Use What You "Got"

At the Recording Revolution, I write a lot about focusing on the music and improving your skill at production instead of fussing over buying new gear or using what the “pros” are using in their studios. At the end of the day, what matters with a recording is how things sound, not what was used to make them sound that way. Listeners don’t care what microphone you recorded with, or where you recorded for that matter. They DO care however that it sounds awesome.

So Here’s My Challenge

 That all being said, here is a potential challenge for your music making in 2010. Use only what you have at your disposal (i.e. don’t go out and buy more mics and preamps if you don’t need them) and try to use the most basic setup possible. For many of you that means just use your $100 mic and your audio interface’s built in preamps. For some of you that may mean, putting that tube pre purchase on hold for a year.

The goal here is not simply to shun gear, but more importantly to encourage productivity. Prove to yourself that you can capture great recordings with one mic and mic pre, before you get caught up in the hype of gear lust. The gear won’t save your recording…you will (if you know what you’re doing).

Don’t Get Me Wrong

I love gear. It’s just that the industry wants you to always be looking for that next thing for your studio. It’s a trap. Unless you got into this to collect recording equipment, your goal should be to make great sounding music. To do that you only need to spend $500. Then you need to learn that gear, take a chance, and dive in.

So in 2010, use what you got and see what you can accomplish. I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas. Drop me a comment or hit me up on Twitter. Here’s to more music making!