3 Reasons Why Your Synth Setup Doesn't Work

Back from vacation I wanted to talk about why your synth setup might not be working out for you.
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[@sonic2000gr]

The world might not need your music but YOU may need it.

[@wega4105]

Word!

[@andrij.demianczuk]

I own a LOT of gear, and I’m really happy you put this out Bo! I’m a hobbyist musician too, and I think the unrealistic expectations segment hit the closest to home. In the end, most of the fully arranged songs I’ve put out were mostly created in Ableton with a simple midi controller. I started with with the goal of learning how to play with electronic gear without a computer. My re-aligned goal now is to learn song structure and composition. After taking a ‘break’ from gear and just focusing on songwriting, I finally feel ready to get back into my synths and samplers with a fresh perspective!

[@jloiben12]

There have been two things that has really grounded my synth setup. First, and most importantly, I only buy synths because the workflow is easier than working in a daw. Sonically, what comes out of plugins is indistinguishable from hardware. I only buy synths where the actual user interface is easier to use than a mouse and daw. An example of this is the Korg Opsix. There is no better way of interacting with fm programming than the Opsix. Which is why I have it. The Hyrdasynth has the best implementation of a menu in anything music related. Which is why that will be my next purchase. Second, I have two different types of patch bays. The first one, and the one most people are familiar with, is for audio. Dealing with 6in cables is so much easier than having to reach around back to change the signal path. The second is for midi. I use the Conductive Labs MRCC midi router. Instead of moving cables around I just have to click 2-7 buttons and midi can come from anywhere and go to anywhere. Do I want my MPC to control my Opsix? Two buttons. Do I want my daw to control my MPC? Seven total clicks. I am lazy. I need things to be as easy as possible or I won’t do it

[@BoBeats]

Some good advice here!

[@sinewaymusic]

I'd largely agree and would add that an "easier" workflow could also include "more fun and/or immersive" workflow. Sometimes it could literally take more time to finish something in a hardware groovebox compared to a daw, but the process and zen of working with it makes that all worth it and leads to you spending more time with your hobby.

[@goodnightosaka]

I have an MRCC coming in the mail and I have a feeling it'll solve all my midi headaches!

[@leftmono1016]

My secret midi weapon has been a MOTU 8 in 8 out parallel port interface. They’re really cheap because no one uses parallel ports any more. But you don’t need to connect them to a computer, select ‘merge all’ and everything is immediately connected to everything else. Just set midi channels on your hardware 👍

[@ToyKeeper]

For most people wanting to make music, they need an instrument or two, the skill to play those instruments, and a way to arrange parts into bigger compositions. Big setups tend to be more of a burden than a blessing.

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

true less gear forces you to master the instrument thus producing more results. Even Depeche Mode started with small gear setup and only after decades later acquired massive amounts of gears over decades. They made hit records with a small drum sampler and basic mono synths.

[@samueljosephkim-]

Thanks for this thoughtful video. I think it’s great to give yourself permission to say that just exploring and playing with sound in itself and not ending up with “product” or “content” is creatively meaningful too. Just as when you set goals to finish an album or whatever i think it’s just as important to block off space to say “let’s just mess around.” I think you already implied this but wanted to highlight it again from my own experience.

[@haslo_]

My synth setup works, but I was so happy to see you come back that I immediately watched your video anyway 😁

[@BoBeats]

Aww thank you!!!

[@matsrosengren3759]

Bo nails it! This is a really big elephant in the room. I was a synth studio guy creating electronic music for 15 years. Today, 15 years since my last song I'm burning for it again. I've gone deep in research for setups and gear, computers and DAWs etc. But just as Bo points out about expectations, I've really done some soul-searching on realistic expectations (which were way off back in the day). Also before I was all by myself with my ideas and my hobby. That kind of got rough in the end for the creativity. So now I'm hooking up with like-minded people to share my passion with. Super good clip Bo!! ❤

[@JonKayeLearning]

Sounds like a great attitude to me!

[@nikolassehman]

6:33 I swear you are speaking directly to me here. I work full time as an audio engineer for music festivals and concerts, which can often make me feel musically drained at the end of the day. That creative exhaustion turns into productivity shame when I would rather sit in a silent room at the end of the day than make music on my synthesizers.

