Does gear matter?

I travel to Thomann in Treppendorf, Germany to find out if gear matters at Gearhead University #tgu18. The answer I'm going with is kinda, but you shouldn't worry about it.
Actually, I'm pretty sure it doesn't. I had fun, though.
(⌐■_■)
⦿ Adam Neely T-shirts!⦿
teespring.com/...
⦿ SUPPORT ME ON PATREON ⦿
/ adamneely
⦿ FOLLOW ME ON THE INTERNETS ⦿
/ adamneely
/ its_adamneely
/ adamneelybass
⦿ Check out some of my music ⦿
sungazermusic.b...
insideoutsidemu...
adamneelymusic....
Peace,
Adam

[@johnredberg]

How to not get invited back to promotional events. XD

[@gerulfdosinger9869]

John Redberg I am sure they will invite him back. They need the diversity of viewpoints to appeal to a broader audience.

[@huntudown4]

Gerulf Dösinger I agree with your point, but the brands at the end are basically unreadable. Adam could have at least done a 10% less tripy meme ending with legible brand logos

[@steampunknord]

@@huntudown4 Got to agree, most of the video has a very good point but if he had made the brands legible it would have surely boosted sales among his fans. I am curious to see if he does get invited back.

[@potestoniko]

funny enough, they called him back this year! and the memes he gave us were godlike!

[@JorisGriffioen]

@@steampunknord I really doubt that some unrelated logos at the end of a video sells gear.

[@RaquelRaquel-fb3xp]

Welp, there goes Adam’s last gear sponsorship

[@Mezurashii5]

I think so too... not because the topic of the video, or the conclusion. I think it might be because of the ending.

[@KiltedTupiniquin]

Mezurashii5 Agree. Not a nice way to honour a contract.

[@thygod]

Some companies might appreciate the humor. I'd hope they would.

[@sixmonthssleep3057]

I dunno man, Thomann are all about that Henning guy (Etchi pi42 or something), and he's pretty crude and kind of hard to watch I find. Adam is legit still serving his audience and still being part of the Thomann thing. I'd say they're cool with all the various KZbinrs' styles. I makes for better content I think.

[@alinayossimouse]

You could just barely read most of the sponsors' logos. If I were them I wouldn't be happy about the ending.

[@jrobinsondrums]

"Music is, after all, about sound" -Adam Neely in a room full of a shitton of stage lights, 2018

[@RobFlaxMusic]

This made my day.

[@someoneelse5005]

some of those lights induce the 50hz hum into single coil pickups...

[@reaganharder1480]

@@someoneelse5005 unless he's in North America, (which I think he is) in which case that hum would be 60Hz

[@0Scoops]

I love how adams thumbnails are the opposite of clickbait

[@saidmohammadzuhair2509]

Ikr his content is so good he doesn't even need any

[@fluffigverbimmelt]

And he didn't stretch this video to 10:01. It's weird, but it's almost as if he isn't trying to queeze the most money out of this!

[@M.J44]

Even better, that's what makes me want to click them. He has interesting answers usually.

[@fernandomorales7489]

I saw this video come up on my feed a year ago, but never clicked because the answer was in the title!

[@MM-vs2et]

By giving the answer in the thumbnail, it makes the (potential) viewer wonder why, instead of what, which is what clickbaiting is. That's why his channel is more philosophically inclined than most music channels, and certainly attracts like-minded people.

[@ruebene2223]

Gear matters: You need an axe. Gear doesn't matter: You don't need the most expensive axe.

[@Komatik_]

Beginning pianist here. Instructions unclear, ruined shiny new sound-making device with sharp metal thing on a stick.

[@noahmay7708]

@@Komatik_ It happens to the best of us.

[@justxull9278]

@@Komatik_ Ahh very common for beginners to do that

[@guitarmichael]

A poor craftsman blames his tools...but it's still nice to have sharp tools.

[@marek.p]

Michael Briggs You just summed up the whole thing into one sentence

[@DavidRosario69]

Michael Briggs I've tried chopping wood with a dull axe and carving with a dull chisel. If a master luthier like Ben Crowe from Crimson Guitars demonstrates the poor results achieved with tools in suboptimal conditions, then there's probably something to the idea of good tools.

[@davidfuller581]

That's a fantastic analogy.

[@guitarmichael]

David Rosario Yep that's the point. Dull tools can be a pain for Ben (love his channel by the way), but sharp tools won't make me as good as him.

[@DavidRosario69]

Agreed, but I find the converse to be true. I recall rehearsing with a singer on an acoustic piano, and then I had to play for the event on a synthesizer which had a sound that was SUPPOSED to be a piano, and after the gig, the singer asked "what happened"? Not only was the sound horrible, but it was very uninspiring to play, which actually affected my performance. There are many guitarists who feel that way as well.

[@teehundeart]

"$300 crap guitar" Ok, it's not like that's more expensive than any guitar i ever owned...

[@jdsuperawesome]

I heard that and realized all my guitars are hand me downs from people who quit playing lolz

[@tophertoast1788]

@@jdsuperawesome Those are the best cause they're already broken in :D

[@cdreid9999]

@@524coconut $ and quality have ZERO relationship to each other. I have a harley benton youd fall in love with if you saw (7 fanned fret). I have an ibby sorta-less-paul youd fall in LOVE with and choose over any gibby youve ever touched.

[@tomasagustinveravicentin7789]

Yeah, my guitar I think it costed 50 bucks brand new lol

[@Y4cobDaily]

Yeah I play my cheap $200 tele more than any of my other guitars

[@NotRightMusic]

"I believe that being familiar with your gear is more important than having really good gear." -TA

[@Jaspertine]

Yes yes absolutely yes. In my experience, this is what it comes down to. Actually knowing hot to dial in tones out of the gear you have. Then, when you do buy a shiny new whatever, instead of getting "a" new sound, your tonal pallet expands exponentially based on all the ways you know how to apply your old gear to create different tones.

[@silkmoney9267]

This. I've got a 300 bucks acoustic, and whenever im handed a Martin or smth along those lines, I either sound exactly the same as on my guitar or worse. But my acoustic has got nice action and a good neck (atleast to me) so there is no apparent issue unlike with my epiano, which genuinly sounds shit. I think if the gear hits a minimum of requirements in playability this approach fits entirely.

[@manuhendriks4302]

I never regret keeping all my manuals and reading it once in a while. I can recommend that to everyone!

