The GearTube Problem

Howdy! Today it's time we talk about why buying your gear some gear to be friends with isn't going to make you an artist.
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[@VenusTheory]

Remember, buying shit ain't the same as doing. Also: pour one out for my dog who's getting neutered today ✂🍒🐶 Become a Patron ► venustheory.com/patrons Free Kalimba Instrument ► bit.ly/kalimbavt New String Library ► bit.ly/alt-strings-vt

[@kiyokiyo5]

sending love for your wee dog ♥

[@indigosnow_]

I'll pour one out when I get home. Hope it goes well for your pup

[@VinceFinemMusic]

I would love to see larger creators convincing beginners and generally untrained or just musically untalented people to simply get out and start doing that thing they love, despite their own personal shortcomings. Almost in my 40s and I'm just now getting into music (my last experience being recorder flutes in elementary school) and sucking at it. But I'm having a blast and really surprising myself with something really beautiful things every once in a while. I would love to see others just get a mic and that old guitar out of the attic or a cheap MAudio interface and a synth or just a USB keyboard and Garageband and start creating bad stuff and maybe you'll eventually start making good stuff!

[@GaryR55]

@@ghfjfghjasdfasdf Soundcloud isn't really Soundcloud anymore.

[@GaryR55]

@@ghfjfghjasdfasdf So was the original Soundcloud. You probably weren't even born yet.

[@WWAVES1]

Casually creates a sample library to prove a point

[@VenusTheory]

'tis the way of the grumpstache 🤠

[@nostalgia_junkie]

put a massive smile on my face

[@PetrolMediaInc]

Seriously

[@sawtooth808]

@@VenusTheory to you sir, the highest of fives 🫡

[@johnkelly8009]

Hours of work for about a 30-second montage. That's dedication

[@infertype]

You mention the value of time. One thing that became clear to me several thousands of dollars into this rabbit hole is how much time it takes to learn new gear. So not only are you spending money, you’re taking time that could go toward making a track.

[@offroaders123]

Great point!

[@DorGreen1]

Great point, but I gotta say some of my own favorite creations were made while deep-diving into a piece of gear. It could be time well spent, not time wasted :)

[@soejrd24978]

But then there's also the great fun in learning a new piece of gear, at least for me. That has great value in of itself.

[@a.c.2211]

By learning new devices u learn new approaches of making music,so I d consider it useful most of the times

[@infertype]

⁠@@soejrd24978Agree it can be fun to learn the gear, and that can be a reward in itself!

[@PeterToml1nson]

This is why I like you, Cameron. You do what you want with your channel, even if it’s not the most popular. I’m sure the gear videos would be a lot more popular, but I enjoy these kinds of videos so much more. Keep it up, man

[@VenusTheory]

'Preciate it partner. More than enough gear videos to go around anyways, might as well do something more interesting than rattle off specs twice a month 😅

[@almightyminataur4000]

On god this guy has helped me so much with these vids

[@Clee3421]

This isnt just him. The algorithm is borderline oppressive and people are exhausted. Expect to see even more videos of people going off their expected rails and "I'm leaving youtube" videos.

[@drindy5166]

​@@Clee3421 lol, truth! KZbin is great isn't it!?! LoL More and more as time goes on I am sure youtube will find more ways to punish content creators hahaha 👊😉👍

[@dan9558]

Suddenly feeling inspired. Thanks for this. Seems it was the ​🔥 I needed lit under my ass! @VenusTheory

[@nilsqvis4337]

I'm a graphic artist and i gotta say this is something that is probably true for most creative endeavours. There's no better way of getting a project started than limiting yourself. Creativity is fundamentally a process about problem solving, so you have to give yourself some problems to solve. This is especially the case for aspects of your craft that you struggle with.

[@ItsWesSmithYo]

I think it’s true for whatever you do when you are awake 😂 the info pipeline is strong 💪

[@rethardotv5874]

That’s the reason I like using Pocket operators, limited capability while still being provided everything I need to make Musik.

[@drindy5166]

Agreed for sure

[@sxm5138]

❤️❤️❤️absolutely

[@stuartchapman5171]

I've always found this, regardless of the field I was working in at the time.

[@azrec440]

mannn i feel this in my bones. i made my first song with audacity, a fisher price piano, a pawnshop acoustic guitar and a rockband usb mic... and its easily the most authentic, soulful piece of music ive ever made

[@VenusTheory]

Ah the days of the 'dude we can record I have a rockband mic' haha. Good times - did that many times myself in my buddies basement growing up because his parents could afford rockband 😅

[@Nick_santana1]

Sameeeee, I made my first song with my first strat, a Rocksmith real tone cable and mix craft midi bass and MTpowerdrumkit, ended up being one o my best songs to this day.

[@Burgan_The_Unoffical_Troll]

I made my first song with a mp3 player and ten dollar earbud mic. It was 4 cords from my out of tune piano, a drum loop from who the heck knows where and I used some DAW nobody has ever heard of

[@MBeeching]

I've only dabbled with music production over the years but recall purchasing the original Dance eJay (1997). However my younger brother became particularly interested and from there went on to pursue an education and career in sound engineering and performance. Sadly he's no longer with us but that simple PC program was his acorn.

