Understanding the dopamine trap
In his latest video, Federico Chiesa of OoraMusic dives into a familiar modern habit: combining quick pleasures like scrolling, snacking, and screen time into what he calls "dopamine stacking." Drawing from David Phillips’ concept of fast and slow dopamine, Chiesa explains how chasing instant gratification can dull our baseline enjoyment and leave us feeling numb over time.
He compares fast dopamine, like impulsive shopping and endless Instagram reels, to the slower, more rewarding satisfaction of learning, creating, and making music. “It takes more time, but it builds lasting satisfaction,” he says, tying the concept directly to modular synthesis and the habits of gear-obsessed musicians.
Modular gear and the lure of fast pleasure
Chiesa shares a personal story: buying a full Eurorack system all at once, only to feel overwhelmed by the pressure to master it immediately. What started as excitement quickly became confusion and stress, sending him straight back to shopping for the next spark. This cycle, he warns, is where “gear acquisition syndrome” (GAS) merges with dopamine stacking.
To counteract that trap, Chiesa outlines five personal rules:
- Limit purchases to one item per month
- Create something immediately with any new gear
- Keep the workspace minimal
- Let go of tools that don’t click
- Balance learning with actually making music
Each of these guidelines is meant to slow the rush and re-center focus on the joy of creating.
The sandwich metaphor
Chiesa delivers a tasty analogy: the overstuffed American sandwich versus the simple Italian one. A sandwich overloaded with meats, cheeses, sauces, and extras may seem impressive, but it can bury the star ingredient. He sees the same tendency in music, layers of tricks and effects added for instant impact that ultimately dilute the core idea.
Instead, he advocates for musical restraint. “Choosing one main instrument, building a piece around it, and letting it breathe, that’s slow dopamine,” he says. Like a melody on a piano, a good idea doesn’t need decoration to shine.
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