[@OscillatorSink]

I have, for a long while now, advocated for not having a synth "set-up". I don't leave stuff out on the desk, I start from scratch every time. This focuses you into a few different mindsets I feel are beneficial: you think carefully about the instruments you pick for the music you want to make in that moment - maybe only one or two instruments to get the job done, because setting up and breaking down a large setup is a pain; and you have to learn your instruments in depth to optimise what you can do with them in that smaller setup. It doesn't work for everyone, but I think its an approach which a lot of people might benefit from.

[@offbeep]

A suggestion that resonates both in content and delivery. Advice on creativity delivered as a one-size fits all approach or recommendation is an oxymoron to the very nature of creating. Sharing what works for you is generous, thank you.

[@circuitstudiossr]

Its amazing how KZbin puts a video in front of you when you need it but don’t know it, thank you so much !!

[@Cometa2024]

One of the most helpful videos I've come across: straight to the point, assertive, no beating around the bush, and really thought-provoking. The world of synthesizers and electronic music is fascinating, but it's common to feel, after delving into so much information, watching numerous videos, and investing in equipment, that one can do more than they actually can. It truly resonated with me...

[@JollyWillard]

Just what I needed to hear, Bo! I've recently been transitioning from jamming and recording to playing live with my dawless rig. It's a new skill set and I realize I need to arrange much shorter final versions of my songs. Thankfully Digitakt song mode has been a good tool for tightening up my jams into cogent and listenable pieces.

[@PeaceDub]

I know that feeling! I have kicked out many synths and now feeling well good with a handfull of gear I have 100% control of. It is important to not be overwhelmed by gear I think and not getting draged away by everything new coming out all the time. 💜

[@entertaintech4374]

Having clear goals for the set up and building skills with each instrument is key to avoiding this dilemma. IMO you should be able to jam with a drum machine and each synth or sampler in your set up as a duet, this helps learn the instruments and think about what you want to fill in with in larger contexts to fill gaps and make transitions. And at some point you learn there can be too many things to manage with 6 instruments going everysingle track in a set.

[@DavidChandekStark]

Well done, Bo. I like these more reflective pieces, as you put it. And I appreciate your perspective on the challenges of balancing creative pursuits with other parts of our lives.

[@jimsime1]

Bo, Your psychology background is evident and that insight is much appreciated. Thank you.

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

it helps me temper reality with goals and budget and working a full time day job. I have an attitude of gratittude to have loads of great music gear and enjoy experimenting. I am at gear saturation and no need to buy new gear except patch cables and tools.

[@datoysn3917]

I just can't say it loud enough how important this video is...!

[@synthsamuraiproductions]

Just create more than you consume and life will always reward you. 🎹 ✨

[@BoBeats]

A good saying!

[@zackcolbourne6921]

This is setting the bar a lot higher than you'd think.

[@synthsamuraiproductions]

@@zackcolbourne6921 the highest lol

[@offbeep]

Is the recommendation to publish more hours of music than you listen to?

[@leftmono1016]

@@offbeep- I’d say just create more. Publishing is next level, time consuming and frustrating!

[@DocBolus]

Spot on. For most of us this is a hobby and nobody makes us do this. If you are not having fun stop for a while until you feel like having fun again.

[@MattGreerMusic]

Good video, Bo. I like these kind of philosophical videos myself. One tip I might throw out there is to take that big set up and break it apart into smaller, more focused work stations. An analog synth station. A sampling station. The DAW and controller station. This has helped me A) use all my stuff and not feel guilty for leaving it there and B) get faster results. HTH helps anyone.

[@JonKayeLearning]

I agree with this. I have a huge set up and spent ages making sure I could control everything whenever I wanted. Now it's kind of broken apart. Still get anxious that my 'old' midi network of cables and mostly unplugged now...

[@carloscorzo9913]

Hi Bo, thank you so much for putting things in context, this video came to me at the right time, I woke up today feeling like that. Great advice!

[@CRLFNKL]

So happy you put this out Bo💚Very thoughtful, very on point. I feel I needed to see this video about 4 years ago and I am so happy that someone starting out or is in need of some perspective have the access to this video. Golden advice for sustainable self development, whatever that may be. All the best.

