I have X2a Producer, Komplete 8 and a hand full of other plugs. It occured to me last night that I could spend the rest of my life just to become competent with the software I own. I was running the Studio 1 demo at the time and wondering how hard it would be to learn a second DAW. I realized that I don't really know how to use X2 beyond a newbie skill level. 

 I do know that the more time I spend on software the worse I get at actually playing real instruments. How do you break the cycle of "just one more program and I'll have it"? 

Just realize you don't need more software toys.

I'm in the boot w/ you - it becomes too easy to spend time mixing etc. rather than creating what to mix. 

I have my synth preset w/ Rapt, DimPro, Z3TA, alchemy and kontak inserted.  If I need something else, I have to give myself a reason, and when I start playing w/ them (as opposed to playing them) I start to realize how I don't really need anymore synths.

Prochannel - I've made it my go-to chain, which automatically reduces the number of plugs I can use. Again, if I pull up something else I have to give myself a reason too.  It is not like I'm holding a gun to my own head, but I think first if there ain't something in my PC arsenal I can use.  I can't wait for Cake to get a roland Space Echo PC - delay is the main thing missing.

@

You know, there's been all those rumors about Logic being abandoned by Apple, and, in all honesty, as long as they'd simply update it to run on newer OS, I could be happy w/ it as is for a long, long time.

I try to ask myself what it is that I'm trying to accomplish, what it is that I'm looking for, and in 90% of the case, I don't need another piece of software to do it

I do keep myself busy constantly learning, though. I've recently completed the first certification book and will start the second one as soon as it arrives. I also buy different books about it, video tutorials and all. 

Looking back, I can tell you that most of the time, usually, when I started dabbling in different applications, the problem wasn't the software. It was me who was uninspired or looking for an excuse, or something different that'd spark my creativity. As soon as the creative juice started to flow, I'd pretty much instantly figure out a way to do things in Sonar.

I try to keep that in mind. Doesn't always work, and there's always a new plug or a new synth, but it does, most of the time.

The other thing that helps - I've decided that I should try to put the priority on hardware if I'm to spend $. New pick ups for a guitar, a mic, a pedal, or whatever - I'm pretty sure that I'll get much more out of these than out of 3 dozens software compressors.

Oh, and another tip - stay away from the software forum. ;)

I see "another piece" in the "library" category now (for instruments) and "speciality" if it's an FX.

Do I need that TX16w freebie? No. Was I tempted to download it. Ya. Did I? No.

Do I need that free Proximity plug? Probably not. Was I tempted to download it. Ya. Did I? No.

I don't own a kazoo library for Kontakt (that I know of) and would only go in search of it if I felt I had a piece that was crying for a kazoo. Or maybe I'd run over to the music shop < 1 mile from me to pick one up.

I'm with you guys on this.

Now, as I stated in another thread, I plan to complete a different full song in both S1Pro a R3@p3R this year, just to say my few hundred dollar investment was not in vain. Do I plan to learn every feature of those? Nope. I just want to learn the same things I do in my beloved DAW.

Of course you are right, but then something like the new NI Rickenbacker bass turns up

Someone once said here - "All you plugins do a lot more than you think they do"

It occured to me last night that I could spend the rest of my life just to become competent with the software I own.

That is a very wise observation, John. Such an attitude will not save you from G.A.S. entirely, but may somewhat mitigate its effects. Just don't offer that advice over on KVR, as it will be met with hostility - that crowd has a collective psychological compulsion that cries out for psychotherapy. 

The plus side of becoming competent with the software you own (in the long run), will allow you much more time to be creative in actually playing your instruments. 

I tend to spend more than half the time in learning how to use the software I already have and then the creative side gets neglected. 

  

ampfixer


I have X2a Producer, Komplete 8 and a hand full of other plugs. It occured to me last night that I could spend the rest of my life just to become competent with the software I own. I was running the Studio 1 demo at the time and wondering how hard it would be to learn a second DAW. I realized that I don't really know how to use X2 beyond a newbie skill level. 

I do know that the more time I spend on software the worse I get at actually playing real instruments. How do you break the cycle of "just one more program and I'll have it"? 

Ampfixer, I called a halt to buying more and more vst synths after spending a good bit of time with all the synths packaged in X2 Producer and Komplete 8 while watching Groove 3 training vids.  So may times in the past I bought something else, usually on sale, and after playing around with it I'd slump over my keyboard and mumble "gee it sounds pretty much just like (ZTA, Massive, FM8, Dimension, Rapture, etc..).  So then I stopped buying things until I had tried the free demo and come to the conclusion that "gee it pretty much sounds just like (ZTA, Massive, FM8, Dimension, Rapture, etc..).  It really kind of bummed me out this past holiday season.  I was all juiced for a buying binge when the sales started but quickly ran out of steam when nothing really turned me on and I wound up buying nothing.  The most satisfying and productive purchase I made in all of 2012 was the Concrete Limiter for Pro Channel. 

Zenwit
The most satisfying and productive purchase I made in all of 2012 was the Concrete Limiter for Pro Channel. 

And somebody reported a bug in it upstairs.