[@thecameronator]

Yes, yes, and yes.

[@edwardmayo1058]

I was thinking the exact same thing. Gear doesn't matter, understanding it does. A bass player who knows exactly what he wants out of a bass can make any bass sound great because any bass CAN sound great. It's a collection of parts made by human hands. If human hands can make it, than human hands can make it.

[@cbmlgia]

I love how awful his shout out was to all the brands at the end... I mean, you couldn't even read half of them hahahahaha. Savage.

[@EclecticSceptic]

Yup hilarious

[@officialrohinmusic]

Respect, he didn’t sell out

[@cade10101]

The coloured pencil metaphor was spot on. Can an amazing artist create art with red, blue, yellow : yes. However having the potential to access utensils that make different compositions more readily available explains why so many of us fall into the gear hole. If a new coloured pencil is available, you dont have to try and mix it yourself. If you find a piece that creates the sound you want and you can afford to add it to family why not right?

[@bismuthcrystal9658]

I disagree. The metaphor is poor. Any artist working in colored pencils is going to want more than blue and yellow for almost anything they do. To be restricted to blue and yellow would be more like being restricted to a 12-fretted guitar with two strings. You're cutting out the vast majority of your options. Yes, you can still make music, even great music, but a very limited and specific range of music. Also, you can't mix colored pencils the way you can paints, I don't believe they said a red pencil, and yellow is a primary color for light, not pigment. But the comparison I think you've created/taken it as is actually much better than the one the person in the video made.

[@524coconut]

@@bismuthcrystal9658 okay guy. lets pretend you have the required amount of pencils whatever that is. Seeing how nobody suggested playing with less than the required amount of strings.

[@bismuthcrystal9658]

@@524coconut That is my point, girl. That the colored pencil metaphor would best apply to playing with less than the required amount of strings. Which is the problem. With colored pencils, the required amount is... all of them. A full set. Extra ones give you more specific options. There is a near-infinite amount of colored pencils that would grant you slightly different new options. Much like there is a near-infinite variety of sounds the human ear can hear, or the human body can feel. The metaphor would be better with paints, which one can mix oneself, from a handful of starting pigments. Which is where the original commenter effectively took it.

[@524coconut]

@@bismuthcrystal9658 That makes sense actually if youre saying that anything less that the full box is not all of them. I guess then by definition you can only work with a full box? Unless you just happen to find a blue and yellow pencil with no hint as to how big the original box was. Then you'd just have to color the damn thing

[@bismuthcrystal9658]

@@524coconut Well, you certainly don't *have* to use a full box. Much as if you find someone's neglected guitar missing half its strings and with tons of dead spots you can still have a perverse sort of fun making music on it.

[@SpectreSoundStudios]

Enjoyed the episode, Adam! It's a damn good question!

[@chrisoakley7071]

can you play metal on a Cajon ?

[@BLiu1]

Why did I think this was going to be a clickbait video? This was a great take on an age old subject. Adam Neely does not disappoint.

[@k6751]

SpectreSoundStudios The gear or your career?

[@sideoutside]

Hey! Aren't you that fat guy who yells a lot?

[@josht4323]

You are now obsolete

[@LD-tl1iv]

When you invite Adam Neely to your birthday "Hey, does life matter? Not really. *plays licc*"

[@BlockcastjethroActual]

0:09 "does this guys carrer matter" -Adam Neely the most savage bassist to ever exist

[@telekineticbees]

BLAD3Vaper Bassists have to be savage, because their careers don’t matter

[@niupe705]

# B U R N

[@mastertrey4683]

Caster Jr Tyler doesn’t hate bass players, he’s just a master of sarcasm. He actually appreciates the fact that their instrument is played differently from a guitar and even sometimes mocks guitar players for thinking “shredding on a bass like a guitar” is the same as playing the bass

[@ilpatongi]

@Caster Jr It's an old inside joke of his channel. Being a studio engineers means you have to put up with idiot bands that think they're gonna be rockstars but without any of the effort required like changing strings...

[@nayr87]

@@mastertrey4683 He wasn't pointing at Tyler from MusicisWin He was pointing at Glen Fricker from Spectre sound.

[@subformal]

7:45 "I always thought my instrument was... Matt Damon"

[@Symphonicrockfran]

Team America!

[@brningpyre]

For electric guitars, the amp matters so much more than the guitar. A cheap Squier will still sound amazing on a $1000+ amp.

[@PrimetimeX]

For brass players, especially trumpet, the mouthpiece matters so much more than the trumpet itself. A cheap shitty-made trumpet from India will sound just as good as a Bach Stradivarius on a Schilke $300+ mouthpiece.

[@M.J44]

I have a crappy old line 6 & semi-custom cheap squire strat than can make some pretty great tone. I also have a vox that we got on discount that made wonders.

[@PenguinNoodleSoup]

I hate hearing this cause I really don't feel like spending lots of money on an amp.

[@gijscoolen6439]

​@@PenguinNoodleSoup Don't worry about it, because it's not true. What matters is getting equipment that works for you. There are amps to be had for $100 that sound amazing and for $3000 that sound like ass. Remember what sounds good is 100% subjective and up to you.

[@lillip9770]

I can relate! Playing a Mexican standard tele (not trash but super expensive) on a Vibrolux Reverb and I have an amazing tone!

[@martinkrauser4029]

This is actually one of the only times I stayed to look at sponsor logos, so JOKES ON YOU; ADAM NEELY!!!!

[@treyxaviermusic]

What I should have said: gear only matters if you can't flange with your hands.

[@giltyakhtar]

or distort with your hands.

[@yastaban]

I'm working on both of those techniques.

[@melihkaleciklioglu]

@@giltyakhtar *face

[@SkyLukewater]

How do you flange with your hands? play the same note various times?

[@supermasterfighter]

Flangelus if you play the same note on different strings with slightly imperfect tuning, you can get a stationary flange effect.

[@n0handles]

A metalzone is necessary for good tone

[@buck7271]

it's important that you scoop the mids so your tone won't be haired

[@fela001]

Ola Endlund seems to like it very much kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3Obq31tdqqVq5o

[@jordanlucasthemusician]

if you use two metalzones in a row, your tone will be twice as good.

[@SpaghettiFox87]

@@fela001 Tried this at the weekend through the effects loop of a Peavey 6505 into an Orange 2x12 with V30's and there's literally 1 sweet spot where it sounds really great.

