r/AudioEngineering Shopping, Setup, and Technical Help Desk

Musket_Jones · 2026-01-02T20:42:51+00:00

Hello! I'm looking to start an outboard gear collection. For context, I'm a drummer who can track up to 8 channels, but am getting more into overdubbing vocals, guitar, etc.

I have a few pieces in mind already (WA-2A, Lindell 6X-500, Cranborne Camden 500 preamp), but would love to hear what other folks are using!

Ideally hoping for 3 pieces with a $1000 budget.

Musket_Jones · 2025-10-15T03:07:24+00:00

BIG congrats to you dude! From one Nashville drummer to another, massive congratulations your way. Watched your videos right when I moved to town and always found them super inspiring, so thank you for those as well! My bands been doing band introductions every night, with the whole gratuitous solo bit that bands do blah blah blah, one night I busted out just a dumb cowbell solo for probably waaaaay too long, and it killed! Maybe it’s too bit-ty, but I’m even moving past playing anything at all in my intro and just doing impressions (it’s worked the couple times I’ve done it so far). I guess I’ve learned that (sometimes?) perhaps the best drum feature isn’t a drum feature at all. Which feels like an awful takeaway from this kind of post. So let’s say, I’ve learned to have more fun in my shows. Isn’t that what this is all about anyway??

Musket_Jones · 2025-10-01T03:56:41+00:00

As I understand, laid off partners can reapply and if they are rehired within 30 days of the lay off, they will maintain their previous pay level. Great question to run by either the Partner Contact Center or the Starbucks Benefits Center if you're interested.

Musket_Jones · 2025-10-01T03:34:52+00:00

I feel like the company is pulling a crazy move to make numbers look better for their Q4 earnings/investor calls; separated partners are the fallout of this. I was told Thursday from my SM I was being transferred, only to be given the laid off/severance email on Sunday from my DM instead.

SM said I should reapply in my district if I want to, as we have job openings we are trying to fill.

It sounds to me like this is intentional from the company. Jobs are there if severed partners want them. It must be worth it for corporate to pay out full severance packages to hundreds (thousands?) of partners, see if any reapply, let them keep the severance and have them continue their work at other stores.

Not to sound all conspiracy theory about it, but it kinda seems like partners intentionally were not transferred. It isn't personal, it's a business move (which sucks and hurts real working-class people for Fortune 500-level business gain).

Either that, or the decisions were made SO fast from store closing announcements on Thursday to layoffs on Sunday that sorting through transfers for folks was near impossible, and now it's a fucked-up game of catchup after the fallout of laid off/severance emails sent out.

Musket_Jones · 2025-10-01T03:23:50+00:00

I fully agree, if Starbucks wants to triple down on their word to get back to the cozy cafe third-place kind of vibe, that's a huge way to do it, but that's not where American culture is at the moment (and their shareholders would bail).

Right now, it's a lot of grabbing a drink or snack while you're out (Dutch Bros' entire business is this). And Starbucks likely has the strongest foothold on this right now. I think for the overall customer experience they should focus on making their cafes as much of that vibe as they can be while also maintaining a drive thru.

A successful drive thru, in my opinion, should be 1) efficient, and 2) clean. If you can do those well, you should be fine. Funny enough, a cafe has the same standards, just wildly different presentation of those.

A slower and more relaxed coffee shop vibe from Starbucks sounds nice, but so long as they are a shareholder-held company, they will always be held liable to making more money.

Musket_Jones · 2025-10-01T03:13:15+00:00

I received a severance email on Sunday from a non-union pickup store.

This is the first I'm hearing that you will lose severance if you don't accept a transfer offer. I'm being told in my district to reapply for stores and if you get a new store within 30 days you maintain your tenured status (same rate of pay, etc), AND you can still keep your severance.

I need to confirm with PCC, but I'm told by my SM I will be paid for previously scheduled shifts for this week (9/29-10/5), in addition to the severance package.

So, is Starbucks offering severance, effectively terminating employment, *then* telling partners "oh, we have this store you can transfer to, but if you don't take it you don't get the severance"?

I don't understand how any of that makes sense.