[@abbadon2741]

Wow, this is not only synth advice, but great life advice in general! I like these reflective videos.

[@DavidChandekStark]

Rewatched this, so good. Being new to the synth and electronic music world, one thing I underestimated was how much learning I had to do. I didn’t know what I didn’t know. Beyond the synths and gear that we want to focus on, there were mixers, and audio interfaces, midi controllers, all kinds of cables to manage, decisions about hardware vs. software, etc. etc. When you watch videos on gear it’s easy to overlook the work that went into the setup supporting the demo as well as the expertise of the presenter that may make things look easier than they end up being for you. I remember the frustration getting my first synth, a Moog Mavis, trying to hook up a keyboard before finally realizing that the oscillator needed to be calibrated. This is not even to mention that it takes time and experimentation, trial error, to figure what gear you really vibe with. I’ve learned for myself that I’m less interested in gear specs and more interested in character, sound, and interface. There’s gear that many folks love and swear by, and even that I can appreciate as a listener, but that just leaves me cold as a player. It’s a process, and although there are ups and downs, I try not to let frustrations and limitations prevent me from enjoying what I have.

[@pablocronin4229]

BO becoming Gandalf of synth youtbers. I love the hair❤️

[@The_artist_called_The_Engineer]

A very wise video. I think I’ve gone through the same arc over the last 12 to 18 months. After a thirty odd year break I got back into my guitar and really enjoyed playing again. So first I acquired a few guitars and then inevitably decided I need a back line. Then after watching many KZbin videos and being on a budget started buying Korg Vocas an NTS-1 and an SQ 64 and duly spent ages tinkering with the setup and not really making any music. Another bout of KZbin led me to the idea of getting a groovebox and I managed to get a second hand MC101 at a very good price. Which was transformative. I sold the Korg gear and started making music that I loved. The second major shift was adopting a DAW. Don’t get me wrong I love computers and gadgets and am pretty good with them but I had decided to go DAW less. So my workflow was to record the MC101 on to a digital recorder overdub guitars and vocals then master it on the recorder. Again I was spending my time trying to make the gear work and not actually getting much of a result musically. Can’t exactly remember why ( probably frustration) I decided to bite the bullet and try Reaper and I haven’t looked back since. I can record my MC101 as four independent channels over USB connect my guitars via a usb interface and focus on the sounds not the gear. I now have a much simpler setup ( although not that simple as I have four guitars and two midi controllers) and I’m producing music that I’ve actually released and am happily making more. Now I do like buying new stuff and I do have my eye on an mc707 or an mpc one as it would be nice to have more tracks but I’m now happy with my setup and it’s fulfilling its proper purpose of letting me enjoy my music and being creative rather than just spending my time teaching my gear new tricks. TLDR: From my own recent experiences I couldn’t agree more with Bo. Sorry very long post, but I thought it would be good to share my experiences

[@G.Man-]

Where can we hear your releases?

[@shawnmurphy4757]

Welcome back Bo! We did miss you.

[@aaronhedgesmusic]

Yeah, if you make music for yourself then you aren’t chasing trends. Finding an artists own, unique voice is one of the most difficult things in this life ❤

[@mallery7]

Great video, been thinking about this a lot lately

[@polyphonico]

You really hit the nail on the head! Great video. Thanks bo!

[@exion101]

This was a dose of tough love and perspective and I appreciate it. Some very good advice and observations here.

[@EchoKraft]

Omg ! You totally hit the nail on the head and the opening comments of this video. Once again thanks Bo. Awesome video I watched the whole thing straight through and it made so much sense and it also makes you sad but yet happy because you’re absolutely right and it also makes you think.

[@jefferysaddoris]

Terrific video, Bo. This really resonates. I bought a couple synths, including a MiniFreak, which is a great synth, but I don't think it's great for me. I'm never going to put enough time in to be come a stellar piano player, so I've been looking at more of a modular/groove box setup with the Syntakt and VCV. It feels like that setup would allow me to plunk around and actually make little things that I'm happy with, rather than feeling like my lack of skill is keeping me from enjoying what I buy.

