Suggestions/Opinions On Production Equipment

J

Jae Little

New member
Okay, lets just say I was doing nothing but making beats. No, recording whatsoever. Would I need to add anything to this setup? Like, do I have to get a soundcard or preamp or anything of that nature. Right now, me and rap aren’t getting along quite well right now and I'm thinking about just producing. But I still know what I'll get if I do decide to record but right now would this setup need anything.

Which program should I use, one other than FL, Reason, and Acid? If there's any..

Korg Triton Le 61 Key Workstation
Roland Juno-D 61 Key Synth
MPC2000XL Production Center
Yamaha Motif ES Rack
Roland Fantom XR
Stanton SA-5
Stanton T.60X Direct Drive Turntable
MOTU MIDI Express XT
Mackie 1402-VLZ Pro Mixer
AKG K271 Studio Headphones
Wharfedale Diamond 8.2A

Yes, I'm sure I want everything on that list. So don't post talking about "I wouldn't get that Fantom XR, I suggest the XV-5050." I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out what I wanted. I went to Guitar Center and checked out each piece and that's how I came up with a final list of production equipment.
 
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Use logic Audio platinum and get a powermac to run it on. Logic does everything as far as sequencing goes. And then if you need it you can go Protools as well.

They are both seasoned pro studio tools for serious folks.
 
I heard it's hard to sequence in Pro Tools. But Logic is a good one to get?

E-Mu 1212M
Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs
Event TR8
MOTU MIDI Express XT
Rane SM-82 <--Getting that over the Mackie
Korg Triton Le 61 Key Workstation
Program: Fruity Loops w/ A lot of VST plugins

That's what I was looking to get first. Do I even need the soundcard? I'm not recording vocals, I'm just making all beats.

Once I get that, I'll just add on. And end up with all the equipment I listed in the first post.
 
Jae Little said:
I heard it's hard to sequence in Pro Tools. But Logic is a good one to get?

E-Mu 1212M
Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs
Event TR8
MOTU MIDI Express XT
Rane SM-82 <--Getting that over the Mackie
Korg Triton Le 61 Key Workstation
Program: Fruity Loops w/ A lot of VST plugins

That's what I was looking to get first. Do I even need the soundcard? I'm not recording vocals, I'm just making all beats.

Once I get that, I'll just add on. And end up with all the equipment I listed in the first post.
Click to expand...

I thought you were sure baout everything on that list.
I think if you get the emu, you get Cuabse VST with it, which will do the job for you for sequencing.

I have the Rane mixer - you do know that it is nothing more than a line mixer and that you have only faders (knob) and balance controls... it's not a production mixer. It's great for what it is, but I would only use it as a keyboard submixer (live or studio).

You will need the sound card to record the keys, no?
 
fraserhutch said:
I thought you were sure baout everything on that list.
I think if you get the emu, you get Cuabse VST with it, which will do the job for you for sequencing.

I have the Rane mixer - you do know that it is nothing more than a line mixer and that you have only faders (knob) and balance controls... it's not a production mixer. It's great for what it is, but I would only use it as a keyboard submixer (live or studio).

You will need the sound card to record the keys, no?
Click to expand...

Yes, that's why I'm getting the soundcard. I know what the Rane mixer is for, that's why I added it to the list. Oh I'm sure about the equipment, I just wanted my first purchases to be right. I'm getting this all at once, but then I'll just add on and get the other equipment piece by piece.
 
I personally like Digital Performer the best, but that's a matter of preference as both it and Logic are full featured sequencers. DP needs a wrapper to use VST plugins, and you also may want to look at Cubase as well.

Some stores have setups where you can try out the software. I highly recommend that. Years ago when I was still living in Chicago and just getting into sequencing, I visited friends with different sequencers, and then they sent me to their friends who had something else. I eventully ended up going all over town meeting people and checking out the various software that was available at the time.

I'd suggest you do something similar, and there's an important reason why. All our brains work a little different from each other. We all have our own preferences and taste in how we like things to be. So one sequencer that is easy and logical for someone else may be difficult for me. I've seen this many times, that's why I don't like to get into "my sequencer is better than your sequencer" wars. The trick is to find the sequencer where everything seems in the right place *to you*.

Of course there will be a learning curve with any software. But if you check them out in advance I can almost guarantee you that one or two of them will jump out at you as being easier and more pleasant to use than the others. Or have just exactly the features you need in the way you need them. So do yourself a favor and find some stores with software on display and look at a bunch of different ones. Don't let the salesperson push you into one over another, it's not their choice, it's your choice.

Or do what I did, if you know someone with software you are interested in see if you can get them to give you an hour of their time to show you the program. Then ask them if they know anyone with Cubase or Digital Performer. I'm sure it will be possible to do that, and it will make a big difference for you in the long run.
 
I feel what you saying, I've been trying to figure out a lot of programs. I have a friend that's sending me Cubase, I honestly don't know anyone that has Digital Performer. I was going to work with Fruity Loop as of right now with the Le. I was hearing that was it an easy program to sequence in and once I bought another piece of equipment which was going to be the MPC I was planning on moving to another program. But I'm going to look around and find things out about it.