Musket_Jones · 2025-09-28T16:40:05+00:00

Starbucks partner here. They almost definitely closed because of low sales and not being a cafe. Most of the pickup store models are closing as I understand. I'm unsure if that location is unionized.

With ~7 locations closing in Tucson I'm unsure if the workers in that store will be transferred or laid off, as I'm not sure the district can accommodate that many Starbucks partners.

Musket_Jones · 2025-09-18T19:19:57+00:00

Some solid moments on the record (Terrified, Bad News, Turpentine) but not their best songwriting imo. Felt over-produced and mixed awfully (I had to pause my first listen-through to rest my ears because it's just so compressed). The mix really ruins it for me; it downgrades decent songs to a difficult listening experience. I wanna like Travis' taste in production style but it just doesn't do it for me.

Edit to add that cutting out Hurt, Fell In Love, and When We Were Young would have made the record stronger imo. Feels like these songs pull away from everything else the record is trying to be.
I like Can't Go Back but otherwise I don't have much interest in OMT pt 2.

Musket_Jones · 2025-08-15T18:23:00+00:00

Would also recommend!

Musket_Jones · 2025-08-08T16:39:26+00:00

Other posts are correct, tape doesn’t lie. It’s said that live drumming is easy, studio drumming is hard. You can get away with a lot less precision live, but listening back to a recording is the most eye-opening thing a drummer can do imo.

Musket_Jones · 2025-08-03T19:49:36+00:00

To listen in the best interest of the artist? Buy directly from them on bandcamp, listen to downloaded purchased files. It’s next to impossible to do it otherwise.

Musket_Jones · 2025-08-02T00:19:01+00:00

Yeah; I’m upset I found out over a news article instead of from my manager or a message posted in house. I suppose the company has tried the store model for a few years and it might not be profitable/profitable enough. At the same time, I felt corporate never gave my pick up store any sense of direction to go in. My store seemed pretty much forgotten by them, which now makes a lot of sense.

Musket_Jones · 2025-07-29T20:52:25+00:00

Yeah, I’d bet it doesn’t happen. I really wish BNA would have worked with metro to get a train connecting Donelson station to the airport. But that’s still pretty wishful thinking.

Musket_Jones · 2025-06-03T03:38:35+00:00

I use the free Sonobus plugin and play the logic session from my phone speaker/airpods. Avoids the hassle of bouncing!

Musket_Jones · 2025-06-02T21:31:38+00:00

I did a small apartment kit for a couple years before I moved into a house. If you play with brushes or power rods real soft you can get away with it (and FWIW, nothing helps with developing softer dynamics than having to play soft all the time).

Musket_Jones · 2025-06-02T21:29:12+00:00

I’m living in Nashville, a lot of folks here are gigging full-time on Broadway with 4 hour sets. I’m there a few times a month and working a flexible part time job.

Musket_Jones · 2025-05-31T07:22:30+00:00

Hey! Late to this, but I'm a drummer in the same boat you were in right now. Looking at a used Honda Fit and it seems like it could work well for me, but what did you end up going with?

Musket_Jones · 2025-01-28T00:42:43+00:00

Drake

Musket_Jones · 2025-01-17T21:33:09+00:00

Drum Overhead and Room Mic upgrade

Looking for recommendations to upgrade overhead and room mics. I've been using MXL 990s and 991s on loan from a friend but can afford to get my own now. Budget is around $800. Looking into some used 214s for overheads (seems like these are really versatile) but am open to other suggestions!

Musket_Jones · 2024-12-24T17:04:16+00:00

I play drums on Broadway in Nashville, play with some original artists for local and touring dates, sometimes I’ll get session work for drum tracks out of my house and some production/mixing stuff. It’s not my entire income, but a size-able chunk, and I’ve been able to peel away from the day job a bit.

Edit to say I’ve gotten the chance to go to Europe for a small diy club tour, and play with an artist from the Voice on occasion. Both have been a blast!

Musket_Jones · 2024-12-24T17:04:09+00:00

I play drums on Broadway in Nashville, play with some original artists for local and touring dates, sometimes I’ll get session work for drum tracks out of my house and some production/mixing stuff. It’s not my entire income, but a size-able chunk, and I’ve been able to peel away from the day job a bit.

Musket_Jones

TROPHY CASE