[@Xanaduum]

Year 2040... Brings out KZbin video on why Fisherprice is the new go-to retro device for synth musicians. Costs: £2000 on Ebay. 😂

[@WolfoxBR]

"...because the hardest way to make something is to wait until the time is right to do it" I feel seen. Thanks for saying that, I guess I needed to hear it.

[@RenoFriends]

I was in that comment too 🫂

[@thomas.moerman]

I second this. I spend waaaay too much time "setting the stage" as opposed to actually doing stuff... guess I'm a work-in-progress on that level.

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

I was 18, it was 1987. I had two old 1980's synthesizers and two cassette recorders (to bounce tracks back and forth), I would write and record a song each day, and then play it at my club that night (I was working as a club DJ in Toronto). Crazy how productive I was. Then I got a four-track Tascam cassette recorder, what a revelation! Now it takes me days to figure out which of the thousands of drum sounds I have on hand are going to be the best for the middle 8 of the song.

[@eggbass]

I miss my Tascam Portastudio.

[@ShaunyWalker]

Which club in Toronto, btw cheers fellow Torontonian 👍😎🖑

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

@@ShaunyWalker look up the video on my channel titled "the story of how I got started in music and synths" from June of 2021 - I tell the whole story there, including footage from some of the clubs.

[@OrangeNash]

BAck in the 80's and 90's, before "in the box", recalling your half-finished project was a nightmare. There was no "Save Entire Project" when you were using a sampler, analog synth (with no presets), analog mixing desk and some outboard FX etc. They'd note down mixing desk settings and everything, to try and carry on working later if needed. But often, it just didn't sound right! So most (electronic, house, DnB) producers finished and mixed tracks as fast as possible, just so we didn't lose them. Recall making 4 or 5 mixes of a track, doing live fader and filter changes on each, then choosing the best later. In hindsight, I think that's why many producers struggle to finish tracks now. You can always save and "perfect" it another time, so that's what we do. Always planning to tweak something, swap out the drums, change the bass, remix the sub. It wasn't an option back then, you finished and moved on, because finishing a half-done track a month from now wasn't an option.

[@ShaunyWalker]

Scott what a moving video. Thank you so much! Come back to visit Georgetown again...@@ScottsSynthStuff

[@fenomenoider4]

"Whether you do, or whether you do not, time is gonna pass any way, and regret for having not tried sure makes suffering with existence a whole more harder." - Cameron (2024) Words to live by.

[@MayzMatthiasYzebaert]

Yeah that was hilarious! :D Good video too. I like these essayistic styled 'gear/music' videos.

[@dancarter5595]

You hit the nail on the head. I've become more selective with my KZbin subscriptions lately. I'm gravitating towards channels that prioritize genuine content over marketing fluff

[@spaceemotion1]

Back when I got my Native Instruments Collection, I was really overwhelmed, so I set up a challenge just for myself: Only create music using the Minimoog clone (Monark) and built-in VSTs of my DAW. This gave me two really good insights: How to best use the free stuff that comes with the DAW, no fancy plugins needed, and how to get the most out of Monark at all. Pads, Leads, Drums, I can now confidently recreate a sound I have in my head. If I wouldn't have done this I would probably still be doing preset-hopping instead.

[@justincaldwell2527]

This was a good to hear. Thank you. I have over the last 25 years bought, sold, re-bought and re-sold thousands of dollars of music gear . I just did it again. I bought a Novation Bass Station II for the second time. It is a good piece of kit. It is simple and does what it says on the box. So why did I let the 1st one go 3 years ago only to purchase it again? It re inspired me. When I was fiddling about with it in the store it gave me a feeling that recently I had not had. I don't feel creative.. I am bored. I have no steady source of income. I am in between jobs. I am 54. I am gaining weight. I just want to feel the dopamine and excitement of a purchase. I want to jump start my coping mechanism and buy some happy. The sad truth, I have played that Bass Station II once since I got it 4 weeks ago. It has collected dust sitting up against the wall .I have thought about taking it back to the store this loop has to end. It was ok 25 years ago with a steady stream of income, but now it's a gamble and risk. There is now this shame that I tricked myself in to believing that this purchase was going to make me happy. I'm amazed that such a simple instrument like the Bass Station II has created such a complex sequence of emotional responses that are not very pleasing to hear. Your segment here helped in a way. I never felt alone in this. I knew G.A.S. was a real thing. I lived it. Still do. Guess I got a little more work to do. Get a job, Get back to the gym. Respect and cherish that I still have my health at 54. Look forward to the future. Sell the Bass Station II new in box.

[@va941]

Get in the gym yes, but even more, eat healthy.

[@timetravelvictim]

This hits hard. Be well!!

[@djduncanjames]

Keep your chin up mate 🙂

[@chrisduke1010]

Don't sell it. USE it! You bought it for a reason. Twice! LET'S GOOOOOOOO!!!

