My problem is, I really need an Sp-404. I am 18 years old, and I really want to get into performing live. For Christmas I received an Sp-202 for 90$ off of Craigslist. I really enjoy this thing, and it's great to record with, but it's def not something that I could use well in a live performance. Unlucky for me, I was laid off from my old job because the buisness closed, and now I have had terrible luck finding another. Literally last night I came to the decision to sell my guitar. This guitar is my pride and joy, it's a spot on recreation of George Harrison's guitar Rocky. Currently the only people who have contacted me are very sketchy and they say they are either out of town, or something else, and want to send me a check, and say they won't pick it up until the check has been cashed. I find this sketchy and have a feeling the check will bounce so I have been ignoring them. Now a guy just wants to trade me a guitar for it, which I honestly do not want to accept. Now, I just feel shit out of luck, and I really wanted some help or opinions. I'm sorry if this is so random, I just need one of these babies. They seem so amazing. Thank you all, and hurray for my first post!

dont sell your guitar homie.

Well, the reason I was thinking about doing this was because I never play that guitar anymore. I got another and I use it much more.

It's hard question to answer, everybody is looking for ways to get money. Also, everybody is different and everybody has different situations. So while I can't you a concrete answer I can give you a creative method I use a lot when I have a question.

Whenever I have a question like this I make a list of 100 answers. Grab a piece of paper and on top of it write your question: How am I gonna make money?

Then just start answering. Every answer on a new (numbered) line. Your first 20-30 answers are probably crap but you have to write them down or you will be stuck with them in your head. Then, after those first answers it will become harder to come up with solutions but this is the part the creative answers will rise. After a while you run out of those ideas as well and you will fill your 100-list with some ideas that may be totally unrealistic but perhaps inspire some new (realistic) answers.

It may sound weird, writing down 100 answers yourself but in my experience it often works very well. You just have to make sure you're asking the right question and really write down 100 (or more) answers in one sitting. No pause or you will lose your flow. And even when you think you can't think of any more, keep going. That's the part where your creativity comes into play.

When you have your list read through it and you'll probably find a couple of good ways to answer your question.

Or not. But I think it's worth a shot.

By the way. I don't know a lot about SPs but I had something similar with computers. "If only I had that new fast computer I would be making websites and earn lots of cash". The truth is, it's not about the equipment, it's about what you do with it. Not having a certain piece of equipment is an unconscious excuse for not working on getting that money right now.

I could easily make websites using the computer I had at the moment. Yeah, perhaps not as fast, and sure… a better computer will inspire me more to get working, but a computer is a computer. Hell, even if I did not have a computer at all I could use them at school or whatever.

The point I try to make is, is to see how far you can come with your current equipment and your creativity.

But again, I don't know a lot of SPs. If the 202 is comparable to to a simple calculator if we stay in the computer-metaphor, then yeah I understand your problem .

That was a really inspirational post. Thanks a lot. Thats a really creative and deep way to look at it. I understand what you mean when it's not the equipment, but the person using it. I just don't feel I can get started without it. I feel dumbstruck. Plus I get way to excited about something and commit too much time in getting/doing it. I hate it sometimes.

Here's a random idea: Could you team up with someone that has the equipment?

You're very excited about doing this and wanting to put the time in, which are two great qualities. I'm sure a live performance could use the creativity of two different people to spice it up a bit.

Well, I do have a friend, but sadly, he is moving away for collage in literally a week. He is a cool guy, he deals more with circuit bending and other applications. It would make a pretty sweet project.

americanmusical.com will send you one for 200, then 2 more payments of 100, if you put it on a credit card. if you don't have one go to walmart and get a pre-paid one. i dunno how you're gonna get the 200 but it's easier than getting 400. =)

take some time to think about the guitar. get it out and play with it for a few days to see if youre still enjoying it.

as for making money ~

work hard,
be patient,
be disciplined.

good posts above (keesj, dude - awesome).

i just wanted to say that the 202 is a reaaaally limited sampler, but still a very cool device, and it actually HAS a lot of live applications. i know, cuz i have one.

but look around online for clouddead's peel sessions if you wanna hear how it can help a live show. they did their first record (at least) entirely on the 202 and a multitrack. look for interviews with them talking about it. very cool.

there are a few guys on Anticon (and let's not start the whole anticon debate here, okay?) who make hip hop WITHOUT a sequencer. so the 202 is right up that street.

if i were you, i would absolutely keep what i already have, and keep hammering away at it, while looking for ways to improve yr gear, yr technique and yr music.

peace and good luck, yo.

I'm in a similar situation. I began to study in October and got a letter yesterday that reads that I won't get a student loan. So now I'll have to work. But I don't want to. I thought I could do websites or graphic designs for other people which I really might be able to. But honestly I don't think I have the nessecary experience in the business of how to deal with clients, how to even get clients and all that shit. Well, I could work at a wal-mart like shopping center around the corner but I'd rather die than hand around in there.

Dude, I'd also say that you don't sell that guitar but since you say you have a second one it might be okay, that's up to you. When I read your post I immediately wanted to answer that Odd Nosdam from Clouddead only used the SP 202 in their first ten outputs, that's why it's made out of quite short parts, the sampler just didn't have more memoy

As the other guys said, it's just what you make out of your equipment. I mean, at least you have a computer, a guitar and a sampler, right? So basically you could get endless amounts of sounds off the web into your sampler, arrange it to some patterns (maybe record and resample some of em to make it less files) and play some guitar over that beat with a effect from the SP over it. I swear, alone with that stuff you could put a decent album together if you just focus on what you want to achieve.

I made the experience with the I-need-more-equipment-syndrome that the more new shit you get, the more distracted you are and end up only fooling around instead of making music. It's like when I got internet I thought: "omg, I can get all those fantastic programs out there with just a download and then I'll be able to do all kinds of shit with it" but it turned out that I only spend some half hours with some of em and then skipped to the next without a real outcome.

Just think about what you want to achieve man. I always tell myself a hundred good ideas in your head ain't as worth as one bad idea that is but turned to reality.

PS: I bought my SP 404 from the tips I got working as a pizza deliverer That's a chill job btw, if you have a license you might want to think about that.

Maan, that's the REAL TRUTH. +1 to your respect points homie
Ive gone through this...

That's a pretty good bump.

you don't need a 404, you need pizza equipment.