[@patty.rick6]

**toan

[@KMA-sm4oh]

KMAC plays death metal on a squire Telecaster and makes it sound amazing. So, yeah. I agree with the overall assessment of "kinda."

[@conradzxy]

Don’t forget the Dooo

[@camilojaramillo2830]

I’m sorry sir but KMAC plays djent not death metal

[@paveantelic7876]

euronymous from mayhem used a gibson les paul

[@GattlingGuitarGuru]

A good musician can get a good sound out of any gear. Having gear that made me more excited to play it has took my playing up a level as an intermediate player though.

[@franciscofragoeiro5229]

Give a concert violinist a shit Chinese composite wood violin then

[@ezetosan]

I love the way you answer in the thumbnail.

[@dariocaporuscio8701]

Ezequiel Tomaselli Composición so much anti-clickbait

[@ezetosan]

Dario Caporuscio anti-clickbait is the new clickbait

[@skeletonrowdie1768]

agreed, it's great! Very unique in my experience.

[@OscarCoronel]

Reverse clickbait psychology

[@RudyAyoub]

iz called clickBAIT

[@CoverSolutions]

Beautiful video. I've been playing the same cheap bass for over 7 years and i'm kinda proud of that fact. I think also there's an ideological, political aspect behind all of this will to find self improvement in the religious treatment and acquisition of commodities in order to compensate for the lack of reflective thinking. As a teacher i think there's a responsibility to show you don't need to spend more money to expand your limits.

[@eturnerx]

CoverSolutions gear is fashion and fashion is a means of social.communication. So yeah, more than the music you make it's a whole package.

[@SgtZaqq]

The range of great sounds you get from your Washburn bass is incredible.

[@richardjrivera3]

I agree. I played in a band for a few years, and we did pretty well, but I only had a $130 Ibanez while borrowing a line 6 amp the entire time, and I got complimented on tone all the time.

[@paulgruber4006]

You're right man. And also I wanted to say that you're really an inspiration for me, me being a shitty bass player just wanting to improve ! :-D Seriously, your covers are just so great, I almost never bother looking at other tabs, because I know yours are right ! So, I just wanted to say, keep up the good work, man ! (and btw, you really have a nice tone with your "cheap bass")

[@pringelsthegamefreak]

CoverSolutions your bass sounds amazing man, love your channel and covers

[@nirke_]

The ending kinda sounds like a demented version of Radiohead's bloom

[@GoodVolition]

To be fair Squier's are pretty nice honestly. The Squier Strats and Teles are quality instruments most of the time. The set up is pretty important.

[@Harshitvashisth]

T-Shirt is very nice. I want that.

[@rachelivy9712]

I read it and was like is that what I think it is? *Pulls out guitar* OMG it is!

[@Zantrop64]

7:25 “$300 crap guitar” it’ the price of my most expensive guitar

[@Zantrop64]

Sorry, I cheated with amps, and finally got myself a proper amp (6505+ for 700€ plugged in a 100€ Marshall 4x12 with g12-75)

[@Zantrop64]

Cody Truesdale the thing is that i’m trying to get ino recording, and i can still sell it later for a good price (and no, i won’t go clean channel, no mids, cheap distortion, no mids)

[@Zantrop64]

Cody Truesdale \m/ (>_

[@Weaseldog2001]

My practice guitar cost me $250. It's a Teton Student guitar. It's setup nice, plays well and sounds good. When I take it to sessions, I get compliments on it.

[@Zantrop64]

Jack Dingler nice ! Getting compliments is always nice! I got complimented on my yamaha pacifica 311h once, put a smile on my face from ear to ear. Honestly, it plays pretty nice, even if the pickups don’t have quite a lot of personality

[@Soundaholic92]

Wouldn't have said this a few months ago but you look good with hair

[@Hennu_TRM]

I've been seeing a lot of comments like this... and I agree.

[@DJBillthePony]

Does hair matter?

[@metalheadblues]

BillthePony eh kinda

[@Hennu_TRM]

BillthePony, is your username a Lord of the Rings reference?

[@DJBillthePony]

Yep!

[@tobiastk5391]

Instruments are tools. Good tools make a better product easier. Dull tools can still make a good product but that really comes to the skill of the one using it. an experienced person using a bad tool can make an amazing product. A beginner with a good tool can happen to make a ''bad'' product. A bad tool can be made better by sharpening it. (like putting new pickups in a guitar) Not all tools can do all the things. Different tools do different jobs better than others. Some tools may be better for one person for a specific job than another person. One would use a P bass for a metal track, another would use a jazz bass.

[@DrizzleWoolf]

well summarized thx !

[@diegoparra6918]

tool

[@martinkrauser4029]

dull tools can't make a good product, and a good craftsman will never have dull tools - that's a lesson that experience taught them and sometimes you need special tools, you can't do everything with anything no matter how good you are

[@tobiastk5391]

What i meant is that it's possible to make a good product with a dull tool. The one using it just has to be good enough. It's like if victor wooten played the cheapest bass on a used market to make a record. He could make it work.

[@martinkrauser4029]

What does price have to do with it? The cheapest bass on the market isn't necessarily a dull tool. No one can make a buzzing guitar that you can't intonate work. But experienced musicians wouldn't play a faulty instrument in the first place. They would get one in working order or have it sharpened.

[@LabyrinthOfEyes]

When it comes to gear my advice is find the gear that inspires you to make music. That's what's most important. Find that guitar you just can't put down. Find that amp that makes you want to plug in and play every time you see it. Don't worry about what anyone else is using or the newest tech. Just find what inspires you.

[@waynebrown1394]

Sure hope Tyler from music is win is not watching this because I don't think he would allow you to bring a guitar under $2000 in to his house.

[@classicalytrumpet9190]

Well he was in the video at 0:12

[@Ludix147]

The last branded video Adam will ever get to make.

[@mk_rexx]

Not because of the video, but because of the lick

[@MassiveBridge52]

I don't understand, but I'm quite curious. Will someone explain to me why?

[@teehundeart]

Pianoman did you watch the ending? I don't think brands want to sponsor someone who barely shows their brand

[@MassiveBridge52]

Yes I did, was there a joke I missed?

