STOP! 5 Home Studio RABBIT HOLES to avoid!

[@tommichaud3927]

So accurate! While watching I realize I recorded and released a bunch of music 35 plus years ago using a Fostex 8 track and a Peavey mixing board with a couple outboard effects. Had fun, sold a ton of cassettes... Sometimes limitations are a good thing😊

[@bakersjazzandmore8109]

Another huge equipment myth is that all new gear is better than what's already on the market, or that what you own is suddenly "no good" when a new piece comes out. Invest only in what is valuable to you, learn those tools, and don't get caught up in the "newer is always better" maze.

[@refire2073]

I recognize the rabbit hole! Even education can be a rabbit hole-as you say, balance is what is needed and remembering the purpose: creativity❣️ Thanks for the focus reminder.

[@CreativeSauce]

My pleasure ;)

[@danaelston9848]

I really don't want to the hours...I know its a lot. I have had some good things happen following that rabbit but over all...nah! You are right Mike! Thanks for opening my eyes with this reminder.

[@mlwsf]

Sound banks and sample libraries. Catch bundles or single preset packs on sale and then have to load and listen to them all, as if I will remember how any of them will sound when I need them. Another one is house keeping, organizing sample and drum midi folders.

[@NeelModi_dotcom]

Very wise words Mike! My rabbit holes are few and far between these days. As I get older I'm getting better at finishing projects and using what i have. Every once in a while, though....

[@lwd_music]

I always appreciate how genuine you are. Thanks for all you do!

[@sashanvak]

The story of my life. Greatly appreciated. Just what I needed to hear after a long time wasted.

[@supernovasoundsest23]

"Nail on Head" spot on Mike!!!!

[@jeskoxx]

Hi, you're absolutely right, I spend hundreds of hours watching videos on YT about software, VST, hardware, but little time for actual music creation :(

[@charleshuguley9323]

My favorite mixing experience is to spend a long time adjusting a processor only to discover it's disabled.

[@refire2073]

So relatable!

[@CreativeSauce]

Yup. I've definitely done this! I swear I heard a difference.

[@plummetplum]

😂😂

[@earledaniels4539]

We've all been there. It's amazing how much our eyes can trick our ears

[@ringo7487]

Wow great post, I have sit on songs for years, time to finish!

[@michaeltablet8577]

Another excellent video! And right on time!

[@tdismusic57]

My rabbit hole is chasing the perfect piano VST.

[@kadiummusic]

I have spent decades down the rabbit hole looking for the perfect piano, finally found IK's Pianoverse, now I'm a happy bunny! 😎

[@neilingle794]

It's just got worse - Native Instruments have just released 'Claire' 🙄

[@kadiummusic]

@@neilingle794 Why? What did she do?

[@ringo7487]

Good post, thanks, I fall into this sometimes, I write a good song, all parts are finished but I'm never happy with the mix/master, so I look at plugin's to improve. Hmm time to finish to the best of my ability.

[@thetravelingrounders7924]

no plugins! just good captures...thx Mike!

[@justiceforall6412]

Good video Mike. I've stopped going down those holes a while back but every so often....

[@davebops2478]

Thanks Mike - nice reminder to keep things in perspective.

[@thepandemicequation7100]

This vid is full of common sense. I'm subscribing. Thanks!

[@pierrecarter3090]

Thanks Mike, you're so right !!

[@davidcox8838]

I've stopped using mixing and mastering software, because the song usually ends up sounding worse. I have stopped buying any new gear because I haven't explored what I have.

[@The-Skyking]

Thanks for this. Watching it made me worry that maybe my room has changed enough that I had to check my Sonarworks preset I made a year ago...then spend an hour making a new updated preset. Rabbit hole. FOMO. Distracting from mixing.

[@neilingle794]

This was an uncomfortable watch, because of course you are 100% correct! The biggest trap that I've fallen into is the curse of the do-it-all preset, i.e. some amazing plugin whose presets are carefully curated to sound like a one-note song! Native Instruments Lores and Fables spring to mind, although that's not fair because these plugins do have some lovely sounds. I think that we all have too many choices. If we constrain ourselves in whatever way, then creativity can flow more. For example, pick just three instruments and a theme, and create something with that (then embellish with other instruments and FX if you like). Of course, I don't practice what I preach! So, looking forward to your Black Friday videos, and I will try not to fall too far into the Shiny Object Syndrome black hole 🙃

[@CreativeSauce]

Suddenly, I feel like a drug dealer :p

[@compucorder64]

I find budgeting and scheduling, both time and money spent, helps with these aspects. Plugins for example, I might just take note of the most interesting things that come up. Maybe see how other people get on with them, they can even make instructional videos and save me manual reading and head scratching - like your useful UAD Pultec video ;) Thanks! Then, this week or so of the year, I'll make a fixed budget and a list, and buy what I want while it's on deep sale. Then forget about buying. Similar with treatment, about once a year, I'll spend a few days planning, buy what I need for the projects (absorption, material to build diffusors etc...), and then maybe a week or so installing at a conventient time of year, like first week of January. Then it's a multi-year diy project, year 1) wall panels and room EQ, year 2) cloud, year 3) diffusors, year 4) bass traps 5) tuning with more wall panels & diffusors & bass traps. Unless I was starting from scratch, where I might spend more than a month on initial setup, 7-10 days of the year seems plenty. With old projects, setting a deadline to finish is a good approach. Then it's best effort, and done, which is how a commercial project is dealt with anyway.

