Members temnov Posted September 1, 2011 Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 That's it. I remodeled my space and finally was able to use some stuff that I couldn't use before. The sound changed in a great way. That made me feel very good Do you feel the same? Or you fine with what you've got and just the fact that you are making music and working on it makes you happy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators MrKnobs Posted September 1, 2011 Moderators Share Posted September 1, 2011 Just like other pursuits in life (women, food, etc) there are two kinds of happy: the quick, sugar fix that makes you high and smiley but dies out all too soon, and the slow, deeper satisfaction that comes from something of lasting quality that makes a substantial and lasting difference in your life. One of the things I realized (and stopped) after I retired was buying for pleasure, i.e. GAS. This left me needing to find other, more sustainable ways to be happy. I looked around and realized my house was cluttered with gear that I had hardly ever used, or, in some cases, just bought but never used at all. Some stuff was still in the box or bag! So now I don't want gear for the sake of the gear, I want gear that helps me toward my goals and makes my life easier in the process. I want gear that takes up a minimum amount of space, is simple to operate, and doesn't complicate my life. I don't want to have to think about the gear as I use it, I want it to become "part" of me, part of my subconscious process like my hands and my eyes and my ears. And of course I want it to sound superb, to continually amaze me. I don't want a whole lot of crayons in my box. I just need a few good ones, a few favorite colors, ones I can rely on and combine to get the combinations I need without having to spend a lot of time searching the big box for "slightly amber cerulean blue" or whatever. If a piece of gear fits that description, its well-worn knobs will stare back at me from my rack for a very long time. If it doesn't, it will join the rest on Ebay and perhaps someone else will treasure it. As for me, I no longer want to occupy myself with gear, I want to occupy myself writing songs and making music. Sounds like you feel the same, Temnov. Terry D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted September 1, 2011 Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 There can be genuine satisfaction in getting your work tools and workshop set up in a way that's inviting and makes you feel like working, but, ultimately, it comes down to whether or not you actually buckle down and get to work. I've seen that go both ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted September 1, 2011 Moderators Share Posted September 1, 2011 Some things that make me happy... RE20Young Chang upright pianoFulltone OCDAPI preA six string banjoA Larrivee mandolin So yeah, I'd have to say gear can make you happy. It does me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lukenskywalker Posted September 1, 2011 Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 When I buy gear it's usually from Musicians Friend....I love to look at the toys I want, research them thorougly, pick the color or options (natural finish, rosewood/maple neck if it's a guitar for example... Then I like to read the reviews, go to Guitar Center and test everything until they get tired of my ass and start shooting me stink eye... I don't generally buy from them cuz they charge 7% state sales tax...when you order from MF it's usualy free shipping , no tax. After I order, I love to track the order online...When the UPS truck rolls up I'm at the end of my driveway running in circles like a little kid waiting for the Ice Cream truck. After I get the gear in the house, I deal with the packing peanuts, check the invoice, then go over the gear with a jaundice eye looking for dings dents scratches etc. After that, the gear usually sits for a day or two 'til I ease into setting it up/playing it...messing with the knobs kinda fun just the pre-buying aspect seems to give me more pleasure than actually owning it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted September 1, 2011 Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 I don't think anything that you can purchase with money can "make you happy". Conversely, I think one can be very happy without relying on material goods to make them so. Once you get past the bottom two rungs of Maslow's hierachy of needs (i.e., you're not starving to death and no one in your family is in danger, etc.), happiness comes from a combination of living up to challenges you set for yourself, from close relationships, and from feeling that your life has some meaning. I find happiness all over the place, in the music I make (both the process and the results), in seeing interesting wildlife, learning about the universe, laughing, spending time with my lady, seeing my son mature, and many more items of that ilk. However, if you buy something that allows you to more easily accomplish something that subsequently will make you happy, then it's just a step on the right path. But it's not the path itself. A new guitar may inspire me to write a new song (happy), or it might sit there gathering dust and be a reminder that I'm not making the best use of my time on the planet (not happy). There are no guarantees. If you are happy, chances are you will continue to find happiness in things that other people may never notice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members the stranger Posted September 1, 2011 Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 Skateboard gear? What Knobs said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted September 1, 2011 Moderators Share Posted September 1, 2011 Jeff, I believe there are