[@angaudlinn]

Det bästa jag sett på din kanal hittills. Spot on Bo! :)

[@5PawZ]

Wise and sensible words Bo. Balancing life with creative output/hobby is always a challenge.

[@andrewdoucet3029]

I missed you Bo! Hope you are well. Thanks for all you do.

[@bobbychaos]

This advice is both practical & essential. Great video, thanks Bo ❤

[@KalsongTV]

This!!! Is one of the most helpful and insightful videos I've experienced on the internet to date. You can tell there's a lot of hard earned wisdom here, especially the last part. It really resonates with me. Thank you!

[@NunyaB1s]

Our third child was born May this year. Aside from having filled my aira S_1 3x over, I have had time to reflect heavily on how much (or little) time I have available for being creative and this has me in a move to consolidate to the point where I can do everything dawless with 2 main pieces of kit with a third sprinkled in where necessary. I need to spend more time making tracks than piddling around with sound design. Not that sound design isn’t necessary, but my current situation has me realizing that all I do is get lost in that process and taking tons of samples that I’ve never quite gotten around to using… and then i forget about it.

[@JonKayeLearning]

Yeah. 3 kids here too. They definitely take time away from hobbies. But they have their own rewards (sometimes!)

[@peternirotkiv4926]

Thanks so much for this. This was what I needed for answering my questions that a asked myself. 🙏

[@adeoh5794]

this was such a sweet encouraging video. thanks! super helpful q's.

[@salehalkwarit8511]

Very good take on the issue, thanks for sharing

[@AndrewFMRG]

The fact that it feels like you're speaking about MY LIFE goes to show how common the artist struggle really is. Thanks for this!

[@touchclarity]

Nice one Bo - one of your best........ and I feel this pain - constantly these days ..

[@Sinesquares]

This video is such a wake up call for me… Thanks Bo! ❤

[@Hightreewalker]

Yeah! Reflective video's highly appreciated.

[@unsoundmethodology]

This actually does help a lot. My situation isn't quite the same as the one envisioned by the video - a lot of my stuff is DIY instead of purchased, for one example - but especially the idea of setting realistic goals makes a lot of sense. Finding a balance between making the gear and "actually making music" has been tricky, especially since there's so much out there saying the gear is pointless if you're _not_ making songs and videos and releasing albums and such. After thinking about the video, i see some specific things I can do to make recording with my setup easier, thereby making potential songs more approachable - and i can also take that step back and just say that my hobby of building synths, Eurorack modules, and effects is just as or more important to me as/than releasing music. Thanks.

[@Drendeluna]

I've been a somewhat distant viewer, but this is my favorite video so far. Really reflective, I think, of some broadly shared experiences among artists of all phases. Lovely thoughts, thanks!

[@jdmjesus6103]

I used to make tech house 20 years ago. Never professionally, but i probably could have, my life just went a different way. I ended up leaving music alone for 10-15 years. When i tried to get back into it, i was still trying to make the same stuff, but couldn't make anything i liked. This went on for years until about a year ago when i started buying gear again. I found some of the new gear inspired me, and i started making what i felt, rather than what i felt i should be making, and i think its the best stuff I've ever made. KZbin, and channels like this, have made things a lot easier. Back then i just had to figure it out for myself! I think what I'm trying to say is the gear should work with you, not against you. If it's blocking your creativity rather than fueling it, it's the wrong gear.

[@NGC0Music]

It’s funny how much I can relate. I got around this problem by NOT trying to have everything working together. It’s nice to have multiple desert islands around the room too.

[@armucoartworks1732]

Your so right. Having lot of gear is not the biggest problem. Time we can and want to spend for music and focusing on what we really love doing is the most important . We have to much thing in our lives today, viewing Movies , Playing games , family and other hobbies. Knowing which priority at wich moment is most important.

[@everythingrandmallc6704]

The last bit of advise is applicable in so many different areas of life. Thank you for your time and efforts you are very informative and entertaining.

[@mrblablablabla]

I have 0 expectations of myself and just do stuff I enjoy. That also means I sometimes don't touch my gear for a month if I don't feel like it, and that's totally fine. I like this hobby! :)

[@ericwolfe4301]

love the video thank you !

