You Don’t Need Expensive Studio GEAR! Save Your Money!

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

As a designer of not-exactly-cheap analog gear and plugins, I gotta agree with this vid. The vast majority of how your production sounds and (more importantly) *feels* comes from the composition, arrangement, sound selection, and performance. A killer mix pushes all of that to the next level, and most of *that* comes down to the ears of the mixer. It is 1000% the case that room acoustics are far and away the most critical variable in any attempt to record, produce, and/or mix. +100 on getting that shit sorted out first, if you can't hear the truth you're f•cked. Then, if your writing is dialed and your room is tight and you're gonna buy gear that sits in a rack, here's my $.02 on what gives the biggest bang for the buck: a killer preamp feeding an analog eq. Killer preamps make every mic sound sweeter, smoother, fatter, even an SM58 can crush it when the preamp is juicy. I know people love compressors but here's the secret: plugins comps are absurdly close, but analog eq can produce a tone that no plugin can begin to touch. If you have a sweet pre/eq combo, EVERY sound you record gets the benefit of that sweetness, so your 5% tone bump gets closer to 25% because you're slathering it all over. Great video man, thanks for keeping it real.

[@__prtcl]

hilarious the you commented on here because the UBK fatso is my own “not cheap, 5% benefit box” :) I love it and will never sell it, but would also never trade it for a good performance through a good preamp/frontend

[@samuelandrade3117]

Holy shit, i saw the video "How to hear compression" a couple of months Ago, that was absolutly great, change my mind, now i find this amazing coment, thank you so much Greetings from Brazil

[@MyronDavismd]

What preamp do you recommend?

[@ChrisCadenhead]

What an insightful comment!!!

[@LouisOrlando90]

Facts! My dad always said anyone can buy the gear but if you haven't got the skill to create the music, its a waste! That stuck with me and I think it has helped me, i have only just upgraded my monitors after 10 years!

[@jjbing3]

After 20+ years I’ve learned, the only people that care how the record was produced is you and other producers. 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@BoloDaProducer]

True!!

[@johndough6260]

Damn!!

[@beatgeekmuzic]

Facts!

[@shinji1264]

👀

[@khannakkbahr5644]

And don't forget about the company that is selling you the equipment. LOL

[@chillthrillmusic950]

The more I get comfortable and confident in my craft the more I see I don’t need a lot of the bells and whistles. You have a new subscriber, sir. Thank you.

[@BoloDaProducer]

True!

[@darwindeeez]

true stuff. my most popular album was recorded through a behringer eurorack into a delta 1010 using a $300 AT mic, a squier strat, a tower PC that i traded a $60 DJ mixer for, junk from craigslist, my dad's cr-8000, and a crate practice amp that someone left after a party. not saying this would work for anyone, but it is all about songwriting and composition. go to open mic!! i went to a great one every night for over a year. 7:30 to 2 or 3 in the morning every monday night. had zero idea how to write good lyrics before that. was literally mumbling into distorted mics to make lead vocals (fake words, melody only) some of the time. as the final song! glad you are prospering and staying focused, bolo. props!

[@sachii.k1802]

An interface, decent mic, laptop, basic keyboard, decent treated room and I'm banging some dope stuff!..no fancy gear needed, just the basics👍

[@LawrinMaxwellsmpc500]

Facts fam. Do ya thing playa.

[@FAshionjamio]

i i have a cheap mic and my bedroom no interface only a usb sound card and good years and my room is not treated i have smack attack AND finally GOD

[@Scott__C]

Lots of truth here. Back in the 90s I worked in a nice studio and they had big, in wall monitors, but most folks mixed on the smaller monitors on the console. One guy called them "client impressers". Like you said, skilled people can use anything and make it work.

[@anthonycunningham4598]

I’ve been engineering and producing since the early 80s, and now for me, there’s nothing better than experience and some $10 a month subscriptions! I’m diggin your channel sir!!! Thanks!!

[@mcdan2696]

Kept it real! Sound is contained in a room. A acoustically treated room will provide the best analog sound. Eg vocals, strings, brass, wind, percussion and strumming instruments!

[@GOASTWRITTER]

The only expensive gear I want is synthesizers and keyboards. Only because I like working outside the box while creating.

[@bjamminsincebirth3494]

A good song is a good song no matter how it’s made and no matter what gear you used to make it.

