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.

[@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.

[@ezzong]

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

[@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.!

[@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

[@anaiytv2120]

😂😂😂😂 very true

[@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

[@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 ;-)

[@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

[@sammathis]

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

[@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 😂😂😂

[@5amJones69]

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

[@AlCapwn369]

Hey, same!

[@dionmonti9397]

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

[@michaelgarding516]

We call those 'drink holders' LOL

[@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

[@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

[@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?

[@harrybhappy]

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

[@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?

[@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! :)

[@LeighDWYC]

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

[@NicholasSchlesinger]

The dry, dead pan humour is brilliant.

[@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.

[@wtmedia]

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

[@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 :)

[@avivmormusic2193]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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!)

[@LouisMoorhouseMusic]

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

[@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...

[@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.

[@rikx3662]

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

[@timothymcartney]

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

[@JGlassy]

Excellent top 10, and you gotta love the delivery!

[@JohnnysaidWhat]

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

[@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!

[@AlphatoneAudio]

Someone that shares my love of headphone extension cables!

[@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!🎼🎶🧑‍💻

[@PushSueAside]

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

[@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.

[@MichaelDickson1]

This is awesome. Great info and priceless delivery.

[@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

[@peterelkas]

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

[@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.

[@barisaxx4493]

Still the best useful droll commentary on the entire internet. 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! ;)

[@thefunkydeep446]

The delivery of number one was precious.

[@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

[@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!

[@AzaleaMusic]

Love your cheeky, understated demeanor on this, Sam! Great advice, delivered with subtle humour. Made my day! 😊

[@DrMax0]

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

[@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! ⚓️☑️🎶🎧

[@musicmwmusic]

Absolutely amazing. Please, More videos like this ♥️

[@chunkystylemusic]

I can not get enough of this guy!

[@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! :-)

[@NickWeissMusic]

Great video. Most pro audio gear ends up being boring as soon as the GAS wears off once the purchase is made. Hey, I love my radial firefly, it’s an excellent box, best DI I’ve ever used... but how much fun is it? $700 can buy a decent guitar lol, that’s a lot more fun!

[@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!

[@DwayneCaudill]

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

[@Beelzybud]

Excellent! Well done.

[@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.

[@TheSynthnut]

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

[@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

[@raminpartovi734]

You are a total legend Sam!

[@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.

[@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.

[@genolexismusic983]

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

[@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!!!

[@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.

[@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.

[@rodrigoluunaa]

This was so boring. I love it! Subscribed

[@michalscibior6468]

Dude, any type of coffee maker that can make a pot of like 6 coffees at once, but I see someone mentioned that. I'd add any type of connector adapters, especially the ones from small st jacks to large st jacks (headphones). These are always gone when You need them.

[@factotumindustries]

Good practical advice. Had to watch at x1.25 speed to avoid falling asleep though. Was it produced for drummers?

[@mfkato]

Great video! Hilarious and informative

[@enzoanitelle1380]

Well, even the “boring” things in the studio still sound very interesting to me hahahaha

[@Rivenworld]

Love your delivery style, and yes, love the content, bang on. :-)

[@jamielynch8267]

This is the best!! Love it!

[@adamgreenhill110]

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

[@eranzilber1]

You got me sold and subscribed at 00:15 !

[@AllanDawsonMuso]

Cracking delivery Sam!

[@kdcyp]

Great advice! I love your mag so much that I spent 20 years reading every issue from front to back and learned so much but didn’t have any spare time left to record music 🙄 I should have been a teacher 😉

[@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.

[@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

[@jrodjared]

Amazing. Spot on accuracy.

[@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

[@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.

[@larslevinberget9558]

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

[@brianperreault1374]

Great vids man. You're a comedic genius + what appears to be a pretty successful studio nerd?

[@Scotlanz]

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

[@mcsweet1966]

We did a cables party some time ago that`s when you get with others Audio Nerds and make cable together and surprisingly we all have a box of Old broken cables with good Neutrik`s Connector so spending 30 sec cleaning them up can save you a couple of $ and at the end of the day that adds up quick.

[@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

[@wickid_chyld]

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

[@leswhite3524]

"...fry the drummer's head..." Priceless!

[@cryptout]

I’m loving the dry humor!