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chevy32
New member
simple question, just wanting to know the majority of how people do it.
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dintymoore
Guest
I've been playing music "full time" since the 70's. Most of my studio gear was bought in the early 90's when I was turning down 5 jobs for every 1 I took. I never made much recording, I'm a gigmeister and proud of it.
Nobody talks about much but at least here in Hawaii the music industry is about 1/50th of what it was 10 years ago. Seasoned pro's that played every night since the Beatles were still together have trouble finding a $50 gig now.
So I'm glad I had 99% of what I needed before "Change You Can Believe In" occurred.
The good side is that things cost a lot less now. In 1990 I paid $300 to put 3 MB RAM in my Atari to make it 4 MB total. The speed was 8 MHz. The last two computers and several monitors I've been using have been freebies from friends. And you can get lots of apps like Reaper and interfaces dirt cheap so it is easier for people to get into.
I'm just basically hanging in there, glad I'm able to keep my home, and looking forward to what's next because it has to be better than this.
Nobody talks about much but at least here in Hawaii the music industry is about 1/50th of what it was 10 years ago. Seasoned pro's that played every night since the Beatles were still together have trouble finding a $50 gig now.
So I'm glad I had 99% of what I needed before "Change You Can Believe In" occurred.
The good side is that things cost a lot less now. In 1990 I paid $300 to put 3 MB RAM in my Atari to make it 4 MB total. The speed was 8 MHz. The last two computers and several monitors I've been using have been freebies from friends. And you can get lots of apps like Reaper and interfaces dirt cheap so it is easier for people to get into.
I'm just basically hanging in there, glad I'm able to keep my home, and looking forward to what's next because it has to be better than this.
floorpuncher
My God Has Horns
I noticed human organ trafficking wasn't an option... 
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clivus
New member
I try to set aside $ from my regular job for studio upgrades.
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dintymoore
Guest
I noticed human organ trafficking wasn't an option...
It actually got so bad at one point that I had to sell mine.
oldskooldave
Your Mother
.
I waste 90% of my wages on studio stuff, regardless of the fact that I have no garage or spare room to put it, so I drag bits of equiptment into the bedroom to use them one at a time
I waste 90% of my wages on studio stuff, regardless of the fact that I have no garage or spare room to put it, so I drag bits of equiptment into the bedroom to use them one at a time
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moresound
Loud Sun Studios
Luckily our studio is self perpetuating.
And with the live sound end of the business we make enough to up grade constantly.
That and wwwwanttobysomecrack.comm seams to help----I don't know.
And with the live sound end of the business we make enough to up grade constantly.
That and wwwwanttobysomecrack.comm seams to help----I don't know.
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ncvander
New member
Sounds just like me!
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Richard Monroe
Well-known member
I guess it says something about the demographic that one of the options isn't-
"I take the money out of my savings from my day job." Y'all live from hand to mouth and then ask why there's a fiscal crisis. That's my answer- marry an accountant, give her all your money, and don't ask too many questions.-Richie
Oh yeah- I forgot opium, diamonds, and sex slave trafficking.
"I take the money out of my savings from my day job." Y'all live from hand to mouth and then ask why there's a fiscal crisis. That's my answer- marry an accountant, give her all your money, and don't ask too many questions.-Richie
Oh yeah- I forgot opium, diamonds, and sex slave trafficking.
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
That's what a day job is for.....
I've been lucky that my day gig allows me to indulge in gear purchases every year and still leaves me plenty to live on and take care of everyday expenses, plus put enough aside for retirement.
I have no kids...so that certainly adds plenty to my "gear fund"!
I've sorta done some of my gear buying in chunks. Initially I dropped about $30k on my console, tape decks, some outboard gear, mics, etc...etc...etc.
Then one year I spent like $10k just on assorted mics. For a couple of years after that I bought a bunch of guitars.
I was on an amp buying binge the last couple of years, and got rid of all my middlin’ amps and went up to the "boutique" level for my entire line.
Right now I'm fairly well set in my studio AFA gear, so now I can just "fill in" on whatever is missing with accessories and nice-to-haves...though I've been buying lots of stomp boxes the last year.
I'm also thinking of some new outboard preamps and comps, though I already have enough...I just wanted to go up another level and also try some new flavors. I'm also going to be upgrading my DAW in the coming months.
I sell off my old/unwanted stuff on eBay and then use that money to buy new stuff, but I'll supplement with additional $$$ as needed.
The way I see it...my studio is very well appointed at this time for a personal project studio and I could easily open my doors and do more active commercial recording, though I honestly don't need to, as my gear is paid off and my day gig pays much better than I could make with a small commercial studio gig...though yeah, I could still do it on my 3-day weekends, since I only work 4 days, plus I have a lot of personal, liberal leave time, so it would be easy to cover longer, more involved projects...but again, I really don't need to get into all of that at this time.
