I want an artist to pop out called “Cheap Toyz”…
They use just a few of the most non-hyped basic cheap gear, old broken things, and just generally stuff that people don’t think is any good whatsoever…
And they just f**in rock that sht, and it’s just so good, because they’re super creative and just push the limits to the maximus… Their cuts just blow away some stuff made in studios with piles of the most expensive gear…
I’m absolutely positive it can be done… 
Years ago I bought several used musical toys to make music with it.
There are for my son now. 
Trade em for your gear! Just go for it…
Just going for it is all one needs to do. The gear doesn’t matter… People can get famous with just their mouths alone, or any single thing that can make sound if they’re creative enough, pots and pans, an old electronic thing, whatever, just go for it…
It’s fun to have advanced gear and there’s nothing wrong with utilizing it, and certainly amazing things can be done, but it’s absolutely completely unecessary to need any one yet alone a pile of gear to make awesome music…
I have nothing wrong with nice gear, new gear, or a lot of gear…
But honestly reading this forum all the time it seems like for the majority more gear and certainly the feeling of needing certain gear or new gear is much more of a distraction from making and finishing great music instead of a benefit… That’s seriously how it seems to me from reading this forum all the time…
You’re definitely right about that one. Hits close to home.
Me: “I’ll finish this track next week with the new delay”
Me the week after: “I could probably throw in a drive”
One thought that recently occurred to me that might be worth adding. We talk about music machines, maybe we should refer to them as mechanical art. Do people moan that the painting they spent $700 on doesn’t do anything for them anymore? Is everyone who consumes “fine” art ultimately a flipper and planning on using it as an investment? No. Granted few people have disposable income for art, but for those who do, do they bellyache about it or revel in the fact that they can spend money on something that gives the creator recognition for a work that brings joy?
So using this perspective, I like my museum/studio and this has helped me worry less about whether or not I’m maximizing the creative potential all the time.
And one day my kids can use this art in their own way.
I am the opposite. Working in a band situation just ends up with endless jam sessions that don’t go anywhere. I get frustrated with the lack of focus and quick decision making ability and prefer to just write things at home and bring them in, if I must do a band thing.
i think there are different phases of musical writing and somehow it is part of the journey to learn how to embrace the different phases of exploring, writing, recording arranging, appraising, resampling, remixing.
staying too long in one area is sometimes a trigger for ennui or a need to sell everything.
but then again how long is too long?
when is a song complete?
does “complete” mean ready to resampled and resequenced into something else that it was meant to be all along and wasn’t obvious until the initial version was “complete”?
how does remixing play a role in composing process in light of current culture?
what feeling needs to happen in relation to satisfaction?
is there any truth to the idea that certain frequencies and key centers feel more “naturally enjoyable” at different times of the day, season or year?
also something that may or may not be of value to the scenario is having a soundcloud account and a homepage of some sort that is easy to update and put content on.
lol sounds like i am a promoter for soundcloud or something. i must say that i do like the audio waveform they auto-produce of a song, as it somehow gives a sense of pre-listening to potential visitors, and if there is a 45 second prelude to the main part of a song recording presentation, then it is graphically visibly obvious where the real action begins.
Exactly … the reason that distraction can take over is IMO a sign of not beeing able to focus. It’s like beeing overwhelmed by the sight of a wood and not registering the beautiful flower between the trees. Okay … mayby too flowery 
We have to learn to focus better
You aren‘t Lee Perry‘s and Sun Ra‘s lovechild, are you?
As long as I‘m able to put substantial amounts of money aside for retirement I don‘t feel guilty or like letting it all go. I swap what‘s on my nightstand every now and again. Today it‘s DT and A4, next week it might be OT and AR. It‘s all good. I have very little longing for stuff outside the Elektron universe at the moment, even though Elektron are working hard on eliminating what‘s even left.
Not really responding to your reply but just to clarify for folks that might read mine and yours out of context. There’s definitely a try stuff out and build a rig phase, but I think we’re referring to when you already have either some perfectly capable gear or even a lot of gear, which is the case for many of the reports I read…
Not even saying anything bad about the people, just that if they’d focus on what they’ve got they’d get closer to making sweet tunes instead of playing the need more/other gear game. It’s actually a positive thing… Save money, nurture your creative side, break the endless gear chase cycle…
The power is inside of us, not in the gear, nurture that and good tunes will come out of whatever…
And again I think it’s OK to have a lot of gear it just doesn’t seem healthy or inducive to music creation to think you need more/other gear when you’ve already got something capable…
Sometimes… At least one in awhile… 
Just as an example, well it might only be me, but I like Irish Traditional Music. Enter a pub where a session is going on. All un-plugged. And whatch the gal or the guy with the spoons …yep… soup spoons and how to create amazing rhythm and groove with such ordinary gear.
I feel exactly the same. Ableton + Push 2 and a few knob-per-function instruments is where I’m at these days.
Sent a PM already but I’ll just say here in case anybody is curious. It was Fluxion - Vibrant Forms, that I did the listening exercise to. Going to go through a bunch more as well. I think on subsequent albums he might get a bit more complex. Not good or bad, just different. Also Deepchord, Rhythm & Sound, etc. Good to take a close listen, like the book says, writing down every instrument, chord, noise, etc. and realize how simple and yet hypnotic and enjoyable these songs are (at least to Dub Techno fans). To repeat though, I don’t think they would need a ton of expensive gear to make things just as beautiful. Personally, I’d love to have a room full of classic gear and not feel stressed or financially strained about it all. That just ain’t in the cards for me though, so I’ll continue doing my best with what feels the right amount. Not knocking any gear collectors at all. I totally get it.
Absolutely agree. All about balance. I feel stressed when I have too much. Now after thinning out I feel about right. It’s a very personal thing I guess and everybody is different. I have bought/sold tons of gear. I love trying new things out and will probably continue to do so. I have just learned I don’t do too well mentally or creatively when I have a ton of things stacked up at once. One in, one out from now on for me.
It’s probably not bad for most people, but it can be for me. Obsessing about music isn’t a problem, until it is, know what I mean? I start to obsess over gear, reviews, interviews, tutorials… when I probably should be doing other things. I’m trying to keep it in check and be more productive, not just in music creation, but in other areas of life as well. I think sometime a conscious effort to unplug and do other things is very healthy for me.
All right, I’ll stop now before this turns into a therapy session, hehe. I sound like I’m a recovering gear addict or something. 
Or Bob’s ?
listening… nice track! that synth has a lot of movement, really hypnotic like you said
also interesting how a “weird” decision can create character - that slighty off-beat, dry hihat, the way the volume planes are working on each instrument… it’s unconventional in a way but that’s part of what makes it work
Yeah, he is doing interesting things in the rhythm department on a lot of his songs. Seems like conventional 4 on floor at fist but then you start to notice a lot of unusual - for Dub Techno at least - off-kilter beats and timing variations that keep the ear guessing. FYI, he has new album coming April 6th that I can’t wait to listen to!