[@prestonjackson9086]

Ya you’re not alone It really is a matter of getting moving first thing in morning staying off phone and reprogramming yourself All the best

[@NikoBased]

I've always agreed with this. It doesn't just stop with gear and creativity though. There's also an obsession with perfect mixdowns and sound design that has a similar affect on productivity. I've tried to assure people repeatedly, that if the music is good, it doesn't very much matter if you have the worlds best mixdown. A good song with a mediocre mixdown is always better than a bad song mixed by Dave Pensado. People start convincing themselves that unless they have the best gear, and the best engineers, they simply can't make a good song. Obviously nothing could be further from the truth. The best songs I've ever made were when I spent less time worrying about the perfect drum sample, or the perfect synth patch, and instead focused on the composition and got the idea out of me. I can always go back later and make a new synth patch, or find a better drum sample, but what I can't do, is go back and get the creative moment I was having, after I spend 2 hours making the perfect kick drum. I think the dirty little secret is, some of us actually enjoy making the perfect kick drum more than we enjoy making a good song, and a lot of us just don't know it.

[@Scott__C]

Perfect can be the enemy of finished.

[@EdLrandom]

I love the term "equipment influencer" I'll be using that about ppl

[@lokelosk]

I made an album 1 or 2 years ago using just one Microfreak and free reverbs with a DAW. I was just jamming and recording, took the best takes and saved each as a song. I'm not a "professional" musician and I certainly doubt I would ever make enough money with the hobby I do on my free time, but that album is one of the most listened on my bandcamp (which doesn't have a lot of traffic, so that's really something). It was really just one instance, of one instrument, and free plugins. Not a masterpiece, but plenty of people liked it.

[@erikjohnson2976]

Brilliant and courageous analysis. I've suffered from GAS for decades, but recently moved and discovered just how much crap I acquired, never used, and stuffed in a closet for some ersatz rainy day. In the time I owned the gear, I was so consumed with studying and acquiring the instruments, hardware, plugins, DAW alternatives, libraries, etc., that I also discovered that I didn't make much to show for my money and time. Since this epiphany, I've managed to sell about 75% of that very same gear that I spent so much time and money acquiring. With each sale came this cathartic relief, so powerful and rewarding, that I just kept selling more. After two years, I'm down to "just the basics", only the equipment and software that I actually use, and I have now re-discovered the concept of actually making music. I've completed a number of songs just in the past few months, songs that eluded me for years. Perhaps the "analysis paralysis" and acquisitions were an excuse to not create, but now they no longer exist, and now I'm creating. So, bravo to you for pointing this out. Here's to the actual process of creating using what we have, and nothing more.

[@wavmagicians]

Intro gave me anxiety 😂

[@JoshuaNeedham]

This is me every time I try and work on learning something new.

[@a_ggghost]

himbo-casual slutty thumbnail is a blessing

[@VenusTheory]

Spent a solid 3 hours figuring out that intro having to edit it over and over and over haha, was on the verge of a mental breakdown myself 😅

[@MatthewSwasta]

I had my work volume up too loud as I walked away and had to turn right around and bring it down...😬

[@wavmagicians]

@@VenusTheory 🔥

[@PantaFlux]

I totally agree: It’s not about the camera … it’s about the Cameron!

[@justsomedude5727]

One thing I enjoyed about recording real drums for the first time recently, is that the sounds I got weren't exactly the sounds I was going for, but they still sound good.

[@2paco]

I’m learning to appreciate the imperfections and flexibility of live instruments and getting out of the grid of the DAW

Many thanks for this! I've done a few gear vids, but by far the most engagement I got is for my one on G.A.S. and I think that's cos it's a universal issue, and often gets in the he way of creativity to our frustration. Fundamentally it's way EASIER to buy things than to CREATE THINGS. Nothing is on the line when you click buy now. You get some dopamine, you can feel like it's an achievement. And you know don't get me wrong, it's fun to have stuff and that's fine to enjoy it however you like. But it's when it becomes an excuse for not creating when you know you want to, that I feel it gets quite toxic. When it's filling a hole that should be filled with art. It can lead to serious issues, debt and depression and so on. I too tire of the endless kit cycle and agree it holds back creativity, and try to stay out of it for the most part. Since I used to work at Sound On Sound as news editor about 10 years back it was very hard to let go of being deep into the industry and buried in gear cycles and so on, but I think it's good for you creatively to do so, so I'm trying my best!

[@DoomNedwob]

Like a slap in the face with a wet fish, this was just the video I've been needing to break the gear acquisition cycle! Looking back with fondness to where I started with a Tascam 244 Portastudio, four tracks on tape cassette, a Casio VL-1 and my mates dad's Eminent organ, bouncing tracks down to squeeze more tracks onto a C90 cassette....so much fun and such a creative time...Enough typing, time to go make some tunes. Thank you so much 😊

[@interstellarcastaway]

Excellently put. Interesting note regarding anticipation and justification, simply talking about a project to others and feeding off of their reactions gives us similar feelings in our reward centres as actually doing the project. So it satisfies the same craving, but gets nothing done. I stepped back and realized that every good thing I've made did not go through that little hype train exercise.

[@r-d-v]

Oh wow I resonate with this here

[@randomusername1735]

Yess! Keep it a secret even though you really really want to share stuff. Same with wanting to make positive change, don't go around telling people how you'll improve because it hurts your odds for the exact same reason

[@kirkphillips112]

"Babe wake up VT just dropped a new hard look in the mirror."

[@Bthelick]

"Whether you tell yourself you can, or tell yourself you can't, you're right! - Henry Ford

[@VentureNW]

ooh... a Henry Ford quote! Spot on!