[@magnuseriksson8081]

Yes, it can even sound a little bad and make it better in some cases

[@RealSPT]

Naw😂😂

[@charlesanthony9186]

I get what you saying. It’s like a good singer with a raspy voice. Sometimes it just sound better

[@charlesanthony9186]

@magnus

[@magnuseriksson8081]

@@charlesanthony9186 Exactly, its not always the perfect voice or pitch gives that right honest real strong character to a song or a voice. Too perfect can sound too cold and over produced to me.

[@nucentury08]

Facts my first placement in a 06 was done with reason and a 25 key Axiom Record went on to earn me a Grammy Nomination & The single on the Album.💪🏾.

[@astroidroach1873]

💯 Tell them cause people blame equipment and can’t be bothered to master/Learn the craft. 👍🏾

[@michaelperez5273]

This needs to be repeated a 1000x Save your money!!

[@GazingSkies]

Okay definitely subscribed. A lot of producers I found talking about hip hop or rap production on youtube (similar for EDM producers) tend to be newer to the game and they don't know what they're talking about (one guy said the SM7B was the worst mic he used caused of how quiet it is, just goes to show). You definitely talk like a veteran and it's a nice change. Even though I produce EDM, I still agree with everything you said. Many producers in my community that are just starting out are typically trying to justify to themselves how they need to spend 500+ for iZotope plugins or this or that when a lot of the time they don't. Like you said sometimes it better to invest in acoustics or even in learning if you're able to pay someone for classes if that's your style. I've been producing for almost 10 years now. What I can say when it comes to buying new gear or plugins is: - If what you have breaks, go replace it with something a tiny bit better unless you have the money to get something really nice WITHOUT making a dent in your savings (like if you're making 6 figures and live like you make 20k, then yeah go get an Apollo). - You start to know what you need when you realize you're lacking in something. By this I mean, let's say you're producing on some cheaper 10-15$ pair of headphones from Walmart. If you constantly find that you need to hear your low end more clearly or maybe hear more higher frequencies, then yeah go get a $150 pair of headphones like m50x (obviously get them on sale if you can). The same thing goes for plugins. Personally, the way I work is I like to do a lot of stuff with reverb and granular effects. I got Shimmer by Valhalla because it gives you options that are very difficult to do outside of the plugin (like having the reverb have some higher or lower pitched feedback). You don't need it, as you said, but it does make your life easier and if you're working with clients, a lot of the time it means you can get the track to them sooner and keep getting more clients. The way I've improved over the years it by learning and practicing. If it wasn't for what I've learned, I wouldn't be where I am now in terms of skill (again, nothing to do with plugins or gear). Understanding stuff like stereo placement, eqing, gain staging, etc is FREE and doesn't require you to go buy Pro Q3 or other expensive plugins. Long paragraph I know 😂 but it's just reiterating your point man. Thanks for putting out the content you do!

[@chillwalker]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I am doing this work since the Atari Days. The Midi-Studio-Gear und people of our age, we grew together. If was young today, I totally would give up, because of the NOW endless possibilities we got over the last 20 Years, piece by piece. But every time I see a (famous youtube asshole) "Producer" showing the latest stuff you "must have" I really feel sorry for "youngsters" who believe this. My favorite new quote to them, when I am asked about my work: "You know...music-making is no Invention by Ableton." But with Hip-hop Kids, I did not know what to say. Now I have a cool Link for them! Cheers from Germany!

[@vampirelogic]

1: I would rather buy lots of cheaper gear to get more experience doing different things rather than one piece of really expensive gear 2: I love watching videos with people using cheaper gear and get it to sound amazing vs people with a bulky credit card that can buy whatever they want. I prefer the DIY hacker type .. 3: I think people that focus on expensive gear are either A) just a youtuber talking about high end gear, lights, how to market, etc but they never seem to play anything? B) Lacking ability to get good sound out of what they have (See point 2) This would be like me being a very average basketball player wearing cheap shoes, then all of the sudden I go buy some expensive shoes and thing that is going to change my ability. Your point about knowing your gear is the most important point you made in this video!

[@electropunkzero]

I have learned that you don’t need the new tool until you have outgrown your current tool and you have already learned it inside and out and pushed it to the limits and you know exactly what the new tool would give you. This way you don’t buy something you don’t need, don’t know how to use, and don’t know what the differences are.

[@marklabranche8045]

Love your candidness. You are right. I just get extra stuff to make myself feel good.