[@teehundeart]

Pianoman no joke, he most propably won't be invited back for that

[@SimonTheMagpie]

gear and magpies - I feel summoned

[@elGinjo87]

😂

[@aknopf8173]

Funny, just last week I bought a piano at Thomann (no joke) and just now I was finishing a session of 1 hour strait practicing only scales. Why did I do that when I barely have done that before? Because I just liked how the keys felt under my fingers. For me the answer is the same in any field, not just music. A good running shoe wont make me a good runner - or even a runner at all, for that matter, because I find running boring and I get no joy out of it. But if I enjoy running and I start to push my limits and expand my running skills, surely a good running shoe will not only boost my performance but more importantly my enjoyment of running. Maybe I will even explore new things like free running because my new shoes make it that much easier to jump and land and I didn't even think of jumping and landing before with my old shoes. And yes, Thomann is an insane music store and my eyes always get bigger than my wallet :(

[@taxtengo7427]

aknopf True, a good running shoe won’t make a good runner, you need a pair.

[@louismaciver8262]

A true freerunner goes barefoot

[@JoQeZzZ]

Exactly this, gear *does* matter, but only if it motivates you to play more. I remember when I got my first real guitar (A 50's style MIM Strat) I would just play for hours at a time, because of how comfortable it felt to hold that guitar in my hands. I never would've been the player I am now if I would've kept my crummy starter guitar as I simply would be so frustrated with playing the guitar that I would've ended that hobby eventually.

[@SpeldosaMusik]

Recently, I've started to feel that gear matters mainly when it comes to the aspects of being inspired and having fun. Sure, you can create great music with nothing but a couple of rubber bands and a demo version of Ableton Live, but maybe what you should be asking yourself is whether you're having fun doing it. Same thing goes for an instrument that sounds awful. You could probably tweak it around afterwards, making it sound good, but were you inspired while playing it and do you feel like sitting down, recording yet another song? Right now, I own some Elektron boxes, and I'm inspired to create music in a way I haven't been in a long time. So for me, at least right now, it does seem like gear matter. However, with that being said, continuing from here, acquiring more gear without really learning to use what I already have would probably be of limited value.

[@polarbear3427]

I love my bass because it looks good. This stimulates me to practice more, so in a way the gear makes a difference.

[@vulekv93]

As long as the instrument is working properly. I started playing classical guitar with instrument that was not used for years. So for entire year I was playing with bent guitar neck and buzzing frets... I thought-gear doesn't matter-I suck-I should just practice more... But after a year of slow progress I took my bent out of shape guitar to a luthier and 30$ later everything that I couldn't play, all of a sudden I could, no buzzing noises, no tension... Yeah, gear doesn't matter as long as it's working properly, if it makes sense...

[@41mhz25]

vule I get that once a year when the weather changes and all of a sudden the neck goes dead on a fret or a string just wont resonate and I know its time to get the nut adjusted.

[@Iplaynfs1]

I love playing my high action warped neck classical guitar, it sounds unique and forces me to play differently aswell as giving me new ideas

[@brandonkerr2925]

I love this channel. Like it’s literally the opposite of clickbait. The title is usually a consise question that is exactly what the video is about and the thumbnail gives an answer to that question for those who don’t want to watch the video. Smart. Question: Which comes first when writing music? The melody or the harmonic structure? I’ve personally found that it doesn’t matter but I wanna see what you say.

[@quatricise]

Start with a melody because it already contains a harmonic structure

[@paulmullen2620]

For me it's often the melody, but sometimes I'll improvise or create a chord progression I like, and then a melody will start to come based upon it.

[@southpoundham]

Adam Neeley videos in general

[@goonyougoodthing]

Oh wow an Adam Neely video that does'nt have the lic-...oh nevermind (Never Change)

[@ThomasMcIntosh]

Does gear matter: Yesn’t

[@elhombredelsuelo4720]

I use to travel with a cheap little guitar, I was the happiest man when I was alone and I still have an instrument with me ! And through my joy, my music was not split into my thinking of "should I play with my classical rather my folk guitar ?" I olso love gear, review, it makes me want to try it, but at some point, the moment you take your guitar, you have to forget anything, even that you are playing a guitar, but just connect with your music !! And then maybe music will lift you up ? 🤠

[@kitko33]

Visiting Thomann at Treppendorf is something between a pilgrimage and visiting Disneyland :)

[@XistoKente]

I love the way you answer the titles in the thumbnail. It's kinda the opposite of clickbaiting, and it makes me want to watch the video more.

[@Schwallex]

So t's not the opposite of clickbaiting, then. Which is why people do it in the first place. It's all over KZbin. And has been for quite some time. Because it works precisely as you describe. It's not unique or funny. It's just clickbait. Just look at all the comments here that talk about it. Rather than, oh say, about the actual content of the actual video.

[@MisterAppleEsq]

+Schwallex Harsh, they are talking about an aspect of the video: its thumbnail.

[@hartzy7425]

I'm a drummer. You can put a bad drummer on a good kit and he's still going to be a bad drummer. But if you put a really good, technical drummer on a shitty kit, and they'll make it shine.

[@Jelly88875]

Dexter Grif it also depends on which music they’re playing, for example you can play slow attack cymbals while playing metal but it won’t sound very good

[@AnthonyMcBazooka]

The Hello Kitty drumset still didn't sound great when Mike Portnoy played it. The Pokémon kit was slightly better though.

[@EnvyWhiskers]

Amen

[@BillBrolse]

Inexpensive drums; sure. Inexpensive cymbals? Not in a million years.

[@vladimirtubic6060]

Yes, but put a really good drummer on a great kit, and it's magic.

[@larkstonguesinaspic4814]

As drummer I'd say the gear does matter a bit, Small Part of a Drummer's sound always comes from the gear he uses, Drummers know that because we're the ones who don't get to carry their instrument around sometimes, and a lot of times we have to play on someone else's drum kit when we're doing a show. For example my drum teacher totally sounded different ( still Good , But different ) on a live show that I saw him because the drum sizes were way too bigger than what he used himself. I started Playing on a really cheap crap drum set, When I first got to play on a decent one in a studio, I was blown away by how easier everything was, Specially with the bass pedal ( Seriously, drummers, always invest in a good pedal ) and drum heads were much more responsive. Also, Cymbals. There is no way anyone can make bad cymbals sound good. So I'd still say 90% of a drummer's sound comes from his technique and abilities and his style, but the gear he uses does matter a little bit.