[@nickellis9251]

Wise words as always, thanks Mike. 😊

[@dillonvado]

Wonderful video thanks for this!

[@CaptainMoto]

So true! A great reminder to us all.

[@johndoe-cb5ck]

I mix in a untreated room...it took me a little bit but i know the sound of the room and my mixes sound great

[@1loveMusic2003]

A friend wants to learn guitar and was going to buy one for $1500 and a $500 amp. I told him to buy a $200 Squire Tele and play for a month before even thinking about an amp and if your into it still get the amp. An expensive guitar won't make you better. A cheap guitar won't hold you back.

[@larrymagico]

Agreed! I explained to someone once that if I have access to a $10,000 guitar, FX & amp rig, and you put me up against Eric Clapton with a $99 beginner's guitar and a low-end combo amp, they will enjoy Eric's playing a lot more because he can PLAY, and I couldn't.

[@neilerickson4163]

Guilty of GAS.

[@catlestocai3924]

Out of all possible gear examples, it had to be your fave guitarist's pickup 🤣(it is the only thing I am "guilty" of)

[@curtismech]

I feel targeted. Lol....I kid, but seriously - been very guilty of ALL of these. Great video!

[@marc_leblanc]

I only own a simple 2 input interface with a laptop and no other hardware. For the longest time, my rabbit hole was plugins since I didn't have gear. I felt I needed to get every new plugin that came out to help me get better sounds. I got to a point where I learned to get better at mixing with I already had and I've improved much more than trying the same technique over and over but with a different plugin. Also my recording/tracking technique was a huge part of why I wasn't getting the sounds I wanted.

[@ShiningHourPop]

Very wise words. Those that don’t know how the recording is created, don’t care whether you’ve used a 0.5db EQ cut at 1000k with a Q of 2.3! 😊

[@davebops2478]

1000k? Wow, I certainly don't worry about that high a frequency! 😁

[@ringo7487]

With room acoustics I could not afford expensive, pro treatment so I found a local company that sells foam, maybe they use it for bedding, not sure, but it looks great and, it's better. Also mixchecker plugin helps.

[@KreativeDevices]

🔥 Very useful info

[@eaglepass5170]

Excellent!!!

[@insidethestudio3886]

In my defense, I need the gear I'm looking at. My drum kit needs cymbal stands. It has none right now...haha

[@CreativeSauce]

It's true. Cymbals without stands, lack a little sustain :)

[@neilduty8448]

My god you are so right

[@daleagner8980]

This video inspired me to ask you to create a video for amature song writers. Using native Cakewalk and free plugins could you write an original song and sing it yourself. Recording your guitar, vocals, and whatever instruments you play yourself. I use a drum machine, guitar, record my own vocals and play bass for example. The video itself would be you singing and playing your song and could be a short as you like, perhaps different video clips of you playing different instruments in a split screen etc. Then sub videos can be created detailing how you recorded each of the parts, plugins/settings etc. When the primary video first plays time stamps could be linked to each of the instructional video for the vocal mix/plugins/settings.

[@IcemanTheDj]

1 year ago I made the acoustic treatment for my new studio and I still thinking about improvements! Altho I think that with what I've done I reached the point of diminishing returns! I just try to get myself out of thinking about it! On plugins and samples side I already got rid of many of them that just sits on my ssd talking to each other and not to me... 😂

[@abj358]

Dude! Gear happens.

[@davidloflin3098]

Hi I'm Dave, and I'm addicted to plug-ins...

[@CreativeSauce]

You're in the right place Dave. We have lots of plugins here..... oh wait... I'm supposed to be discouraging you!

[@Kit-l6f]

Guilty of this too however I have found some real keepers amongst free plugins

[@sandipbose8725]

6 months ? i am almost done with my album. worked everynight for the past 4 years. 7 songs done. will release by march next year through distrokid.

[@CreativeSauce]

I'll look forward to hearing it :)

[@sandipbose8725]

@@CreativeSauce is there a way to share just one song with you ? the reason is that, the music is worth listening to. the listeners, who are little musical, will want to hear most of the songs at least twice. even though the language is bengali. just to be sure that i am on the right track as your virtual studrnt.

[@kadiummusic]

Dolby Atmos is the biggest rabbit hole of them all! 😶

[@bwmac]

My rabbit hole is spending time on finding guitar tone or eqing my vocals in the box rather than play guitar from the soul

[@evieruth01]

Finding the perfect template and tweaking them for months 😢

[@steviek6484]

I’ll stop researching plugins *after Black Friday…I swear