[@Sam_Utah]

Makes a lot of sense. When I see an inspired player on a $500 synth, I think no amount of gear can replace talent and inspiration. Creativity cannot be purchased and deep knowledge of an instrument or processor is way more important than having expensive gear that is not completely understood. Wise words! sub.

[@stevechase2232]

You are one the most level headed guys on the Tube!

[@BoloDaProducer]

Thanks I appreciate that💪🏾

[@Deal2Respect]

nobody needs the gear we want the gear because after years of perfecting your craft on low budget equipment its time to step it up....... nice video bro!

[@KeytarKris]

My studio is covered in vintage gear, cheaper used vintage gear from EBay. Shop around and you can get quality used gear at fair prices. The new stuff is kool too

[@barrywilliams8289]

So true hits were made from simplicity not only gr8 but sensible & factual tutorial

[@thomasmatthews5732]

Perception is everything. Marley Marl proved that.

[@BoloDaProducer]

True

[@_thevaporz]

This is facts! Great comment. Learning to mix to reference tracks is a great tool.

[@sjtheartisan]

I have a friend who adores gear and I remember one time I was showing him some beats and he was like “how did you get your 808 to sound like that” and I hadn’t really did a lot to it yet. It’s the ear, not the gear.

[@estebanb7166]

True. At the end of the day, it all comes down to your ears and taste.

[@SonnyCrackBeats]

Damn.. Awesome to see a great Tampa producer with a channel. The OG She Got It still bumps in the ride..

[@surfingsaturn2543]

One of the few videos I agree with 97%. I deal with this exact issue producing (as a hobby). I have lots of sound toys, drum machines, synths, and sample libraries. I also play guitar and keys and know a good bit of theory. My brother has a laptop with FL Studios and the stock plugins, no music theory. His music sounds a lot better than mine. He just has better tastes and judgement than I do. It used to get me down feeling like a fraud knowing I had all this gear but no talent, but I enjoy the process of making my music and it's relaxing to me. It took me a long time to get to a point of just enjoying making sounds after building a nice studio. My takeaway is you don't need expensive gear to make amazing sounds. If you can afford the gear and it's not breaking the bank splurge on your studio. Might be ignorant but I mix in headphones acoustic treatment for rooms is too complicated for me.

[@GabiWilsonTV]

The artist H.E.R. recorded the vocal's and acoustic guitar for the Grammy winning song of the year "I Can't Breathe" in her bedroom at her mom's house.She used an Apollo Twin X plus a TLM 103 for both.Her bedroom is not treated.

[@NyakzOTSD]

Valid but that is not the norm and most artists lack the talent!! + A UAD Apollo is still $2000 and that mic is still $1600 😂🤣😂!! Equipment is key

[@EpocaDura]

I GARANTEE that the Mixing and Mastering engineers that did the post production work had very decently treated listening rooms. The reverse of your statement is true for me, and most mixing professionals. I can make a Sure SM58 Sound like a AKG CK-12 on vocals as long as my listening position is giving me accurate frequency representation. Recording with a $1300 Mic will make the vocal much more true to the persons natural voice, resulting in less EQ (apart from a 30hz cut) and making the vocal fit better in the mix fresh after recording. If a room is not treated with bare walls, your recording will have flutter eco to some degree. Which is much easier to fix and hear in a room treated to reduce those reflections. Also if your not mixing or recording Low Frequency's you can get away with far less acoustic treatment as the wave lengths are shorter making them easier to tame.

[@seanq9884]

@@EpocaDura At the end of the day it's the talent that matters the most. Chris Brown is gonna sound amazing whether he's recording in a untreated room or in a high end studio.

[@hardlines2635]

With that title

[@LawrinMaxwellsmpc500]

Bruh you jus named mad expensive equipment. That's the opposite of what bolo talking about 😂😂

[@wolvenbeats569]

This reminds me of my situation, I have a band that regularly comes back to record their songs with me. Yet their drummer has a studio with a bunch of gear...expensive gear... and all I got is my Mac mini, plug ins, a midi keyboard, an audio interface, 1 mic and an electronic drum kit. Which just about all items I bought were on sale or I used coupons lol Anyway the artist comes to me and says "you just know how to get the sound we want right so we trust you" And I'm sure their drummer specializes more in his own sound which is primarily RnB Hip-hop music, and I specialize in Metal/Rock music so it just depends on your set of skills not the gear.