[@RinkuSaini-js3xp]

Larks' Tongues In Aspic

[@RinkuSaini-js3xp]

Larks' Tongues In Aspic

[@longde]

Spot on, and don't forget that a badly tuned drum can make a good performance sound a bit crappy.

[@M.J44]

Ohhh so painfully true. I can play like a jackrabbit on crack on a set that isn't falling apart, but with my current cheap one? I suck. Why? Because my pedals slide around, my snare (connected to the hi-hat, electric kit) keeps leaning down every hit. Tightening it does nothing!

[@officialrohinmusic]

Don’t forget being really familiar with your gear and knowing how to maintain and customize it to your taste.

[@TheHernanNoguera]

“It’s like wanting the iPhone-of-gear” *immediately takes out his new iPhone*

[@BenLevin]

Excellent message and I enjoyed the ending a lot.

[@basstheworldofficial]

thanks man! great video. and thanks for hanging out with us gear nerds ;)

[@CoryMck]

*Adam Neely the Anarcho-Nihilist*

[@ramiwadala1326]

i remember upgrading from a cheap soundcard to a focusrite scarlet so that my mic would sound better. My songs and recordings did not improve at all as i can mix my vocals well enough that a crappy interface wont hold me back BUT it did motivate me to record more vocals as i did not have to go through the process of removing imperfections or spending 30 minutes on editing one bar or word just because it sounds off and i never have to rerecord vocals just because the interface was acting up and started to play loud noise. Gear does not matter but it helps the creative process when gear is literally giving you more work to do to deliver a good sound.

[@teddobbs6516]

TheDooo probably pulls off some of the best licks my ears have ever witnessed on a Squier Stratocaster. I agree with this logic.

[@colejenkinsmusic]

Very mature editing! Made this video flow and function incredibly well.

[@russellszabadosaka5-pindin849]

I couldn't agree more. I have a few relatively expensive basses but my number one is still a Cort I bought second-hand for $50 in 1995.

[@dutchdykefinger]

i have a 150 buck 6-string i prefer over my 400+ buck one :D

[@Olaizmusic]

Yo I got a four string Cort that I've been using since i started playing (minus the warped pawn shop bass my parents who knew nothing about music got me) and I was BORN in 1995 lol. Just changed the pick-ups. Serves me well!!

[@russellszabadosaka5-pindin849]

Jonathan Olaiz: Ha ha! That's funny man, you're making me feel old! Yeah dude, Cort basses last and are totally worth the money. I'm also a keyboard player and guitarist and drum programmer, I don't really play jazz or weddings/lounge gigs like Adam. When I'm playing bass, I'm either playing extreme metal or noisy industrial dance music, and the Cort just sounds fucking amazing. Especially through a few pedals I've picked up over the years.

[@99xara99]

7:23 "A $300 crap guitar" *goes to the corner and cries* 😂 My western guitar was 300€ and it's noooot crap, duh!

[@M.J44]

Then your guitar was closer to $450. However, you are right.

[@babytiny5807]

I'm not sure I could ever drop my strandberg for another guitar, it's just so light and agile and I love the endurneck, and having an axe fx II just saves so much room

[@M.J44]

And that's totally fine! Gear is somewhat subjective.

[@fast1nakus]

"...300$ crap guitar..." i wish i had 300$ guitar =/

[@TheHadMatters]

Yeah, but you don't wish yoy had a $300 *crap* guitar.

[@M.J44]

@@TheHadMatters That's not what the girl meant though...

[@CuriousKey]

Yeah, I've been wondering what I was doing wrong all these years. Turns out I have a 300$ good guitar, when I needed a 300$ crap guitar. My mistake.

[@john.352]

I always watch Adam Neely in the mornings while in school while I do my work - keeps me super inspired :) Thanks for your videos man.

[@NickGranville]

Yeah, gear matters to a point, but the musician is the biggest factor. Gear matters cause It’s difficult to sound like the edge for example without a delay pedal. But yep, 80% of it is in the fingers. Best advice I was given as a teenager was - if it’s 80% in the fingers and 20% the gear then just spend some money to get the easy 20% the work hard for the rest. It’s worked out ok for me. Cheers

[@pontuserickson89]

This thumbnail is kinda like reversed clickbait

[@MisterAppleEsq]

Anti-clickbait, as the kids call it.

[@kimtsi]

spoiler maybe?

[@sixmonthssleep3057]

Negative harmony, negative time signatures...negative click bait, What next, Adam?

[@PierreMiniggio]

Negative hair length... Oh wait he already did that in the past! :v xD

[@TheViolaBuddy]

It's really great, though, because the problem with clickbait is that they trick you into watching and at the end you feel cheated. With this, you know exactly what the video is going to be about... and that's exactly why you want to watch the video, and so you click to know more details. In other words, the part that makes the thumbnail interesting to click on is the content of the video itself, exactly how it's supposed to be.

[@da_true_lo]

The thumbnail literally explains the whole video, just genius.

[@mrnelsonius5631]

As a relentlessly touring professional musician (this pandemic is my first real break in 5 years) I have no reservations saying that gear is very important, but it’s also far from the most important aspect of one’s musicianship. The colored pencil analogy was spot on. A great artist can make great art with anything, but different palette options can inspire and empower said artist. Knowing music theory, having great technique.. these things are way more important than owning a Fodera and a thousand pedals. The gear isn’t going to make up for lack of knowledge. But it will often help you sound your best

[@aarnialeksis]

The more expensive, the better 👌 PS. Make sure the keys and vocals are in the same key

[@Barukh]

I think gear DOES matter. It's easy to say "not really" or "kinda" when you have access to quality instruments and gear at any time. When you don't... Try playing a detailed cover (not a version!) of one of Steve Vai's songs where he uses a tremolo a lot on a cheap guitar that goes out of tune everytime you touch it. Whether you're frustrated or happy, dissatisfied or excited, plays a HUGE role in your musical development, that's undeniable. Now if your instrument annoys and hinders you rather than inspire you, that does matter a lot. So gear does matter at all times. The question is how much, to whom. That part, I agree, is debatable. "It depends".