actually happiness atoms flowing through my RE20. Or like happy blood. The happiness is inherent in the physical item. It lives there. All the happiness just waits for me till I plug that RE20 into either an API of an old Urie pre and... those molecules and atoms and happy blood chemical reactions actually flow out of the mic while I'm singing into it. It's like a 2 way street. Singing out/happiness in. Down my pipes and into my soul. It is scary... but mostly it's just happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted September 1, 2011 Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 Jeff, I believe there are actually happiness atoms flowing through my RE20. There's nothing wrong with that at all. I'll be the last person to tell a happy person that he/she isn't actually happy, or actually happy for the reasons they think they are. Happiness is a perception, and it doesn't really matter at all whether it's a correct perception or otherwise. I sound muffly singing through an RE20, but that's just me. I love your recordings, so again, I have nothing bad to say about the mic or its impetus toward your sense of well being. In related news, this guy seems to have a pretty good understanding of happiness (and it probably doesn't come from a stomp box in his case). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lukenskywalker Posted September 1, 2011 Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 I don't think anything that you can purchase with money can "make you happy". Conversely, I think one can be very happy without relying on material goods to make them so. Once you get past the bottom two rungs of Maslow's hierachy of needs (i.e., you're not starving to death and no one in your family is in danger, etc.), happiness comes from a combination of living up to challenges you set for yourself, from close relationships, and from feeling that your life has some meaning. I find happiness all over the place, in the music I make (both the process and the results), in seeing interesting wildlife, learning about the universe, laughing, spending time with my lady, seeing my son mature, and many more items of that ilk. However, if you buy something that allows you to more easily accomplish something that subsequently will make you happy, then it's just a step on the right path. But it's not the path itself. A new guitar may inspire me to write a new song (happy), or it might sit there gathering dust and be a reminder that I'm not making the best use of my time on the planet (not happy). There are no guarantees. If you are happy, chances are you will continue to find happiness in things that other people may never notice. Nicely put Weezer... I truly admire your optimism, Your cup seems always to be more than 1/2 full. Now, if that nice Gibson acoustic you own isn't making you happy , I will gladly take it off your hands . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted September 1, 2011 Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 Now, if that nice Gibson acoustic you own isn't making you happy , I will gladly take it off your hands . It's actually a Martin D-18V, my friend. And while it's merely a glued-together collection of mahogany, spruce, and ebony, I do find that the result of playing it brings a smile to my face more often than not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members temnov Posted September 1, 2011 Author Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 I'm with Lee and Mr. Knobs I think I'm freakin materialist, I like stuff that makes my sound better. Happiness is a perception Don't agree with that. I think the happiness is the physical condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wayne2 Posted September 1, 2011 Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 I'm somewhere in the middle lately, learning to look at new stuff as just more stuff that I don't really need, but still GASing for a few things anyway. My inventory is still pretty basic so I'm hoping to get to where I need and be content. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dessalines Posted September 1, 2011 Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 No, not by itself. A beautiful and beautifully written song can make me happy. People I love make me happy. Physical things don't per se but in conjuction with other things, perhaps. If I'm writing a song and a certain guitar provides the perfect tone for a solo that would make me happy. Happiness is not a warm gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted September 1, 2011 Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 Having anything that helps in creating things that I love to create makes me happy. It's not the gear itself, but what it helps me to create and how that makes me feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lukenskywalker Posted September 1, 2011 Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 It's actually a Martin D-18V, my friend. And while it's merely a glued-together collection of mahogany, spruce, and ebony, I do find that the result of playing it brings a smile to my face more often than not. you know Jeff, I just went out to gas up my Jeep and I said to myself, 'Self, Jeff's guitar is a Martin, not a Gibson,' I was thinking of my Dad's Old '38 Gibson 'Parlor' guitar That I had put up as my Avatar awhile back. BTW 'mahogany, spruce and Ebony' is a really happy combination of woods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members philbo Posted September 1, 2011 Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 From what the OP said, it wasn't the gear that made him happy, but being able to get something from it that improved his sound. That's a winner! Generally speaking 'stuff' owns you; makes you maintain it, keep track of it, sucking