The Joy of Iteration: What New Gear Like Akai MPC Live 3, Roland TR-1000 & Elektron Tonverk Can Teach Us About Our Current Gear (Gear Acquisition Syndrome Avoidance)
- Sunwarper
- Oct 3
- 3 min read
There have been some awesome looking new releases in the music production world lately. With promises of “better and faster workflows,” it’s easy to get caught up in the marketing hype around new gear, or what's called Gear Acquisition Syndrome.
But the truth is, gear doesn’t make the music, the artist behind it does. Every time I return to a sampler or synth I’ve used for years, I uncover new tricks, sounds, or workflows I’d forgotten about that spark fresh inspiration. It’s tempting to believe creativity comes from new gear, but often it’s the opposite. Real creativity shows up when you know your tools deeply enough to get exactly what you want out of them.
Iteration builds mastery, and mastery builds freedom. When you stop overthinking the process, you can focus purely on creating and that’s when your best ideas emerge.
Why Iteration Beats Impulse
Before buying something new, I like to step back and ask: What about this gear is useful to my setup? Then I see if I can recreate a similar workflow using what I already own. Often, just exploring that idea leads to new discoveries or unexpected tracks. If it proves too difficult or clunky, then I’ll reconsider adding new gear... but most of the time, iteration sparks inspiration without spending a dime.
What Dropped This Week
MPC Live 3: Akai’s latest MPC builds on the legacy with a refreshed interface, linear song mode, and deeper mixing tools that blur the line between groovebox and DAW. It’s looks like a pretty massive upgrade to the workflow with a ton more processing power as well.
Roland TR-1000: Roland’s new drum machine brings back true analog sound with classic 808 and 909-style circuits, layered with modern sampling, effects, and automation. This one seems like an interesting hybrid of classic roland drums and some samplers.
Elektron Tonverk: This focuses on polyphonic stereo sampling and advanced modulation. It’s designed for detailed sound design, letting you transform a single sample into evolving, expressive instruments. The Elektron workflow is an incredibly inspiring one for getting outside production comfort zones.
Gear Acquisition Syndrome Therapy
Even with these impressive features and thoughts on how each of these could change my workflow, my first instinct isn’t to hit “Add to Cart.” New gear showcases possibilities, but it doesn’t define your voice. Going back into what you already own often reveals hidden gems: forgotten menu tricks, overlooked routing options, or fresh combinations of effects that can often work similarly to the benefits I see in this new gear.
Sometimes the biggest creative leaps happen when you work within constraints. If a new feature catches your eye, like deeper modulation or stereo sampling, see how close you can get using resampling, layering, or routing. If the workaround kills your flow or feels impossible, then maybe an upgrade makes sense. But until then, iteration is its own creative process.
How to Iterate, Not Accumulate
If the promise of new gear is calling your name, try this first:
Identify one feature that looks useful
Try to replicate it with what you have through creative hardware combinations, routing or resampling
Capture your experiments so you can reuse them later
Check out this process in real time here, where I use the SEQTRAK and SP404 MK2 to balance each piece of gears weaknesses:
When Buying Actually Makes Sense
Sometimes, the right gear is the next step. I consider buying when:
My current setup consistently slows or frustrates creativity.
The new gear offers a feature I genuinely can’t replicate.
I’ve outgrown my existing workflow in measurable ways.
It integrates naturally into my setup instead of forcing a reset.
New gear like the Akai MPC Live 3, TR-1000, and Tonverk reminds us what’s possible. But they also highlight why going deeper with what you already own can be even more rewarding. Mastery, not novelty, is what keeps creativity flowing long term.
Want help making the most of your current gear and get feedback on your beats? Check out my lessons here
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