[@pbasswil]

I'm a Beatles fan, and love the _sound_ of their tracks. You can imitate it with modern $$$ gear, but you just can't _nail_ it with today's equipment, for love or money. All to say: The Best & The Latest/Greatest isn't always what you need, anyway. What you _really_ need is a developed ear for the sound you like - and the patience to figure out how to make it happen with the gear you've already got.

[@familyandparentingchannel]

I want to endlessly say Thank you Mr. Bolo for this video. I have always been confused about starting my home studio with a BM 800 mic, laptop, audio interface and headphones, in addition to an improvised vocal booth (all covered in soft blankets), and it seems now I can go!💪

[@cryptoman1056]

You right! treating your room first! Then buy that expensive gear if still need it!

[@BoloDaProducer]

Yessir!

[@Rio-uv1gs]

Yep

[@eman0828]

That's the most common thing I see most amatures missing is proper room acoustics. It's much more important than fancy gear. Honestly a real studio is an acoustically treated space, not the equipment it self. I use GIK Acoustics myself for my sound acoustics. The absorption material is green renewable energy sources that's non toxic that doesn't contain harmful chemicals that uses *Ecose* for binding.

[@Rio-uv1gs]

@@eman0828 Is there any suggestions you would give if your in a space that you can't put up treatment permanently but you want some type treatment?

[@eman0828]

@@Rio-uv1gs What space are you working out of a bedroom, living or basement? How many windows in the room and the shape of the room?

[@chromakey84]

Attaining something you think you want isn’t because you want or need it, it’s because for a brief time afterwards, you are free from wanting anything. And it’s this freedom we all look for. Our innate freedom

[@paxdei1988]

Sounds like the short interval between withdrawal symptoms to me.

[@gooneybird808]

Real talk. I’ve been trying to kick my gear habit for a minute

[@BoloDaProducer]

Mine too lol

[@fantaztikbeatz]

No bull shit ive been doing pretty good with my gear addiction and plug ins and vst's ive learned to minimize and master the tools i have its cheaper that way.

[@ASH-ou4cg]

Yes, GAS is a very serious thing!

[@BobbyGeneric145]

Don't get into eurorack synths!

[@SkyDeep]

Yesssss.. Completely agree on that acousticly treated space. Best investment I've made for my little portable minimal gear setup.

[@darrellroseborough7275]

My brother my brother spit that gospel!!!! It’s because of channels like yours and Grahams (Recording Revolution) have immensely motivated me to keep grinding and not focus on what gear I have. At the end of the day the common consumer is not going to ask or be concern about rather you used SSL, Apollo, Focusrite, M-AUDIO or specific DAW you recorded in or how many and what kind of plugins you use for processing. The old adage is if it sounds good then it is good. Room treatment I must say is vital but I must say I have friends in the industry and put out banging clear pristine music all recorded in a bedroom with little or no treatment and I could have swore that the project was done in a more expensive studio. People will argue until the cow’s come home but I will not let it deter me from making great music with the tools I have. Now it’s not cheap equipment but inexpensive gears I prefer to use on other stuff for one a little room treatment goes a long way. As you mentioned BoLo get to know your gear. I have admit I do like plugins but it’s not the do all end all. Performance arrangements are key. If you can’t sing rap or play instruments really well then it really doesn’t matter if you have 100,000 of equipment. Keep preaching the good gospel my brother. I am now an subscriber. D’LikeFuL,

[@gphillimo]

This is the mindset i have always had, but i didn't have the motivation to do it until the pandemic hit. I started producing, recording, and mixing myself with just plugins. I have found that you don't need to spend yourself into debt to get the right sound. When i play songs for people, they think i went to a million dollar studio and I'm like nope i recorded that in my closet and mixed it on my computer that's 3 feet away from the closet

[@kippahthefrenchiewhippasni9689]

Bolo you the realist ninja I know on this producing scene.

[@Thedagda801]

Have to say Bolo, you talk so much sense. Thank you

[@RunOfTheHind]

Word. Do the best you can with what you got before moving on up.

[@may4th477]

It’s always been about working with less that’s the FOUNDATION of hip hop!!NEVER CONFUSE IT!!

[@k-fountain154]

It’s funny you made this video. People ask me “is certain gear worth it?” I say “it’s about what you put into anything you do”

[@vazfinestdjchozin1599]

DAW's & VST's made it so hardware is no longer needed now but you wouldn't have the music of the past without say, the "Linn Drum". Equipment and talent was everything with artist like Prince & M.J... ijs. Ppl are flocking to stand alone and vintage more than ever now. Thanks for the upload. You do have a good point.

