The Myth of GAS (and Why Synth Culture Keeps Arguing About Gear)

🎹 Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) is often blamed for frustration, regret, and distraction in synthesizer culture—but I don’t think it explains much anymore. In this video, I explore why debates about synth gear keep repeating, why “limitation” is often misunderstood, and how synthesizers actually shape creative engagement. Rather than offering buying advice, I introduce a simple framework for thinking about instruments in terms of intent, constraint, and responsibility. This video is for synthesizer enthusiasts who enjoy music technology but feel worn down by gear discourse, guilt-driven minimalism, or endless arguments about what tools are “best.” 📄 Essay and framework: https://onevoltperoctave.com/essay.html 📄 Manifesto (CC0): https://onevoltperoctave.com/manifest... --- BACKGROUND Hi! I'm Luke Stark and I'm creating videos here as Synth Seeker because I like to share the things I find fun or useful as I make music! Here you will find techniques, discoveries and distractions. Have fun! MY MUSIC ⛺️ BandCamp: https://lukestark.bandcamp.com (releases) 🍎 Apple Music: https://tinyurl.com/spevewkp (releases) ☁️ Soundcloud:   / lukestark   (weird ideas and experiments) 🎹    / @synthseeker