Does buying new gear keep you interested in playing?
1 - 20 of 61 Posts
Joined
·
6,659 Posts
Yes! More than that, so I'm a bit sad that I no longer do it.
I built (and outfitted) a full production studio with sound-stage in the early 2000's. Gearing it up was an ongoing process that spanned at least a decade. From tape to digital, mics, piano's, drums, keyboards, mixers, preamps, and a ton of different instruments (including saxophones). Damn near every purchase inspired some kind of musical progression. If I bought a new keyboard (or sound module), I was writing new music before I ever got through demoing the voices - a new mic insured acoustic input in the near future - even if I had to write a song to use it.
I got my trap set from a drummer who was there for a session and needed money more than a second set of drums - I must have played those things for 2 weeks straight until I could bang out a fairly decent rhythm...
....and before all that I put the MIDI lab together in the 90's. By the time I had made all the purchases, I had a marketable New Age CD mostly completed. The learning curve demanded you make music with the tools if you ever plan on using them.
Of course now I'm plotting my retirement and will have to sell most of it, but I am still inspired musically.....and the occasional new acquisition is still inspiring. My wife bought me a nice Ocarina for Xmas. Even though it seems like a toy, I'm still playing it from time to time...
I built (and outfitted) a full production studio with sound-stage in the early 2000's. Gearing it up was an ongoing process that spanned at least a decade. From tape to digital, mics, piano's, drums, keyboards, mixers, preamps, and a ton of different instruments (including saxophones). Damn near every purchase inspired some kind of musical progression. If I bought a new keyboard (or sound module), I was writing new music before I ever got through demoing the voices - a new mic insured acoustic input in the near future - even if I had to write a song to use it.
I got my trap set from a drummer who was there for a session and needed money more than a second set of drums - I must have played those things for 2 weeks straight until I could bang out a fairly decent rhythm...
....and before all that I put the MIDI lab together in the 90's. By the time I had made all the purchases, I had a marketable New Age CD mostly completed. The learning curve demanded you make music with the tools if you ever plan on using them.
Of course now I'm plotting my retirement and will have to sell most of it, but I am still inspired musically.....and the occasional new acquisition is still inspiring. My wife bought me a nice Ocarina for Xmas. Even though it seems like a toy, I'm still playing it from time to time...
Joined
·
911 Posts
I only buy used gear, except for reeds which don't affect my interest one way or the other.
Joined
·
4,377 Posts
It used to a bit but not so much anymore. Seeing good live music makes me more interested in playing these days.
I was actually disappointed a few weeks back when I went to Sax Alley to buy myself a birthday present and couldn't find anything I really wanted regardless of price. It's not that they don't have a trove of great horns and accessories but none of it was sufficiently better than what I have to make me interested. I'm still curious about trying stuff when the opportunity arises and if I find something I really like I have no trouble buying. However my playing has reach a point at which gear has little impact so I don't spend much time thinking about it.
I was actually disappointed a few weeks back when I went to Sax Alley to buy myself a birthday present and couldn't find anything I really wanted regardless of price. It's not that they don't have a trove of great horns and accessories but none of it was sufficiently better than what I have to make me interested. I'm still curious about trying stuff when the opportunity arises and if I find something I really like I have no trouble buying. However my playing has reach a point at which gear has little impact so I don't spend much time thinking about it.
Yes I think it does. At least for me. Even going to the music store and buying a new book of scales and etudes can be enough to stimulate some enthusiasm to work at it harder....for a while.
If you need to buy a new horn or a new mouthpiece to get motivated you're going to run out of money pretty quickly, so I don't do that. Well I do have four alto saxes and three clarinets sitting around that I never use. I suppose I should sell them off. I'm not one of those collectors with dozens of instruments. But occasionally the urge to get "something new" does overtake me. Getting rid of the ones I never use would be a small project; something useful I could do music-wise.
If you need to buy a new horn or a new mouthpiece to get motivated you're going to run out of money pretty quickly, so I don't do that. Well I do have four alto saxes and three clarinets sitting around that I never use. I suppose I should sell them off. I'm not one of those collectors with dozens of instruments. But occasionally the urge to get "something new" does overtake me. Getting rid of the ones I never use would be a small project; something useful I could do music-wise.
That's my feeling also. When I bought a BA tenor last year it was like Xmas. It's inspiring to have a new 80 year old sax.
I probably don't play any better but it's still fun
Now if I can only talk my friend out of his original Double Ring Florida Link this year.....
If the question is, "If you didn't buy any new musical equipment for a long time, would you probably lose all or most interest in playing?" then the answer is no. In other words, new gear is not necessary to keep me interested.
If the question is, "Does new gear increase your interest in playing?" then the answer is yes, temporarily. New equipment has to be explored and evaluated, which is fun. But the effect of newness fades eventually. Of course, if the gear is really good, and thus enhances the playing experience, that effect will last.
If the question is, "Does new gear increase your interest in playing?" then the answer is yes, temporarily. New equipment has to be explored and evaluated, which is fun. But the effect of newness fades eventually. Of course, if the gear is really good, and thus enhances the playing experience, that effect will last.
Joined
·
3,968 Posts
Nope, but if it helps other, more power to them! Anything to get or keep people playing is a good thing.
I haven't bought a mouthpiece, ligature, or horn in over 10 years! Just some reeds, hah. I have bought audio and video recording gear though...
I haven't bought a mouthpiece, ligature, or horn in over 10 years! Just some reeds, hah. I have bought audio and video recording gear though...
Joined
·
13,941 Posts
All you guys that put down the buying of gear know full well that if you won the lottery and had 300 million dollars you would probably have a room in your house with a variety of minty saxophones and mouthpieces to play. Would it help me practice? The better question would be whether my wife could ever get me to leave that room........
Joined
·
29,087 Posts
Yes. Meant "new" to you.
Joined
·
29,087 Posts
I agree. People without millions of dollars probably shouldn't waste their money on saxophone gear they don't really need...
Joined
·
4,583 Posts
I think that every time I play a different horn I discover something new that I wasn't aware of - ok, not every time but often enough. And sometimes it is as simple as realizing that my previous setup was just better. Now, I am not spending big bucks on something, some decent vintage horns and if I sell them again, I usually break even. But sometimes, just experiencing the different ergonomics forces me to adjust and sometimes I start realizing that I may not have done things the best way and if I go back to my previous setup, I still use the "improved" technique and it helps. And these little steps in the right direction translate in "oh man, this is so cool" even if it is really just a very minor adjustment like angle of the wrist, elbow or whatever forced by the different keywork whereas the old one let me get away with something that put unnecessary strain on my playing. And no, I don't even consider myself a decent player, so there is constant learning and discovery.
Joined
·
1,394 Posts
If you are getting the 10Mfan mouthpieces for free, under FTC guidelines, you should disclose that when you promote his mouthpieces here.
Joined
·
2,815 Posts
^^This^^. Seriously true for me as well!
Joined
·
2,619 Posts
Yeah, I would agree with this for me.
Joined
·
4,612 Posts
Tuba mouthpieces? Funnels? Garden hoses? Duct tape?
Joined
·
2,384 Posts
The short answer is yes. I bought all new horns and a digital piano before I retired, knowing full well that being on a fixed income would eliminate any major expenditures on my part. But, I still buy the occasional playalong/CD book and mouthpieces once and a while. I would still be playing without them but it's nice having something new to explore.
1 - 20 of 61 Posts
