Top 10 Boring Things That Are Really Important In The Studio

[@dirtyharry1881]

This is performance art. Talking about boring stuff, while being excruciatingly boring in the delivery, somehow cancel each other out...

[@davidcedeno8403]

Psy 101

[@adommoore7805]

😅

[@Z_saxtron30001]

This is dry humour at its best

[@Anael272]

(-) + (-) = (+)

[@jtoconnor1137]

10/10 comment bro

[@christophervaca7116]

Sam's deadpan delivery is hilarious.

[@stuffnuns]

Christopher Vaca, He could kill as a standup. Really.

[@wayne-4617]

This is the most quintessentially British thing I have watched in a very long time. More boring reviews please!

[@foxmulder5379]

I am glad I'm not the only one finding this hilarious

[@eighteenfiftynine]

Reminds me of a Newman and Baddiel sketch.

[@absolving]

He's making me sleepy.

[@ryanbarryaudio]

"I can fire the entire band in one go, worth it's weight in gold" Attaboy Sam. Attaboy.

[@weschilton]

Man, I really laughed out loud at that one, I was not expecting it. :)

[@jakobole]

Pft - Boomer. I can fire the whole band via email even before they turn up, in 1 go also :)

[@olivergiles6731]

Since when does the engineer get to fire the band...? They usually pay to be there. ..

[@martindiehl155]

@@jakobole Email? Email is as well a boomer tool ...

[@jakobole]

@@martindiehl155 Haha - indeed.

[@johnargosino6218]

Some of my "boring" but essential items: 1) uninterruptible power supply - for PCs, hard drives, even synths, rackmount modules, etc 2) power conditioners - ie. Furman rackmounts 3) good quality cables - Mogami, Monster, etc to prevent RFI interference, humming, buzzing 4) chair mat - to protect hardwood floors when rolling around back and forth constantly 5) urethane office chair wheels - replaces cheap, hard plastic wheels on your chair to smooth rolling quiet ones 6) right angle cables - power, TRS, XLR helps reduce strain and wear on jacks/cables from constant tugging and pulling if your gear is positioned or mounted at an angle 7) compressed air cans, soft brush, vacuum - to keep gear clean 8) pens, post it notes 9) clock/clock radio - to check the time and listen to news so you know what's happening in the world outside 10) good work ethic/habits

[@Asicasters]

This might be the driest humour I've ever witnessed. This guy is hilarious. I've been a fan of SOS publications for years, I can see why if this guy is behind it.

[@richmorel9160]

Variable lighting. To set a mood when needed and also able to be bright when troubleshooting.

[@conralaje2059]

That's not boring, that's awesome and fun

[@williampimblott8373]

Aclot of dimmers can cause tremendous noise in the AC lines. I agree .... just be aware.... if you run into the problem.

[@robjansen5236]

Good advice!

[@nana-ld4cr]

@@williampimblott8373 Yes, I ran into that problem. There are a few dimmers that do it without noise apparently.

[@benitomgomez3290]

@@nana-ld4cr , , , more expensive.!

[@tollakf]

I'm actually amazed of how many studios that forget the most vital part of a studio: The place where you put the band when the lead guitarist is working on that perfect solo. As a musician, it's terror to not have a place to retreat without listening to that one part a million times over. And as an engineer, it's terror to deal with bored musicians with opinions lurking behind your back. So, next weeks number one should be: Kitchen + chillout zone! Because good vibes makes better sessions than vintage gear...

[@joeguitar7164]

Musicians can be stored away in ... storage

[@AllanDawsonMuso]

"The place where you put the band when the lead guitarist is working on that perfect solo" - a two week inclusive Mediterranean holiday should do the trick ;-)

[@fizzylazer]

My top boring thing is the box of adaptors, 1/8" to 1/4", TRS to XLR, RCA to TS, USB A to USB B to Mini to Micro, etc, I can't think of a single studio session where I didn't use my box of accumulated adaptors.

[@prufrockrenegade]

This. I feel like I must have accumulated about a million different adapters by now, yet I still find myself running to the store all the time for more, especially since they're so easy to misplace or break

[@GlenBerry]

Adapters are ok, but cables with the proper connectors on each end are far better. The connections are typically more reliable and noise-free. Proper fitting connectors are also much less likely to break than adapters. It's also far less weight and strain on the jacks you're plugging into. I like keeping an assortment of connectors and some bulk cable, so I can make a custom cable if I need to. Adapters have their place, but they're a last resort for me.