[@nicholasbaines7868]

Thank you sooo much no beats. I can relate to this a lot and I’ve been really struggling mentally for the last 2 years I could never articulate it in the correct way so was always beating myself up and feeling such a fake. I can’t thank you enough for highlighting these issues.❤❤❤❤

[@stujay]

Excellent video, Bo. Lots of wisdom in there.

[@BoBeats]

Thanks Stu! Hope to see you at SB next year

[@OttoMilde]

I love lying on the couch with Dr. Bo. Your advices are really soothing and productive. For myself I found that the RK-006 is a great and small midi solution and a patchbay, (after going throgh two days of troubleshooting because I was using balanced cables in an unbalanced patchbay😳) Thanks!

[@paulmehlhaff2588]

Being realistic is the sobering advice I need to hear! It’s not easy to hear, and I’ll have some work to do, but I am so glad you brought up the topic and shared your own experience and insight. As synth geeks, we’re always assuming everyone else is making it work with their studios and collections, but it’s actually freeing to know there’s a lot more people out there who face the same challenges. Thank you!

[@RoyWilding]

You nailed it Bo, this resonates so much for me and I imagine thousands of music hobbyists. Thank you.

[@TrickmanTerry]

Thanks for the perspective. I get down on myself for loving gear but not producing much. I need to change that attitude and do what makes me happy in the end.

[@actorjohanmatsfredkarlsson2293]

Brilliant. Best take on this problem I've heard. Thanks Bo :-D

[@actorjohanmatsfredkarlsson2293]

And for being honest are real about it.

[@heavysystemsinc.]

That last one is HYPER important! For a while I was making music to 'show off' like...'look what I did on this thing ya'll said was crap!' or I'd try to make music that was on 'trend', etc. and obviously it was all cynical and a...I don't know, it was an unrealistic expectation that anyone actually gives two farts about any of that while the track is playing in their ears and then I'm thinking "What's wrong with folks not liking this?!' and then I'm slowly realizing over this period that this is just as much of a problem as when I had 'selection paralysis' in the form of KVR Audio's VST and DAWs catalog that goes on for ages. I tried everything and didn't make music. I will say though that those two experiences in TRYING to do the thing that wasn't actually why I was doing the thing (which was more in line with the just love jamming...and I'll get to that in a second) did a lot for me artistically when I realized the entire reason I make music, dorked around with those bits of gear and tried to make them sound bigger and badder than their feature list, etc was because that's what I was hoping someone ELSE would do and didn't...I was making music I wanted to hear myself... And so that's all I do now...I just think about "Man, I wish someone would do this..." or even "I wish *specific artist* would tackle *specific style* and then just use that as a creative springboard into whatever happens and I always go towards music I like and I let folks know if I have a place to say it, this music is for me, but if you like it, that's awesome. I think a lot of people would be much happier in general to approach their interests in this way and stop thinking the ultimate goal is getting noticed or getting paid. The drive should be internal and not external.

[@huemorris6099]

SO well said! It took a while for me to realize my expectations were a bit grandious, but once it hit me, I started really enjoying what I was doing, Also, it made me play more guitar... 'cause that's what I came to love synths through.(gear) I'm now really comfy with what I have going on every time I show up to play at the studio. Glad to see you back my dude!

[@davidbock201]

Love it, Bo. My "issue" is GAS mixed with ADHD. It's a great noisy combination that I struggle with, but man when the stars align, and for whatever reason the groove starts to hit, Wow! I get lost for hours. As a noise making gear nerd, I love your content, messaging and approach. One of these days I'm going to hit the record button. Cheers!

[@patfinn2697]

Super solid Bo, especially managing expectations, which has a corollary to judgement. Self judgement is the buzz killer.

[@MartinYamMoller]

Interesting video. Good idea to balance the more reflective vids with the gear stuff👌

[@PaulLeBlanc4u]

I really really miss these kinds of videos from you Bo. It was what separated you from the great masses of music tech tubers when I found you years ago. Your unique combination of skills make these videos special. I’d love more music/psych videos. This one was a great return to why I started following you. Well done.

