BeatMaker2 to MPD+(Which?)DAW

T

Tryp9

New member
Hey y'all,
I'm just getting into beatmaking after years of rocking and rolling on various instruments. I started with a few apps like BeatMaker 2, and just bought an MPD26 hoping to move over to a desktop DAW setup. I downloaded the Ableton Live demo and, of course, was immediately overwhelmed. I'm hoping to find some program or plug-in that will let me chop, finger drum, and sequence as simply as I can on BeatMaker, and maybe learn to use something like Ableton to mix and master after I've sketched out a rough track. Sorry if this is a dumb question with an easy to find answer- brand new to digital music and already in over my head. Already learned a bunch from y'all, so thanks for sharing your knowledge.
 
I find Ableton a bit too much as well TBH... I've got a few mates who love it and it probably is worth preserving with... If you can be arsed... I can't. Confuses me too much!

I use Maschine (which doesn't help you) inside S1 and/or Cubase myself and either of them will work for you...
However... I'd probably look at Logic (if you're Mac) or FL-Studio if I'm honest...
Reason is pretty easy to get to grips with (although the last time I used it was a million versions ago)
 
Not sure what you do but try out all demos you can find of every daw :/


Ableton's pretty neat but I prefer other daws to it for everything, it has one awesome feature though, clip launching.


There's demoes for


Fl studio
ableton
reason
studio one
reaper doesn't count, full version is free
lmms is free
podium
motu DP
Bitwig I think.


I stuck with reason and studio one cuz of how they work, but ableton isn't bad. Reaper's awesome.
Bitwig is ableton inverted lol.
 
Thanks for the tips guys. I think what it comes down to is that there is a sharp divide in my head between making a beat and producing a track. Coming from rock/blues instruments, I'm used to thinking of performing a song as a different process from recording and mixing. In my head, I see the sequencer as another instrument I'm trying to learn, just as I never had to learn Pro Tools to get decent at guitar. I think I'd take to a stand-alone old school machine like the SP-1200 and guess I'm trying to emulate that sort of setup with software. Is this possible, or even a sensible approach?
 
Sounds like we're cut from similar cloth.
I chose to go with Maschine... Part of me wishes I'd gone hardware sampler route (MPC1000/2500 were options at time of buying maschine) and I may still pick one up (if I ever have that kinda cash spare - I'm lucky - it happens)
Maschine is the main piece in my studio... I sample vinyl, into it (via audio interface) track live percussion, bass and acoustic guitar and treat them all in the same way I would a vinyl sample.
But I learned to mix on 4-Track cassette portastudios (lots of bouncing and no 'undo' - if you did it - you kept it) and later digital hard disk recorders (had a DPS12i) so I've learnt to separate (or at least 'break up') processes. Even if you make an entire song on a hardware sampler - you're gonna want to track it out and mix it.

honestly... I'd struggle with the amount of recording time available on the SP1200. It'd do me in and if (or when) I go hardware it'll probably be the Roland MV8000/8800 or the MPC2500 I'd go for... And I lean toward the Roland...
 
Tryp9 said:
Thanks for the tips guys. I think what it comes down to is that there is a sharp divide in my head between making a beat and producing a track. Coming from rock/blues instruments, I'm used to thinking of performing a song as a different process from recording and mixing. In my head, I see the sequencer as another instrument I'm trying to learn, just as I never had to learn Pro Tools to get decent at guitar. I think I'd take to a stand-alone old school machine like the SP-1200 and guess I'm trying to emulate that sort of setup with software. Is this possible, or even a sensible approach?
Click to expand...

Software and hardware can be used the regular way, AND the digital way if that's what you mean. This is because of midi and mics. Midi can be input with a mouse, OR a hardware device. A mic would be needed of course for anything else not in a computer. There are hundreds of step sequencers that look similar to that thing also. Reason has one, fl studio has one, then there's hundreds of em on google. vst4free.com etc sites like them.
Hardware can be used exactly like software, software can be used like harder, but the computer just has an extra tool called the mouse.
 
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Cut from the same cloth indeed, NoGuru. Definitely spent a good chunk of high school recording on a Tascam 4-track, bouncing tracks around to free up space and hoping there were no permanent screw ups mixed down. Definitely carried over into the way I've been making beats.
KonKossKang said:
There are hundreds of step sequencers that look similar to that thing also. Reason has one, fl studio has one, then there's hundreds of em on google. vst4free.com etc sites like them.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much, this is exactly what I needed to know! Now I guess it's just a matter of finding the right one and learning about vst hosting software, etc? Hate to open a new topic on it, but Google hasn't been too helpful so far. Any tips?
 
Hosts are basically exactly the same as a hardware recorder/beatmaking device but basically on steroids in terms of flexibility.


Daws are literally just digital hosts with hardware like stuff bundled into it's design.
Hosts are just sequencers than house the tools.
 
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