The 20 Year Rule

general questions, comments and ideas about recording, audio, music, etc.
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radiationroom
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The 20 Year Rule

Post by radiationroom » Sun Feb 13, 2005 2:56 pm

Got into an arguement the other day about equipment with a potential client after being criticized for not having all the latest plug-ins. Couldn't seem to get through to the guy about my 20 year rule that something has to comply to before I will purchase it.

Basically it is this. I purchased my Technics SL-1200's in 1986 and with some minor maintenence, they still work. I have an Ibanez AD-202 analog delay line, which was already beat when I got it in 1988 - still works. Got a Teac Model 1 line mixer dating from the early 1970's that still works. Those pieces meet the criteria of my 20 year rule - IE: IF I BUY SOMETHING, IT BETTER BE USEABLE FOR 20 YEARS AFTER IT'S MANUFACTURING DATE!!!

The 20 year rule flys directly in the face of the philosophy of the computer business which prides it's self on the quick obsolencence of it's hardware and software. Hence, I'm still using old computers and software and will keep on doing so until they die.... Like Master Tracks Pro on a Mac Q840 for example. Call me cheap but.... never mind I'm just ranting again....

73's - Carli

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Re: The 20 Year Rule

Post by soundguy » Sun Feb 13, 2005 3:15 pm

Im sure a potential client can give a fuck about how long something works after the time he has rented the gear for has elapsed. some things are not worth getting into arguments about.

Just an observation.

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Re: The 20 Year Rule

Post by Zeppelin4Life » Sun Feb 13, 2005 3:35 pm

20 years for technology, especially this day in age is a long long time. As technology gets more advanced it also changes faster..the LP record was used for like 70 years. the CD has only been out around 14 and it will/is slowly be replaced in the next few..thats kindof scary
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Re: The 20 Year Rule

Post by Sayer » Sun Feb 13, 2005 3:36 pm

Dave, I agree...

But I also agree with the 20 year rule in many ways. The 20 year rule is a far superior financial strategy. However, one must always consider that a piece of gear is worth how much money it can make for you. Once you have what you consider to be the required recording gear, it is wise to purchase some items that you feel will attract clients. You can attract different clients (i.e. the clients you want ) by what pieces you use...

I recommend a grand piano for this. The piano seems to be the thing that clients percieve as a mark of a real studio...

Also, it is soooo tempting to the clients, you end up doing alot of really cool piano break downs and hey, its more hours too...

I know that this may strike a dissonant chord with some, but it works for me...

When you think of it like this, the 20 year rule seems kind of foolish.

P.S. I hate plug ins anyway though... gimme metal and knobs, hopefully some v.u.s
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Re: The 20 Year Rule

Post by lonesome_tone » Sun Feb 13, 2005 4:32 pm

Zeppelin4Life wrote:20 years for technology, especially this day in age is a long long time. As technology gets more advanced it also changes faster..the LP record was used for like 70 years. the CD has only been out around 14 and it will/is slowly be replaced in the next few..thats kindof scary
actually, the cd is almost 23 years old. and i definitely still buy records (new and used).

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Re: The 20 Year Rule

Post by Mark Alan Miller » Sun Feb 13, 2005 4:38 pm

If a client were to complain that I "didn't have all the latest plug-ins" I would simply explain that to do so would take a considerable investment and that cost would have to be made up in higher studio rates.
Same goes for hardware.
he took a duck in the face at two and hundred fifty knots.

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Re: The 20 Year Rule

Post by Knights Who Say Neve » Sun Feb 13, 2005 5:04 pm

Hmm...I use pretty much old gear exclusively...'cause I'm poor! And I figure, if it lasted this long in working condition there's something to it. And of course, yesterday's pro gear is almost always better than today's semi-pro gear. "Sounds Good" doesn't change...and it's a good corrective to Gear lust. Thanks for posting this.
"What you're saying is, unlike all the other writers, if it was really new, you'd know it was new when you heard it, and you'd love it. <b>That's a hell of an assumption</b>". -B. Marsalis

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Re: The 20 Year Rule

Post by mcijh » Sun Feb 13, 2005 5:14 pm

Correct me if I'm wrong, ....I am drinking and not reading every line..., but, I seems to me that only one of your 3 examples qualified under the 20 year rule. As one who does, I could off more examples if needed.

SS

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Re: The 20 Year Rule

Post by Zeppelin4Life » Sun Feb 13, 2005 6:08 pm

lonesome_tone wrote:
Zeppelin4Life wrote:20 years for technology, especially this day in age is a long long time. As technology gets more advanced it also changes faster..the LP record was used for like 70 years. the CD has only been out around 14 and it will/is slowly be replaced in the next few..thats kindof scary
actually, the cd is almost 23 years old. and i definitely still buy records (new and used).
yeah the CD was 80 or 81..but people didnt start really getting into it for years later...what im saying is the standards change. sure they still make records..but lets face it, theres not a big demand.
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Re: The 20 Year Rule

Post by mcijh » Sun Feb 13, 2005 6:55 pm

There were no CD's in '80 or '81. If there were, they would have sounded like Crap. 3.5" floppy's were unknown at that time. Any (IBM) computer programs were on 5 1/4" floppy's. You had to have one for the Op.Sys., and another for the program, and another for the data. If you were "State of the Art", you dreamed that someone would invent a 10 meg H.D.

SS

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Re: The 20 Year Rule

Post by soundguy » Sun Feb 13, 2005 7:46 pm

dude, phillips completely had a working compact disc in 1980. All you have to do is spend a few weeks in a tour bus with a dutch crew and you'll know more about it than you ever wanted to. Just because some schmo at a record label didnt distribute music on it didnt mean it didnt exist, or work.

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Re: The 20 Year Rule

Post by mrc » Sun Feb 13, 2005 9:38 pm

I still have 20 and 40 meg drives in possesion, LOL and 51/4 in flops, hehehe...shhhh and 45's, 78's............8tracks

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Re: The 20 Year Rule

Post by DryCounty » Sun Feb 13, 2005 10:00 pm

I guess a lot of people looking to work in studios equate the latest equipment with expertise. Sad but probably true.

BTW, I'm not a studio owner or even a producer. I work on my own music in my own humble practice space/studio. This is the reason I went from being a highly paid web designer to simply fixing computers -- I just couldn't deal with anyone but myself creatively. There is no "creative" way to fix a machine -- you either fix it or you don't. Thus, I'm happy. Sorry to hear about your plug in woes, my heart goes out to the many (cgarges included) who've recently dealt with these kinds of clients.

BTW, I still have a massive collection of 5 1/4" floppies. Anyone interested in Zork?
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soundguy
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Re: The 20 Year Rule

Post by soundguy » Sun Feb 13, 2005 10:12 pm

The sluice gates appear to your left.

>N

you can't go that direction.

>N

A wall is blocking your path

>N

the path is blocked

>FUCK YOU

the command "fuck you" is not recognized.

Ah, youth.

dave
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one hundred percent discrete transistor recording with style and care.

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Re: The 20 Year Rule

Post by digdug » Sun Feb 13, 2005 10:15 pm

soundguy wrote:The sluice gates appear to your left.

>N

you can't go that direction.

>N

A wall is blocking your path

>N

the path is blocked

>FUCK YOU

the command "fuck you" is not recognized.

Ah, youth.

dave
Is there a 20 year rule on your video games?

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