[@eljapel]

I feel you, one of my guitar players has this cheap chinese guitar that doesn-t stay in tune for more than one song, really ruins the performance

[@JariSatta]

Wise words. I can grab a 12th on the piano, I can't fit my hand into Stratocaster's solo cutaway properly. No prob w/ Ibanez

[@nevious1982]

Neely here is your answer. Ps: even though i disagree with the marketing techniques that many companies used that trick people that newer is better is more expensive and try hard to make you feel dissatisfied with what you already have

[@WoodsAxel]

ikr, it's easy to say "gear doesn't matter" when you live in a first world country. Everything I'm interested in learning is either for guitars with 7/8 strings, 24 frets or floating bridges, there's nothing I could do with enough technique that would allow me to play something that is physically impossible.

[@ApiolJoe]

If your instrument can't be used for what you want, then obviously gear matters. As long as your instrument can be used for what you want without being a hindrance, I strongly believe gear doesn't matter at all until you start to perform live, in which case it matters a bit.

[@letmeooze]

Play what you can afford to play and are comfortable with. Just because the best player can get around an instruments imperfections doesn't mean that's what they all want to do. For me, the music is the most important thing, and just because I can learn to get around a frustrating instrument doesn't change the fact that I just want to make the music. When I'm fighting the instrument, I'm not as happy as when I can express what I want to without working around the tool For others the fight is the enjoyable part. It's just different approaches for different mindsets.

[@ArkinesVT]

In the case of Analog synthesizers, yes. You can get sounds out of one that you can't from another. You can get close, but it isn't the same. Pretty much everything else is conditional.

[@MrSaturnMusic]

As a recovering gear addict, gear won't make you a better musician, but in some cases, it can help you improve in ways that are not inherent to the instrument. I had two guitars, an old beat up Squier strat and an Epiphone Les Paul, and tonally I liked them both, but neither was particularly comfortable to play. They both had thicker necks, and it made forming chords more challenging, and for the first 9 or so years of my playing guitar, I said to myself "I'm never going to learn chords, it's too hard and I don't need them" Obviously, my playing never progressed, and I more or less gave up on learning the instrument. But recently I traded the Les Paul and another instrument for a Classic Vibe Jazzmaster, and in only having the thing for like 6 months, I've learned all the basic chords and some barre chords. Do I think the guitar made me better by itself? Of course not. But it feels so good in my hands that I don't want to put it down, and that means more time and more willingness to learn TLDR the right piece of gear can inspire you to improve, but it won't make you better by itself

[@GhostontheMoor]

I'm wondering whether part of the significance of the Wooten brothers anecdote is that the combination of low labour costs, good materials and excellent craftsmanship in the Far East mean that very acceptable musical instruments can now be produced relatively cheaply. I don't know about Crate amplifiers, but Squier guitars really are pretty good these days. Reggie Wooten is a great guitarist and he was playing a perfectly decent instrument, so why wouldn't he sound just fine? Yes, an expensive instrument should be better than a cheaper one, but we're into diminishing returns now, and you'll be paying a lot of money for relatively small improvements in tone, feel and sustain. Incidentally, in my experience, the key to getting good results from a cheap bass or guitar is to get it properly set up. Set-up and finishing do seem to be areas where many budget manufacturers still cut corners.

[@peter_smyth]

GhostontheMoor True, I think Glen from SpectreSound Studios or whatever it's called said lots of bassists that uses his studio want to swap their expensive instruments for his Squire (or maybe Fender Mexican) bass.

[@theconvert1208]

Indeed RE:Squier. I have 2 CVs a 50s Tele and a 50s Strat. I can't find a Tele for under $1200 that I like as much, and the strat (my gigging backup) is setup great and almost indestructible. Over the years I've swapped pickups for kicks, but unlike many others I've owned, I've hardly changed them.

[@mal2ksc]

Cheap instruments also have rough edges. Sharp fret ends, edges of the fingerboard not rolled off, maybe some fret sprout from the fingerboard drying out, crappy stamped metal string trees that can break strings or at least keep them from returning to pitch after bends, tuners that don't hold their tension -- these are all things you might encounter. They can be fixed, but that takes time and attention, and there's no budget for that. Also, pickups are generally of quality proportional to price, and they really do make a difference. Putting good pickups in a cheap guitar will work and it is done quite often. This will close up a whole lot of the sound gap, but unfortunately it doesn't really show up in resale value.

[@theconvert1208]

Scott Sakurai As a long time guitar tech, let me say that a more expensive instrument is no guarantee it won't have any or all of those shortcomings. In fact, I find that, for example, mass-produced Epiphone Les Pauls are more consistent than lower-end (but $1000+) Gibson Les Pauls. Hand crafting is great unless you rush it, then it's just a PITA for a tech down the road.

[@mal2ksc]

Yeah but that's Gibson. Headstocks pre-broken for your inconvenience! (I know more expensive instruments can be finished poorly, but complaints about it should be taken more seriously than the same on a $300 guitar.)

[@asherpereira615]

Gear is an extension of the musician. If a master swordsman were fighting using a rusty old rod, he would not be as great as he could, but he would still be good. I believe a truly great musician didn't need good gear to play well, but it certainly is an important aspect of music. It is also important to note that a poor musician with great gear will be just as poor as with low-quality gear. Don't invest in an amazingly well-crafted instrument before first investing in a well-honed set of skills. The same goes for any profession

[@fullclipaudio]

I always advised parents that were going to buy an instrument for a child to invest in the best instrument they could afford. Cheap instruments are often harder to play, wont stay in tune and do not "sound" like what the professionals use. The fastest way to discourage a kid is to get him or her a cheap instrument. Finally, if you do buy an expensive instrument for you kid and the child gives up on it anyways then at least you can get some if not most of your money back. Cheap instruments have little to no resale value.

[@stephen22890]

@@fullclipaudio I'm not a teacher, but I say this too. I have a 50th Anniversary American Deluxe Stratocaster, which has smooth, rolled fingerboard edges and the S-1 switch that gives it ten different pickup combinations for a wide range of sounds. I think it'd be the ideal beginner's instrument because it feels nice, sounds good, and gives lots of variety. Too bad it cost $1,200 back in 2004! But good instruments can be had for much less, thankfully. Earlier this year, I demoed the sound and feel of various Fender guitars costing like $800 to $1,500 versus a Squier Telecaster that cost $200, back to back at a music store. The Squier honestly sounded just as good as any of the others and I thought it sounded significantly better than one of the Fenders with noiseless pickups. I also have an Alvarez acoustic that cost only like $120 back when it was new and it's maybe not quite as rich-sounding as more expensive ones, but it still sounds good and plays well. These things are proof to me that you can get a brand new, quality guitar for a couple hundred bucks if you know what to look for. Of course, many parents don't, but maybe they could find a friend to help. Now I almost exclusively play a Lite Ash Telecaster I've had since 2006, was made in Korea, and cost half as much money as the Strat. The Strat only occasionally gets pulled out on a whim or if I need the vibrato bar. That Telecaster was an epiphany to me and I feel about it like Adam talks about in the video.

