Also, at the rate we're currently postin', the forum may not be here in a year. )

[qersty]

Better than "No self control"

[MaxMaps]

I was just thinking about going on a gear diet - GAS is a hell of a drug which I have OD'd on

Best of luck in your gear free journey.

[cosmicevan]

I've been considering something similar. I wasn't thinking of no new gear...I was thinking of no new money invested in gear...meaning if I want to try something, I can sell something or trade to get it, just no new money.

I was mostly thinking this because I'm hoping my Carl Thompson will be done this year and when the man calls to collect the rest of the balance, I'm concerned the couch won't have enough pennies, so starting to save now as best as I can and hopefully it all works out with no hiccups.

[coupleonapkins]

(Also, at the rate we're currently postin', the forum may not be here in a year. )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co9tMfB5nWw

Anxiously awaiting a positive thread churn into The Year Without Beer, instead

I'm concerned the couch won't have enough pennies, so starting to save now as best as I can and hopefully it all works out with no hiccups.

Counterpoint: adopt loads of Craigslist free couches and stuff a few rare pedals into 'em

[Chankgeez]

[Blood_mountain]

I've been considering something similar. I wasn't thinking of no new gear...I was thinking of no new money invested in gear...meaning if I want to try something, I can sell something or trade to get it, just no new money.

I was mostly thinking this because I'm hoping my Carl Thompson will be done this year and when the man calls to collect the rest of the balance, I'm concerned the couch won't have enough pennies, so starting to save now as best as I can and hopefully it all works out with no hiccups.

I had considered that sort of format as well. Last year was pretty much that for me, with a few exceptions. I'd still be constantly hunting for trades and sales tho, so in my situation, it's better to draw a firm line and just work with what I have. Best of luck to you!!

[Blood_mountain]

I'm on round two with the Chase Bliss Blooper, and still haven't really unlocked all of its potential. This is the year! Looking to ding into Midi and CV capabilities with it too!

I tried the Blooper and kept trying to get it to be a cool live looper- but I think it’s niche is a songwriting device- using it to create several pieces that you stitch together into a song- or using the layers knob to switch between parts in a musical way. Maybe one day I’ll give it a second try. Good luck with the CV control, I wonder what sorts of things you can do with that?

Re: CV Control - it's basically just whatever can be done via expression pedal...but I have a sequencer and light-controlled CV unit incoming (purchased prior to the end of the year that I think will be fun to mess around with.