So really all I need is just Cubase, Digital Performer, Midi Interface, and the Le, and etc and I should be okay. Because the reason for me using FL was for the extra sounds as of right now. But if DP has sounds I know I could find it or get it from someone.

But there's a problem, I'm using a PC and not a G4 or any Mac of that matter so is there anything else I can use..
 
You need a decent controller, and since you have specified 2 rack synths, you may want to stay with the Triton LE for that. However, if you could get a decent controller you're confortable with, the rack might be the way to go.
 
Jae Little said:
Yes, that's why I'm getting the soundcard.
Click to expand...
Then why the question
Do I even need the soundcard? I'm not recording vocals, I'm just making all beats.
Click to expand...
?
I know what the Rane mixer is for, that's why I added it to the list.
Click to expand...

Just to make sure: you *do* know that you get no eq, insert points, or the like with the Rane, right? You get *one* effect send/return, other than that, basic pan and *stereo* levels.

Also, all lines are stereo. You cannot assign different levels to channel one and 2, for example.

If you don't know what I mean, I suggest you research them before you make your decision. These are limitations you may later regret in a production mixer later, unless you are sold on totally mixing in the box, in which case it won't matter.

Don't get me wrong, I love mine for its intended use; I am just not convinced it is what you are looking for.

I also seriously hope that you are not going to pirate your software after spending all this money on gear.
 
If you get the Triton LE then there's no real need for the rack and vice versa. However, the rack is better and more expandable than the LE, so you might want to get the rack and use it with a controller. The nice thing about the Triton LE though is that it is a great gigging keyboard, lots of sounds and light and easy to carry around.

Based on your list, the Triton Le seems like a good way to go. The other option is to get a dedicated controller and three rack units, the Triton rack, Fantom XR, and Motif ES rack.
 
Honestly, I was thinking about getting a controller and just going with the Triton rack. I was going to use the MicroKorg as a controller since I can use it as one and it has pretty good sounds even though it looks and feel like a toy. Or I was going to get one of the 2: Radium61 or Keystation 61es, I was looking more towards the 61es or the MicroKorg.

As for the mixer, that's the only problem I'm having. I'm just going to use it to send sounds to my PC. I wanted it to be a rackmount mixer and I know I needed a lot of stereo lines. With the SM-82 I won't have to keep unplugging any of my gear and that's what I want. And because I can have more space for equipment. To be honest someone told me from this site recommended the SM-82 and I actually looked it up to see if it was what I needed. After that research I asked a nearby producer if it was a good choice and he said for what I'm trying to do it's good.

My fault about asking do I need the soundcard.

But this is the final setup and I'm not changing anything else but only the mixer and that's if I find a better one.

E-Mu 1212M
AKG K271 Studio Headphone
Event ASP8
MOTU MIDI Express XT
Rane SM-82 (Going to do more research on it.)
M-Audio Keystation 61es MIDI Controller
Korg MicroKorg Synthesizer/Vocoder (I'm using that for the sounds.)
MPC2000XL Production Center
Korg Triton Expandable Rack Module/Sampler
Yamaha Motif ES Rack
Roland Fantom XR
Stanton SA-5
Stanton T.60X Direct Drive Turntable

I just need to know if y'all approve of the list. With that setup, I think I can do a lot. I'm just stumped about the mixer, nothing more.
 
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Notice how none of those M-Audio controllers have aftertouch? I see fewer and fewer keyboards with aftertouch, it's really shocking. Does anybody remember when the big question was whether the keyboard had aftertouch or polyphonic aftertouch? So much of MIDI has become dumbed down, it's really sad.

Didn't you used to have the Roland Juno-D on your list? I was about to say that you could use that for your controller, but then I noticed it was gone.
 
I forgot about the Juno-D. I could use it as a MIDI Controller, it has good sounds to. Well, atleast I like them. I don't care if everyone else doesn't like them but I do. So yeah, I could go with the Juno-D over the Keystation 61es. Because I do need a real set of keys. Thanks for bringing that Juno-D up, I forgot about it. I only need one set of keys anyway and the Juno-D would be pretty good.
 
SonicAlbert said:
Notice how none of those M-Audio controllers have aftertouch? I see fewer and fewer keyboards with aftertouch, it's really shocking. Does anybody remember when the big question was whether the keyboard had aftertouch or polyphonic aftertouch? So much of MIDI has become dumbed down, it's really sad.

Didn't you used to have the Roland Juno-D on your list? I was about to say that you could use that for your controller, but then I noticed it was gone.
Click to expand...


I hear ya. Seem the market got flooded with non-players who just wanted to trigger soft=synths to make their beats. It's shocking how few "keyboard players" can actually *play*. Aftertouch requires a certain level of skill to use.

I'm waiting to check out one of these when they become available:
http://www.cme-pro.com/product.html
They look sweet, and I've heard great things about them.
 
Them are pretty nice and they are available. Well, atleast the UF-5 and UF-8 are. You have to go to www.musiciansfriend.com, they have them.

Last question. Does everything on the list look fine? That's all I need to know so I can start buying something.Because everything on that list is what I want to get.
 
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