[@rebeccaschade3987]

I'm at the point where turning on my gear, and "messing about with it" makes me smile. It gives me enjoyment even when I'm not productive. And that's good enough. If I can put out a song now and then, that's just a bonus. I can totally relate to the concept of getting too much gear too quickly. Currently, I've added a fair few piece of equipment to my setup, but I truly do believe that some of that will actually simplify my setup. For example: I just got a MOTU Midi Timepiece AV USB. This will allow me to entirely get rid of the whole "right...midi channel 1 through 8 goes to synth X and channel 9 goes to Y and 10 goes to the drum machine and 11-13 to...." Instead it gives me individual midi ports for each device. That's a simpler way of doing it, and it's simpler in terms of wiring as well. So instead of it just being another device that "has flashy lights and looks cool in a rack" it actually makes the whole setup more "turn on and play". Also, having the gear, gives me a push to learn more music theory, production techniques and so on, which in turn makes me enjoy using the gear more. Does it make me more productive? Weeeell...Perhaps not, but it doesn't make me less productive either. That has more to do with my current state of mind.

[@smallformstudio410]

Great film, thank you. It's so easy to get caught up with focusing on the gear that we lose sight of what we can realistically do with it. Lot for me to take away and think about from this.

[@jantuitman]

Wise words! I set my goals quite low these days and still manage to get stuck in them because I am not 25 anymore and my health isn’t optimal so the amount of energy to spend on my hobby sometimes feels pathetically low. But at least I have learned not to panic too much about goals that don’t get reached, and I still feel a thrilll everytime I turn on my synths.

[@petercarrington948]

This really helped me, I thought it was just me, loving synths but not using them. Thanks so much 👍

[@patrickescapes1703]

thanx Bo .. a lot of what you said really resonated with me ... I bought a bunch of synth gear over the last year or so, and I find myself slowly evolving from being a guitar playing rock and roll fanboy, to a gear obsessed synth geek ... it's true that we have to admit that we love gear, and it's geeky, and that's OK .. I don't know people IRL who share or understand this obsession, so it's nice to know that there's someone on youtube who does... cheers!!

[@LuisTorres-qz5kr]

Great video & advice Bo, thank you! It "really hit home". I am a music hobbyist which took onto KZbin to learn about synths, and, have learnt much from you, loopop, and many others. I am certainly guilty of buying a little too much gear for music enjoyment, testing and learning (nerdy when it comes to tech) various synths. During this last 6 months I have been trying to be very deliberate about what and when to buy a piece of gear, with a big question around if I need it (or NOT) for my goals.

[@stubrakon9683]

Great video thanks! Ive more done in garage band recently than anything else. This is effectively free as i already had an ipad. Its mobile. Its ready to go. Not as good as "real" gear. Way better than no music being made.👍😀🤘😎

[@BoBeats]

Important thing is you are being creative!

[@FelixMatathias]

This is the best video you have ever put out there.

[@ToyKeeper]

Telling people what they need to hear, even if it's not what they _want._

[@hvdnmusic5996]

Bo! Thank you so much for sharing this❤ it came right on time as I feel exactly that inner conflict between the normal life (work, family etc.) and music. Recently it almost felt like pain being torn between these parts of my life. You have inspired me to overthink what is really important, where I want my music to go without having my family members to feel forgotten (does this make sense? I am no native speaker ;) Keep your direction, I really like what you do!

[@benbauer1065]

Classic Bo Beats heart to heart chat!

[@ThreeBeingOne]

No matter where you’re at, don’t stop. You have no clue when the click happens, but when it does😮. There is a long learning curve for a reason.

[@daneguitarist1]

Bo! glad to see you back! love the channel I took a break from jamming this morning, I think i disappear sometimes, i jammed like 4 or 5 hours, i cant believe the time lol .. shit i need to go eat something lol Synths rule! so much fun and so rewarding, I use synths in most of the movies and music produce for

[@zkwip8100]

Welcome back!

