I may have discovered a remedy for plugin GAS.

[MrFigg]

Ok, it might not work all the time but it’s certainly helping me alleviate the GAS at the moment.
Here’s the plan. First you have to find something you actually do really want but are waiting to go on sale. Then whenever you see a “too good to miss might be good to have in the future” plugin you need to pause and think “is it more useful than the thing I actually want” then you have to think “if I don’t buy it then that’s €(whatever it costs) towards the one you will get use out of. Soon with all the money you save you’ve essentially got it for free. (Ahem).
Ok it’s dependent on you always having something you’re aiming towards but it’ll probably save you hard disk space and buyers remorse.
Keep strong.

[BRIGGS]

It all boils down to 'needs vs wants'.

Do I need that shiny new plugin, or do I just want it?

[MrFigg]

It all boils down to 'needs vs wants'.

Do I need that shiny new plugin, or do I just want it?

Maaaan. You always “Need” it. You’ve had GAS before right?

[BRIGGS]

It all boils down to 'needs vs wants'.

Do I need that shiny new plugin, or do I just want it?

Maaaan. You always “Need” it. You’ve had GAS before right?

That's the delusion.

[DaveyG]

... pause and think ...

This is where your cunning plan unravels.

[TritoneAddiction]

What works best for me so far to reduce my GAS is to go through all the plugins I already own, take a look at each one and ask myself: "How much have I used this one? Do I know what this plugin is capable of?"
Many times I end up with a long list of old plugins I want to explore further. And the thought of adding even more to this list starts to feel overwhelming. I'd say it works about 80% of the time.

[motuscott]

Not having the money to spend goes a long way...
Plus I can crank up the Authorizer for the walk of shame, "Oh I own that! When did I get that? What does that do?"

[MrFigg]

Not having the money to spend goes a long way...
Plus I can crank up the Authorizer for the walk of shame, "Oh I own that! When did I get that? What does that do?"

Sounds like we’re running the same Authorizer.

[crimsonwarlock]

When something new comes along, I try to find that sound or functionality in what I already have. This inspires me to look differently at what I have, and learn new things in the process. It also gives me a good reason to buy something if I cannot replicate it close enough already, as that means it is actually a good addition to my gear setup. This works very well for me.

This sale I got Obsession because the Oberheim sound was one of the very last things missing in my RE-list. I also got Firemint, as it does a better job (for what I want) than Neptune, and I got ST-1 because there is little else for that effect. I also grabbed BV-X with a voucher. I didn't really 'need' it, as you can do most of it with the stock vocoder and some additional stuff, but setting that up can be quite a bit of work. So, I got BV-X for pure convenience and because I had a voucher and nothing else interesting to use that on.

Not having the money to spend goes a long way...

That too. Or to have just a little money to spend and making sure you spend it on something that is worth it in the long run.

[danc]

What works best for me so far to reduce my GAS is to go through all the plugins I already own, take a look at each one and ask myself: "How much have I used this one? Do I know what this plugin is capable of?"
Many times I end up with a long list of old plugins I want to explore further. And the thought of adding even more to this list starts to feel overwhelming. I'd say it works about 80% of the time.

I do a similar thing...

I force myself to make a track entirely with plugins/REs that I haven't touched for years. You'll soon realise you already have a goldmine of opportunity. Exactly the same goldmine that you think you're getting when you browse through and buy something new from Pluginboutique or wherever.

Your plugin collection is a FREE candy shop of GAS.

[Jac459]

... pause and think ...

This is where your cunning plan unravels.

LOL x 1000

[Jac459]

By the way, do you know that the very beautiful Softube Parallels self-called "dream synth" is at 49 bucks now?

I am exactly thinking this: “too good to miss might be good to have in the future”.

But I am strong, I have resisted for the last 23 hours and 27 minutes I have this information.

[jam-s]

Another option might be to put all your plugins into a list and add the one you're thinking of purchasing at the bottom of that list (or if you really have a strong case of GAS add it twice or trice. Then randomly select a few entries of that list and use those to make a new song. If that new one was in this random selection: get it, if not don't.

[Jac459]

But I am strong, I have resisted for the last 23 hours and 27 minutes I have this information.

Finally I resisted 25 hours and 39 minutes.

Hello, I am jac and I am a gas-holic.

[crimsonwarlock]

Another option might be to put all your plugins into a list and add the one you're thinking of purchasing at the bottom of that list (or if you really have a strong case of GAS add it twice or trice. Then randomly select a few entries of that list and use those to make a new song.