[@peterelkas]

I’d actually prioritize that over insurance haha

[@GlenBerry]

@@peterelkas 😂😂😂

[@sammathis]

The guy's dry humor is great. Kept me engaged for the whole video.

[@NoUploadJustComment]

I feel like he's trying to tell us that someone off screen is holding him hostage. I hope he's alright over there.

[@Anael272]

He is like a bald Marina Joyce

[@TheWorld_2099]

Kevin Maryles - hahahaha.... Poor guy, none of us picked up on the clues until it was far too late

[@anaiybeatx]

😂😂😂😂 very true

[@ezzong]

He would be perfect to be cast in a rockumentary as a studio engineer who keeps roasting the band lol

[@LeighDWYC]

Your deadpan humour and delivery made this video. Thank you!

[@dionmonti9397]

Sheet music stand! Once you have one it will be used quite often.

[@michaelgarding516]

We call those 'drink holders' LOL

[@fakshen1973]

Plunger. Because it always seems the drummer decided to eat the heaviest meal of his life before coming to the studio and all of the nervous energy turned his sphincter into a ratcheting sprinkler head.

[@burtonfzz]

It could be a good joke, if it wasn’t. Could say what can demoralize band more than toilet that was broken apart in pieces. May be only smell of drummer socks can compare, when he change his shoes to sneakers and leaves shoes right next to him, that can really spice up ambience during lyric part of song

[@harrybhappy]

After 35 years in studios, I can confirm this is a great list, keep them coming

[@SageyMusic]

hit home with the ,"and then i can spend my entire life on ebay and never have to record a band again , bliss"

[@uzefulidiot]

I feel attacked.

[@joegonzalez4039]

I just watched this at work and I laugh so hard at this part that I got some stares from my co-workers!

[@MadeOnTape]

ahhhh yes. what’s in my saved ebay searches email today?

[@5amJones69]

I think this is my favorite top ten I've ever procrastinated on.

[@AlCapwn369]

Hey, same!

[@kdcyp]

A contender must be a UPS (Uninterruptible power supply) at least on the PC to save the DAW project, although most have auto save options, could save hours for sake of a 1 second power drop 😉

[@bitflux2]

I got one of those! Proud owner of that boring piece of equipment that has indeed saved valuable work

[@TruthSayer5589]

No. 1: An isolation transformer on the incoming line voltage from the utility company to eliminate harmonics and ground loop noise in your audio.

[@EpicStuffMan1000]

If it's a proper studo, all the kit will have individual ones of their own built in. But it's always a good idea to get cleaner power

[@rodrigobelinchon2982]

Now you are talking

[@LasseHuhtala]

Well stocked toilet paper supply. The amount of times I've been in a studio that had ran out of it, once too many. (Also check the soap dispenser while you're at it. And make the toilet a pleasing experience for the female customers as well.)

[@benitomgomez3290]

Indeed.! , , fems are special regarding this , , , !

[@timbeaton5045]

"Well stocked toilet paper" What's good for the studio is good for the home. Moral: DON"T panic buy TP. Please.

[@chaoswires2734]

To the point. WC should be comfortable for people and have essentials: paper, paper towels, soap. If shower is available, make sure shower gel is also in decent amount. Batteries for frequently used gadgets often help, used in tuners, pedals, small synths, etc. 9v, 1.5v AA and AAA are essential.

[@padrejohnruffle]

I actually thought that a clean bog was going to make his #1 spot!

[@chaoswires2734]

@Busta Speeker if your studio doesn't have synths and pedals suitable for shower/wc jam sessions - why even build such studio? Some people get inspiration or insight while sitting on the white throne. This state of mind shouldn't be underestimated. Looks barbaric, but what do we know about recording and mixing process of great albums in legendary studios?