up time you could be using to do things you enjoy. Any more, the only time I buy gear is when I have a definite use for it. That said, here's my latest toy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Beck Posted September 1, 2011 Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 Yes absolutely, gear can make a person happy... at least temporarily until they need another gear fix. For many people it is a drug rush sort of happy however. We call it Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS). If we Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LeonardScaper Posted September 1, 2011 Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 I no longer want to occupy myself with gear, I want to occupy myself writing songs and making music. Yep. I have boiled down my gear inventory so that the few pieces that I have make me very, very happy indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hard Truth Posted September 2, 2011 Members Share Posted September 2, 2011 When I buy gear it's usually from Musicians Friend...Then I like to read the reviews, go to Guitar Center and test everything until they get tired of my ass and start shooting me stink eye...I don't generally buy from them cuz they charge 7% state sales tax. Even though I have done that a few times myself in the past, I have to say that it is unethical to test gear at a local store, even Guitar Center, and then buy it online. You add to the store's expenses by using up the salespeople's time and you add wear and tear to the demonstration gear. The store can't control the sales tax and they also have to pay rent, utilities etc. Unlike the online retailer the store is offering you a valuable service by having the item in stock and available for you to try. That service costs the store money that an online retailer doesn't have to pay. As long as the price is reasonable (which it always is at GC) you should buy from the store that you let you demo the gear. If everyone starts buying online all the time, while still taking advantage of local retailers, demoing an instrument or device will no longer be an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hard Truth Posted September 2, 2011 Members Share Posted September 2, 2011 Bad or broken gear, or the lack of an item that I need to a task easily, makes me unhappy. If happiness is the lack of unhappiness, then gear makes me happy. I also agree with Knobs, Weasel and Beck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted September 2, 2011 Members Share Posted September 2, 2011 I don`t think any piece of gear has ever made me happy in my personal life. I have had studio setups where I had a boatload of gear and nothing happened, as Blue eluded to. Then I got rid of stuff and created work to be proud of. It wasn`t the gear that made me more or less productive or happy. My production made me happy/satisfied. On the other hand, there have been pieces of gear that have brought me years and years of satisfaction because of the quality these pieces of gear allow me: Apple computers, Avalon 737s, AT4050 mics, Roland FP-3 keyboard, Digital Performer, Reason and Waves plugs-in come to mind. Though none of these pieces inspired a song, they have made me sound better and have allowed me to better express myself and I think that that is what I`m trying to get at. Some gear allows for better expression but I`m happiest when I am producing something of quality and that can be done with just my old trusty guitar, a piece of paper and pencil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members djwayne Posted September 2, 2011 Members Share Posted September 2, 2011 For many years, I would buy lots of gear one piece at a time to equip my studio. I'd buy something on a 90 day same as cash deal, then in 90 days after it was paid off I'd buy something else. Over the years I ended up with a lot of equipment. Most of it's outdated now and it's all proved to be a big waste of money, but it made me happy, and even today I don't want to sell any of it. If I would have bought silver instead, I'd be a rich man today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted September 2, 2011 Members Share Posted September 2, 2011 I've always been much happier when I coveted music ability rather than music gear. Coveting ability and skill (not referring to merely being a better technician), at least to me, means living in the moment- you can always do something to improve your playing. Also IMO, improving your skill is more likely to help you acquire the gear than vice versa. But mainly, my happiest moments have been the feeling of accomplishment I got from being able to do something that I had not been able to do the day or week/year before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members roomjello Posted September 2, 2011 Members Share Posted September 2, 2011 I have some gear that makes me happy inside by what it does, mostly microphones do that. The other stuff is just good tools that get me to where i hear. I become unhappy when i cannot achieve that. so having the gear to get there makes me happy in this pursuit. The u47 on well played acoustic guitar or the right stringed instrument is euphoric to me.As are certain sounds sent to 456 1/4 track tape. As is a great guitar amp or drum, tuned just right. But as for being happy about buying gear, it's more of an illusion, i get happy when i purchase it, wait desperately for it, then check it out and the romance is gone and it becomes a tool, hopefully a good one. There are gems though that constantly deliver and satisfy those are the magic happy tools.Massive passiveTrakkerEL8Electronaut M63 tube preKM56'sU47M49AEA R84/88/92Blackface Fenders etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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