Your Listeners Don't Care about Your Gear
Oct 28, 2023
There's been some discussion on Twitter (X?) recently about the importance of gear. And of course, it was presented very maturely and in a manner definitely not combative for the sake of Twitter engagement:
The reality is, it's true that the listener doesn't care what gear you use. Most of them have no idea how music is made to begin with, and have no desire to learn - and that's fine; we need people who simply love to listen to music too.
But if I may present a slightly more nuanced argument:
Your gear does matter to YOU - the person making the music.
Physical knobs vs. Virtual knobs
Like many of you, I started totally in the box - taking what little money I had made after college as a piano accompanist to buy a decent(ish) computer, Cubase 7, and some sample libraries.
I worked this way for the first couple years until I finally bought my first hardware synth - a Korg MS-20 mini. Of course, I had no idea what I was really doing, but I discovered I would push the filters on that synth much harder into the extremes than I would any of the VSTs I had used previously.
Something about having a physical knob to grab (quiet down you folks from the UK snickering in the back) made me feel more freedom to explore the extremes of each parameter.
Does that mean I HAD to have that synth in order to make those sounds? No. But it was a pivotal experience for me in learning HOW to make those kinds of sounds because there was no one to show me those sounds were possible in the box.
I was led to new areas of inspiration I wasn't previously aware existed.
Gear for INSPIRATION, not for status
I’m not telling you to go out and buy expensive gear. I absolutely don’t think you NEED to do that anymore.
Instead maybe we should all focus more time on the tools we already have at our disposal and honestly ask ourselves, "do I really understand how to get the most out of this thing? Have I really scratched the surface of what it can do?"
Because as much as the internet wants you buy new gear, if you don't understand how to use them, not even the shiniest of new tools will make your music better.
So yeah, if you have a DAW and the stock plugins that come with most of them these days, you probably have everything you need.
There's probably a lot more music left in the tools you already have than you think.
You just have to take the time to learn to unlock them.
Whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you:
1. Composition Concepts for Artists - an in-depth look at the process of composition with step-by-step examples SHOWING how and WHY I make decisions. You'll learn to take an initial idea and DEVELOP it into a finished project.
2. Understanding Synthesis - learn to design your own sounds starting with the basics of subtractive synthesis and progressing to more advanced sound design with semi-modular and various forms of digital synthesis.
3. YouTube Membership - monthly livestreams featuring music making and sound design in real time. Q&As and exclusive videos only available to channel members.
4. One to One Coaching (coming soon) - work with me on YOUR own music. I'll help you take your track from idea to finished product, so you'll come out with a polished track or EP and any knowledge gained from walking through the process with me.