[@murielpalmer-rhea8250]

I’m a songwriter, gradually investing in: 1) An iPad for GarageBand; then: 2) a Mac laptop for GarageBand with a free trial for Logic Pro, then: 3) BeatBuddy for better drum sounds, and Aeros to loop my guitars, then: 4) enough basic mics handle vocal, bass etc. with or without micing a cabinet, then: 5) a Tascam 12 mixing board to fine-tune with. then: 6) a new desk to handle the new gear ( I started with 2 library tables..) I forgot to mention the audio interface and near field speakers way back in this list..The chair is definitely on the list,….Now I find that the songs I set out to record need some re-writing….Glad your magazine is handy! Thanks!🎼🎶🧑‍💻

[@taperunsout]

We’ve recorded with Sam a couple of times (check out our Mill Sessions!) and can confirm his caramel tones do indeed boom out from a central speaker and that it is actually really helpful, if a little surprising when you’re just having a quiet sit down and forgotten it’s there.

[@emankayker8257]

lovely cut at 3.30!!! what we all need in our studio is to listen to the master before pressing send! : D

[@AdamFaulkner375]

Power conditioner. The first thing I point out when I show people my setup is my Furman power conditioner and I stress emphatically that is has made all my gear sound like it should and removed a tonne of noise hassle from my mixes. This outpouring is usually met with a dead-eyed glare as friends ponder over how many tattoos they could get for the same amount of cash.

[@wtmedia]

This was brilliant. I have no intention to build a studio of that kind but watched this and enjoyed every second. Thanks!

[@drewstephenson]

I'd add proper instrument stands. You don't know how many guitars someone's going to turn up with (even the synth player) so having a couple of spare racks avoids that whole issue of not wanting to interupt the perfect take whilst simultaneously watching £2000-worth of fragile timber slide off the edge of the stack of flight cases.

[@drewstephenson]

@Jon Goat it's almost like you've seen my studio! :)

[@acdnrg]

I´ll add a soldering iron, a brush for dusting and cleaning agents :)

[@iammurphy]

Definitely a soldering iron. 👍🏻

[@LodvarDude]

Can also be used to force annoying musicians out of the control-room. DOUBLE-WIN.

[@toulcit]

In addition a coffee machine :)

[@QuickQuips]

In regards to 5, the headphone amp, get the kind that's able to take multiple inputs and can be adjusted by the artist themselves. It'll satisfy a "MORE ME" kind of person.

[@ethanbeahm2204]

These have been my major problems I've faced or fixed over the years this list is perfect for any one trying to setup a studio or session 👍

[@stuffnuns]

Brilliant. Thank you for boring video on boring things. I was bored, surfing around the Tube, and then, I saw that you were explaining boring things. I knew that was meant for me. And, yes, I was bored by it. thank you ever so. No one has ever made boring this funny. Arigato.

[@JoshSource]

A BORING list of the top ten BORING things you need in a studio in the most BORING video ever is EXACTLY the kind of informative MENTAL BREAK I need from these endless apocalypses we’ve been having to endure. Thank you for this. Extra points for the British accent.

[@GeoffBosco]

"If I turn it up halfway, it will literally fry the drummers head...it's been worth every penny." I'm not sure everyone saw what you there, but I want you to know that I saw exactly what you did there.

[@PushSueAside]

Couldn’t agree more. Brilliant list. The only thing missing is, snakes, cables and patch bays. Cheers

[@AllanDawsonMuso]

Cracking delivery Sam!

[@avivmormusic2193]

"And I love a top ten" could never have missed that based on your face and deliverance!

[@NicholasSchlesinger]

The dry, dead pan humour is brilliant.

[@tgm2tgm137]

SAM...., WHERE ARE YOU??? I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOUR INSIGHTS & SHORT OPINIONS & SIMPLY FACE FACE TALK ABOUT STUDIOS & SOUND. PLEASE DO THESE EVERY WEEK.... WE ALL MISS YOU DEARLY!!!

[@sonicjackalopeproductions3342]

47 people who disliked this have never worked a professional gig in their life! The deadpan delivery was perfect and I can find no fault with this list. ESPECIALLY with the DI’s and Insurance. Insurance will literally save your life

[@barisaxx4493]

Still the best useful droll commentary on the entire internet. Thank you!

[@chunkystylemusic]

I can not get enough of this guy!

