Buying Studio Gear (Starting off)

[Fuck Off]

just wandered into this thread, feel after commiting the time into reading all of it, i should throw my thoughts on it...

Basic background is that Ive recently just got back into messing about with logic after a 6 odd year hatius, although this time round im really not serious, i just enjoy it...

What i will say is that between then, and now the software has come on leaps and bounds, its amazing... Seeing as you're going mac, and logic (good lad) initially, you wont need much else, its such a powerful program, the new delay and reverb plugins are lovely (even the old tape delay still stands up, imo) The new drum machine is a joy to use, and the EXS24 sampler is fine as well (albeit a bit long for quickly auditioning samples).
Get yourself a reasonable soundcard (i personally think you'd be nuts to spend out loads on one in this early stage in your game, but you sound like you've got money to burn)
Get a little controller keyboard (Having owned an edirol pcr300 in the past - keys, knobs, sliders - mine didnt have pads - i would say stay away from them as 4 keys went dead after only a year or so's moderate use...but, you have one, so right now, that'll do surely)
If you really want mpc pads then you can get an akai branded set for £50
The KRK monitors are very well spoken of, id get a pair if i was going to get anything right now.
Reasonable condensor mic could be cool, but unless you are going for crispy clean vocals, you can use anything, even a fucked pair of headphones as a mic to sample stuff around you.
And, of course... some cans for the late night sessions (or if you're anything like me prefer to produce everything in cans, worry about mixing shit down later)... Most people suggest the HD25's.

Software is available "very cheap" if you look - pick out a nice synth, albino is very nice, as is predator, but for ease of getting to grips with, massive isnt a bad idea, and will give you an instant choice of gnarly sounds, and satisfaction - major downside being that it eats up cpu.
Camel phat is a nice compressor/filter, the T-racks suite is tasty for eq and dynamics also, and if you're going to get flashy controllers, i can recommend the audio damage plugs - some nice toys.

Id also suggest getting your hands on a wave editor like wavelab, soundforge, or sound studio if you intend to be messing with samples, and a copy of recycle if you're going to be messing with breakbeats.
But, thats just my background, ive no doubt the latest incarnations of logic can do the above, but you're best of speaking to your tutors about that :p

Fuck hardware right now, learn your daw before you drop a ton of cash on something that'll collect dust while you do so.

Really though, what you want to do is keep it minimal, seriously.. you'll benefit yourself far more to learn your foundation really well than to get your self £4k into debt to be the guy with all the gear, and no idea.

Limitation breeds creativity.
 


fucksakes 5am, time to rest the tired head...

[Blew]

Sorry I haven't been on here in a while guys. Moved into badmanster and just got the internet back. I've looked through the latest posts and I think I'm keeping the list basicly the same.

Sod the 909 but I'm definatly getting a Virus TI and one of those new Korg Koass Pad Pros... I know software can do basicly the same but Hardware saves on CPU and it sounds far better. Plus it wont limit me as much creatively. If I get bored I can always program some presets. Plus the Virus works on screen also as a VST. All this equipment could be used in live based stuff eventually aswel. Winner.

I'll be back in a bit, got to go to work [Posters don't put themselves up ] but I'm off tonight to do coursework so I'm gonna go through some of the other points raised later.

Cheers guys

[gez]

Ive just got my krk rokits theother day they are really nice if your thinking on getting a pair

[Dauntless]

+1 for the RME Fireface. Had one since they've been out and not 1 problem on a PC.... EVER.
The list looks pretty solid otherwise.
Agree with getting a mic as well. I have a few, AT2020, SM57 and a Royer Ribbon mic clone. I love them all. They each have a certain sound that makes them unique and wonderful.
I have a Virus TI Snow and love it to bits.
So yeah. Go for it. Its a solid selection.

ez

dauntless

[DJ Dream]

Just thought Id chime in since Im a pro audio guy and geek lol...  unless yer getting a protools HD rig M-audio products are crap!! lots of line noise etc.. also USB 2.0 is faster and more stable than firewire.. IMO since you will be running logic, you should get an apogee audio interface.. no noise and USB 2.0.. also have you considered building a Hackintosh? could end up saving you heaps allowing to invest in better or more mics etc..

 here are some refrence links:
http://www.apogeedigital.com
http://www.hackintosh.com/

[x]

unless yer getting a protools HD rig M-audio products are crap!!

  Digidesign make the HD hardware, no? 

Also I have an M-Audio Delta 1010LT and the only way I'd be able to hear the noise coming off it is if I had at least £2000 worth of analog monitoring signal chain. It really ain't bad. Dunno about their USB stuff but I do have mates who swear by it.

edit: They're both owned by Avid but aside from their collab on MBox they're separate operations as far as the internet tells me.

[Tekton]

If you are after a drum pad controller thingy you can get an Akai MPD. That has the control surface of the MPC but without all the sampler etc, works great synced up to logic etc.

[x]

If you are after a drum pad controller thingy you can get an Akai MPD. That has the control surface of the MPC but without all the sampler etc, works great synced up to logic etc.

