In Praise of the Small Studio Channel

In a previous post, I mentioned how much I enjoy watching videos of what other people are doing in their studios. Like most people interested in synths and studio gear, I follow the big YouTube channels—the well-known synth creators doing studio tours, demos of the latest releases, and polished walkthroughs of flagship gear. Those videos are fun, informative, and often impressive.

But if I’m being honest, the videos I enjoy the most usually come from much smaller channels.

There’s something about watching a creator with a modest number of subscribers simply sharing an idea, a solution, or a moment in their studio that really resonates with me. For those old enough to remember, it feels a lot like the early days of YouTube—when it was less about production value and more about sharing experiences.

When YouTube first started, it felt similar to the early days of Facebook: a place for friends and family to post moments from their lives, show off a project, or share something they were excited about. Over time, YouTube has largely taken over the role of television—not just in popularity, but in production standards. Many channels now use professional lighting, high-end cameras, pristine audio, and carefully staged environments.

There’s nothing wrong with that at all. In fact, I even own professional studio lights myself—although anyone who’s watched my videos can probably tell I don’t really know how to use them yet.

Where the Real Answers Sometimes Live

What I’ve noticed, though, is that smaller channels often address the trickier, less obvious questions. These aren’t always the most searched topics, but they’re often the most helpful.

For example, in my own video series, the most-watched video is currently my take on racking up the Behringer 2600. That makes perfect sense—it’s a popular synth, and lots of people are curious about it. What doesn’t get nearly as much attention are videos like my shelving unit upgrade or the process of building custom rack solutions. And yet, for some viewers, those topics might be far more useful.

That’s been my experience as a viewer, too. Many of the ideas that inspired my own IKEA hacks, shelving solutions, and rack builds came from smaller channels—people dealing with the same space constraints, budget limits, and trial-and-error frustrations that I was facing in my studio. These weren’t polished tutorials; they were honest problem-solving sessions.

Looking Ahead

As my studio redesign comes to a close in 2026, my own videos will likely take a different direction. Instead of constant rebuilding and reconfiguring, I’ll be spending more time learning the gear I already have and exploring what it can really do. I’ll be sharing more about that in future posts.

But before moving forward, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the creators who quietly contribute so much value without chasing views or trends.

So, to the small studio channels out there: I salute you. Thank you for sharing your ideas, your experiments, and your solutions. My own studio redesign benefited greatly from your willingness to hit record and share what you were working on.

Keep creating.