[@mullewap6670]

thank you for your wise and honest words, stay as you are.

[@BigPhilTheGreat]

The one thing I really spent money on is my lap top. Just because I wanted a smooth experience and I use it for a lot. Great vid.

[@DonClair-D2thaC]

Man it's a bunch of cats that needed to hear this

[@k-fountain154]

We hope they listen

[@sidebar4018]

Best studio Philosophy on KZbin!!!! Ears don’t know if the gear was cheap or not

[@yfaudio.bsky.social]

That opener a SUPER FLEX!!!!! BOLO!!

[@ToreHansen]

Me and a friend had "everything" in the 90s. Nowsays Arturia midi keyboard and over 100 VST, mostly free...low budget. Today cleaning studio so ready for a new beginning this weekend...

[@troelsknudsen253]

Totally agree and acoustics is key and most important, but I'll add one thing: you absolutely can get great sounds off simple equipment but having TRIED (not necesarily purchased) a ton of gear is generally a good thing and a lot of experienced producers kinda forget to mention that. It just adds to your mental toolbox and shows you how many different directions you can go and you gotta experiment a bit if you want to develop a personal style.

[@urbannpa]

I looked at a photograph one day of all the gear I had (pack rat) and sold everything but a turntable, MPC Touch, small Zoom mixer. Brought a couple of semi-modular synths and felt better about creating loops. Less is More.

[@reedrusselljr1651]

I swear, I have been preaching this for years! I’ve had people who’ve recorded with me for 10 years or more and check out my interfaces and say to me “you’re still using those MOTU interfaces? How come you’re not running ProTools, or Logic?”...until the mix is done!!! LOL Learn your gear...inside and out! Great video bruh as always...

[@madedigital]

I AGREE, and distribution plays a big part

[@N8oRMusic]

It's amazing how many "songwriters" forget to write good songs to begin with.

[@BrentCharles]

+Bolo, Thanks for sharing your perspective!! I really appreciate this!

[@KLOGHL]

I use analog gear for my vocal chain. MPC one and MPC software for my music production. And plugins for my mixing and mastering. With this combination. I can get up and running more faster. and really shape my sound.

[@Spiritleddef]

What are you using for your analog vocal chain?

[@prod.gregupnext2958]

Music is music no matter what skill speaks for itself

[@t3reeproduction314]

I got some expensive gear and some cheaper gear and when its all said and done its really about having a good treated room and I will say sound selection and the performance .. Im still working on getting my room treatment top notch thats a big piece of the puzzle..

[@magnuseriksson8081]

I need that too, a well-treated room done in an easy way so I can move out without a lot of hassle

[@Manmademadman]

Thank you Sir, for this TRUTH. Gear doesn't really matter to the final product as much as being as creative as possible... getting there, however, is up to each persons knowledge of their own gear.

[@josephhall5884]

When all this was new. When I was young they put me in front of the mpc 4000 and a Triton 88 key. Plus a Mackie 32 digital mixer. Hours lost. Cakewalk Sonar and waves plug-ins got me there, I went to the crib. Cooked up in 45 minutes. Then allowed back in the studio. Lol

[@edowusu]

U just gained my subscribe 💯. Keep up the good work.

[@JohnMassari]

Amen!!! It’s about the music!

[@Bcwilderness]

truth, all you need is the kiss of a compressor ssl eq, and the best ideas hooks riffs. we go mad for production, listeners go wild for time bass feel and catchy, we were listeners once

[@Bcwilderness]

also treating a room, quilts on mic stands plus stay warm when the sky falls check

[@fetti4real]

Facts, gear won’t change your sound or compensate for lack of talent, but I think purpose is everything. Yes, you can get a great sound out of cheaper gear but it’s misleading to say you can get the same sound out of cheaper gear. You can’t get the same results with plugins that you’d get out of an SSL console and outboard gear or a high end converter. More of the discernment comes in at knowing your level and role in this industry and picking the right gear you need for the results you’re after as opposed to just decorating your studio with high priced gear without a purpose.