[@noisetheorem]

I built my studio partly because I always wanted to have a space that looks like that. It’s weird, but it’s a physical manifestation of my success at work. That said, I did start acquiring a lot more gear during the pandemic…at the same time I discovered music KZbin. It’s really quite frightening the influence it has.

[@stevesoucy5932]

As a frequent sufferer of gear acquisition syndrome, I felt this in my bones. 😂 Your channel is gold, Cam!

[@manuelsteinmair]

I was 'cured' from GAS when I realized that there is a difference between collecting synths and audio gear to make music and buying stuff because it's cool tech. Now I feel more like a gardener for my gear. keep stuff free from dust, updating firmware and occasionally even... play with it. ;-)

[@poopliker1]

OMG babe Venus Theory just dropped another MOVIE quality VIDEO!!!!!!!!

[@NimrodScott]

You make several good points with this video (as usual!). G.A.S. Is a real issue for lots of us. To control my G.A.S. I started a policy (5 years ago this month): “If I want to buy something, I have to sell something”. In other words, take the value in what I owned, recover it by selling it, and then use that money to buy the next thing. That saved me from falling over the cliff. That kept me from filling a room with an impossible to use amount of gear. I also agree with your point about using things for JOY, and not limiting a purchase to mere utilitarian reasons. Rock on!

[@2paco]

I recently did this and it was an awesome way to get rid of things that I didn’t use to get something rare and relatively expensive that I use a lot and sounds great. I bought things used, so the value stays stable when time to sell

[@surfinwaves7889]

I never commented on this channel but damn these videos help me a lot. With them I was able to make more music and evolve, today I got signed to two good labels under a new name and I'll start a new journey, thank you Cameron!

[@Lolwutdesu9000]

Are we just ignore the fact that this dude just went out and created a whole sample library just for the sake of this video? :O

[@watchaddicts1213]

AMEN

[@ChrisMills-AmbientSpace]

I love your regular reminders to be creative delivered with self-reflective psychology. Thank you.

[@owencmyk]

I have literally never spent I cent on music production. I am a firm believer that working on your skills is far more important than the tools you use

[@VenusTheory]

As grandpa would say: a bad craftsman blames the tools.

[@MarcoPolux]

​@@VenusTheoryGranpa also said: "a goot tool will allow you to forget about it and focus on your craft"

[@owencmyk]

Truth!@@VenusTheory

[@sadface]

Preach. I bought my DAW, a few basic VSTs like Korg M1(I make house, can't live without it) & Pro Q 3 (for the mid-side goodness) and that's it! That's all you need unless you are chasing a specific sound or publishing commercially.

[@minismallists]

So what do you use to upload the music 💀

[@neilingle794]

Or in other words, 'Shiny Object Syndrome'! We've all been there - I spent last December purchasing software (and an expensive MIDI keyboard)... and creating zilch! Now it's time to stop purchasing and start creating. I'd also like to add that there is a time to stop 'thinking about' creating, and just sit there and create! Whatever flows out of the head. Pick the first preset you like and do something with it, rather than wondering whether there is a better preset (out there in the thousands of sounds on your hard drive) to do this as-yet undefined job... ...fair to say, I don't practice what I preach! But now is the time for me to change, and videos like this give me the confidence to do so. Thank you Cameron 🙏

[@neilingle794]

ps. I did the Kalimba thing too - had an old 'holiday purchase' Mbira knocking about, sampled it using a Zoom H4n field recorder, chucked it into Pigments, did a bit of manipulation, added some reverb and delay - sounds great! I really wish I could listen to myself more often...

[@stuartchapman5171]

Last years new hot itens, we all drooled over, are still exceptional devices. We font need the latest, tat. Im no David Lynch, but I had my most creative burst, when I started out. £40 mixer, a turntable, a stack of spoken word and effects vinyl. A £15 Fab Chorus, £20 Distortion,£25 Reverb, £30 Delay and a Monotron delay, along with radios, old cassette deck and a dictaphone. I was frustrated, but happy and inventive. I took up the artform late in life, when my hands were too worn out for heavy creative metalwork. I consider my creative process to be resilient, now, no matter what my health or resources, I can create with an old laptop, open source software and a smartphone as a field recorder, from a hospital bed. I've begged, stole and borrowed, Ive built, hacked and invented many devices, Im overwhelmed with gear. Im at a point where it's time for a lot if it to go. Im cool with that as well, I just cant decide, which ones, lol.

[@robbesmetplopkoek8842]

one of my favourite creators on this platform. So inspiring

[@VenusTheory]

Glad to be of service!

[@ninjaxhayabusa]

Man I could probably unsubscribe from every other music channel on KZbin, but yours always brings something valuable to the table. This vid in particular was exactly what I needed to hear this morning

[@nkozi]

"Our old familiar friend" immediately gets hit with a Dawn Power Wash ad Also you're 100% correct as usual. As I start to budget how I'm going to pay for $2000 Genelecs and how to mount treatment in my home studio I long for the days of me making all my tracks on an iPhone 4 and a cracked copy of Live with a Rockband USB mic. Edit: fwiw music is my job now so this does make sense as an investment, but like damn. How did we end up here 😵‍💫

[@deadlizard64]

Anytime I see a video in my feed about procrastination I save it to the watch later playlist. "Get of the internet and make something" ... you know I just might.