Mine crashes my computer dead if I leave it plugged in via USB for too long. Never quite worked out whats going on but using it via MIDI with external power it seems to have no problems. Probably just my one is knackered but for the first year I had it I thought it was my computer that was dodgy so I never sent the thing back.

[Tekton]

If you are after a drum pad controller thingy you can get an Akai MPD. That has the control surface of the MPC but without all the sampler etc, works great synced up to logic etc.

Mine crashes my computer dead if I leave it plugged in via USB for too long. Never quite worked out whats going on but using it via MIDI with external power it seems to have no problems. Probably just my one is knackered but for the first year I had it I thought it was my computer that was dodgy so I never sent the thing back.

Want to sell it?

[x]

If you are after a drum pad controller thingy you can get an Akai MPD. That has the control surface of the MPC but without all the sampler etc, works great synced up to logic etc.

Mine crashes my computer dead if I leave it plugged in via USB for too long. Never quite worked out whats going on but using it via MIDI with external power it seems to have no problems. Probably just my one is knackered but for the first year I had it I thought it was my computer that was dodgy so I never sent the thing back.

Want to sell it?

A while ago yes, but now I'm gonna get it a MIDI cable of its own and use it as a clip launcher for ableton. I'll let you know if I get sick of it again though. You still doing OMG nights by the way? My newfound use for this MPD is to do with finally getting together that live set I mentioned (over 2 years go  ) so I'll be needing promoters to hook a brother up.... 

[Tekton]

If you are after a drum pad controller thingy you can get an Akai MPD. That has the control surface of the MPC but without all the sampler etc, works great synced up to logic etc.

Mine crashes my computer dead if I leave it plugged in via USB for too long. Never quite worked out whats going on but using it via MIDI with external power it seems to have no problems. Probably just my one is knackered but for the first year I had it I thought it was my computer that was dodgy so I never sent the thing back.

Want to sell it?

A while ago yes, but now I'm gonna get it a MIDI cable of its own and use it as a clip launcher for ableton. I'll let you know if I get sick of it again though. You still doing OMG nights by the way? My newfound use for this MPD is to do with finally getting together that live set I mentioned (over 2 years go  ) so I'll be needing promoters to hook a brother up.... 

Since Kymatik passed on we haven't done anything, didn't feel right without Neil plus theres to much wibblewobble bollocks going on in bristol right now i can't be arsed to compete with the cliques and the monopolies.  (not that we where ever wobble, we never did that side of dubstep, you know the shit one)

[x]

theres to much wibblewobble bollocks going on in bristol right now i can't be arsed to compete with the cliques and the monopolies.   (not that we where ever wobble, we never did that side of dubstep, you know the shit one)

Yeah its a shame. I'm sure there are other nights out there pushing "different" sounds but I'm not aware of them. Makes it much more difficult for a "different" artist to push themselves if there are no promoters doing it. I can see why you wouldn't though. Fuck, I wouldn't. Promoting is ballache.

[Tekton]

theres to much wibblewobble bollocks going on in bristol right now i can't be arsed to compete with the cliques and the monopolies.  (not that we where ever wobble, we never did that side of dubstep, you know the shit one)

Yeah its a shame. I'm sure there are other nights out there pushing "different" sounds but I'm not aware of them. Makes it much more difficult for a "different" artist to push themselves if there are no promoters doing it. I can see why you wouldn't though. Fuck, I wouldn't. Promoting is ballache.

Bristols all built on student money, the door fees and the grants the guys flood into it, most die some stay and turn into horrible monopolies and then, well that brings us up to date. Shame really Bristol was diverse as hell now its mainly the same headliners on rotation, few smaller nights head off the beaten track but not enough these days.

[x]

theres to much wibblewobble bollocks going on in bristol right now i can't be arsed to compete with the cliques and the monopolies.   (not that we where ever wobble, we never did that side of dubstep, you know the shit one)

Yeah its a shame. I'm sure there are other nights out there pushing "different" sounds but I'm not aware of them. Makes it much more difficult for a "different" artist to push themselves if there are no promoters doing it. I can see why you wouldn't though. Fuck, I wouldn't. Promoting is ballache.

Bristols all built on student money, the door fees and the grants the guys flood into it, most die some stay and turn into horrible monopolies and then, well that brings us up to date. Shame really Bristol was diverse as hell now its mainly the same headliners on rotation, few smaller nights head off the beaten track but not enough these days.

I wasn't here (too much of a young'un) but doesn't that happen every time we're the one of the "centres" of a genre? D&B had similar things agwarn at the height of its popularity apparently? Hopefully give it a few years and the kids will be bored enough that variety will once again fill the pages of Out Of Hand magazine.

[Tekton]

theres to much wibblewobble bollocks going on in bristol right now i can't be arsed to compete with the cliques and the monopolies.  (not that we where ever wobble, we never did that side of dubstep, you know the shit one)

Yeah its a shame. I'm sure there are other nights out there pushing "different" sounds but I'm not aware of them. Makes it much more difficult for a "different" artist to push themselves if there are no promoters doing it. I can see why you wouldn't though. Fuck, I wouldn't. Promoting is ballache.

