That grass ain't necessarily greener folks!

[Super 8]

What the flip am I talkin' aboot here?? OK, let me TRY to explain! I've been away from music-making for quite some time now and, in the interim, have had some time to finally reflect on 'the bigger picture' let's say! To get to 'the present' though I must go back to the past so here goes (I shall TRY to keep this concise but bear with me folks!)

OK, where to begin? For my 15th birthday I got a cassette-based 4 track Teac Portastudio (can't quite recall the designated model number, a '244' perhaps?) I thought it was THE greatest thing! I cut my teeth on this for many years (with no effects!) then towards the end of the '80s I got a 'wardrobe of a studio' known as a TASCAM 388. This was one hell of a beast weighing in at about 50lbs BUT ... it had EIGHT tracks = LIKE WOW! I thought this was ... yep, you guessed it - THE greatest thing EVER! I lived with this mammoth for a full decade until one fateful day during a house move I ....(wait for it!) DROPPED IT DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS! The thing was irreparably 'goosed' and, well, where recording music is concerned I've just never been the same since really! I've spent the last ... what? getting on for 17 years chasing a sound/format!

When it comes to recording consoles I've pretty much tried 'em all! In fact here's an 'off the top of my head' snap shot of gear I've owned over the years: a BOSS BR8; a BOSS BR1200; a(nother) TASCAM 388 (the heads were knackered though!); a YAMAHA AW16G summat or other!; a BOSS BR1600CD; a KORG D16; A KORG D3200; a(nother!!) TASCAM 388 (this one was COMPLETELY knackered!); a BOSS Micro BR; an AKAI DPS24 .... man, the list goes on! I appear to have practically tried 'em all from the looks of it!

Thing is, I had always held out from 'making muzak' with a computer 'cause ... well, computers = being 'at work' right? But no, I eventually succumbed to them and for almost the last decade I've been fighting with computers both 'at work' AND also at home 'trying' to make music with the flippin' things! Thing is, yes, I have had indeed by my own admission had some fairly favourable results using computers to make music with but, you know what? I've NEVER enjoyed 'the process' - not one bit in fact!

SO ..... realising that the venerable TASACAM 388 (which I love or 'loved' should I say!) is more 'continual maintenance' than 'continual music making' these days (completely out-dated technology! I can't find a decent one that 'just works'!) Now looking back on my checkered home recording history of ALL the many machines I've worked with I have opted to (FINALLY!) go back to (and this time stick with!) the following unit ...... (wait for it! "DRUM ROLL!")

The BOSS BR1600CD!

Yep, there's arguably far better machines out there (for a start the BR1600 isn't 'technically' a true 16 mono tracks machine!) HOWEVER, of ALL the machines I've had access to over the years, this is THE machine that has consistantly given me pleasing results without 'the hassle'! I'm not a technical guy and the almost limitless track count of a computer-based DAW with seemingly endless processing I find actually restricts my creativity and, most of the time, just gets in my way (I call it 'Option Paralysis!')

It's taken me A LONG TIME to come to this realisation though but if I could offer any type of advice here then, for what it's worth, I feel that limiting oneself can actually make one MORE creative! My advice is to just really try & get to grips with 'the basic tools' YOU require to 'get the job done' and let your talent fill in the gaps. You don't need every new-fangled fad gadget that comes on the market to realise your musical dreams! Don't be 'fooled' by this! Just find a set up that doesn't 'get in the way' of your creativity and that speaks to you! A recording set up that, in time, becomes almost invisible in its usage and allows you to purely concentrate on 'THE MUSIC' because, at the end of the day, it's all that matters in YOUR quest ie: 'THE MUSIC' people!

I speak from personal experience here folks - don't get 'stuck in the loop' as I now realise I have done! Find a platform that allows YOU to be in control - not the other way round! Me, I've spent WAY too long trying to arrive at 'THE' perfect recording set up! ANSWER: 'There just isn't one!' Don't continually swap'n'change folks - you'll just end up 'a Technician' and NOT 'a MUSICIAN'! Concentrate on 'your art' NOT 'your gear'!

I hope this is of some help to 'someone' out there!    

[Oldrottenhead]

i'm still waiting for that bit of gear that plugs directly into my brain and burns the music in my head straight to a cd.

[Super 8]

i'm still waiting for that bit of gear that plugs directly into my brain and burns the music in my head straight to a cd.

Now wouldn't that be something?!! I 'hear' (exactly!) what you're saying brother! ;-)

[Blooby]

i'm still waiting for that bit of gear that plugs directly into my brain.

I have conflicted feelings.

[Hook]

i'm still waiting for that bit of gear that plugs directly into my brain and burns the music in my head straight to a cd.

This would only help me is "the wizard is a wizard how would serve, then I'm sure to get a brain!"

[The Gobi Desert Canoe Club]

Ah, the endless search for thesound. The annoying thing I've found is now that I'm getting on a bit and retired I can afford most any gear I want but, I wanted it when I was 20 not now I'm 67. You're right though, in my opinion the making of music is everything not what you make it with.   Willie

[Super 8]

In my opinion the making of music is everything not what you make it with.

Absolutely! My sentiments exactly Willie. Pretty flippin' obvious really (although,  for some strange reason it's taken me a LONG time to realise this!)

[Johnny Robbo]

Great advice! I went straight from a Fostex cassette 4 track, with bass & drums courtesy of a Boss DR5 to using Cakewalk. I'm still running an ancient version of it now, on Windows XP, and of the many pre-sets available for drums, reverb, compression etc. I have a handful that I use. There are many menus that I don't know what they do... or care. As you said... find the method of recording that you like and stick with it.

[IanR]

I started recording my music about 5-6 years ago and had GAS real bad for the first 5 years while I learned what I was doing and got set up.

I recently had a birthday and had to think really hard about what else I needed because I kind of have enough already.

So, I kind of agree that gear is not everything. The performance is the most important thing. But if you can't capture the sound you want then its fine to add the arsenal.

A good example of the performance being the most important thing is Tim Green, who records fantastic songs on the old MicroBR. If you listen to his song posts you will hear top of the range songs, performed well and recorded well. All with minimal technology.

Ian

[Super 8]

Yes, props to Mr Green indeed - a fine songwriter make no mistake & proof that 'a good song' is 'a good song' in whatever format. (I think it was Macca who once said that if a song can be stripped back to just one voice singing the melody accompanied by one instrument (be it guitar,; piano; nose flute) and it stands up then that's the true sign of a good song - it just 'works' in whatever format. Wise words Sir Paul. I just wish I'd implemented this back-to-basics approach ... YEARS ago before I became 'a gearhead'! (NB: Not to be confused with a 'Geir-head' - he's VERY good at what he does too!)