[@dedicatedspuddler7641]

Another astute observation on creators and the creative process, my friend. You show wisdom beyond your years.

[@shareefsteele4486]

You're right dude. I ended up uninstalling most of my vsts and have made more music than I did before. Choice paralysis and thirsting for the next best thing takes so much energy and time.

[@entropybentwhistle]

Most VSTs come with a googolplex of presets and you end up masturbating 90% of the time listening to the stupid presets than doing anything constructive. Kind of a reason i like old monosynths is you have zero presets, you work to get something that sounds like your imagined goal, or even better, stumble on the happy accident, then you make a tune with it. Minimal masturbation.

[@rothloaf1980]

In the 90s I had so much gear it heated my apartment. I was a young 18-35er then, unsure of myself as a player, thus susceptible to "this is pro" marketing. Like the weed I grew to buy it, all the gear is gone. Kids, save your money. Time makes the player and leads to good music.

[@el_kraken]

Whatever your gear, there you are.

[@Weaverbeats]

this video convinced me to shave my chest

[@njcity]

It also convinced me to grab a Moog (and not pay for it)

[@VentureNW]

😂😂

[@HieronymusLudo]

Great stuff. In my personal experience, it can take a while and cycling through a bunch of gear, to find a setup and workflow that works for you personally. Yes, anyone can make music with almost anything, but there are some great devices out there that trigger the deepest wells of creativity inside of you. My current setup is almost completely different from when I started out over 3 years ago. But I am finally in a place where I feel that that well of creativity is ready to be fully tapped.

[@clubtonberry]

I literally have a cheap, portable midi keyboard, a mic and a few synth VSTs. I'm happy, in my lane, hydrated, focused, flourishing... You don't need loads of equipment to make good music.

[@PuffinPass]

Reminds me of an old saying that we have all probably heard at least once, "It is a poor mechanic who blames his tools" Or to quote John Lennon, "I'm an artist. You give me a tuba, and I will get you something out of it."

[@JoshuaNeedham]

This is such a relevant and reality based video, perfect for the new year. I made a few unnecessary purchases as I just got into this whole music production thing 4 months ago. Jumped in fully. It was supposed to be just getting back into mixing music so I picked up a DJ controller. Very quickly I decided I enjoy making beats and bought the latest version of Beatmaker and that started a spiraling out of control purchase frenzy. First I purchased a Akai MPC Live 2. I then needed an Audio Interface and studio sepeakers which led to wanting to have a better mixer because of the other gear I decided I needed. I settled in on a Tascam Model 12 so I could hook all the equipment. A Keystep Pro, MicroFreak, Faderfox EC-4, T.E. EP-133, and to actually make sounds outside of VST's I just picked up a ASM Hydrasynth to round out my studio. Former gambling addict and I love to buy shit. Every hobby I've embarked on I've been a full or nothing participant. Well, now it's time to continue learning how to use all of this equipment and making some music. Stay tuned.

[@VenusTheory]

Absolutely feel you haha. Recently did a big purge a few months ago of that pile of 'stuff I probably might need' that I accumulated over the last decade or so and that was a massive eye opener of how many things I owned that needed dusted off every few months!

[@pHrenetikMUSIC]

Refreshingly honest. The most sincere message I've heard online in years. Me thinks this guy could do fairly well with a channel just on philosophy and culture.

[@danpreston564]

I like the fact that making music, or just making sounds is mostly an insular hobby for me, so I can allow the occasional GAS, because sometimes I just want to play with something new. I don’t care if or what I create with it.

[@DanielWelchMusic]

That Hainbach album is so brilliant. It's a perfect example of how real creativity will always shine, no matter what gear - if anything, it's the limitations that *especially* made it so good. And the fact you made a sample library on budget gear to prove the point is pretty funny, but definitely works. Always appreciate your honesty and cynicism on these topics.

[@GradiusCypher]

This advice applies to so many things in my life - gamedev, programming, music production, technical research/writing, etc. Thank you for these style of videos, they mean a lot to me and others, I’m sure.

[@Astarath]

**stares at the pocket operators i use to annoy people in online games over voice chat** uhhh

[@xSaintxSmithx]

Guys, my setup is an OG Blue Babybottle, a Kaotica eyeball, a set of HS5's, a pair of Shure headphones and a pair of pink cat headphones, a Scarlett 2i2, and a laptop. Actual skill is worth more than any gear. A good engineer will make a song sound great on a pair of airpods, but a bad engineer won't even make a good track in a million dollar studio. Knowledge and skill are more valuable than anything.

[@EximiusDux]

Watched this twice on a smartphone, partially played it at 240p in a background tab on PC, and then ran it again at 1080p. The world didn't end and I did not win a prize. 😌

[@neko6]

This is something I've seen many times in different creative endeavors - if you're not doing the thing with the basic gear, you're not gonna do it with the high-end gear Do first, improve gear later

[@chriscresswellcomposer]

My favorite Steve Reich quote... "Make the best music you can with whatever gear you have"

[@tomfoolery4077]

Wow, I never have felt more attacked yet more understood at the same time, ha. This was fantastic.

[@Azeria]

John Darnielle recorded at least eight Mountain Goats albums on a Panasonic RX-FT500 boombox using the built in microphone and cassette tapes.

