Producer Equipment

[Philangicality]

Hey what's up guys. Lateley I've been looking in getting together a studio for making music, mainly hip-hop and maybe drum & bass. Now, I'm just starting out so I don't really know, well... anything about this stuff. I have been looking at a music production message board, http://homerecording.com/bbs/index.php?. I admit to reading the stuff on there but hey, I'm loyal and I came back to TFP first cuz you all will always be my #1 source of information. Anyways, I've been really inspired with what I've read and seen. The other day I bought a drum machine (Boss Dr-880) at Guitar Center for $250 cuz it was a pretty good deal. After about a day of messing around with it I decided I needed something more advanced because I want to include sampling in my music, so I put it up for sale on E-Bay. With that thing gone, my options for a new synthesyser are open. I budgeted myself to around $1000. I have been considering a Korg Triton keyboard, but I'm not sure how I load samples onto it. I'm guessing through MIDI wires via the computer. I've also been considering an akai mpc1000 seems like other producers are using 'em, but they don't have the feeling that a keyboard does. I also am guessing that I need a new card for my computer that will adjust for MIDI as well as software like cubase or those other ones.

What are all you producers out there using and do you guys have any thoughts on new equipment.

[Jim Kata]

I use an MPC2000. Its treated me nice but I haven't put it to real work yet since I am lazy.
Tritons are mighty expensive, but as soon as my fiance moves in, I will have that to add to the collection. A lot of people use this combination.
A good friend of mine uses cool edit pro on his pc and his beats sound professional.
A decent beginners sound card to use would be the M-Audio Audiophile 2496 which run about $90 - $130.
Have fun.

[Poppinjay]

They way I understand it, you get your samples from the Triton in real time through audio cables into your computer. The Triton was made to be a keyboard/production studio basically. It doesn't need your computer. You've got all the functions, bounce all tracks, auto sampling etc.

If you use it as a midi controller, you're using it to do something basically a $300 keyboard can do. Edirol makes a cheap midi keyboard, and M-Audio makes one for under $700 that can also double as a concert piano. Keystation makes one for $100 that inputs midi through your USB port.

And, like I said in the other thread, Adobe Audition, which is the same as Cool Edit Pro, though quite a bit more advanced with CD burning and multi track since Adobe has updated it since buying out Syntrillium.

Can you really find a Triton for under $1k?

[vanblah]

You didn't answer these questions from Tilted Electronics:

What kind of music are you trying to produce? That is going to really define what sort of equipment you need. Techno/Rap don't require as much in the way of "live" recording equipment. You still need a decent microphone and preamp and audio interface ...

What quality do you want? Are you just trying to do something to capture your ideas or are you going for semi-pro quality? For $1000 you probably aren't as interested in pro sounding vocals and live instruments.

[Philangicality]

I'm looking to produce hip-hop tracks as well as some drum & bass. I mainly want this for hobby purposes but I want the option of adding more hardware later so I can make some quality professional recordings. As for the tritons I've been looking on e-bay and seeing them go for around $800-$900.

[zfleebin]

It sounds like you are ultimately just wanting to produce tracks and not take the show on the road. If my assumption is right I would suggest you start building your studio with your computer. First get yourself a decent soundcard with as many inputs as you think you will use at 1 time (M-Audio has some decent ones). Next, get yourself a software program that will record, sequence, and edit sounds (I use FL Studio but you can look around to find what works for you). Then you want to get a mic (choose this depending on what you want sample), mic stand, a controller (a keyboard that sends out midi) and preamp. Finally, you can choose to either get software synths or hardware synths to make your patches(sounds). I make very little hip hop but I use a couple synths as well as vstis for drum and bass and breaks. Software based synths and samples are cheaper than hardware and dont require you to learn their nuances or midi for that matter. Still, real synths have personalities of their own that are hard to emulate on a computer. Hope this helps and remember to report back to us on your progress.

[Glory's Sun]

if you're looking to get into DnB and hiphop/breaks then I'd go with Reason and Cubase for your software choices. Reason is amazing ..

[Poppinjay]

I haven't looked at Reason or Cubase, but with Audition you get the rights to hundreds of loops and samples.

[Philangicality]

OK this is what I've been thinging about:

Soundcard: M-Audio Audiophile 2496
Mixer: Yamaha MG102 (http://www.zzounds.com/item--YAMMG102)
Keyboard: M-Audio Oxygen 8 25Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller
Software: Either FL Studio or Cubase

The mixer will give me preouts for a mic right as well as allow for later harware upgrades? What do you think?

[zfleebin]

Philanicality: I would recommend getting the m-audio delta 44 or 1010 before getting that soundcard. Also, if you use the 44 or 1010 with the m-audio (audio buddy preamp) you wont need the mixer.The keyboard sounds good and should suit you for hip-hop/DnB. As for the software you could go either way. I have worked with cubase Vst 5 as well as FL studio and both have their uses. I prefer to use FL for putting tracks together because it is quick and well suited to techno. Cubase on the other hand is more complete and produces a better sounding end product with less effort (not by much). Once you are done getting your software dont forget to google for free vstis.

