Gear oh gear! That's music to the ears of any musician. Music stores are filled with people trying out new gear, every day from open to close. Shiny new things in a variety of different colors, with flashing lights, from wall to wall. It's a musician's candy store. But what should I buy and how often? I can't make that decision for you, but I can tell you how I approach it.
A little back story first...
One day I sat down and wrote down every piece of gear I've ever purchased. I did some searches and totaled up the cost of each one and added it all up. I hit enter on the calculator and the number that appeared scared me. Such a big number and I'm not exactly a wealthy man. How many musicians are? And the worst part was...most of that gear had been traded to get something else, so I was at a deficit.
But now I'm older and hopefully wiser. I've learned from my years of frivolous buying and hope to share what I've learned.
Do the Research
I don't buy without looking at the competition. I can count on my hand how many impromptu purchases turned out to be beneficial. There are so many choices out there. I owe it to myself to read reviews, check on the durability, see if there are reoccurring problems, and see if something else does what I want better. I look up prices. See if anyone has it for less. Research as much as I can, so I'm as knowledgable as I can be about what it is I hope to get.
Do I Want It? Or Need It?
If I broke a string on my bass and I'm playing a performance the next day...I need to get another string. If I'm buying a Mooger Fooger pedal when I'm playing a country gig...I don't need that pedal. If I'm opening a studio and advertise that you can record on the studio kit, but I don't have a kit..I need to go out and get a kit. I apply this to my situation and try to be honest.
What Work Am I Not Getting?
If I'm a composer, but I'm just using the string sounds in my keyboard, but the rest of my industry is using high quality string sample libraries, then I might be missing out on higher profile jobs because I don't have the quality those clients expect. If I'm a guitarist and all the jobs recently have been going to guitarists with Telecasters then perhaps purchasing a Telecaster would be wise so I can get that work. If I'm a studio engineer and potential clients keep asking if I have a Neumann U47 and after I tell them I don't have one I never hear from them again. Then I may want to begin saving for a U47. If there's a whole market of musicians who record i n Logic, but don't know how to bounce each track for me to mix it...I may want to invest in Logic.
Will It Pay for Itself?
If I buy Melodyne and I'm able to tune vocals 75% faster than in AutoTune, if that frees me up to work with more clients by working faster than Melodyne might pay for itself. If there's a high profile live sound job, but they require me to have a SPL reader to ensure I follow the noise ordinance rules...then that $150 spent on that meter will pay for itself after that night. If I buy vintage K hi-hats, but I had totally serviceable Meinl hats, even if the K hats are better, it won't pay for itself.
How Long Till it Pays Itself Off?
If I buy an American Fender Stratocaster, it will take me a while for it to get paid off, but not nearly as long as if I purchased a Strat from the mid 60's. If the studio I rent space in cost [X] amount of dollars I need to make [Y] amount of dollars to be able to afford the space and make a profit. I couldn't afford to only make under [X], or I couldn't afford the mortgage/rent. If I'm tracking bands every week from my home, with the zero studio overhead, I could afford to purchase better microphones. If I'm working with a band every other week, I can't afford to get new mics...UNLESS not having those mics is driving clients away. Whatever it is, I need to be able to pay it off and in a timely manner. It can't take a year of work to pay off that purchase if I'm only occasionally working.
Will it Last?
I don't want to say it, but I will. Software most times is a bad investment. Software goes out of date quickly, it's subject to following trends more often and it's easier to compulsory buy. If I'm not going to get use out of it, then I probably need to skip on purchasing. This relates to durability as well. I want to be sure that what I put my money in is going to last.
Is it Reliable?
The worst thing you can do is invest your money in something that's always breaking down. Many people who use Digital Performer as their DAW will cite this as their reason for using it. It rarely, if ever crashes. Reliability is a trait you want in your tools. It certainly is one I look for. This makes purchasing Shure SM57's an easy decision as they're as durable as anvils. If something is going to cost me in repairs, then I don't care how cheap it is...I want to know its going to work when I need it.
For the Hobbyist
Set a budget and keep to it. Don't go in debt. Use what you have and don't splurge. This can be a very fun activity and there's lots of great gear that will take you a long way, but don't be fooled in the trappings of the flashing lights and shine. There's a good amount of oppurtunity these days to great work on a budget. I try to promote inexpensive gear with good value. This the day and age of the home recording studio. You can get what you need done, you just need to be resourceful.
As always, I hope this article served you well. Just a few tips on gear and how I evaluate it.
