How do you afford your samples/software/hardware?

[Q.K.]

I'm just wondering, because I've seen a lot of stuff that usually costs well over $50 per item (Whether it be a program, a VST, or a sample CD) and can get very expensive, like.... $4000. I'm just wondering... how do you guys get the money for all this?? Freelance musician jobs? Just your regular "job" job? Your company?

[Xelebes]

I work in a logistics company. They pay me decently - well, 12 bucks an hour.

[zircon]

I saved up a lot of money working summers in high school, I make a little money from my original music, and do some freelance stuff on the side.

[Zoola]

Odd jobs, time, parents... :P

EDIT: http://www.ocremix.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=83381

[darkpearl]

[Mod Edit] We do not encourage or support the stuff you posted initially. It lends itself to being suggestive, which is soomething that's not acceptable here.

[The Vagrance]

[Mod Edit]

[OverCoat]

You can get by with free stuff.

[Compyfox]

Saving up a lot of money, don't buy stuff for at least half a year (counts to saving) and keep an eye out for used stuff (hardware, sequencers, etc) and of course "discounts". Or your're lucky to be a friend of somebody who throws out stuff from his/her studio.

And like OverCoat said: Free stuff.
Don't listen to so called "Pro's" that Free Stuff is crap, cause you can find a ton of highend material for free or pocket money. You just have to be patient and need a bit of endurance while looking and testing.

[Dahlia]

[Mod Edit] piracy admissions/suggestions not acceptable

Anyway, I basically just saved up and bought what I needed over time. First I got my orchestral samples, then drums, then other miscellaneous stuff. I never really buy anything anymore. It'd take a pretty revolutionary new sampling technology to get me to replace the stuff I currently use.

[Yoozer]

HAY GUYZ I HAVE THE IQ OF A BRICK


The next knock on your door is from the RIAA or the BSA and they'll have a nice chat with you. You know that under the new PERFORM act you can get up to 10 years for that? Even for attempted breach of copyright.

People who go advertising their use of juarez are incredibly stupid.

Anyway, how do I afford stuff? I save up money and look for bargains in the classifieds. Know what you really need and what you don't. And, like Compy said - tons of free good stuff to be had out there. Really, the only money you'll have to spend is on the VST host itself, the controller keyboard and the soundcard. For the rest you can get by with freebies for a long, long time.

and can get very expensive, like.... $4000.
Haha, what?

For $4000 you're looking at symphonic Hollywood strings libraries (and the collections of those). Most hardware synthesizers even don't hit that mark (except for a fully maxed out Kurzweil K2600, or the Korg OASYS). Yes, there's reverb units out there that may cost that much, but investing that money in something like that is a whole other ballgame.

A Pro Tools rig will cost you more than that, but the Pro Tools people are talking about here is either not theirs (for academic use) or Pro Tools LE.

[sgx]

Summer jobs.

Student discounts.

I usually milk the parents for some piece of software for Christmas and my birthday.

Get paid for liscencing my music in a game occasionally.

I also don't waste it on stuff like cigarettes, expensive cellphones and plans, buying all the newest games and systems, etc.

[tgfoo]

Most of the money I have for buying stuff comes from my summer job, which pays a whole lot more than the job I do during the school year. Also I try to get things during a sale or a group buy.

[Navi]

i wait for the occasional riot and steal gear from the local music shop.

[V___]

I also don't waste it on stuff like cigarettes, expensive cellphones and plans, buying all the newest games and systems, etc.

Its amazing how much you can save when you dont have addictions and a little bit of self control :D

Me, work full time, no study commitments (atm). Unfortunatly, paying rent/bills/life expenses makes saving harder than it sounds at times....

[Dahlia]

HAY GUYZ I HAVE THE IQ OF A BRICK


The next knock on your door is from the RIAA or the BSA and they'll have a nice chat with you.

Watch out! The Boy Scouts of America will come to yo' neighborhood and drop you hard.

[Legion303]

i wait for the occasional riot and steal gear from the local music shop.

I do the same thing, but...uh...online?

LET'S TRASH THE PLACE!

-steve

PS: I bought FL Studio with money earned from my real job, just like all the hardware I buy. I'm not really sure what the point of this thread is. "How do you afford stuff?" Come on. Do you ask your neighbor how he could afford his new SUV?

[OverCoat]

Take out another loan on the house, maybe XD

[Yoozer]

Come on. Do you ask your neighbor how he could afford his new SUV?

He took a 4th mortgage on his house, with all that price gouging and that. :lol:

[Legion303]

He took a 4th mortgage on his house, with all that price gouging and that. :lol:

My neighbors downloaded their SUV on Kazaapster.

