Delete or sell regularly

• Published: 2020-11-28 22:16
• Updated: 2023-03-27 19:06

The paradox of choice is a thing, and it can cost you a lot of tracks without even noticing. I learned it the stupid way during the development of Polac VST Adapters for Buzztracker, early 2000s. When I installed about every plugin I available for the purpose of compatibility and stability testing.

How to choose 1 from 50 compressors? You start somewhere. And either end up testing one after the other OR feel like you've made the wrong choice. Wondering, if another compressor would be a better fit.

If there's such a thing like the best tool for any job, it's the one you know inside out. The more gear gets piled too fast, the less time will be spent with the individual piece. Ending at the fallacy of having too much stuff.

Paying for a piece of gear doesn't only ship with legal ownership, but also the obligation to put it to good use. Thus, investing time to learn it.

And yes, I totally get GAS. Especially around Black Friday. I always ask myself these questions before purchasing something these days:

• What quality does a new acquisition add to my arsenal that I'm missing?
• Which piece of gear does it render useless OR make twice as useful?
• What thing can I remove or sell?

Hypothesis: it's said that humans can manage around 150 social contacts. Maybe 150 pieces of physical/virtual gear are a sweetspot, too?

If you're lacking confidence when choosing a plugin for any given task: How many plugins do you have? What can you potentially delete?