Producing while travelling

H

Huffy

New member
I'm a new producer looking to buy some hardware and software to help make music, but I'm about to go to Europe and don't want to be carrying any heavy equipment around. All I have right now is ableton, and i've been able to get pretty far sampling audio with simpler and modulating it but I want to get more versatile software like Massive and other VSTs. I've noticed that a lot of the best deals on VST's are bundles with hardware though, which I can't really take along unless it's lightweight, and larger software bundles like Komplete Ultimate are out of my price range (I'm thinking 400-700$). Any advice for a next step? What's a good set of tools to start off with that will get me going for a while, lightweight on the hardware, and affordable? Thank you in advance!
 
Assuming you already have a capable computer, and quality mixing headphones I would personally go for something like a MicroKorg sized midi controller. You don't need the microkorg I'm just referring to the size.

If you didn't want that, I would get some sort of PAD controller, like an MPC studio. I wouldn't reccomend MPC studio for you because youre already on ableton, but I'm just referring to the size and style here.


Each of these things they should make in a cheap MIDI controller only type thing. I recommend these tools because they really expand your creativity and honestly I think one or the other you need to keep yourself from going insane with all the clicking and stuff. They are optional but you better be really good at clicking in music while still not having it seem totally robotic!



Aside from that, the good VST's just cost big money. Just keep an eye out for good deals, etc. I bought komplete and really don't use everrrrythhhing that came with it. I still have a lot of exploring to do and I bought it a while ago.

But for me legally having massive and kontakt alone was worth it.
 
I used to constantly be travelling back and forth between my parents' houses when I was younger, I used an Axiom 25 key midi controller. It does the job, and if you are new at it, there really isn't any reason you should have to spend that much on hardware unless you're wanting an mpc or something like that. Although if you have room, the 49 key would be ideal. 25 keys isn't enough a lot of times, depending on your style.
 
Thanks guys. For hardware, ideally I'd want an apc40 and a mid range size keyboard, but I don't think it's worth buying until I get back. That said, if I'm looking at getting Massive, I'm not sure if it's a better value to get Komplete 10 (not ultimate, 500$ instead of 1000$) or the Komplete Select that comes with the mid range keyboard and just leave it for when I get back. Are there better keyboards out there for the value? And since it comes with the software only package, how does Kontakt square up against competitors as a sampler?
 
Huffy said:
Thanks guys. For hardware, ideally I'd want an apc40 and a mid range size keyboard, but I don't think it's worth buying until I get back. That said, if I'm looking at getting Massive, I'm not sure if it's a better value to get Komplete 10 (not ultimate, 500$ instead of 1000$) or the Komplete Select that comes with the mid range keyboard and just leave it for when I get back. Are there better keyboards out there for the value? And since it comes with the software only package, how does Kontakt square up against competitors as a sampler?
Click to expand...

With all the choices out there and features and marketing schemes, it's easy to get caught up. The only way is to buy and try. Or....well.....I can't advocate the other way :D


Anyhow, I can only speak about Komplete 10. It comes with good stuff. Massive for your crazy wild synth sounds, Kontakt for the more realistic stuff. I haven't gotten as into knotakt as I should but what I have found is like the highest of quality. We all know what massive is capable of.

So really man I would say just sit back, write stuff down, make lists...evaluate your situation and you just won't know until you try something. I can't speak on the keyboard or anything but I can say that I'm of the opinion that it's near (i said near) impossible to reach your full potential without some sort of external input other than keyboard and mouse.
 
Since your thinking of getting massive and a piece of hardware thats travel friendly, you cant go wrong with a Maschine Mikro or a Maschine MK2. Maschine 2.2 comes with all that ands its a pretty dope software. I travel a lot myself and with all these airport layovers, these USB powered groove stations are a life saver. Just power your laptop, plug in the Maschine via USB and your making beats in no more than 3 minutes.
 
Maschine Mikro MKII. The V2 software it ships with includes Massive. The software can be run standalone or as a VST in Ableton and I believe there's a map available to use the Mikro hardware as a controller for Live as well...
Very adaptable.
I have the MKII but considering getting a Mikro to keep in the living room as I can't get into the attic once the baby's been put to bed.
 
I'mNoGuru said:
Maschine Mikro MKII. The V2 software it ships with includes Massive. The software can be run standalone or as a VST in Ableton and I believe there's a map available to use the Mikro hardware as a controller for Live as well...
Very adaptable.
I have the MKII but considering getting a Mikro to keep in the living room as I can't get into the attic once the baby's been put to bed.
Click to expand...

On that note there's also MPC studio. I have it and it can integrate with a DAW or standalone.

I like it a lot because it has that MPC swing, note repeat, and 12 levels which you can really only get from MPC. But it doesn't integrate with FL as smoothly as I'd like and I end up using it just for it's pads a lot. Haven't even hooked it up lately actually.

A friend of mine got on that and basically left FL Studio alone. Loves the MPC. Just uses FL to mix the wav tracks he says.

So there's like unlimited options, it's just a matter of deciding how you wanna rock. Inevitably, once you buy a setup you'll find problems that make you wish you would have bought X Y Z instead of X Y B, but thus is the life of a music producer in this digital age :D
 
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Good laptop, small audio interface and good quality closed headphones (You will not hear the outside noises that much) for example, beyerdynamic dt770
 
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