Kanye West's Production Setup: MPC2000, ASR-10, Roland VS-1880, & Turntables

AD ThE KidD

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http://articles.findarticles.com/p/..._6/ai_112770584

You may not know him yet, but hip-hop producers don't come much hotter or hard-working than Kanye West. During the past six years, the 26-year-old has racked up triumphs with such big-money movers as Jay-Z, Foxy Brown, Nas, Alicia Keys and Eminem. How does he do it? Not with any Digidesign Pro Tools or Emagic Logic rig, that's for sure. "I don't use a computer or a lot of equipment in my studio," West declares. "What do I need all that stuff for?"

West uses four primary pieces for sampling, sequencing and recording duties: An Ensoniq ASR-10 keyboard, an Akai MPC2000 MIDI Production Center, a Roland VS-1880 24-bit Digital Studio Workstation and a Gemini PT-1000 II turntable.

"I recorded College Dropout with just that," West says. "I got a record player with no top on it. It's a Gemini, just like me. Like most Geminis, I am two people: I'm a rapper and a producer. Hell, yeah."

West's minimalism doesn't affect his output. His debut, The College Dropout (Roc-a-fella/Def Jam, 2004), boasts cameos from the Harlem Boy's Choir and a few of hip-hop's elite - Mos Def, Ludacris, Dirt McGirt (formerly Ol' Dirty Bastard) and Freeway - as well as some outstanding vocal samples. West doesn't stress over his skills; he is more concerned with sound and style.

"I don't give a **** about equipment or technique," West says. "It is just about how it sounds at the end of the day. My claim to fame is to get the most out of the least: simplify. I go through my closet every month and give away all the clothes that I don't really love. I have a better chance of putting on something good every morning if I just have all hot ****."

One of West's trademarks, besides classic '70s soul loops, is ample use of speed. Almost every other track on The College Dropout features a sped-up vocal sample, be it Dinah Washington on "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" or Chaka Khan on "Through the Wire."

"I sample them at regular speed, then speed them up inside the ASR-10," he explains. "I just put the pitch up on the sampler, and it will go faster. The ASR-10 is like my left hand. I can chop samples into 61 pieces without wasting any memory. A lot of old songs are too slow to rap on. So I got to speed them up to a rappable tempo."

The album's multiple treats include a searing Lauryn Hill sample (on "Falls Down") and gorgeous choral vocals from the Harlem Boy's Choir (on "2 Words"). The Choir might be from Harlem, but that is the last place West could find it. "I wanted that track to be more than just another hip-hop song," West recalls. "I wanted the Harlem Boy's Choir on it, but nobody wanted to pay the $10,000. We wasted $3,500 on Hezekiah Walker, but it wasn't my vision. I finally said, 'We have to have the Harlem Boy's Choir.' I drove all the way to west bubba - wherever - Crystal Lake, where they were at boy's camp. It was like a place where they would shoot a scary movie. I went through hell to get to heaven on that song."

With "Jesus Walks" and "Drug Dealin'," The College Dropout may be the most socially responsible hip-hop album since Public Enemy's heyday, but will the average fans get it? West knows they will. "Good music isn't always about being in the shower with a bunch of chicks," he says. "When DeNiro was working on Meet the Parents, he didn't wonder if his fans from Goodfellas would like it. Human beings have many different dimensions. Nelly can fill that part of their life; it is for me to fulfill other parts. A lot of people are copying each other, but I don't have nothing to do with those people."
 
yup.. i think most of the FP's have read that article a few times but uhh i still think that it just goes to show u how talent will always be a bigger factor than tools... i guess... anyway, u seem new too. Welcome to the best community of devoted musicians EVER.
 
danyo said:
yup.. i think most of the FP's have read that article a few times but uhh i still think that it just goes to show u how talent will always be a bigger factor than tools... i guess... anyway, u seem new too. Welcome to the best community of devoted musicians EVER.

Did you just call Kanye West talented ? :(

Jos
 
Great, we know what he uses to make the beats, but does he master on his VS-1880. I wouldn't think so.
 
He seems like a talented and intelligent person actually. I like his outlook on things.

Time to go get his album.
 
danyo said:
i still think that it just goes to show u how talent will always be a bigger factor than tools...]

what are you talkin about.

mpc 2000

asr x

rm1x sequencer...

your saying those arent any good?
 
hey guys.. first of all i think that Kanye is pretty talented and personally i think his **** is hot. Secondly.. when i said that talent is a bigger factor then tools i just meant that his setup is real simple. That ASR-10, MPC2000, VS-1880 and his Gemini are all VERY GOOD pieces of equipment.. don't get me wrong.. i was referring to the fact that he doesn't use a computer or any software..and his whole album was done with just those 4 pieces of gear..
 
eh, thats bull****....He used ALOT more shiz then just those 4 pieces of gear.
Maybe he USED to and still does primarily write alot of his tracks on those pieces of gear before taking them in the studio.

Not to take away from Kanye, I like him, but what u people think and are saying isnt true...He had much more tools at his discretion to make that album and make his music.

He would find samples of music he wanted to use but couldnt get just the bassline or something out of the tune, because the samples also had drums/vocals etc.....

so what did he do?

He got musicians to come in and re-create and play those samples over his tracks!....sometimes the original f_ck*ng musician off the record!
(not: im not dissing on that, I think its cool, just stating)

Did you not read the part about him using the harlem boys choir for $10,000?

what...so you think he recorded them in his bedroom on his Roland VS?
hell no.

think about it
 
that makes alot of sense man. ****, im gonna start doing that too.
 
AD ThE KidD said:


"I don't give a **** about equipment or technique," West says. "It is just about how it sounds at the end of the day. My claim to fame is to get the most out of the least: simplify. I go through my closet every month and give away all the clothes that I don't really love. I have a better chance of putting on something good every morning if I just have all hot ****."


Kanye speaks wisdom. Very good post.

Not to mention this part...

AD ThE KidD said:


"I aint never heard music to its fullest...till I listened to Kaleos beats. I needed to change my styles around to keep up with that man."





Ok maybe he didnt say that part but im sure that what me meant...:p
 
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he doesent get people to play instruments over his beats.. he just has the master tapes of the samples he uses so he get clean vocals, bass,w/e else he needs
 
Auspicious said:
he doesent get people to play instruments over his beats.. he just has the master tapes of the samples he uses so he get clean vocals, bass,w/e else he needs

Ive got the liner notes on the album right here in front of me, maybe you should go grab yours.

On the track 'Never Let Me Down' it says and I quote "Sample recreated and performed by Ken Lewis for NOC managment"

hmmmm

There is probably atleast one or two other songs on this album where they did the same thing (im guessing)....75% of this album's tracks has live instruments played by (other) musicians all over it, again...read the liner notes and it will tell you.

That hip-hop violinist Miri Ben-Ari is ALL over this album playing and arranging parts-

Again, Im not taking anything away from Kanye, or trying to diss, but I think this thread and that article its very misleading about how this album was produced.



555
 
just discussing production matters man...that are obviously missing in that article...sOrRy ZErOPoiNt!....but roll your eyes all you want.

but Im not sure whats political about discussing how indeed this album was truly produced.....I'd like to hear more about how it was made personally, not just "yo, I made this all with this, this, this, and this...thats it!"....then have every "beatmaker" up on these forums thinkin they can just go rock this gear and be fine-

"I recorded College Dropout with just that," West says.




555
 
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