[@Tiger.Arcade]

Great to have you back Bo! Love that shirt btw as someone who’s main profession is a digital mapmaker. The best thing I did in my setup was minimize and focus on the most useful tools for creativity. Great video. Felt like a personalized therapy session! ✌️

[@88Fitzy88]

I appreciate ur thoughts, i got quite a lot of gear the last 4 years and still getting more 😂

[@roncordell]

Thank you for this video - you make really excellent points. I was chatting about a very similar topic with a colleague at lunch today - mostly about my journey along those lines. I can attest to a lifetime of "wanting" synths, loving the music they make but I've not had the musical skill to know what to do with them - condemned to preset hell as it were. I can play piano, guitar, oboe and saxophone, read music, etc - but I've never gotten past just "playing" or reading music to actually creating or improvisation. Understanding what chord progressions make sense given the current key is a huge gap to making music (at least for me). Watching videos is inspiring - and I want to be able to do what you (and they) do - but I quickly realize that no amount of GAS is going to buy the basic musical skills necessary to actually begin to make music. Realizing that it takes focused time and effort to invest in building my musical skill is critical and where I am at this juncture - some of that is by taking lessons and pushing myself on basic playing skills; some of it is just copying and replicating what others do to learn how they do it. It's not the kind of knowledge that comes with reading - you have to really work at it and practice a lot. Something I wonder about myself is that I've never had the feeling that I'm full of these musical ideas that I want to express somehow - far from it. But I would be ecstatic if I become skilled enough to play the different scales/modes in a key and understand what other scales/modes will work - is it that I-IV-VII thing or some other sequence that will sound good here? I'm not going to sell all my synth gear just yet - I've got music lessons on guitar and keyboard lined up and I've got a lot to learn and practice in my few hours per week :) -- goals I've set up that I know with investment will produce dividends, but I have to keep those goals in mind and in focus or I will never get any better, just more frustrated.

[@gregorjanzen4910]

❤ Bo, I like the way you look at things. Always a good time…

[@BoBeats]

Thanks!

[@madeinerror]

Im a parent with full time job. Almost no time. So I sold most of my gear that was collecting dust. Now I own only Tracker Mini and iPad pro, thats enough for me and my tiny spare time.

[@MrMarcLaflamme]

I feel both personally attacked and validated at the same time 🤣. It's reassuring to hear that the feelings and thoughts I have had surrounding this topic are not that farfetched.

[@timparker33]

I actually book gigs to force myself to have effective work flows. Nothing like a live audience to force a little creativity. I recommend this. It sounds extreme but you find you can and will pull off way more than you think you can when you must.

[@SexyNinjaMonkey]

I probably needed to hear this, pretty sure I need to simplify my setup and my goals. Might have to take some time and make some hard choices.

[@bassnsax]

Thanks for the great video, Bo! I needed to hear this!!! I'm primarily a bass player, and really got into the sounds of synth bass...but never got to the point of *creating* the sounds. Fast forward, I've got a BUNCH of synth plugins, and 2 hardware synths...and still am a bit lost. I did buy a copy of the reprinted Allen Strange book, and will be diving into that soon. I am selling one of my hardware synths because - despite it sounding great -I am continually running into a brick wall when I try to create patches on it, and will instead be buying a more analog, knob-per-function kind of synth (and also, the holy grail of the sound I'm going for with synth bass, anyways!). Again, fantastic video, Bo!

[@g3cd]

I've been setting up and improving my studio desk for a year now - and I actually enjoy the work and that it gets better and better. At the same time, I have other hobbies, like making KZbin videos or playing games. I am not making as much music as I'd love to, but I guess that's OK, as I like as well the other things I'm doing. It is true though that getting a lot of new gear, learning how it works and especially establishing a while new work flow took MONTHS and was quite overwhelming at first. But now I'm in a state that I could actually follow Loopop's epic setup video (and noticed I already found most of his solutions on my own), also I now have almost all the gear I ever wished for with hardly any need to expand, this feels very good. I am currently making it more comfortable to make music ... like sitting on my sofa with a small Arturia keyboard and a faderfox MIDI controller to change presets on my synths. This feels much more "relaxed" than "working at my desk", I can highly recommend it!

