One of the challenges of being a metal musician always thinking that we need the latest and greatest gear. Whether it's a new interface, plug-in, guitar, mic, you feel like you must have it.

In this episode, we talk about how gear acquisition syndrome (G.A.S.) can hold you back from creating music and moving forward with your projects. We breakdown what you need vs. what's nice to have along with reasons why you may not need certain gear.

Lastly, we get into the controversial topic of amps vs. amp sims and overall studio hardware vs. plug-ins. We've got some really interesting points that will make you think about your next music gear purchase.

In this episode, Ken and Jason talk about one of the most important issues of being a musician. In the world of social media where everyone seems to be putting out amazing content and showcasing their talent, it's easy to get caught up into comparing yourself to others. We give you some tips on how to handle that. More importantly, we go deep into how to create your own style and sound that cannot be replicated.

Welcome to the first Metal Mastermind podcast episode.

We're starting with some 'heavy' topics that impact all of us rock and metal musicians.

First, we're covering the mindset of a hobbyist versus professional musician. How feasible is it to be a full-time musician for you and is it something you should consider? Or should you go semi-part, for example, playing live gigs on a part-time basis? If you're a hobbyist, do you want to entertain taking it a step further?

As we're releasing this during the first month of 2023, we get into annual planning. The strategies we talk about will help you both as a musician and many other areas of life.

We finish out with reassessing the people you surround yourself with. Does your inner circle, those closest to you share the same goals? Do they have the same values? Are they holding you back and helping you move forward?

We hope you enjoy the show and get a ton of value out of it!