Maybe if/when I retire, as I'm hoping for an earlier retirement...but at this time I'm enjoying my studio for my own use and the occasional outside project, and maybe that's what I will expand on...a few hand-picked, occasional, outside projects, as I don't need to book a lot of studio time in order to pay for anything.
I'm also looking for possible band situations to get back into…so I’m sure that will also spill over into the studio at some point.
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
Well, I've found that members of the public are usually quite open with their donations once they've had it explained to them what it's needed for.
And seen the gun !
And seen the gun !
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moresound
Loud Sun Studios
Well, I've found that members of the public are usually quite open with their donations once they've had it explained to them what it's needed for.
And seen the gun !
Hey Grim, You need to graduate to banks that's where they keep the money!
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
But seriously folks !!
I've always been very much in the amateur hobbyist mould, as corny as it sounds, art not for arts sake but out of the sheer love and enjoyment of it. I've just got these weird songs in me. They may not be much cop but I've got to get them out. It's a bit like, pardon me, farting. It's just got to come out.
I've always worked so in regard to a 'studio', I'm definitely in the "anytime, anyplace, anyhow" camp. I'll never forget, the first producer I ever met, his studio was a basement room that looked like a crash pad (this was like, '92) and he said to me "a studio is just a room". I think what he meant was that it was the stuff in the room and how it was used that really mattered at the end of the day. Obviously debatable, but I've always recorded where I can, on the fly. I utilize every nook and cranny at home or wherever, taking advantage of various sizes of space, reverbs like you get in a tiled bathroom, bits near the radiator (winter !) or whatever. In a sense, like a mobile studio, mine is wherever it happens to be ! Very much a rogue studio. Although my wife thinks I have lots of stuff, I really do not. I'm very minimalist, everything fitting in a tiny cupboard and 3 drawer cabinet. When my friends that know about recording look at my 'rig', they'll comment about what someone else has which is a mirror to what I don't have......
Even before the kids appeared, I bought as I needed and as I could afford. If I fancied a phaser or wah-wah pedal, I waited till payday and if it didn't knock my budget out for the month, I'd buy it. Like Miroslav, I've gotten into much wheeling and dealing, that is, selling this to finance that. Before the online revolution there was a really healthy second hand /exchange scene here in London where shops would buy your stuff or do part exchange deals, which was great. You could pick up vintage gear dirt cheap if you knew where to look. Not always in the greatest nick, but definitely usable. I remember buying a genuine early 70s Fender Rhodes for a snip. One of the D keys wasn't as loud as the rest and there was no sustain pedal but I didn't care. I got 8 grand years out of it and I'd still have it now but space was an issue when my wife was expecting.
Only once have I gone the loan route and that was right at the start, out of which came Lorna, my double bass, a 4 track portastudio and an 8 track portastudio. It worked out OK in the long run but I was extremely naive at the time, so excited about getting Lorna that I didn't care about interest or length of time to pay back the 'dukla prague'. Each person will finance their thing as they see fit, but a loan is not a route I would recommend if you ain't working or if your music making isn't making you some money. But that's a personal foible of mine. I wouldn't take out a loan now.
But I find that spare money comes my way when I'm thinking about the possibility of getting something. I often help friends move house or furniture and I never charge them. I just ask them to cover the cost of fuel as the van belongs to my workplace. But they'll always chuck in extra and it all adds up. Saves tension at home too, because very rarely does anything come from our household budget. My wife does alot of ebay wheeling and dealing to finance her hobbies too.
One last thing. I think it's important to know how to be satisfied with what you have and when to stop acquiring stuff.
I've always been very much in the amateur hobbyist mould, as corny as it sounds, art not for arts sake but out of the sheer love and enjoyment of it. I've just got these weird songs in me. They may not be much cop but I've got to get them out. It's a bit like, pardon me, farting. It's just got to come out.
I've always worked so in regard to a 'studio', I'm definitely in the "anytime, anyplace, anyhow" camp. I'll never forget, the first producer I ever met, his studio was a basement room that looked like a crash pad (this was like, '92) and he said to me "a studio is just a room". I think what he meant was that it was the stuff in the room and how it was used that really mattered at the end of the day. Obviously debatable, but I've always recorded where I can, on the fly. I utilize every nook and cranny at home or wherever, taking advantage of various sizes of space, reverbs like you get in a tiled bathroom, bits near the radiator (winter !) or whatever. In a sense, like a mobile studio, mine is wherever it happens to be ! Very much a rogue studio. Although my wife thinks I have lots of stuff, I really do not. I'm very minimalist, everything fitting in a tiny cupboard and 3 drawer cabinet. When my friends that know about recording look at my 'rig', they'll comment about what someone else has which is a mirror to what I don't have......
