Then end of 2012 - What have you learned?

[tone-def]

I learned that I can't live without making music. Sold all my gear last summer and while I don't miss my setup (the workflow wasn't the greatest), I miss the buzz you get from creating new music.

No idea how to fund a new setup though.

it's a myth that you need a lot of expensive gear to create music. one of my most highly respected professional peers has hardly owned any gear at all but still manages to produce excellent tracks with whatever materials are available

just because one person can make great music with an old rusty frying pan and bag of cement doesn't mean we all can.

[Barfunkel]

I learned that I can't live without making music. Sold all my gear last summer and while I don't miss my setup (the workflow wasn't the greatest), I miss the buzz you get from creating new music.

No idea how to fund a new setup though.

it's a myth that you need a lot of expensive gear to create music. one of my most highly respected professional peers has hardly owned any gear at all but still manages to produce excellent tracks with whatever materials are available

My next setup is not huge or expensive, about 3k total. About the same as a decent computer (I don't own one atm as the last one just got trashed beyond reasonable repair expenses), a copy of Ableton and Maschine (or some other controller like that, which would be absolutely essential for me).

Also, I hate using computers for music, I never get anything done. I can write an entire track in an hour or two with a good HW setup.

[Barfunkel]

sell the vinyl and the mixer if making your own music is more important to you than mixing other people's music.
I hadn't paid for music for years when I was building my studio,
it was only when my studio was like 80% finished that I decided I had spare money for vinyls and turntables.

or get an extra job.

it's an expensive hobby.

Yes it is! Selling my turntables is not an option, as I love DJ'ing as well.

I'm currently studying and have health issues, so getting a job is not easy. I've been thinking about it though... although if I get a job,
where do I find the time to make music? Ah, life is so difficult!

[Hades]

sell the vinyl and the mixer if making your own music is more important to you than mixing other people's music.
I hadn't paid for music for years when I was building my studio,
it was only when my studio was like 80% finished that I decided I had spare money for vinyls and turntables.

or get an extra job.

it's an expensive hobby.

Yes it is! Selling my turntables is not an option, as I love DJ'ing as well.

I'm currently studying and have health issues, so getting a job is not easy. I've been thinking about it though... although if I get a job,
where do I find the time to make music? Ah, life is so difficult!

Thinking about a job won't get you anywhere, going out looking for one will !
And not having time to make music is not a problem you're faced with if you don't even have any gear so you can start making music.
Do a job for a certain amount of time.
Realise that during that time you won't have a lot of time for music making.
Just remember you can find more time when you've raised enough funds and are able to quit the job.

I have a fulltime job that I don't particularly like, but that gives me enough time for the things I like to do in my life,
it also gives me more time to spend with my kids (who also take up a lot of time).
I'm not sure how long I'll still be doing this job, but every year I've lived this way is a year I can look back on with joy.
Life's simply about getting your priorities straightened out.

Even with my fulltime job, I still work extra here and there to find funds for my gear.
I know very well this gives me less time to spend in the studio, but I also know I have funds to buy better gear afterwards for my studio.

[mr lee]

In 2012 I....
• built a mixing room in my basement
• learned about the importance of mixing
• learned why basstraps are important and how frequencies react to surfaces
• built a QRD, basstraps, and a cloud
• learned the importance of eq as it relates to elements in a mix
• learned how to eq a room to get the flattest response
• learned what mastering houses expect out of a mix down

...and most importantly I learned why double-wide IPA is better than Pale Ale.

[soapz]

I learnt that DJing will always come before producing for me. I learned the most important part for me is to excite people while they are dancing, thats it! I get a slight feeling of guilt when I have worked on producing too much and feel I should have spent the time digging for records. The guilt never happens the other way around. I guess I have to go with my gut.

[ms500]

I learnt that putting pressure on yourself never has a positive outcome when making music. Also I learnt that for me, producing is a fine balancing act between freely expressing my ideas and being able to order and structure my ideas, and I learnt that the better I can balance these two things, generally the better my music sounds.
Also I learnt that the best way to get a track going is to set my studio up like an instrument and jam with it.

[NoAffiliation]

i learned that vagina ain't sh!t

sounds alpha-male and cliche' but i think it's the best lesson of a lifetime.

"i consider my greatest achievement lifelong celibacy" - isaac newton