[@oskari3659]

I agree but I think even shitty musician could make some nice sounds with 10k analog synth, knowing the basics of synthesis compared to some cheap midi keys and a cheap/free VST

[@mastertrey4683]

A rusty old rod is the guitar equivalent of one steel string that is not attached to anything. Just a string, and a crappy one at that. So in a battle between a master bass player playing with said string, and a person who has never touched a bass in their life playing on an actual bass, they would win. Just like the master would lose to any old dude with a sword, since his weapon is ineffective at being a weapon. Just like the rusty rod, the string is ineffective at being an instrument

[@doogdoogdoogdoogdoogdoog]

_"MATT..... DÆMON"_

[@damonreynolds6775]

03:25 High action, especially on guitars, affects everything from intonation to hand cramps. A decent budget instrument that can hold action is important. Luckily thats easier today than the garbage of the past. Imho it's more accurate to say - *beyond certain basics, does gear matter?* HELL no

[@HandPuppet_Official]

Sometimes a setup is all that's needed, but you're right. Does gear matter? It depends if you already have gear that is functional.

[@damonreynolds6775]

@@HandPuppet_Official Exactly. That's what I mean by 'hold action'. A setup is only as good as long as it remains reasonably unaltered over reasonable time. I had an old Squier VMJ that just kept bowing (beyond the slight bow I wanted) within weeks. Great sound but useless neck. Gave up on it and moved on.

[@PANICBLADE]

Longfield nailed it. A great artist can make something great with a couple colored pencils... But that whole box of colored pencils channels your creativity and encourages experimentation more, and that'll be reflected in the finished product. Plus it's a cool way to sound unique in another dimension aside from your technique and such. If you have an acoustic with super high action, you're gonna be discouraged from learning higher pitched legato stuff, and you're gonna grow more as a musician by using the right tool for the job and becoming familiar with how to use all these new sonic outlets. That's all stuff you'll grow into though, not stuff you should be scrambling to get while still getting your bearings.

[@alphahaxin1248]

Can we all just appreciate Adam Neelys thumbnails

[@Soundaholic92]

Was gonna dislike because you didn't feature The Lick. Ended up smashing the Like button

[@hanssondaniel]

He wore the lick on his shirt though

[@rjwusher]

Liking the lick... or licking the like.

[@goonyougoodthing]

Dont forget to Lick ,Coltrane and Bassscribe

[@ananda_miaoyin]

I was sold a long time ago when I was a wee lad with the same Squirecaster. When I played it, it sounded like shit. When my Uncle played it, it sounded like angels singing. Gear does´nt mean shit!

[@ananda_miaoyin]

I actually still have a used 40 dollar acoustic Spanish style that I have used live just last year. Certainly not the best but it held up just fine. It sits right next to my 800 dollar Takamine so it doesn´t get too jealous.

[@nath1606]

I’ve now got a Fender Telecaster Standard but I still use my Squire Affinity Tele a fair amount, especially in different tunings

[@Fusion42Music]

I agree that gear is just what you make it, BUT it does play a really important part in the process. For me personally, certain gear just inspires me in different ways. I feel inspired differently playing on a grand piano VS my cheap yamaha keyboard at home. It's not so important that I can't work with cheaper stuff, but there is a level of inspiration that can come from playing on new gear.

[@marcblum5348]

I'm occupied with 2 passions: "playin music" and "fumbling around with new gear", you can have fun with each one separately, or both together, look at them as separate but somehow related

[@fuz1284]

So, I have physical limitations with my hand. To me, having the guitar that played perfect meant I didnt have to play in pain. To me, that's where gear matters the most.

[@abr1304]

Of course gear matters simply for the fact that gear can inspire people. If your inspired to play and practice, the quality of music will be better.

[@JSBroadcast]

Well said, my story exactly.

[@jeebuz6627]

The next things to buy should t be the thing to inspire you to be a better musician

[@BollocksUtwat]

The point is not to let the focus on gear make you believe you need it to be inspired. Some people spend years chasing somethign with gera that they eventually give up on and move past.

[@CrazySuperJEBUS]

*includes footage playing on of their instruments in the hope of being forgiven and invited back* lmao But all jokes aside, great lesson Adam!

[@Jackmitchhell]

I’m 6 months late but a perfect example is vulfpeck recording there whole first album on a toys r us drumset with broken cymbals. It’s still funky asf and so tasteful

[@dayglograham62]

Also worth mentioning the role of technology here - advances in electronic gear have opened up whole new worlds of possibilities in how artists create and perform music. Even going back to the invention of, say, the pianoforte which was a game-changer in the 18th Century.

[@arensedrakyan9032]

0:09 Tyler chillin in the back xD

[@shenruivah]

04:13 what's the microphone attached to your phone? Can anybody help? Thank you.

[@WranglerSlim]

I don’t know what he’s using there, but an internet search for „lightning port microphone“ brings up the Shure MV88 Stereo Condenser mic, the ZOOM iQ7 Mid-Side Stereo mic, BOYA BY-DM200, and a few others. I’m sure there are versions that work with Micro-USB ports, too.

[@user-ub8vx8zd1d]

Josias von Leiswolf it’s the shure mv88, i have it and it’s really nice

[@LateNightBeatsOfficial]

As a longterm G.A.S. victim, I'd have to say that once you're a great player, gear might not matter much, but you might need quality instruments to get you there. My experience has been that my first high-end electric guitar exposed deficiencies in my articulation, as it was much more responsive to intonation and had a wider dynamic range. My first vintage instrument inspired me to switch from using a pick to fingerpicking and in general all quality instruments always inspired me to play more and practice more.

[@kalvin1049]

HalutioN yes agreed. The transition from playing an epiphone Les Paul to a Gibson 335 made me realise that my playing wasn't that clean, and as a result you could hear the intricate mistakes and sloppiness of a certain performance.