Even before the kids appeared, I bought as I needed and as I could afford. If I fancied a phaser or wah-wah pedal, I waited till payday and if it didn't knock my budget out for the month, I'd buy it. Like Miroslav, I've gotten into much wheeling and dealing, that is, selling this to finance that. Before the online revolution there was a really healthy second hand /exchange scene here in London where shops would buy your stuff or do part exchange deals, which was great. You could pick up vintage gear dirt cheap if you knew where to look. Not always in the greatest nick, but definitely usable. I remember buying a genuine early 70s Fender Rhodes for a snip. One of the D keys wasn't as loud as the rest and there was no sustain pedal but I didn't care. I got 8 grand years out of it and I'd still have it now but space was an issue when my wife was expecting.
Only once have I gone the loan route and that was right at the start, out of which came Lorna, my double bass, a 4 track portastudio and an 8 track portastudio. It worked out OK in the long run but I was extremely naive at the time, so excited about getting Lorna that I didn't care about interest or length of time to pay back the 'dukla prague'. Each person will finance their thing as they see fit, but a loan is not a route I would recommend if you ain't working or if your music making isn't making you some money. But that's a personal foible of mine. I wouldn't take out a loan now.
But I find that spare money comes my way when I'm thinking about the possibility of getting something. I often help friends move house or furniture and I never charge them. I just ask them to cover the cost of fuel as the van belongs to my workplace. But they'll always chuck in extra and it all adds up. Saves tension at home too, because very rarely does anything come from our household budget. My wife does alot of ebay wheeling and dealing to finance her hobbies too.
One last thing. I think it's important to know how to be satisfied with what you have and when to stop acquiring stuff.
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
Hey Grim, You need to graduate to banks that's where they keep the money!
I target cynics that hate banking and capitalism but love capital !
Supercreep
Lizard People
The hard way.
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chugheshc
New member
"Their" studio.
The hard way, bit by bit.
The hard way, bit by bit.
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
eBay has all but KILLED that off!
All it takes is one or two guys to inflate their prices on the same item...and EVERYONE follows in no time...and then some shit is like 3 times the price it was just 6 months ago.
I bought a bunch of NOS 5751 tubes a year or so ago...got them for a very reasonable price. Then the buzz about 5751 tubes and how they are great options to a standard 12AX7 if you don't want the harshness when you push them as they are only about 70% power of a 12AX7...not to mention that it's become part of the SRV lore that he used 5751 tubes always instead of 12AX7 tubes...etc...etc...etc...
...now they sell for like 4-5 times as much, and everyone is grabbing them up.
Luckily...they are back in production by a couple of the current manufacturers.
Anyway...I spend a LOT of time scanning eBay when I can, and every once in awhile I get lucky and I'm the first one to spot a well-priced BIN auction for something I want...but once it's up for a day, that's it, the prices go nuts for some stuff.
Mind you, the last year or so, because of the economy...there's been some nice finds on eBay as everyone is dumping their excess gear just to generate some spare $$$.
Right now my studio is set pretty solid…so even if I couldn’t buy any new gear for awhile…I wouldn’t really be hurting for anything, but that’s ‘cuz I bought a lot of gear when I was able to.
BentRabbit
New member
The rule pretty much has been: "Music/studio money goes back into music/studio stuff".
I play out live with 3 different bands, give drum lessons, do sound design for local theater, and provide drum tracks to folks who want real drums instead of loops. So the money trickles in for stuff.
Day job pays bills, food, shelter, etc.
Of course, there's always the occasional: "What... THAT? Oh, I've ALWAYS had that honey... You probably just haven't seen it before..."
I play out live with 3 different bands, give drum lessons, do sound design for local theater, and provide drum tracks to folks who want real drums instead of loops. So the money trickles in for stuff.
Day job pays bills, food, shelter, etc.
Of course, there's always the occasional: "What... THAT? Oh, I've ALWAYS had that honey... You probably just haven't seen it before..."
Supercreep
Lizard People
My family has made major sacrafices to make my dream a reality.
When I refer to it as "my studio", my wife corrects me: "Honey, it's our studio".
When I refer to it as "my studio", my wife corrects me: "Honey, it's our studio".
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
My family has made major sacrafices to make my dream a reality.
When I refer to it as "my studio", my wife corrects me: "Honey, it's our studio".
And that's great...you should pull her into the mix always...that way she never feels like it's just your personal hobby.
So, do you feel like you are realizing your dream to any degree?
My personal view kinda shifted from the "dream-to-reality" to the "this is what makes me - ME" perspective.
IOW...when I was younger, it WAS mainly about pursuing a “dream”, but now, while I still chase after the dream, I decided awhile ago that the dream was not the only goal anymore, and that music/recording was just MY way of life and part of my persona, a very spiritual thing, like any religion....so any thoughts of giving it up would be ludicrous!