[@johanneschristopherstahle3395]

Time never passes. Time is endless. It's us who pass. It's like the sun. It does not go up and down, it's our own movement around it...

[@edwardaverilliii1658]

Not a damn thing I can argue with here. When it was just my guitar, me, and my Dad's old Teac reel-to-reel I'd crank out a tune a month or so. Now, I sit down, open up Waveform, look at my dozen instruments and 100 effects, and.. get depressed. WTF?And yeah, for ages the Matrix had me.. buy, buy, buy and make nothing, nothing, nothing. FEHHHHH. So I went out, bought a cheap guitar, deleted all my sample libraries and now am at LEAST starting tracks and jamming out with myself. MASSIVE improvement. Preach the faith, brother!

[@Castafer]

I'm a decent artist, that hasn't really shared much of my work. And I've been buying $1,000+ virtual instruments for the past five years. Every time I compose my music, I think "This could sound better. If only I had..." and would continue to buy yet another, expensive virtual instrument. Like you were saying, I'm happy having them still. And they mean a lot to me. I just forget that my ability is lacking more than my equipment, just how you explained in the video. We get sucked-up into a void believing that if we just bought... No, it won't make you significantly better. There's many more methods & directions of learning you could pursue to make you a better artist than buying every new piece of equipment. Thank you for the video :D

[@TheBeardsShow]

I hope people like Andrew Huang and the ilk see this video. I am super tired of youtube influencers shilling expensive average plugins. Thank you for making this video

[@heddshot87]

After buying multiple pieces of hardware I finally realized I'm an inside-the-box guy. Never bought hardware after that again.

[@Stromboli_A_]

So true

[@framlucasse]

Very true...

[@EvelynnMommy]

“We’re tight-fisted with property and money, yet think too little of wasting time, the one thing about which we should all be the toughest misers.” ~Seneca

[@oldunclemick]

The chip shortage helped me a lot. All those products that either were promise-ware, hens teeth, or ridiculously up-priced. I survived 2 years without buying much at all and focusing on my musicianship and since then even my wishlist fell off my wishlist. Apart from a new laptop (my ancient Vaio is physically dying) there's nothing that's a must-have for me to get stuff done!

[@michaelkonomos]

As a professional visual artist I can also vouch for this - I can use a piece of charcoal or a $2000 Wacom to make great art. Doesn’t matter. People make amazing music with literal junk, all over America and the world. It’s the same forces driving us to feel less than unless we buy what everyone else is buying. Literally Instagram and KZbin are 80% vehicles for pushing product. And I’m not talking about SynthTubers. I’m talking about US. Every gear video we post advertising for someone, every chass bliss pedal we show off… it’s just one big marketing machine. We need to find Art again, and find each other again. Thanks for this inspiring video. Always appreciate your perspective.

[@Curious_Skeptic]

To me, getting stuff done is playing w gear! The whole hobby is new gear and learning gear. I would bet 97% of us are just gear heads and have no real plans on making finished music! Even the best talents never get anywhere! You touch on that. You are dead on. I am starting my 4th home studio. Typical guy. I buy it all, never use it all. Sell it all. Three to five years go by, I start again. Three to five years, finish my conquest, rinse/repeat! Fact is, our c phone have all we need for free! Everything else is just the hunt for inspiration. Fact.

[@SteveNilsen]

True!

[@CraigRodmellMusic]

I've often read questions like "Which is the best model in the JV/XV series?", "Which is the best library for composing?", "Which is the best all-round orchestra library" etc etc etc. My answer to all these questions is: The best libraries/instruments for making music with are the ones you actually HAVE. NOT the ones you WISH you had.

[@SsgtHolland]

I remember a video on YT I saw once that dealt with, what he called, 'The Tool Box Fallacy'. It floated the idea that the lack of certain tools is the excuse we use to not create..to put off our dreams. Because we 'lack the right tools' to be a 'real professional'. That hit me hard and lead me to harsh self reflection and deadlines to finally make use of all my gear. It was almost triggering a guilt trip. The only way out of that for me was exactly what Cameron said in this video: It is ok to have gear, buy gear and enjoy gear as much or as little as you want. It is ok to endlessly tweak a filter or start a your ten thousandth project that might never become a finished song. You don't need finished albums or live gigs to be a musician, a creator or just to enjoy all aspects of music making. Just enjoy the journey, wherever it leads and whatever it gives you.

[@MosEisleySpacePort1138]

I can only speak for myself. I have a Motif 8, Roland HS-60 (my very first synth), Jupiter Xm, a Hydrasynth Explorer, a Kaoss Pad 3, an R16 recorder/interface, Logic Pro, and a bunch of synth apps. If I can’t make music with all this, then it’s not about making music anymore. It’s about trying to fill a hole in my life.