[@BoloDaProducer]

I’ve worked on SSL E console for 4 years, and I plugged in a lot of different gear in it from expensive to cheap and only difference that we could hear was noise floor issues and that was with some cheap gear and some expensive gear. In all we found out that most gear just required a bit more attention but nothing more than 3-4 mins to get it sounding good. But most of the expensive stuff was barley making a difference. Even the SSL board, on spare tome we tracked on old Peavey mixers and it sounded great

[@fetti4real]

@@BoloDaProducer I definitely respect where you’re coming from but that’s hard to wrap my head around in that I’ve worked on SSL consoles myself and even now still own an SSL Six and G Bus 500 series to sum with and printing back into Logic produces better more life like results that I can’t get from my UAD plugins of the same gear. Now at modest levels they sound similar but the difference definitely becomes more apparent when you push the levels hot. It’s still musical, focused, and 3D. The stereo image is deeper, wider, and taller. The plugins sound smeared, fall apart, and aren’t as forgiving when you try to push them. My clients also hear the difference and I’m someone that didn’t believe in the gear hype myself until I went up the ladder from a Focusrite converter to Apogee and then Lynx and A, B’d the results. It’s like once you hear the difference there’s no turning back. So yes, I stand on it that chart topping hits can be made on the most modest gear but purpose really can dictate how far one may go down the rabbit hole. If you’re producing and someone else is gonna handle the mixing, simplicity is where it’s at but if you’re doing high end mixing or mastering that’s a different ball game to where if those same results could be achieved with prosumer gear, then people would ditch a lot of the high end stuff but that’s not the case and is the reason why Neve, SSL, etc are making streamlined hardware tools because the in the box and bedroom musicians are demanding it because they want that sound somewhere in their production chain.

[@ZndBornMixedIt]

I love all of my gear but ZERO lies were told. Zero. Great vid!

[@jroditis1]

True words!! Totally agree with you. Considering we go through all proper steps to make decent quality music and the majority of listeners use cellphones, tablets or laptops for playback.

[@markmallory2528]

I’M SCREEEAMING BRO, R-E-S-P-E-C-T! Preach on Rev Bolo! I’m from old school, so I know the limitations that gear had and YES, you tended to need a lot of it. BUT, today’s gear / devices do sooooo much, it just isn’t necessary to having a lot to make something GREAT! I feel you on that! Mad props to you Bolo! 🙏🙏🙏

[@thisbusinessofmusic1276]

Yessss....finally someone that speaks the unvarnished truth. Great vid. People need to watch this and burn this info deep into their brains.

[@TheBluuHouse]

You keep it real my man!!!! Thanks. I want to spend one day kicking it and just watch your process!!

[@BigWillTheMill]

I had a bad case of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) for several years. As I came out of it, I saw some mistakes, but my big take away was that the ONLY gear worth investing in, is gear that is an actual investment. I will invest into things that speed up my workflow (why I got a MPC X), but I almost refuse to worry about anything else. Beat makers and producers have a specific ear and listen for stuff no one else gives a damn about, once that sunk in, I realized how dumb it was to spend X number of dollars on FX, synths, etc.

[@orphnmusic4231]

Yes, I fully agree!!! Especially what you're saying in the intro! Good Acoustic Treatment, Compression, Eqing, sometimes amps/preamps also make a huge difference, especaially when you work with a lot of astists that use acoustic instruments and acoustic percussions / drums. If you don't record acoustic drummers or live grand pianos, brass instruments you also can save a lot of money on extra mics by just doing that in a friend's studio or big company you've worked with before or rent in at a studio that provides this and let the files sent over to you for further work. Also 500-Series Stuff, if you want to go hardware can save you some money instead of going for the "big boys". most of the times cost you about 6-8k less or even more depending on which modules you want to use (This is coming from a person that owns both) For me the main magic though comes from good acoustic treatment in your rooms, Knowledge of why you use something for a specific reason and know HOW TO USE IT properly (Plugins & Hardware), a good mix and defintely a good pair of ears and music theory knowledge and knowing how to play & stylistic use of all the instruments you are recording yourself. Also you can save some money by learning how to build instruments, sound of wood types and learning how to properly set them up / how to repair them. Personally I want to expand my knowledge on analog synths even though I never use them in my productions. I have a Gear example for this one: My 2 Guitar Amps - Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 36 Tube Amp (got that one in a Sale and still then did cost about 600 BUT you have to add repair and restoration costs every 2,5-3 years which always costs you around 300) VS my Positive Grid Spark40 passive and world's first smart "Practice" Solid State Amp that can emulate a huge variety of well known Amps and Pedals (just cost me 300 in total) and trust me when it comes to guitar stuff Positive Grid products are top of the line quality wise and pretty much every person that records guitars from Death Metal over Acoustic Pop to Jazz knows this. My facit: If something like the Positive Grind Spark40 Amp would have existed 11-12 years ago when I got the Tubemeister36 AND just got into recording, mixing and mastering my first band's stuff I definitley would have bought that one as a person just getting into all of this but at that time this was one of the cheaper amps that featured direct Amp to Interface recording technology so you didn't always have to set up a mic infront of the speaker cabinet but could record straight away with just plugging in one cable into your Interface and could record actually directly what you hear while playing without any room sound hassle or cabinet crackling / white noise.. as a 16 year old for me this was really helpful and improved my guitar recordings a lot... Would I get it now for good recordings? No because you can save a lot of money with the Digital Emulated versions of Amps and Pedals that are featured on the Spark40 remember with the other one you still have to borrow pedals if you have the option from bands you're friends with or have a good trust-work relationship, buy them which can easily add up into another couple of thousands or have to rent them but then you have to know exactly which you get for what effect and in what kind of order you have to chain them. Plus you still have to pay what the Spark40 costs in total with the emulation app (which comes free and is just amazingly mindblowing) every 2-3 years! Also back in the day a lot of solid state amps didn't feature jacks and in-/outputs that Tube Amps had.

