I haven’t felt this. Everyone had their own version of what they were doing this year and the vibe was just supporting one another in that.
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Comments like this are an invitation to embrace weakness. We are here to support one another in staying on the wagon, not to pat one another on the back for falling off. There is no NGNY “in spirit”. It only exists in cold, hard, economic reality. No consolation prizes for failure!
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Does iPad apps count as new gear?
Maybe it was 2024. Not my favorite experience.
Happy to hear it’s been supportive. That’s exactly what I would expect it to be.
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I am gonna officially start my NGNY26 right now to prevent any further last-minute purchases (just bought some mixing plugins, smh) before EOY.
Obsessing about buying stuff instead of making songs has consistently been a problem for me, sucking away hours, days, and even weeks of my time. I really want to address this in the new year.
I will also be focusing on minimizing spending in general, like someone above mentioned. I think a slight belt tightening and an overall leaner lifestyle will do me and my music much good.
Another problem I want to resolve is my increasingly strong urges to always be browsing/streaming/consuming online content to fill any blank spaces and downtime moments. Easy access and 24/7 availability of the internet has really turned this into a sinister addiction, akin to a sugar addiction - each almost impossible to break. What’s more, internet browsing can lead to GAS, and GAS can lead to more internet browsing, creating an infinite loop.
There seems to be a parallel between internet browsing and gear acquisition - both help us avoid some kind of discomfort associated with mindfulness, creativity, focus, or perhaps with boredom, listlessness, existential dread, inability to make great music as we thought we would…
But something needs to change. I can’t waste another 3-5 years and have nothing to show for it. Where are all these EPs the younger me dreamt of releasing 10 years ago and even came up with track titles and artwork for? I am not getting younger and the likelihood of death is increasing with each day. I don’t want the only things to show for all these years and thousands invested into music production to be some folders full of plugins and unfinished projects, and these forum posts of me complaining over and over about how I am not getting better because I consistently fail to focus on what really matters.
After writing all this, boy will it be regretful and embarrassing if I don’t manage to finish NGNY26 with zero purchases, and if I don’t manage to finish and self-release 2-3 decent tracks.
So I really hope I remember this and manage to create a healthy and productive mindspace for music in the new year. And I wish success to everybody else who will be joining this initiative.
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I think iPad apps can be just as insidious because of the lower prices and how they can be “justified”….but to me it’s the same impulse as buying gear, a mix of escapism and fantasy and the idea that if I just had this one new shiny app my music will be improved. Spoken by a former iPad music app addict.
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This is really spot on and a very clear analysis of how this mechanism works. This resonates with me, thanks for sharing!
I would say chime in sometimes and read posts from others (and your own), it helps!
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Originally initiated by @Joebas in 2022, NGNY (aka No New Gear 20xx or NoGear New Year!) is an internet phenomenon where gear addicts from all over the world try to escape consumerism by committing to a full year of no gear related purchases.
While being detained from FOMO, marketing persuasions and synthfluencer monologues, NGNY participants regain their own ability to be creative and productive. The most prominent side effects mentioned by former partakers are actual knowledge of how their gear works, spontaneous creative collaborations with other humans and last but not least: releasable, good sounding finished music.
A NGNY participant who likes to stay anonymous says: “I always thought gear released last year is not relevant any more, at least that is what most synthfluencers are telling me all the time. Now I know this isn’t true!”.
NGNY is recommended for anyone: Those who want to finish music, experience peace of mind or seeking financial freedom. NGNY is not harmful for your health and you do not need any medication.
Oh, almost forgot: I’m in for 2026!
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Bold and lovely post!
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Thanks guys, glad you found it useful.
I will definitely be lurking around and participating in this thread.
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100%! And since they are so easy to obtain (and forget/delete, without even an option so sell them), they can also get quite expensive. Gear is gear.
IMO only exception to NGNY is replacing/fixing broken gear that you were actually using. And maybe buying a missing cable that you need to connect something you already own. So no cheap apps, no “one out, one in”, even no new gear desks, stands, plants…
Even selling gear might be potentially troublesome, because it can be a similar dopamine hit like buying and excuse to do something not connected to actually making music (or buy something else). But that’s a hardcore version.
Or is it? 
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I am good for 2026 as long as the xxx gets delayed lol. Really only need cables and Jasper stands.
I think it’s perhaps more effective to commit to it than accept buying something just because it comes out.
With this mindset, if anything you can rationalise as cool comes out it opens the door.
To each their own tho.
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there’s a parrallel between time online and a lot of things!
great post, I hope you do what you set out to
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I just finished boxing 90% of my hardware. Anything not used in 2026 will be sold.
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FTFY 
!
All the coupons and ‘deals’ arriving in my inbox for the consumerist holidays…
I think my next step is to unsubscribe from all newsletters relating to companies sending these. I’ll schedule a once a month check for updates so I don’t have to rely on emails for those either.
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if I need it when it is released and can afford it then I will buy it.
i’m definitely in for the coming year. ever since i simplified my studio down to only what i need the second half of this year, my GAS has been all but gone (the DT2, Adam D3Vs and MOTU M2 in the mail aside lol).
i dunno if buying my monthly records count as breaking NGNY though does it?