by Phil Selman

Buying the right music equipment can be a difficult and stressful process. Most of us have spent countless hours agonizing over gear decisions, and the mistakes we make are frustrating at best and painful at worst. Here are 10 useful tips to help you avoid common gear-buying pitfalls and make the most of your budget.

1. Take your time. The hasty decisions you make are the ones that will come back to haunt you. After all, the musical instruments and audio gear you buy today will be with you for years to come. The more time you spend researching the available options, the more likely you’ll be happy with the decisions you make. It’s incredible how many people make major purchases on impulse, convinced they need a specific piece of gear without knowing enough about it to realize it won’t do what they expect it to. Taking your time and doing your homework on major audio equipment decisions will save you a lot of grief.

2. Know your real needs. There is no such thing as one-size-fits-all gear. If you’re a singer/songwriter hoping to record your next project at home, you probably don’t need a 24-track recording interface. However, if you’re hoping to subsidize your income by recording demos for local bands, then you’ll quickly outgrow even the nicest 8-channel interface. Can your computer really handle the software you’d like to run? Will that amp provide you with the range of tone your music and potential clients demand? Will you be happier with a stable keyboard workstation or a flexible virtual instrument rig? If you can identify your present and future needs before you start looking at gear, you’ll be far ahead of the game.   (Click Here to Read More…)