[@fakshen1973]

Figuring out who YOU are and creating a system that encompasses your workflow is key. There's who I'd like to be and then there's who I am. I'd like to have a room full of analog and vintage synths. I'd love all of that stuff. However, who I am is someone that has to take a lot of breaks from my work. I go in spurts of creativity. So having a system where there's a lot of live input like a bunch of VCO synths, doesn't help me produce a lot of work. So I tend to use all virtual stuff that I can reload exactly where I left off earlier in the day or week. I have a small mountain of Eurorack stuff. But I rarely use it when in the heat of the moment. So there's a big part of me that just wants to sell off that kind of gear and just go all virtual. Digital synths and digital hardware make no sense outside of a DAW as they are all based on computational power and nothing else. Perhaps DCO synths would make sense as long as their patch statuses are preserved. In reality, VCO style synths and other "live" instruments would only make sense at the very end of the creative process and either thickening or replacing existing sounds... which by that time, I'm usually not interested in replacing as they FIT in the mix by this point. If you're a live person, then this workflow would make no sense to you as doesn't play to your strength.

[@80ssynthfan48]

Great advice. If anyone identifies as being the person at 3:11, my advice is to have a good collection of *free* VSTs. No issues with what physically connects to what except the one controller keyboard. If you prefer a physical synth, just keep it sensible and whenever you get an idea, record it somehow in some form for coming back to later. Then you still have the free VSTs to fall back on if the synth sits unused.

[@kevinlloyd3047]

I know the view count on this video isn’t super high, but this video contains some of your most valuable insights. Thanks, Bo!

[@BoBeats]

Thanks!!

[@flutte1974]

Were you thinking about me when you did this video? Describes me exactly! I had the idea of buying a €50 MIDI keyboard, but "accidentally" spent some 50x that amount building a studio, and now I've got more synths that I can sequence... Still longing for a JU06A, Minibrute , SH-101-clone and Monologue. Not that I even know WHY I want them. But hey, BUILDING a studio is also a hobby, just like refurbishing a junk 1950's Cadillac into mint condition only to actually drive it 5 h per year! 😊

[@Soundioxide]

Very very true. When the things are not working and you start being frustrated, it is sometimes about take few steps back and think if what I do is the right thing with the proper setup. It is also about not being afraid to change your setup, sticking to the gear you purchased and you have to do something with that. Recently I sold most of my gear, keeping two instruments which quite works well with DAW/computer, which makes my work process a lot easier and saves time. These two synths along with other two VST synths is more than enough. What I also found some time ago, that I prefer to use presets instead of doing own sounds, so I am not focusing on fancy synthesizers who can do everything but are overly complicated and with long learning time. For me it is better to load some presets and perhaps tweak them a little. Again, if something is not working, do not be afraid to think about it and do some changes which may help you do music. Another thing is - as Bo mentioned - sometimes life is not giving you enough time or energy to do or finish music. It is all about not getting frustrated too early and be patient - if you keep trying and do anything with your instruments, time will come and you will be able to release something finished and new. In the past, there was very different time gaps between anything new was released. Sometimes it was a week, a month, year and even few years. What I know now is to keep doing music, experiment, look and search for inspiration, learn something new, try new sounds, instruments or effects... and not to be angry if this doesn't work. Be patient and keep doing things. Wishing you all good time with your music, instruments, gears, machines and computers.

[@pthomas36]

Thank you for making this video Bo. It means a great deal to me because I have been in a conundrum about my goals and purpose with my gear for some time now. I keep thinking the ergonomics of my studio is wrong. I need to use this space for work as well so it's not a dedicated creative space. How can I re-tool it to become more creative? Did I make the wrong gear choices? The fact is I think my gear choices were excellent for what I wanted to do but my goals and expectations have become warped over time, and this video did a LOT to help straighten that out. Again, thank you.

[@lafemmedevastation]

I appreciate the reality checks you've been bringing lately... practical advice without being preachy. thanks :)

[@DanJanTube]

This is timely. I only have a few pieces of gear (sampler, couple synths, drum machine, looper, couple mixers) but I've found so many different configurations. I can never be sure what's best. I've had it set up in a way that wasn't working for me for the last 2 months, and literally just last night I finally gave up and went back to another setup that was much more fun. I guess sometimes you just have to admit defeat and start over.

[@johnsch8634]

Haven't watched anything on your channel in a while, but it's nice to see a Bob eating again...

[@BoBeats]

That volca hit the spot

[@ridgerider7402]

Great words Bo 🧘