The Mental Health Clinic for the Abuse of G.A.S is now officially open.

 We all been there, still there wondering is there a bottoming out.  It seems like summer may be a better time for GAS other than Black Friday. Christmas should be the time thinking about what we want should be last on the list.
 
 This is not really the place for regretting the purchase of certain products while that's OK.  I don't have the knowledge or the trust of selling my software.  I guess I live with it just like the polygamist who doesn't divorce.
 
 No need to read all of this when you probably have better things to do. No need to respond to mine but create your own.
 
 Just some ramblings.
 
 No brainer - that means looking at the price only, not whether you might actually use it. Real no brainers are like medical expenses, home and auto repairs, utility bills, and everyday necessities.
 
 Listening to others too much. If you are not or planning to make money off your DAW work why do you need the best and would you really know the difference?  I go to other forums where often price is confused with quality. Snobbery exists. Just like an Epiphone is not a Gibson but who would know the difference listening to a skilled player.
 
 Your DAWs do come with adequate plugins.  We assume they don't.  Despite Reason being proprietary people turned out great stuff before Rack Extensions and now many of their users spend over $1000 on these. Too bad they can't be used in other DAWs.
 
 I seem to collect DAWs as well. Cubase and Bitwig are the only two I don't have. I do have Cubase LE on one system. I think I can stop there. My most expensive DAW is Garage Band. It came with a free iPad or I think it's the other way around.  It's a good thing they all don't ask for upgrades at once.  If the DAW police came to take them all away except for one I would have to choose FL Studio because I don't have to put any more money into it.
 
  As for iPad stuff. The portability movement ran short for me. I can plug my instruments into one, even a few controllers, and two audio devices.  It's also hard to lay off some of those apps that are much cheaper than the desktop counterparts.  I now use it like a Nook or Kindle more than anything.  I guess the portability thing can be used to show off at a Starbucks or something. Like trying to impress the ladies but any female with half a brain would know they would take second place to all of that stuff. 
 
 If you are into PC gaming there's nothing more tormenting deciding between DAW or games.  I have a backlog of games not played which doesn't even come close to DAW stuff not used.  Games developed during XP and single core systems still get my attention. I have GTA5 and haven't even downloaded it yet.  The game I'm play now is S.T.A.L.K.E.R.  I'm sure I have over 500 hours on it.  I did well during the Steam sale. Didn't buy much.  Game development is in a regression while it's the opposite in DAW development.
 
 If you have quite few real instruments you neglect those needs while spending money on those virtual ones. I have two flutes and the newest one needs adjustments and while the both need repads.  Those are expensive when done by very competent people.  Money needs to go there.  It's not like stringing a guitar.
 
 I've read, "you can never have too many pianos". This is for sure when it comes to neglecting those libraries. I don't even want to take inventory.  All of those realistic sounding pianos are great for Chopin but I also need those fakes ones for House.
 
 As for orchestra libraries I don't want to go there either. This is where the snobbery sets in.  They don't cost what they use to. Before Kontakt was king there was Gigastudio and there was no bundled sounds.  Kirk Hunter and Garritan where the only reach for the hobbyist.  Garritan started a revolution of affordable libraries.  Libraries often get labeled old but I guess if it were a sampled Strad that would be true.  I could admire a beginner who bought Kontakt and used what was in it. How many of you really know what's in it.  Sometimes a good test is to go on youtube and see people who have used only the Kontakt bundle, Live's Suite and the free Sonatina.  There's a message there that the enduser is above the tools' limitations.  As for affordable libraries I've had a VSL addiction since the start of the year.  This was brass month. So may latest acquisition was SE Vol 2 Brass. The sad thing about this is I have VE Pro and VI Pro and not made use of them yet.
 
 I'm also a loop junkie.  Most DAWs make it possible to take parts of loops to be unique.  I also have endless amounts of one shots. Having so much now creates a hesitation of buying the same thing twice. I've done that twice.  I buy more midi loops for education purposes and I can change them.  One of the main causes of my REX collection is Beatscape.  It's the only 32 bit plugin I keep. I can't believe they dropped this.  I have numerous gigabytes dedicated to Beatscape. The bad is I haven't created anything with Beatscape.   It doesn't stop there.  Any loop library with WAV and REX becomes a Refill. The thing I use most in Reason is the refill packer.
 
 My new definition for NI Komplete is I will be "Komplete" when I know how to use everything in it.  Something tells me if one became quite proficient in Reaktor most things would go to the wayside.
 
 As for softsynths that's another diary.  At one time I use to download every free one out there.  Now I avoid it because there is probably the equivalent of one I paid for.  I've gotten that way with effects as well.  I just got the CLA compressors and I have this ****edness understanding compression that I'm on another tutorial video. I should just put on some headphones and play around. No that would make too much sense and I would also be using the software.  
 
 As for amp sims I have Line 6, IK, and NI.  I haven't went through learning them and most presets are great. I think the easiest thing to do is get out the small amp and a couple of hardware pedals and done. 
 
 I have a lot of IK products and you would think I didn't have any. I forget that I have ST3, T-Racks, Amplitube. There's that lack of discipline of using what you have.
 
 I think what separates the professionals from the amatuers/hobbyist is they exhaust the use of something before moving on.
 
 I would say the ratio of my acquisitions to creating is now about 100/2.
 
 BTW I've been there with other things.  I use to acquire a lot bass fishing gear just in case I made it to my dream trip to Lake Okeechobee. Those fish would have never known what's comin' to them. Now I moved to the desert.  There's really no need for the 3/4 ounce Zara Spook and flippin rod.
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 

LOL!

Hi, I'm Greg.
I want stuff but can't afford stuff.

craigb
You forgot to start with "Hi," 

No kidding!
 
Compared to what I say, that was a run on something or other!

Hi Greg,
I'm with you on your previous post...

craigb
You forgot to start with "Hi," 

Hi. More like high on vuying stuff.

Well there's no such thing is an acquisition syndrome for car repairs.  Service Engine Soon and the year to take an emission test are not good things.  Such things as the catalytic convertor and other things that needed to be replaced before their time due to desert conditions added up over $1100.  That Cakewalk Lifetime Upgrade when out the window.