#NGNY22 - Happy NoGear New Year!

The Lounge General Discussion
#1815

Checking in with the group, giving much thought to where I’m at in this challenge, if I’ve slipped and, surprisingly, what I’ve been able to avoid pulling the trigger on.

My last purchase of 2021 (out of scores of gear purchases last year), was a patch bay. My first patch bay in 35 years of music making. What a set up changer. I bought it to better integrate the gear I already own in 2022, but it sparked a light bulb and I slipped and picked up a used rack FX unit just to patch my gear into an FX send from the patch bay. Again, something to enhance my current set up. Is it a slip, is it justified as an accessory like the many cables I had to buy for said patch bay? I dunno.

I’m not too concerned about it, I still haven’t crumbled and resorted to feeding the conveyer belt of synths and grooveboxes and guitars that have passed through my studio, but I’ll leave that up to the gate keepers of the thread whether or not I deserve a demerit. :pray:t2:

It’s been three weeks and I haven’t given into my GAS for the Torso T-1, or the new Roland boutiques, or the fill in the blanks I’ve been wanting, so it has been a minor triumph so far because without this thread, all of those would probably be on the way.

As much as I’m bummed there’s no NAMM this weekend, I’m honestly relieved. Until Superbooth and NAMM this summer :grimacing:

So far so good, I think. Nothing in my sights, no GAS to wrestle with, not much time spent on YouTube synth demos. But like many of you, I AM struggling with inspiration and motivation. Just nabbed the best job I’ve had in a decade in November and the timing is a drag because my disposable income is back, but I had a gear problem even when unemployed, so this is a perfect time to spend that money on erasing gear debt. But every day I check my YouTube feel and the Synthtopia and Synth Anatomy sites among others, clenched that something will drop that I can’t resist. To wit, the new Fantom Nzyme expansion dropped last week and its stunning. Haven’t picked it up yet, but it basically turns my Fantom into my Vector synth I picked up last fall. That may have to be sold now, which would mean more money for debt relief.

This is a hard and often confusing challenge, but I’m glad I’m here as long as I can last.

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#1816

no new gear here, and all is well. i bought a hat the other day. it felt like cheating. i already have a bunch of the same running hat. i also ordered a couple of chains and some bike parts. that felt fine, because all of my bikes need some type of maintenance that i’ve put off for far too long. jamuary has kept me busy and actually helped me learn some new tricks.

i’m reading “the midnight library” and came across this passage, which may feel familiar.

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image3943×2288 1.91 MB

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#1817

I’m doing great, thank you. I’ve been playing a lot of piano, really driving deep into theory, and finding it so much easier to apply, than I did on guitar. Also having a lot of fun, really learning my modular. Haven’t made anything resembling a track, but it feels productive nonetheless.

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#1818

I’ve decided, that the only way to do this, is to be 100% consistent, so I’ll put you down for a sin. But that does not mean, that you are out, and I think it sounds like you are on a good track.

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#1819

I wish you could stay strong on this, but I don’t feel I, or anyone here, would be able to stop you? I looked at that synth a lot, before starting this, but at some some point, I read something about it, that took it off my list. Wish I could remember, what it was, so I could use it, as a last resort in this case.

I haven’t noted a sin for you, because I still have hope, you’ll turn around and walk away :wink:

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#1820

Maybe it’s that it is incredibly deep and that it would be a lot to learn again while not necessarily adding much to your music?

#1821

That’s an interesting passage. I’ve often felt that I want something other than the life I’ve got (but I don’t know what), and earlier in my life was prone to ditching everything and taking off in a new direction entirely, only to find I didn’t;t want the thing/s I thought I did. The grass wasn’t;t greener after all.
Through quitting drinking and going to AA regularly for years, I’ve managed periods of serenity and contentment with my life but it’s still a struggle sometimes. I know I’m not alone in this!

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#1822

How many people taking part in NGNY have had similar GAS buying tendencies with other interests?

(Personally, I’ve been similar with cycling (I owned 11 bikes at one point and a stupid amount of accessories), photography, watches, shoes/clothes (I had a Redwing and selvedge denim phase that was stupid)… part of this process for me is analysing and addressing this behaviour.)