-steve

[Sixto]

I wait for natural disasters like hurricanes and tornados to come around. That's when I rush in and make money off of people's suffering. Everybody's gotta have a good roof on their house and I'm the guy to provide it. For a price. 8)

[suzumebachi]

mugging people helps too.

on a more serious note, umm, get a job? i don't have a job currently but i usually get paid about $200/hr at gigs. unfortunately they are few and hard to come by in this area.

also, free stuff ftw.

[Argle]

I don't. :P

But I just got a sweet computer job at the local junior college, so I'll be able to start buying samples. 8)

[mike_cliffe]

well until I got my first testing job at eidos I used to work in shops like game and computer exchange, and didnt realy buy alot of music stuff until Eidos.

Then I bought a fair amount sacrifising buying games and going out on the town, made a descent demo and finaly achieved what I wanted outa life to work on game audio. Now my pays alot better but in theory I dont need for music stuff as I can use the studio when ever I want, but theres something about working in the comfort of your own home, so have started buying stuff again but mainly on software.

[Malcos]

Be a sad geek and don't go clubbing, don't smoke, and only drink socially (like me!). Save up for a whole month and don't go anywhere.

[ekm]

Breaking up with your girlfriend tends to leave you with a lot more pocket money than you had before.

[Kriko]

Get a job and get a haircut.
Well, the haircut maybe won't do much difference... but just avoiding buying random stuff that you don't need can save a lot of money. :o)

[sgx]

so....avoid haircuts :)

[suzumebachi]

haircut? now you speak blasphemy. i will never let my golden locks of joyous fervor and victory be betrayed by the steely malady of scissors.

[sadpickle the exalted]

The mods will totally descend on this post and edit it, but I think it's fairly obvious most people with nice software and shit jobs wear eye patches.

[zircon]

You'd think that, but I probably have more software than just about anyone here, and it's all legal too. Plus, I'm not rich either.

[fel!x]

Scrimp and save like mad.
If there's something you want in the house (anything that'll keep a while. Soda, toilet paper, whatever.), wait until it goes on sale and buy it in bulk, if not find a way to get it wholesale.
Also, it's a perhaps juvenile technique, but have a jar or SOME form of containment, and put everything in that, seperate. Cuts down on the temptation.
And from what I understand, plasma and certain other fluids can be sold. Perhaps try that?

[sadpickle the exalted]

You'd think that, but I probably have more software than just about anyone here, and it's all legal too. Plus, I'm not rich either.
Ah, but was it free? I mean the EXPENSIVE good stuff, ala Quantum Leap and all that other jazz.

[suzumebachi]

You'd think that, but I probably have more software than just about anyone here, and it's all legal too. Plus, I'm not rich either.
Ah, but was it free? I mean the EXPENSIVE good stuff, ala Quantum Leap and all that other jazz.

http://www.soundsonline.com/sophtml/details.phtml?sku=QLBS5 :roll:

[Compyfox]

You'd think that, but I probably have more software than just about anyone here, and it's all legal too. Plus, I'm not rich either.

YOU WISH! XD

[zircon]

You'd think that, but I probably have more software than just about anyone here, and it's all legal too. Plus, I'm not rich either.
Ah, but was it free? I mean the EXPENSIVE good stuff, ala Quantum Leap and all that other jazz.

www.zirconstudios.com/about.php

Collectively worth at least $10,000. I spent upwards of $500 on some single pieces of software there. Here's a slightly outdated series of pics of my setup (I've obtained a good chunk of stuff since this was taken).

http://zirconstudios.com/IMG_3113.JPG
http://zirconstudios.com/IMG_3114.JPG
http://zirconstudios.com/IMG_3115.JPG
http://zirconstudios.com/IMG_3116.JPG
http://zirconstudios.com/IMG_3117.JPG
http://zirconstudios.com/IMG_3118.JPG

In conclusion, you don't need to be a pirate to have nice stuff. A LOT of nice stuff. I worked very hard for my gear. Anyone can do it.

[andyjayne]

I thought you were 19, zircon?

Anyway, I afford my software because I get stuff in clearance sales, on deals or when local stores selling this stuff go bust. I don't have high quality equipment by any means but watching for deals and saving money so that you're ready to seize items from these deals is the way to go.

[tgfoo]

Speaking of deals, anyone looking for a nice high quality ethnic library, there is about to be a group buy for Quantum Leap RA soon. Hopefully I'll be able to scrounge up enough money for it...

[Navi]

I bet zircon wishes he pirated those altoids.

[nooopzilla!]

lollerskates