[@hydroponicgard]

This video is what I genuinely needed. Just, the thought process of... "You don't need something new, if it works for what you can do right now, don't buy something newer." I've been stuck in this loophole for... About 2-ish years, due to being a broke, jobless idiot from Balkan, struggling to find ANY POSSIBLE work here... But, just as you said... Just because one lacks a setup, does not mean they can't make something great. And, to that... I hope to start my projects soon. :)

[@Morphee99]

I think some of us are idealistic and some are not chasing the holy graal regarding art, sound, music. Those who don’t give a f are the less tortured and they just create. But I don’t think we can really change what we are so if we are in the quest of the holy graal we better understand what we are seeking otherwise this syndrom will never stop. Because I think this syndrom comes from the promise to be able to express the sound we seek so we buy new gear over and over again hoping we gonna make it with this new piece of gear. But it will always fall short until we clarify what we are searching for. Of course that “it doesn’t make any music of it’s own”, it will never do if we are the idealistic type of artist because we are searching for something and we actually don’t know what we are searching for. The thing to do is to stop buying new gear and start trying to understand and define more clearly the sound we are searching. But the process is painfull.

[@joonglegamer9898]

I'm 55, I have loved synths since I was 12 years old, but back then we could not afford anything, so we used Amiga! The last 10 years I've spent with GAS has been a very interesting journey, like many of you I chased the "perfect setup", it was never enough polyphony, not enough sounds, couldn't sample easy, couldn't midi record without flaws, too long setup etc. It took forever. Now - I finally have the absolutely PERFECT (for me) setup. All of my demands are met. So - still the same problem - RUT. But my problem is slightly different than that of the video, it's more now of an excuse and imposter syndrome. I walk over to my really gorgeous setup that I can make music on in an instant, before I know it - I have a beat going and it records perfectly, like it's just too good, there is NO limits (but me, I am a limit in a way), and it's this feeling that the moment is either there or never there. I can't blame it on GAS anymore, because the setup is literally perfect. Why complain then? Because I want to prove "Venus Theory"'s point to be correct. It's really not so much about the gear as it is the musician. Having the ultimate setup won't make your music more creative, it won't make you a star unless you enjoy what you do without feeling the pressure to "perform". In my case I make more music than I ever did, but still I have this eerie feeling of TIME, should I spend it on this? Did I enjoy this? And the next piece is better - so I dont even bother saving it. Being an artist slash imposter is hard.

[@NoremakSeggob]

My first recording at 15 was with an old camcorder pointed at the amp, with a pencil and a bongo for drums. Converted the videos to .mp3 and mixed on some forgotten software. Gritty enough for death metal.

[@NoremakSeggob]

I'll also say that my latest recording was with $1000s of mics and a recording console, and I spent so much time trying to get all the gear to work right that I forgot to make good music to go along with it 😅

[@DanRelayer_Ukraine]

seeing a friend suffering from GAS cured me from this ailment, which was then at stage one basically. My friend still believes that the tone comes from the gear and guitars. After witnessing a video of George Benson playing on some shredder looking Ibanez and sounding as immaculately as ever - that was a clear wake up call for me to improve the tone that comes from fingers. Did wonders for me. Thanks! A very useful video for the community.

[@Matthew-tr6io]

Any source for that video of GB? sounds rad lol

[@flummi5559]

That's soo true... I love writing songs and perform them, and they're great, but even with many tons of gear and instruments i'm not able to produce more than 1 song per year 😐 This whole stuff sometimes feels like a brickwall of decisions and I'm unable to decide, so I just sit down and let the time go pass. When I'm lucky, I have an idea, that inspires me and I can create a new song. I now decided to improve my basic music skills with my 25 € keyboard from the second hand shop, even it is just for 10 minutes a day. I eventually come up with a new workflow idea and slowly bring in my other stuff to build my songs on a much more profound basis

[@Ave_Musica]

Sooooo true😢😂

[@salmon_tag]

If I give you a map with 100 routes through the woods it's going to be much harder to pick a path than a map with 3. You also brought up something that isn't mentioned nearly enough, buying gear just to play with it is okay! There's nothing wrong letting experimentation exist for experimentations sake without the pressure of creating permanence in song.

[@industryrule-4080]

I’m not even a musician and got served this video. Funny thing is the main theme here is applicable to the things I am interested in: photography and cycling. GAS is pervasive in nearly all facets of the creator environment.

[@manateesarepeopletoo]

I love this take. I wrote my first album 20 years ago on a busted laptop, using no hardware except for an entry level Tascam US-122 audio interface and monitoring it through the speakers I borrowed from my parent's old stereo. Despite now having an entire studio full of fancy gear, that album is still my favourite pieces of work I've produced and it got me booked on a tour that went around the world for over two years. Gear isn't what's holding you back. You're what's holding you back. Get started!

[@digitalhillbilly8863]

Friends think I spend too much money on gear. I played 5 different instruments in high school band, filling gaps wherever I was needed. But for me a new instrument is like a vacation. Something to explore. One day after my sister made a comment about my musical purchases I said "I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs, I don't fish. This is my hobby. It could be worse." Now they don't say anything, and my long gathered collection of instruments helped to finance early retirement.

[@andydutchman1970]

You are always such an inspiration! As someone who bought the Arturia Polybrute after watching your video I had to laugh because I bought just the SK-1 too back in 1986 😅 You nailed it! Again.