[@fredacuneo5180]

All really good info.Thanks. Been in more studio sessions than I can count and I encountered almost all of the situations along the way. (Referring to the folks in the live room as "talent" is a bit of stretch sometimes.) Best line: You do need a DI Box (or five!)

[@hannes1734]

4:13 we once were on a gig where we had to mic the bassdrum from the inside, so we took a boom stand and just cut the tubes off. Worked fine, and now we have a short mic stand.

[@tonysanfilippo843]

BRAVO for including short mic stands!

[@sonicjackalopeproductions3342]

Tony SanFilippo agreed! Never know how important they are until a group of artists come in to record classical Carnatic Indian music and they are ALL on the floor with their instruments and vox stands

[@rikx3662]

I love how he always closes with some cheeky english-humor sentence at the end of each point

[@JohnnysaidWhat]

Sam’s videos are the counterweight to 2020. Absolutely brilliant, entertaining and educational.

[@JGlassy]

Excellent top 10, and you gotta love the delivery!

[@JohnOShaughnessy]

excellent! i remember all those things from back in the day. Fortunately, we were well-equipped on all counts! Great tongue-in-cheek delivery!

[@dustybuffalo9973]

I’ve had to build a makeshift home studio to record during quarantine, and the only three things off this list that I seem to be missing are storage, insurance, and a chair. I can realistically only deal with one of those issues though...

[@LouisMoorhouseMusic]

Genuinely miss these videos, looked forward to these almost more than the issues themselves haha.

[@crifox16]

i never hear people talk about it but... a good UPS! clean and stable power is absolutely vital for a console, outboard racks and the studio as a whole

[@crifox16]

@Kevin a good online UPS supplies constant and clean power making sure that studio equipment is fed with the right voltage at all times. it also protects from power surges

[@peterelkas]

This is the best video on KZbin! All so true and great advice.

[@raminpartovi734]

You are a total legend Sam!

[@sklermbot]

This guy is amazing and I love it

[@willgaines5269]

7:13 I highly disagree with this statement. I've plugged the same acoustic guitar into a Whirlwind IMP2 and then a Radial ProDI in a live setting and noticed a HUGE difference in the high-end clarity. The DI you use can have a significant effect on the sound.

[@Ang197O]

I thought the same thing. Also there are some DI's with cool options, so not as boring as suggested. Definitely more exciting than headphone extension cables.

[@DrMax0]

Number 493: Dusting and vacuum cleaning. Currently moving up to 17-ish.

[@adamgreenhill110]

5:57 Sam has been doing this for years... Frying all the drummers' heads. And it was worth every penny

[@error8418]

That's a top ten list with actually useful tips! It really are the small, boring and often overlooked things that can drastically improve the workflow or ruin a session if you don't have them.

[@timothymcartney]

This is the best audio technology video I've ever watched. I'll be using the speaker talkback on my next session!

[@TheStudioDrummer]

Yep. Good List. I have a general rule that if I see an audio adaptor that I do not currently own, I buy 2 on the spot.

[@AlphatoneAudio]

Someone that shares my love of headphone extension cables!

[@thefunkydeep446]

The delivery of number one was precious.

[@TyRobertsmedia]

#11. soldering iron. When I was assistant engineer all I did was soldering! I recall having to build a 24 channel patchbay for 24 channels of Dolby C once (ins & outs)... took 2 days.

[@MrAndrewdog68]

Best vids ever ... this bloke is a classic

[@bobbykanemusictube]

That's it. I love this man. I love this video. I love everything about this. EVERYTHING!!! More of this please.I'm going to share this with everyone I can.

[@TheSynthnut]

Very true words indeed! I particularly love the comment about storage, I can chime with that!

[@MichaelDickson1]

This is awesome. Great info and priceless delivery.

[@TheKer7]

i just woke up and ate a jam bread and got quite spirky, now, this list throught and I am back where i started. THank you hero man!

[@denisbarry9436]

Oddly entertaining. Not even sure why I clicked on this video since all I have is a draped Sennheiser, audio interface and a laptop. And yet, I watched it to the end and glad I did

[@denisbarry9436]

@Busta Speeker Sennheiser is a Mic brand and draped means that its not on a mic stand, rather it is hanging from the handle of my amp and draped in front of the speaker. Poor man's solution. The point being, I dont have a sophisticated setup and still enjoyed the video

[@Musikkeller-Innsider]

Wise words dryly delivered, fun and education!