Ooooh.. this is an incredibly inspirational idea. I'm going to make lists of my synths, drum machines (I have too many) and special FX, and use a random number generator to pick from those lists to start a new project.

Wonderful idea

[avasopht]

What helped me was just getting complete packages - that way I knew I had everything I could possibly need.

I've found it quite revealing because I still find my old sounds playing central roles in my tracks.

It also makes it easier to pass on something, because you know that there will be lots of crossover and only a handful of sounds you don't already have.

[integerpoet]

I'm going to make lists of my synths, drum machines (I have too many) and special FX, and use a random number generator to pick from those lists to start a new project.

Proving once again that all ReasonTalk threads eventually become feature requests.

[integerpoet]

I am a broken record on this, I know, but my GAS subsided when I fully accepted that no plug-in can provide talent or experience.

This is definitely not to say I have enough of either of those. I'm just trying to depress you and me both.

[RobC]

No Robotic Bean jokes? : )

[crimsonwarlock]

I'm going to make lists of my synths, drum machines (I have too many) and special FX, and use a random number generator to pick from those lists to start a new project.

Proving once again that all ReasonTalk threads eventually become feature requests.

Nah, not a feature request. Please, let's not turn Reason into a spreadsheet program

Besides, I already found an app for my phone that does exactly this (choosing from several lists)

[integerpoet]

I am a broken record on this, I know, but my GAS subsided when I fully accepted that no plug-in can provide talent or experience. This is definitely not to say I have enough of either of those. I'm just trying to depress you and me both.

Here's a concrete example.

I've been learning about mastering lately.

Ozone has a super-whizzy multi-band stereo width tool. It's really tempting. It probably has good uses.

But you probably shouldn't use it until you understand the roles mid/side EQ and multi-band compression can play.

Especially when you realize what these things can do to the reverb that's baked into the mix anyway.

This seems likely to be part of why the mastering authorities tell beginners to avoid messing with width directly.

But that tool is really really shiny! OMG so shiny. I've already thrown hours into playing with it, but now I wish I had them back.

I am lucky the multi-band width tool isn't available separately because after experiencing the free single-band width tool I would totally have had GAS for the multi-band one separately, and that probably would not have been a good thing for my development.

[dvdrtldg]

It all boils down to 'needs vs wants'.

Do I need that shiny new plugin, or do I just want it?

This delay plugin has an obscure feature that none of my thousands of other delay plugins have! Of course I need it

[Yonatan]

For me, I do want many players and devices but cannot really decide if gonna go Reason+ soon or if continue to ”own” all the new RS RE’s. Off course I want them all as every stoneage collector brain.

[BRIGGS]

It all boils down to 'needs vs wants'.

Do I need that shiny new plugin, or do I just want it?

This delay plugin has an obscure feature that none of my thousands of other delay plugins have! Of course I need it

thousands of delay plugins = problem

[jonnyretina]

Ok, it might not work all the time but it’s certainly helping me alleviate the GAS at the moment.
Here’s the plan. First you have to find something you actually do really want but are waiting to go on sale. Then whenever you see a “too good to miss might be good to have in the future” plugin you need to pause and think “is it more useful than the thing I actually want” then you have to think “if I don’t buy it then that’s €(whatever it costs) towards the one you will get use out of. Soon with all the money you save you’ve essentially got it for free. (Ahem).
Ok it’s dependent on you always having something you’re aiming towards but it’ll probably save you hard disk space and buyers remorse.
Keep strong.

If you're genuinely struggling, a few great remedies for GAS I've found and used in the past are:

• Use an older operating system but keep the computer offline. This works particularly well if you're on Mac as software quite quickly cannot be bought any more which is compatible. This means you cannot acquire new gear as it simply won't work on your machine. Still plenty of old software to find but you don't have to worry when finding out about brand new things because they likely won't work for you anyway
• Similar to the point above - deliberately downgrade to a smaller hard drive so you aren't tempted to fill it with stuff and you can keep your setup lean and minimal
• Strictly limit yourself to only a handful of companies whose products you are allowed to buy
• Run Reason without VSTs, restricting your purchasing capability to REs only
• Stop checking websites which publish information about new releases. If you have no ability to easily resist temptation, go so far as to block such sites with a browser extension or at your router
• Create a plan for your next 6 months worth of music projects and be strict about the list of digital equipment you will allow yourself to use in their creation - all of which you must already have. This will prevent you acquiring anything for the next 6 months.
• Untrain your mind to find acquiring new gear satisfying and instead to find making music with stuff you already have more satisfying
• Learn the invaluable skill of knowing where to draw the line