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#1823

Yep, me. As a kid I collected hockey cards, then records from about age 15 until maybe five years ago. Then started with synths a couple years ago. Never bought stuff on credit but I’ve certainly been able to spend what money I’ve had.

But I think those tendencies are a symptom of some sort of obsessive behaviour. As a kid I was all about hockey until I had to quit due to injuries, then started playing in bands so music became the biggest thing in my life. In addition to buying records, I wrote reviews and interviews to several print and webzines for about ten years. And that pretty much takes me to this day. I’ve had phases when I’ve been exercising like hell, especially running. Reading books like crazy as well for a couple of years… Seems whatever my main hobby is, it’s always full throttle for me. Go big or go home. :smiley:

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#1824

That’s me 100%. It’s a tricky one, can be a real benefit. I was really good at rock climbing when I was younger because of it. I’ve had periods where I’ve been looking at entering Ironman races. Then also, I’ve been excellent at getting into unreasonable debt, alcoholism and weight gain.
I find balance difficult :slight_smile:

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#1825

Had some wobbles, but managed them. Selling stuff at the moment. Was thinking of buying an M:C or even a 2nd DN so I can have drums simultaneously with melody, but decided that OT is enough for drums, I can sample the DN, and play the drum loop. It is a little like hard work now, but I imagine the skill being gained is worth the initial bump in effort.

What this has done is focus me on what I want, I want to be able to take this stuff into a bar and play live in the background (easy listening/ambient/cinematic/chill background live music) and so that really means less gear is best. DN+OT is adequate for this.

Short answer: I have wasted some time fighting GAS, but I’ve got quicker/neater at some technique, and I have a clearer idea of what I want to acheive.

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#1826

Most bikes I owned at 1 time was 5, but I’m the same whenever I get a new bike, soon as it’s through the door I’m online looking for upgrades and anodised parts to colour code and personalise it, only thing left on my fixie that’s original Is the frame and forks😅

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#1827

I had a bit of a phase of this when I was racing TTs, always trying to buy my way faster, but lockdown really put an end to it. Now I have two bikes (one road, one TT) and I haven’t bought any non-replacement bits for 2 years. I actually prefer this simpler approach now. Hoping gear/music goes the same way.

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#1828

I am planning to buy an Octatrack this year and also saving for whatever Elektron might come up with. Will look into this thread again once Elektron did bring out a new Syntakt or whatever and if you will still have the same NGNY thoughts :smiley:

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#1829

I’m getting there on this too. I want a few things from 2022 & beyond:

  1. play techno/electro or DnB live. For this, I’ll use Rytm, OT, Virus (or other synth), 303+RAT
  2. try producing full tracks again. For this, I’ll use MPC Live 2, standalone initially
  3. play/record improvised ambient, drone, noise. I’ve some work to do on what kit to use for this but have plenty to choose from. Probably SP404mk2 plus 1 synth plus a few pedals and a mic for screaming into.
  4. Learn some guitar again. It’s going to be thrash/death metal or Godflesh type stuff. For this I have a warlock bronze, amp & a few distortion pedals.

In fact those aims ought to keep me busy for years!

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#1830

Yeah, I’ve done something similar… got it down to 3- my Sunday best carbon road bike, a Giant TCX that I’ve completely changed and turned into an all purpose winter, gravel, commuter bike, and a steel ‘adventure’ bike, once known as a tourer, that’s snail slow but super relaxed and really nice to ride. I think I could sell the steely really and have everything covered with the other two… maybe after this summer.
(Oh, I do have a Dawes hybrid pub bike too that I leave in work… I don’t count that though :grinning:).

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#1831

I’m off the list.

My year is already about going deeper with gear (seen screens in Logic I never knew existed) and recording at least 2 bars a day if I’m playing stuff (see: Jason Timothy “Mental Game” book). No new gear is less of a priority for me right now than just having fun. If I buy a synth or reverb pedal, though, please slap me as I don’t need either.

Good luck to others!

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#1832

still going strong
focused on selling gears I have not used or boxed and “forgotten” ones

good luck to those on the path.

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#1833

You have been removed :+1:

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#1834

i’m too poor to have multiple GAS outlets lol

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