[@rodrigoluunaa]

This was so boring. I love it! Subscribed

[@stranger5088]

My friend records a lot of metal bands. He says his most important piece of gear is his drummer marble. It’s a grey marble ball about the size of an American softball. He throws it at drummers who piss him off because they can’t actually play their part and yes I’ve seen him actually do it a couple times. He’s gotten a reputation for it actually but you can be damn sure the drummers he records now know their parts.

[@jamielynch8267]

This is the best!! Love it!

[@naomisalama430]

Mic cables, especially spare mic cables. However many mic cables you think you need, you need more. They get Lost, they break, get more.

[@Beelzybud]

Excellent! Well done.

[@DarkPa1adin]

acoustic treatment :) I agree with your list 100%

[@sonicjackalopeproductions3342]

DarkPa1adin but EVERYONE thinks of that. He is talking about the stuff so boring no one thinks of it even when they are in the middle of suffering without it

[@isaacleedrums]

This speaks volumes of what owning or working in a studio might be like.

[@theprstc]

"And then I can spend my entire life on ebay and never have to record a band again." - truer words have seldom been spoken.

[@DwayneCaudill]

Thank you for your meaningful content. As the owner of a new home-studio-in-development, I really appreciate your expertise and insight.

[@Scotlanz]

I just bought two Herman Miller Aerons Remastered. Great stuff.

[@samwilcockmusic]

Great vid. Very informative.

[@KunalVaidya]

These boring things are very interesting ones and can make a difference between a great day and a horrible one. Extra extension cables always useful

[@jonstapleton9250]

I gotta give it to this guy, he is hilarious

[@larslevinberget9558]

I love them short mic stands - telescopic boom or not, legs or round base

[@petersrin7016]

Holy crap this was great. SO BORING! I don't do music, I do film, but a lot of these still resonate as unexpectedly essential.

[@genolexismusic983]

‘Bliss’ lol I like this guy. Great info, thank you.

[@cmdrc-dweller3103]

Brilliant. So straight until you deliver the punchline. Then I laughed myself silly. Nice job Sam and a great top 10 with a most deserving number 1; Reflects how I felt when I stopped teaching studio recording at a further ed. college. Bliss! ;)

[@padrejohnruffle]

Love your #1 spot.. I've been watching (well, more listening than watching actually!) whilst setting-up more storage in my home studio! A padded box that musicians (or curious family members during lock-down!) can sit or play on. I just scored a #1! :-)

[@mitchelldries6628]

essential knowledge..... there's a significant part of my investment that is boring as hell. but they also get replaced more than anything else. bravo on this video!

[@mitchelldries6628]

also cables cables cables, wiring wiring wiring

[@AaronRuperto]

Greatest video ever

[@musicmwmusic]

Absolutely amazing. Please, More videos like this ♥️

[@wickid_chyld]

The samson c control is great. Sadly it's been discontinued for yeeeeeears.

[@JPDC624]

To get to the position of Editor In Chief, you have to be a master of words, thoughts and communication. Sam clearly waltzed into that position like Fred Astaire.

[@imageofsin]

my top 3 boring studio purchases: 1. acoustic treatment 2. mixcubes (reference monitors) 3. patchbay + snakes

[@mfkato]

Great video! Hilarious and informative

[@0riole11]

Rugs in the live room, guitar tuners, shotbags, music stands and headphone hangers for mic stands to stop musicians, but mainly singers, putting the headphones on the mic between takes

[@rjkral]

Stunning info and appropriately boring! Good stuff as dull as it is!!!

[@JimmyBlimps]

Great, thanks for that stress induced frenzy to locate purchase history for all my gear. I maybe found 80% of it, so I'm gonna call some insurance places in the next couple of days and figure out what they can do.

[@bonwana2275]

Thanks mum!! lol...Great list....awseome delivery!!

[@kickbiker7920]

Loved the dulcet tones!

[@von_Apa]

That was the best video clip for a very long time! Made me smile and then realizing stuff that I need to get! ⚓️☑️🎶🎧