[@FastRedPonyCar]

I didn't realize how bad my GAS was or how bad my gear hoarding was until I actually went through every single item of value not just in my gear collection but the whole house and documented every single electronic and/or item high enough in value that I would miss it in a spreadsheet along with it's value and screenshots of amazon, reverb, sweetwater, etc receipts. I did this for home insurance purposes in the event that a disaster claims our house. Doing this can greatly help you get financially compensated for all that stuff. So it wasn't until I saw those numbers starting to absolutely go out of control that I realized the scope of my problem and I ended up selling over $10,000 worth of that stuff and used the money to put down a big chunk of a down payment on a car. What I sold barely scratched the surface but it's absolutely made me more aware of my spending, hoarding and also has given me a list of things I can go through to sell if I want to get something new that won't immediately make me money (i.e something I can take on stage at gigs)

[@PetrGladkikh]

It's not about gear, but... It takes me over a month for a minute of piano music which is arduous process for me, and a couple of hours to make an electronic composition which I do sometimes when get bored. So "go there and make something" is, well, only for fun stuff. I have been envious for people saying "I made only 16 songs this month, not much", it takes me 1 year for 10 minutes of somehting that I do care about. And, yes, thats time, not gear.

[@lurkinguy]

This is why I like the idea of Jamuary. Just, go! Clear that little corner of the room (or desk, or park bench), point a thing that records at it and create something. Aside from the promise to myself and other people doing the same, there is no drive to do 31 jams, ideally one each day, for a month. I'll be dammed, it is a driver to be creative!

[@collectionofsensations]

George Lucas said something that stuck with me. Translated to a music context it goes like this. According to George there are two types of happiness, pleasure and joy. And happiness cant be both at the same time, it’s either one. Pleasure is the feeling you get buying a new synthesizer. The peak of happiness goes high but does not sustain very long. The thing with pleasure is, you don’t remember it. When it’s gone it’s gone. And the next time you will have to buy a synthesizer twice as good to get the same level of pleasure. Because it insulates. Joy on the other hand is something you do remember. It comes from unselfish acts like giving yourself to someone or something. It doesn’t peak as high like pleasure, it comes with small doses of happiness. But it can stay for a life time. Joy is being proud of your kids, helping others grow in their craft by sharing your knowledge and experience, being there for a friend, or giving yourself to your craft. Pleasure is easy to attain, while joy requires discipline and effort, but if you are ready to do the hard work, joy can be an infinite pool of happiness to draw from. For me, George wise words have helped me when i felt stuck constantly looking for the next gadget to get excited for. Sure it is nice to check out the latest products on KZbin now and then, pleasure is fine too but it's impossible to sustain. Like mentioned in this great video, to look for new gear is so much easier then to do the hard work with what you have. For me the problem is when I put too much of my valuable spare time into the effortless pleasure activities, like scrolling through social media. I think Georges wise words really resonates with our time, and i think this is the year change will start happening. Source: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZ-rqoaqeb9mlbc

[@philipford6183]

'But if I just have this thing which does this thing, it will make this thing sound even better...' So it goes on. It's a bottomless rabbit hole. No end in sight.

[@ToyKeeper]

With a cheap mic, a DAW, and one nice instrument, I have everything I need to create songs. I just hum a song idea into the mic to sketch an outline, then use instruments to fill in the details.

[@ZodiacEntertainment2]

Have a Nice Life's album Deathconsciousness was made with less than 1000 USD, recorded through a laptop mic, mixed with GarageBand using presets, and the duo used cheap instruments. The final release consisted of 192kbps MP3 files because they LOST all of the project files in a hard drive crash. If they could make one of the best dark ambient and post-punk albums of all time with next to nothing the sky really is the limit.

[@egrojz6221]

I made an entire album's worth of songs with Audacity, the free version of Roland Zenbeats, a $40 acoustic guitar and an electric guitar plugged into a cheap amp. I recorded the acoustic guitars in the walk-in closet, since the clothes helped dampen the echo. It took me forever to edit and mix the songs, and they eventually made it into the streaming services. They don't sound professional by any means, but I'm still incredibly proud of those compositions.

[@Equinox601]

I went through this back in 2012 when I bought Ableton Push, then OP-1 then the Octatrack before I realised that I’m actually just a really good drummer, and now I just rock out to my favourite hardcore bands and listen to the best deep and minimal techno (oh yeah after learning to mix vinyl, which is anti GAS medicine).

[@dbhammond]

Love this and thank you.❤ Also, when Famous Artist makes Masterpiece with Primitive Gear, people flock to obtaining that specific Primitive Gear because it must have the Magic. They completely miss the overall point that you can make music with anything. The Magic is in your head, dummies. Or maybe not. Maybe you’re just a consumer and not a creator.

[@PelleKuipers]

All hail the Magic! (now for sale at your local wallmart near you)

[@dbhammond]

Venustheory, I sent you a msg at your website.

[@Filip-sx9gm]

Being a gear addict is indeed kinda like gambling, you get high when you order something, but later you come down as you are disappointed that you did not in fact put that gear into a good use. But (I work as a game dev) when you get excited about some tool, and then get it, and then you really use it to its full potential, then you get even higher, without the low. I wish one day I will get that from finally creating some music.

[@mksxntwr]

Last words of this video hit hard. I find myself in this endless loop when I can create something because of the frustration about the fact that I couldn't create something in the past because of "insert any adult problem here"

[@AZisk]

i remember the days when hardware sound modules were all the rage. you want more sounds, buy a new piece of hardware! God I wanted all of them!