[vanblah]

I second the multi interface soundcard rather than a mixer. You can mix in the box for the most part and at this level the preamps aren't all that important.

I use an Aardvark Q10 interface. I had an external 8-buss mixer but I got rid of it after realizing I rarely used any of my external effects anymore.

The keyboard is fine ... unless you want to do complex piano parts.

[Philangicality]

I noticed that the delta 44 has no MIDI interface. Does just that mean that I can not plug a mike directly into the delta 44 and I would plug the audio buddy in via analog and then have 2 MIDI channels? I am thinking that if I get the m-audio audio buddy I would use one MIDI channel for a mike, and the other channel for the keyboard, unless I use the keyboard USB right?

However if I had the m-audio 1010, would I plug the audio buddy with MIDI or would I use analog for that also?

[vanblah]

MIDI does not record audio. You can't plug a mic into a MIDI port.

[Fly]

Originally Posted by Poppinjay

Cubase

just started playin' with cubase.........tough at the start but.........lottsa bells and whistles in it.

[PulpMind]

here is my suggestion...
you sound like you're jumping right into this whole world of producing music. like alot of art forms, you may find that after you get your feet wet, you prefer one style (or set of tools) over another. I would suggest you download some "extended trial" versions of popular software, get yourself that Oxygen 8 (or a bigger MIDI keyboard if you know how to play piano), and see what works for you.
Within a year, you'll have a really good idea of what you like and how dedicated you really want to be.
Software I'd suggest: FruityLoops PRO, Orion, Cubase, MOTU DP, Max/MSP.. these all work differently and will let you get a feel for what is intuitive for YOU.
I started on Reason.. it's a fun toy that held me back for a year. It feels, works, and sounds amateurish. Use it and similar progs only if you never want to get outside your bedroom.

...
mm... you probably need more RAM before you need a new soundcard...

good luck!

[Glory's Sun]

PulpMind..

let me just get this straight..


you'd suggest FruityLoops over reason??

seriously.. pass the whatever you're smoking

[PulpMind]

The newest version of Fruity Loops PRO, yes. It costs only slightly more than Reason, has infinitely more options, and sounds MUCH cleaner. Reason behaves and acts and sounds like an amateur tool.
When Reason overhauls their program to actually sound better, incorperates VSTs, and creates a way to manipulate things on the back-end the way Fruity Loops does (or other, better sequencing programs), THEN Reason MIGHT be worth the over-the-top price they're asking.

[Philangicality]

I haven't been on this tread in a while, but here is an update.

For my sequencing software, I am using Reason. I do not really like it. It looks too amateur. Plus I cannot figure out how to take a wave file and spread it through the pitches of the keys on my keyboard. I am thinking of switching to M-audio Ableton Live. I find it difficult to see myself making any kind of music that could be used in the industry with such a limited library of sounds that have probably been used many times in other songs. Even with all the virtual racks that can edit the sounds, I do not see that much freedom in the program.

For my keyboard, I have an M-audio Axiom 25. I like this, but I still have not learned how to program the knobs and pads to do what I want. I have m-audio's software Enigma, but I have not figured it out. However, the keys on the keyboard feel very nice.

This keyboard is pluges into my M-audio Delta 1010 via MIDI, which I have yet to take advantage of with the controllable knobs, zones, groups, pads, etc.

I am also thinking of picking up a USB turntable. I think Numark makes one and some other company that starts with an "O." I forget.

This way I am able to sample music as well as keep vinyl for further recreational listening.

I am a bit interested in "16 levels" used in hip-hop songs.

Right now I am a bit flusterd as my MIDI connection has seemed to have taken a shit. The light of a MIDI in signal is not working on the 1010, so I think I may have a settings problem.

I hope.

[paulskinback]

Ableton Live 6 is amazing, looks professional, sounds professional, and easy(ish) to use http://www.ableton.com/

I used to use Acid Pro years ago, felt cheap and limited

Fruity loops - rubbish

Reason 3.0 I never got to grips with, although it can be combined with Ableton

I used to make tunes on my Amiga using Octamed so i've been through a whole host of shit programs over the years.

Hardware: for hip hop and d'n'b get yourself a pair of technics SL 1210's and a good Vestax mixer with bulletproof crossfader - mines a PCV 275. Learn to beat mix, teach yourself to scratch. Then try to make music. Beat mixing will teach you timing but also how to avoid soundclashes which is essential for combining sounds in productions.

Get some good small monitor speakers (not a computer monitor i mean for monitoring) as well as some good large ones. I use Wharfedales, get good ones so you can hear the true sound of what you're creating.

If you want to do midi then obviously a keyboard, interface and drum machine too - not sure which are the best as I don't use them - with something like Ableton you can create your own midi without the need for them, but obviously on a more limited scale.

lastly - have fun! and post us links to some of your stuff!