[@KaitouKaiju]

The key there wasn't the gear itself, but the inspiration you got from it. Inspiration can come from anywhere

[@o.a.47]

I used to live in Michigan, and had an acoustic guitar. At the time I could play nothing but open chords. I moved to Florida, and eventually got more invested in music and wanted to learn. I couldn’t go past open chords though, and I always wondered why. I learned scales, but bar chords were impossible. Then I went to guitar center one day to buy some new strings because one of mine broke. Just for fun I picked up a guitar and started to play. It felt way easier on my fingers. I tried to play a bar chord and could do it with absolute ease. So I come back with my guitar and ask what the problem was, turned out that Florida’s air, which was way more humid than Michigan’s, had caused my guitar to absorb too much moisture and made it impossible to play bar chords, or almost anything past the 5th fret. So obviously gear matters to a certain extent. But now I play electric, and I don’t think there’s a thing, at least concerning tone, that can’t be fixed with a compression pedal.

[@flaviosancandi9466]

I have a thomann alto sax, and once I tried my teacher's Yanagisawa. The sound was not so different, as I was (and still am) a beginner. The response of the pads was different, and my hands I guess were a in a little more comfortable position, so... Yes, does gear matter? Kinda. Great video!

[@M104-q9y]

I can't tell if you actually dislike Glenn Fricker or not. Not that that really matters either.

[@theconvert1208]

Wasn't that Tyler (Music is Win) next to him? I think of Tyler as more a music gear guy, and wonder if he meant to point him out, not Glenn?

[@georgebingham3307]

0:36 *Harry Miree screams in the distance”

[@SmolJordan]

DUDE

[@Knight_Astolfo]

I think it's a misleading question - what does "matter" even mean? What is the context of that definition you just conceived? Are we saying that it matters to the outcome or it matters to the individual? Is it as a measure of pragmatism, efficacy, progress, or prominence? Gear does matter; but gear is also only one part of the equation. Your effort in practice and rehearsals, your state of mind, the environment you're playing in, the music you're playing, the audience's expectation and your expectations of them... I could go on. Gear is just one facet of performing. Getting new gear - and getting quality stuff - is like getting a level up in an RPG. You get a static boost of your basic abilities, and you get some new powers. It's up to you to figure out how to make the best use of those powers. But just having those powers doesn't mean that there won't be some guy just spamming '2' all day. Getting better stuff doesn't make you a better musician. But it will give a thoughtful musician an edge when it comes to developing their own skillset. So yeah, I guess kinda kinda works. xD

[@user-lk2vo8fo2q]

i think "how much attention should a musician pay to their gear?" would be a better way to phrase it. adam kinda conflates that question with "does expensive/quality gear make you sound better?", which is understandable because he's a jazz guy. but these are very different questions when you're talking about other genres. for instance, indie rock guitarists almost always play on a strat/tele/jazzmaster with some kind of overdriven fender combo. in this situation, a $3000 PRS with active pickups would sound weird and out of place compared to a $300 squire tele. in other words, a cheap strat makes it easier to make conventional indie rock just as an expensive gretch makes it easier to make conventional blues. the question then becomes "how important is it that you get the 'right' gear for what you're trying to do, musically?".

[@dudustickytricks]

Great video! I find playing a new instrument (either bought or borrowed) both motivating and inspiring.

[@domibik]

Adam: He could make a tennis racket sound good if he wanted to Victor Wooten: *playes tennis racket*

[@BioStuff415]

Never liked Victors tone... is that due to his amp choice, pickup choice, EQ settings, etc.? His playing top notch. Would I prefer to hear the same notes with a different tone/timber? Yes.

[@TiagoLageira]

*All work and now new gear makes Johnny a dull boy*

[@substrate001]

Does gear matter? Past a certain point, not really. If the instrument isn't mechanically correct, is extremely hard to play, and won't stay in tune then yes. Yes, it matters a lot. Unless you don't practice, then, umm, no. Hope that clears it up. ;-))

[@PrimetimeX]

Well thats not true with all instrument families. Its really easy to make sweeping claims like that without actually doing the research. For brass players, especially for trumpet players like me, the mouthpiece is the most important piece of equipment you can obtain. No trumpet player worth their salt has less than 2 mouthpieces because there are thousands of different types of mouthpieces and ranges. Every person has different lip size, mouth shape, and airflow. Picking the right mouthpiece that will best help you reach those high notes and overtones will increase your trumpet sound quality by 300%, as opposed to just sticking to the 6C or whatever you found in your case. Another huge thing about gear are brass bell mutes. You know that sweet crisp jazz you hear in those old mafia movies? Thats the trumpet playing with an aluminum mute, which gives it this quiet yet very smooth jazz sound, almost like a saxophone but much less airy. No amount of skill or technique training will allow you to make that sound on a trumpet without the actual proper bell mute gear attached because the sound is not naturally made on any brass instrument. So to your point, gear definitely matters all the way to the very end. Professional trumpet players love their gear and there are huge genres of music that are entirely based on gear and modifiers.

[@mer-dogslamhound4126]

I like that you are asking these questions. This reminds me of a Jaco quote, "The tone may be in the fingers but strings help too." All you really need is a tool that works and is reliable. A pro is gonna make it work no matter what. I see music as a trade, any tradesman worth his salt will have his personal prefered tools yet still have the resources and technical facility to make due with any tool.

[@waterdragonwd7350]

So amazing to me that you were at Thomann. I live quite close to the shop and my father and I sometimes go on trips there when one of us needs new equiptment. The fact that you've been at the same place that I already have been makes you seem to be more of a real person

[@AntonioMeres]

Gear: Something that is usable to produce sound. Then yeah, it doesn't matter.

[@ethanmorrow4241]

0:10 On the bottom-left corner, you can see Tyler from MusicIsWin.

[@BigPhi84]

Absolutely love how you troll these companies! 😂😂😂

[@ErikCPianoman]

Does gear matter? Sometimes. In my specific situation it matters more than most. I often practice on grand pianos but record on digitals keyboards for the clear audio and midi data. For more technical pieces I can usually play fine on the grand, but sometimes takes weeks more of practice to be able to record it with the same fidelity and musicality on the digital. There's something about the action, feel and response time of the keys that makes all the difference. Probably due to the action being a completely different mechanism between the two.

[@intellectualproperty3381]

the bass clef censoring peoples mouths when they swear is so hilarious for some reason