![Question: Are we better off with USING, which is different than HAVING, [near] limitless options when Mixing. Or, is it better working old school, with fewer options distracting us? What’s your opinion?](https://external-preview.redd.it/G4HIsmqjVkRAfjqE-bVZoU0D2pmtge-rxu0-7hM0eLg.jpeg?width=320&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=bea0b1f49e9347421d9c7e7f45b08ce8d3429120)
Question: Are we better off with USING, which is different than HAVING, [near] limitless options when Mixing. Or, is it better working old school, with fewer options distracting us? What’s your opinion?
*WHAT BROUGT THIS UP:*
I happened upon this video, which posed the basic question: are we better off with fewer, quite intelligent choices while Mixing / Producing…. or or better off with having \[near\] unlimited plugin selections to choose from. Can they be a distraction? 10,000+ records were made with EQs which had fixed EQ points, ie Pultec and others. This video concentrates, mostly, on channel strips. Mostly, but not exclusively, SSL variants.
The author poses the question, is it better to have everything you need, at hand, therefore keeping you ‘in the zone’ as opposed to searching out so many different plugins. Does the sheer quantity actually inhibit us to some degree vs having everything just ’there' for you \[EQ, Comp, etc\], because you know they work well for the type of music \[this was prefaced by THIS \[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVAKRvvV6vo\\\] Gain Staging Video. I forgot which one, but one of them quantified the videos as more suited for "Real Instruments”, as opposed to EDM or 'electronic musics’. As 85+% of what I mix is in the “Real Instruments” category, I found the vids worthy of my time.
So, looking at the workflow, from a mile high, DO WE DO BETTER *using* \[which is different than *having*\] fewer choices, keeping ourselves ‘in the zone’ longer and more consistently, working better faster and several other benefits exposed by the author, in these vids. Or, is having endless choices help us produce better work? What do YOU think?
*FULL TRANSPARENCY:*
I am quite old school, though that fact shouldn’t skew what you think my opinion would be. I’m a music veteran of over 50 years. I got lucky early, and was on the road for almost 7Y; picked up as guitarist on the road with a very well known, A+ recording/Multi-continental/(mostly) arena sized gigging. After getting road weary from *constant* touring, I told my agent to line up the following year with Studio gigs. Known as ‘So & So’s’ guitarist, my agent had no problem getting me gigs and I was near instantly a Studio Rat. I spent about the same amount of time (6+Y) as Studio Musician, based in my hometown NYC, with the last 41 years, a NYC Mix Engineer, now in Southeast US for last 10 or so Y.
I’ve also produced some great talent, as well. All were good; most sunk quickly, of course, but enough hit big enough, along with some slick licensing deals my agent, who was with me since I was a 16YO gun-for-hire on the road, put these licensing deals, and some other things together, for my security. He did okay on his end with me, but he (RIP) was always straight w/me and ensured my financial stability, plus my wife and kid’s, for the next 30+ years, so I can concentrate on music. He handled my finances, billings and gigs. Never robbed be of a dime!
Without *a lot of luck*, especially making that all important, trajectory shifting, audition that first year. While having someone I can trust who was looking out for me, getting me constant gigs with support of whatever my next venture was, throughout the years, I couldn’t have been successful.
Sadly, I don’t think it would work, today!