#NGNY22 - Happy NoGear New Year!

Things fluxuate, and you’ll be back, stronger. I’ll remove you from the list, but stick around :heart:

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Sure. It’s been really helping these first half of the year.
And revealing, inspiring.

I’m such a weakass.

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This is not the conclusion, after months of succes.

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OK: I’m an addict.

Let me state again that I have absolutely failed my own challenge, and not in a minor way either. After the initial two months, I have sold, traded and rebought stuff as if I never participated. Right now my setup consists of an Analog Four and an Octatrack (for both, the third time owning one).

Thanks - partially - to this thread however, I am starting to gain insight in some of the deeper problems underlying this behavior and I am becoming aware of all the things that trigger my GAS. Both my mental state, but environmental cues as well.

Regarding the latter, one of the biggest and immediate factors for me seems to be a moderate form of internet/smartphone addiction and the gear rabbit hole that I am sucked into whenever I am browsing the web. I have been on a strict “no internet on my phone” streak for about a week now and I also set daily limits on my browsing time (and I have cancelled my Youtube premium subscription).

This has had a major influence on my GAS, and I have actually spend more time making music, reading books etc. It is interesting and surprising (even as a psychologist) how such a threat and being able to openly reflect on these things can help somebody to do a deep dive.

Thanks to all of you!

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+1 for powerstone, I play that all the time when I get a bit hacked off with a project, I’m running it on my desktop though through the redream emulator, upscaled to 1080p too, its magic… Great stress relief…

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Yeah, I am wondering how much my current condition is due to the internet…
I’ll unplug for the second half of the week and see.

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Dont sweat it man…guitars aren’t real instruments anymore :open_mouth:

NO NO…that was NOT are real comment…A JOKE…A JOKE.

to quit cold turkey for MOST people is difficult. DO NOT be too hard on yourself. it’ll just make it worse. at least its a musical instrument, something to stimulate your mind in a good way, keep you creative, and not heroin…right?

so you went 5 months, no purchases. GREAT first step.

I dunno im torn on the whole “just cut gear out” idea, cuz its a good creative thing to werk with. BUT, if its cuz someone keeps buying gear just for the sake of having stuff, or fear of not having the latest, buying something and sticking it on the shelf or something like that…that is a problem.

so…dont feel bad man. a nice axe is a good thing, especially if you use it :+1:t6:

me…I needed focus on werking with what I own, and not I what I could do with what I dont own

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For me the reality of home ownership and auto repairs this year made no gear a no brainer.
Besides can save for next year if I decide to buy anything and focus on learning this year.

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ah but guitars and amps especially high gain monsters are soooo fun! Nothing like striking a massive power chord to feel like a rock star.

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I hear that. I dont have a job OR money…so that really helps :slight_smile::sob:

its cool tho. I dont waste hours window shopping online anymore. its nice. no gear lust.

I was joking about the guitar man :slight_smile: I was a bass guy. BOOMIN bass amps are awesome. not awesome in an apt building, and when you play like shit. id love to get back into playing again, get myself a King - Status bass…but…NGNY + no werk = no bass.

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I agree with @phaelam.
You can start again and do some more months from now!

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Ok, it’s confession time: I Synned eh sinned and bought a Syntakt after I played with it at a friend’s house. Damn you Elektron :wink:

It feels a bit like defeat though, and therefore I feel the urge to put me of the list. Which is an extra reason to stay on it, with a clear sin noted. I however, have real strong intentions to stay “clean” for the rest of the year.

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Sin noted :wink: And congrats on the Syntakt - how are you liking it?

Hope you find employment soon. Ive just taken on four young men who have never worked in my mental health practice as mentors, and hopefully this will turn their lives around. In this day and age its important not to get too down as theres always hope ahead. :slightly_smiling_face:

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Let’s be honest, I haven’t confessed everything.
Morphagene, Marbles and Plaits are incoming as well. I’m talking huge failure!

For months I had left my half empty Make Noise Skiff in the closet, thinking I’d eventually sell it.
I was a bit reluctant to get rid of Beads and Rings though, I love the sound of this modules…

Now my ambient/noise partner is making pretty things with wood and piezo (he’s creating daxophones out of wood he finds, like pieces of a chair left on the street, etc). I really love this idea of recycling. And the resulting sounds.
This reminded me I still had this big metal plate in the garage, and a couple piezo in my drawer…
With excitation, I took out the skiff with the intention to use Ears for amplification and maybe Beads to have fun with the sound, at least with the reverb.
Then I had a huge fun with 0-Coast and Strega into Rings and Beads, even plugged the Syntakt on this…
And suddenly I came to the conclusion I should just fill this 50hp hole. I haven’t jump on this right at this moment, it took me a day or too to really get from the intention to the realization…
Why haven’t I just stopped there and discarded this craving addict’s genius idea?
What about adding a bloody guitar on top of this?

I thought I had become tougher in fighting these petty consumer appetites, but in a snap this resistance was gone. This was an addict’s reaction. It’s clear to me. I can’t blame anyone but myself.
The fact that I received unexpected money surely lift some breaks, but there is something deeper in this act, it reveals how unbalanced I’ve been lately.
“True liberty is keeping progressing towards the long-term goals you’ve set to yourself.”
Guess I still have some work to have the Dalai side shine over the Lying-to-myself one.

Anyway, I’m still following this thread.
Still unofficially on the list, so to say.
I used to be following @Joebas’ cool idea.
Now I need to know more about myself.

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You’re being too hard on yourself, IMO. You got money you didn’t expect and spent it - that’s a scenario that won’t repeat very often probably! :grinning: Seems your heart is still very much in this even though your recent actions might show otherwise. That’s a start, and that’ll take you where you want to go eventually.

I understand you’re disappointed with yourself but I hope that’ll pass and you can be happy and enjoy making music with your old and new gear.

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I’m very happy with it. What I like the most is that it doesn’t cost my brain a lot of effort to do something with it because of the dedicated machines. This approach makes it very fast to create something good sounding. The similar UI of the DN/DT also helps a lot, you can start right away. So it’s a no-brainer for me in several ways :slightly_smiling_face:

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Oh I will. And I’m not sad. Nor complaining.
Just facing my troubles.
Sharing for reminding.
And growing up, I hope.

I was considering my studio to list what I could sell. And I have much difficulty to unload stuff.
Got to make this sorted list though, sell stuff and make up for at least what I’ve ordered.

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That’s great to hear! My reservation with what I’ve heard has been with the core sound, but I’ll listen to some more stuff, before making any conclusions.