In this article, Grammy-winning mixer, and founder of The Mix Consultancy, Dom Morley shares a strategy to help you get closer to achieving your studio aims this year whilst saving money too.
New year, new me, new studio etc. While you’re making plans to exercise more, sleep more, eat less or stress less, I’m going to suggest a strategy that you can add to your New Year’s resolutions which should save you money as well as get you closer to your studio’s goals in the coming year.
Shiny Object Syndrome
The challenge in this situation is called Shiny Object Syndrome. Wikipedia tells us this is when you “focus all attention on something that is new, current or trendy, yet drop this as soon as something new takes its place”. I think when it comes to studios, this manifests in wanting the next new bit of gear rather than really learning and using the stuff that you already have.
I’m sure we’ve all been there - when a new plug-in is announced that promises to do everything (one thing) WAY better (marginally better) than every other plug-in out there (the plug-in company’s last new release). Or new speakers that are guaranteed (no guarantee implied) to make your mixes so much better in less time than ever before (once you’ve spent all that time getting used to mixing on new speakers, which takes ages). Shiny Object Syndrome will suck up all your time as easily as it sucks up all your money, so how do we make 2022 the year we finally defeat it? Well, try this…
Make A Plan And Let It Guide You
As part of your plans for the new year, work out what you want to be better at by the end of 2022, and what you want to have achieved - both in skills and results? Now, strictly with those goals in mind, is there anything that you can budget for that will make these goals more achievable? Remember that education may well be more impactful in helping you achieve your goals as buying new gear.
With firm goals in mind, and a route to achieving them, you can now make a list of what you’ll buy over the year, and how much it will all cost you. I also quite like to put my list in order of importance, so I’ve got a clear order to invest in. There are two ways you can manage this in terms of cash - set a budget and see what will fit into it, or plan the specific things you need and then work out what it will cost you. Which way you do this really depends on how strict you want to be with your budget before you set out.
Judgement Time
Now, here comes the important bit, if you see a new bit of gear on the market that looks very cool, you have criterion to judge it by. Look at your goals again and ask yourself if this shiny new bit of gear will help you achieve those goals. If the answer is no, then you don’t need it, so don’t buy it and move on. If the answer is yes though, you then need to ask yourself if it will be more useful to you than anything that you already have on your list. If not, then either you don’t need it, or it can go on the end of the list as a ‘nice to have’ if you end up having a particularly good financial year. If it will be more useful than something already on your list though, do a swap. That way your budget isn’t getting out of control, but you have built-in flexibility to your plans. The key thing about all of this though, is that you are always referencing your goals for the year when making these decisions, and so will be less easily swayed by exactly how shiny the new object happens to be.
Now here’s how to take this to the next level. Look around your studio. Is there anything there that you don’t really use any more, or that is nothing to do with hitting your goals for the year? If so, sell it. With eBay, Reverb, Facebook marketplace etc it’s never been easier to find a buyer for equipment you no longer need, and while the clear-out will help you to focus more, it will also give you the funds to get you closer to your studio goals. Win / win.
More Recording Resources From Dom Morley
Dom is the founder of the Mix Consultancy, a zero risk (money back guarantee) way to get notes on your tracks to help improve the sound. Whether you're an artist who likes to mix all their own work, a composer putting together a pitch on a limited budget, or an engineer who wants a discreet second opinion before sending a mix off to a client - we're here to help.
“I just completed a mix with the help of Dom Morley & The Mix Consultancy. The mix we turned over was qualitatively better than the one I would have gone with on my own.
It's been said that "a mix is never done, it's just abandoned", but the truth is, you *really* do feel a sense of completion and closure having worked with Dom because you know in your heart that you did everything you possibly could to get the best result possible for the client.
The beauty behind the process is that not only do you get a better mix for your client, but Dom's advice contains all kinds of gold that you can borrow and deploy in future mixes.”
Geoff Manchester
From engineering tips to production advice, EQ and compression basics to mix specifics, we’ll give you the information and guidance that you need to take your mixes to the next level. Find out more here
In addition to the one-to-one advice Dom has produced some excellent online courses;
Everything You Need To Know About Recording Vocals
Preproduction, DAW set-up, preparing the studio, psychology, equipment. Literally everything you need to know.This is a short, free, mini-course on the four things that you really need to know in order to get great mixes, and the four things that you really don't!