Bristols all built on student money, the door fees and the grants the guys flood into it, most die some stay and turn into horrible monopolies and then, well that brings us up to date. Shame really Bristol was diverse as hell now its mainly the same headliners on rotation, few smaller nights head off the beaten track but not enough these days.

I wasn't here (too much of a young'un) but doesn't that happen every time we're the one of the "centres" of a genre? D&B had similar things agwarn at the height of its popularity apparently? Hopefully give it a few years and the kids will be bored enough that variety will once again fill the pages of Out Of Hand magazine.

well i think its more of a smugness about bristol musical heritage when to be fair the last major names that really broke out massively that still get mentioned all the time are M attack blah blah, everyone still bangs on about bristol but those are the names most dropped and that was years ago..

but yeah your right in a way, but that does tend to happen when its the same 10 or so people behind the biggest events( and other aspects of the club scene)

[x]

We do have an incredible "traditional" live circuit with some amazing bands pushing new sounds but imo the crossover with nightclub-style events (which is my music's natural environment) is slim-to-none. They're dominated by the same bits of spinning wax being played by the same set of people over and again. Don't get me wrong as a clubber rather than producer I used to love that shit. But seeing it from another side it all looks a bit constrictive.

[Tekton]

We do have an incredible "traditional" live circuit with some amazing bands pushing new sounds but imo the crossover with nightclub-style events (which is my music's natural environment) is slim-to-none. They're dominated by the same bits of spinning wax being played by the same set of people over and again. Don't get me wrong as a clubber rather than producer I used to love that shit. But seeing it from another side it all looks a bit constrictive.

Basically spot on, Bristols strength is the bands not the club scene. Not often you'll hear anyone say or agree with that though. 

[Kraymon]

We do have an incredible "traditional" live circuit with some amazing bands pushing new sounds but imo the crossover with nightclub-style events (which is my music's natural environment) is slim-to-none. They're dominated by the same bits of spinning wax being played by the same set of people over and again. Don't get me wrong as a clubber rather than producer I used to love that shit. But seeing it from another side it all looks a bit constrictive.

Basically spot on, Bristols strength is the bands not the club scene. Not often you'll hear anyone say or agree with that though.  

i dont know...I think its strong in both areas and we really dont know how good we've got it compaired to a lot of cities.
You are mainly refering to the big nights playing the same stuff - the stuff that gets loads of punters in. There are some great small clubs that cater for all sort of styles. The problem is the attendance at some of these means they struggle.

[x]

We do have an incredible "traditional" live circuit with some amazing bands pushing new sounds but imo the crossover with nightclub-style events (which is my music's natural environment) is slim-to-none. They're dominated by the same bits of spinning wax being played by the same set of people over and again. Don't get me wrong as a clubber rather than producer I used to love that shit. But seeing it from another side it all looks a bit constrictive.

Basically spot on, Bristols strength is the bands not the club scene. Not often you'll hear anyone say or agree with that though.  

i dont know...I think its strong in both areas and we really dont know how good we've got it compaired to a lot of cities.
You are mainly refering to the big nights playing the same stuff - the stuff that gets loads of punters in. There are some great small clubs that cater for all sort of styles. The problem is the attendance at some of these means they struggle.

Innit. You can't escape the fact that big headliners will always be necessary for generating a critical mass.... But second on the bill could easily be a much wider variety of local talent. It does happen, don't get me wrong. Some fantastic examples I remember fondly were the Giant Robot parties at the cooler back in the day, and I'm sure there are dubstep equivalents to that which get rammed out but showcase some different sounds as well.... I mean, it doesnt get any more "different" than Warlords of Pez and Giant Lobster had those guys. But it does seem that a lot of nights play it safe these days rather taking risks with stuff that isn't entirely trendy.

[Tekton]

We do have an incredible "traditional" live circuit with some amazing bands pushing new sounds but imo the crossover with nightclub-style events (which is my music's natural environment) is slim-to-none. They're dominated by the same bits of spinning wax being played by the same set of people over and again. Don't get me wrong as a clubber rather than producer I used to love that shit. But seeing it from another side it all looks a bit constrictive.

Basically spot on, Bristols strength is the bands not the club scene. Not often you'll hear anyone say or agree with that though. 

i dont know...I think its strong in both areas and we really dont know how good we've got it compaired to a lot of cities.
You are mainly refering to the big nights playing the same stuff - the stuff that gets loads of punters in. There are some great small clubs that cater for all sort of styles. The problem is the attendance at some of these means they struggle.

well it goes twoways i think, yeah we have alot more nights, but as noodle says when everyone goes for the safe booking sometimes we might as well have less nights..  Like how many times do you eant to see X headliner in 3 months? once is plenty, but when thats all thats on offer it can get dull. Bristol appealed to me cos of its variety, seems a lot of that is lacking  ATM.