[@NyakzOTSD]

Beg to differ on this position and here’s why - Most radio/chart/tiktok/million + views records you hear are coming out of quality audio equipment! There will always be people who beat the odds (I.e a lottery winner) but as a general rule of thumb most ‘medium to big’ songs have a good input source and that makes mixing your song 1000% easier and allows you to do things like push a Vox all the way to the front without taking out the quality in the performers Vox and or instrument! 2.If you have sub par equipment when you get into mixing these problem (I.e a high floor noise with a poor interface eg focusrite, or a vocal performance with a lot of scratchy high end because of a cheap mic or cheap studio monitor which means your decisions are not accurate) cannot really be remedied in the mix without taking away from the quality of the audio! Will great gear make you a world class performer- No! But what it will do is allow for you to make a great sounding record which always enhances the performance... A beautiful women with a bad photo will get called ugly.. See your music in the same way!! Just to add plugins are actually more expensive than we would like to consider... To have great sounding plugins will still cost you in the range of $1500-$3000 which is a lot of money for most average people... Overall making music is an expensive hobby and if you wanna sound great your gonna have to spend... For those who wanna argue with me... Ask yourself this how many people in the grand scheme of the music business as a % have had large success with sub par recordings? How many hit songs as a % have been mixed with just stock plugins?Probz less than 10%... And you wouldn’t bet on something that is 10% likely to happen

[@GazingSkies]

I mean there still are people that before they blow up have had smaller success with shows and they make enough money to get that gear. Don't know if you know them but within the EDM community, Illenium is blowing up. The guy is a millionaire at this point probably and he's got amazing gear cause he can get it. Smaller artists like Dabin and Said The Sky who haven't had the same success yet and haven't gone viral have made a good amount from shows and merch which lets them afford the gear they have. IIRC, that first Billie Eilish album that blew up was all made in Finneas' bedroom with hs7s or 8s, a regular iMac, and even the studio monitors aren't placed in the perfect acoustic position. Yeah he has some good interfaces which makes sense because him and his sister are vocalists. Just a thought

[@NyakzOTSD]

@@GazingSkies like I said as a % how many ppl do what billi Ellish does

[@GazingSkies]

@@NyakzOTSD But my point is the recordings are amazing even with the cheaper gear. Top quality gear doesn't always mean top quality tracks

[@NyakzOTSD]

@@GazingSkies no they ain’t 😂🤣😄! I mix records daily and I can tell you most ppl don’t even know how to get a decent recording! I forget to add EDM producer DONT record and all their music is via Plugins so Analog gear or input gear I.e compressors wouldn’t make a major difference!! See it like this more people have access to more equipment at cheaper prices than ever before but yet We don’t have the same increase in superstars lol

[@stacystacksbeats999]

This dude is real as hell!!

[@Ast3rixMusic]

This is true you don't need it. You can do a lot with just your DAW. If you learn your DAW you can emulate any sound that's out. I like sound design and I use my gear to create sounds that I can't create with just my DAW. I won't ever get into the mix engineering gear thou because I can emulate all of that stuff with software.

