Well now.............................. Someone doesn't want people on his lawn! 
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A list of nonsense
- Thread starter alex1fly
- Start date
I just don’t think about it.
- I’ve cured my GAS
- I like my tone
- I don’t assume anyone else can tell one bass from another
- The only thing that’s ‘best’ is me
There's just so much to unwrap here.. Basically you're saying a 8string octave bass and a BEAD sound the same, trying to improve is bad, trying to learn from forums is bad, wanting a better instrument is bad, using a click to improve live is bad, exploring instruments is bad and much more.
My favourite is the "now that I'm entering middle age" and "loud bands are bad" part.
What a ridiculous list m8
A quality post by Sun'Tsu's brother Lou'sy. Or is it Groum'pee?
I probably check 10+ of these.
How do I deal with it?
I just add #15: feeling guilty but don't change anything, and feeling ashamed for not trying
How do I deal with it?
I just add #15: feeling guilty but don't change anything, and feeling ashamed for not trying
I had to think about my responses here for quite some time and I haven't read all of the responses. So, please forgive any repetition ...
This will probably be my longest answer.
I used to think this was nonsense. I was always a "I-won't-buy-it-until-I've-played-it" type. I didn't like one of the (two) new instrument shops which were within distance of where I used to live.
Then, I moved out here and the only (new instrument) store even close to where I live was 26 miles away and while I'd dealt with this chain before, this particular store was kind of ... well, it left something to be desired.
I have always been a fan of used instrument shops and there was only one of those near me (Music-Go-Round). Of course, you're also dealing with a limited stock.
Then, I was tooling around online and found Sweetwater. They're going to send me two sets of strings with no shipping charge? A few weeks later, my sales engineer made a follow-up, cold call to ask if he could interest me in anything else (smart move on the kid's part. Good sales technique). I told him about my reticence to buy an instrument online and he explained their no-fault return policy.
I tried it and he had told the truth so I was hooked.
I can't make a Les Paul sound like a Stratocaster and I can't make a stratocaster sound even like a Telecaster. Likewise, I can't make an active pick-up bass sound like a passive bass and I think we can all agree different basses sound different.
Different tools for different jobs. I own 20 instruments now and that's amazing (even to me).
There's no such animal.
This depends. There's "good" loud and there's "bad" loud. It also makes a difference if I'm in the band and it sounds like dookey or if go into a club where a loud band is playing.
I have very much morphed into a digital guy.
That's the only way I get to make music anymore. Unfortunately, I will never be in a band again and my gigging days are over. I have spent a bunch of time, learning recording/mixing engineering.
I covered this already, but in short: I believe many of them do.
Each to their own. If someone can "be a musician" with the aid of a click track, God bless 'em.
I don't
I don't encourage anyone to buy gear. When asked for an opinion, I give it.
I don't. Again; I give an opinion.
I gave up on this one a loooooooong time ago.
I have things to learn and knowledge to share. I don't see this one as "nonsense".
Again in my geographic situation, many times, I don't have a choice.
I think we can all agree that there's a lot of nonsense in "our" musical world. But we're still here doing what we enjoy in spite of it (or because of it).
Band drama is the one thing I won't be part of.... or put up with. Life's too short.
Band drama is the one thing I won't be part of.... or put up with. Life's too short.
1. Ordering instruments online - I don’t.
2. Having more than 4 of a given instrument (bass, guitar, keys, flute, etc) - I do, so?
3. Trying to get a perfect tone - Define “perfect”…
4. Loud bands - Loud? I’m deaf already.
5. Analog gear - Yes.
6. Not recording myself and listening back - After 56 years of playing, I’ve heard enough of myself.
7. Thinking that my instruments sound significantly different from each other - They can and do.
8. Click tracks for small-time local performers - That’s their problem, not mine.
9. Band drama - I’m way past that.
10. Treating GAS like a hobby and not like an addictive behavior. Corollary, encouraging my fellow musicians to buy gear beyond the basic necessities - I don’t have GAS.
11. Debating *best* this or that - It’s whatever suits you *best*.
12. Thinking that my musical pursuits might change the world - No, but they have changed mine.
13. Spending more than a half hour per day on gear forums - Some days yes, some days no.
14. Buying things *just to see what they sound like - Not even once.
2. Having more than 4 of a given instrument (bass, guitar, keys, flute, etc) - I do, so?
3. Trying to get a perfect tone - Define “perfect”…
4. Loud bands - Loud? I’m deaf already.
5. Analog gear - Yes.
6. Not recording myself and listening back - After 56 years of playing, I’ve heard enough of myself.
7. Thinking that my instruments sound significantly different from each other - They can and do.
8. Click tracks for small-time local performers - That’s their problem, not mine.
9. Band drama - I’m way past that.
10. Treating GAS like a hobby and not like an addictive behavior. Corollary, encouraging my fellow musicians to buy gear beyond the basic necessities - I don’t have GAS.
11. Debating *best* this or that - It’s whatever suits you *best*.
12. Thinking that my musical pursuits might change the world - No, but they have changed mine.
13. Spending more than a half hour per day on gear forums - Some days yes, some days no.
14. Buying things *just to see what they sound like - Not even once.
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Some cant be avoided.... Like #1. For that I stick to reputable sources like SW. Everything locally to me should be considered b stock (or used) with how they get handled by local staff and customers.... Most of the rest I can fix by logging off. Even here at TB sometimes it helps to read when logged off to stave off the urge to respond to another discussion of the same topic.
Everything else... try applying this but in the "music" version...
... and Philip K. Dick was an optimist.
someone gave me Eye in the sky like when I was 11. ergo I thrive on nonsense.
I agree with you on a lot of this. No point in owning stuff I don't play, there's no such thing as perfect tone (just a 'right' tone for a situation), all loud bands sound terrible, my instruments do sound noticeably different or I wouldn't own it, Drummers should be able to keep a beat, I allot zero time or patience for band drama, there is no 'best' anything, my GAS is long gone and I'll only occasionally end up with something on a local trade as I no longer buy things 'just to see'.
On the other hand: Some instruments are only available online. I don't really know what gear I use in any setting is analog or digital and I don't care.
I found that letting go of GAS and other pointless pursuits has greatly improved my playing, as I have more time to play and to really dial in what I have.
I am 72 Y/O and my musical community is all close in age. All posers and wanna-bes are long gone. From your list, I am always chasing an ideal tone. Sometimes I fall right into it, sometimes it is elusive, depending on the venue.