[@mimikoss]

One very good mic preamp like Avalon vt-737sp its a must have maybe the only expensive gear we need in the studio.

[@savoybeats5174]

I would really like to see the breakdown of that mix cuz you had it sounding crispy

[@BoloDaProducer]

I didn’t do much, just gain staging and put a waves L2 on master channel

[@BadTV1993]

clean sound is most important...no one cares how we get there except engineers and other producers

[@MarkusAudio]

First video, instant sub. 20 years in it, totally ascribe to what you say. HQ video, inspiring!

[@BaddBadger]

It's true, you don't really need a ton of nice studio toys. But then you don't need music, films, art, comics, comedy, theatre, sex, drugs, clubs, parties, foreign holidays, or any kind of fun really. But they are just nice to have!

[@trentgthegoat5496]

I never knew that was said on his produced tracks when they say BoLOOO! Until I seen this video nice to meet you G.

[@BoloDaProducer]

Nice to meet you as well homie!

[@bryantwalley]

This is one of the best videos I have seen in a really long time. Love the honesty. Helping the young folks learn to keep it real.

[@dopebeatzproductions]

I remember I used Fl studio and an internal sound card in my computer in 1999 , music was bumpin !

[@eman0828]

This is true. I love my outboard gear but it's just another tool in my arsenal for flavor but def not necessary. Talent is more important than gear. You can have all the fancy gear in the world and still produce a mediocre record if you ain't got the talent. You see people on the *Gearslutz* forums arguing about gear and interfaces all the time which is a lot of wasted time and energy when many big records have been produced and recorded on a little bit of everything even budget gear. Veteran Record Producer *Ron Fair* probably the closest thing to Quincy Jones that can write musical arrangements on manuscript and conduct the orchestra the school way that went from working on a large format console down nothing but a Presonus Quantum interface in his home studio with a very minimalist setup. He's the man that produced hits such as Mary J. Blige - Be Without You, The Black Eyed Peas - Where is The Love? and most of Keisha Coles records. Another Producer a female Producer known as *Sylvia Massy* uses a lot lower cost Sure mics on many Rock records she producted. Her and Rick Rubin did a mic shoot out and the cheap $100 Sure SM58 mic sounded ghr best out of $30k worth of mic collection.

[@valley_robot]

I sold most of my gear, do most of my music on an Mpc one and mix it in garageband, only to add a final presence and a little overall compression and reverb

[@Xylume]

Respect Bolo Da Producer!

[@marcojeano3605]

Bro you're right a 1000%

[@bigj4223]

BDP, you nailed it!!! I've believed from the beginning. As I started doing live sound I believed that you didn't need the best gear but knowing how to use what you have and the perception of what it should sound like and most importantly, training your ears. Thank you for this, you just gained a new fan!!!!!

[@diabolicwaste]

i have that ssl2 interface aswell its awesome i love it

[@LillySchwartz]

Spot on! Great gear does one thing exceptionally well though: It takes away all the excuses. If people think their stuff sounds bad because their gear is cheap, they'll have a rude awakening when they get that expensive gear and it still sounds as bad. And then they can finally go ahead and fix the real problem!

[@new2dayuser151]

A bunch of gear looks nice, sounds great and is very impressive. However, less is always best.

[@YFGP1]

Just recently found your channel, i became an instant fan. Great viedos, amazing information (that's better). So, thanks! Looking forward to hear/see more!

[@jodyglover7429]

I have a lot of nice gear and nobody else cares about it but me! But I love each piece I have and I try to use something from it every chance I get but that's for my own personal enjoyment. When I talk about these things with my loved ones they don't even understand why I spent the money on it but it's just for me.

[@JulianFernandez]

gear is the 5%. nailed it!

[@REALEXIT]

So it's not about gear it's all about the mixing if you know what you do with DAW As Pro that's it that's all what you need

[@nth7485]

"Rather buy gear than Rolexes..." - Word!

[@jonheimusicacademy]

agree with you man. thanks for great insight. please show me how i can treat my acoustic setting in a simple bedroom studio

[@jeffryarchambeau5441]

Especially true since most people stream through their phones! Maybe with decent earbuds or Bluetooth speaker.

[@Kingjohan_]

My main focus on investing is speakers and room acoustics

[@rogermakarov]

Im using a Antelope Zen Tour and Pure 2 and happy...