Detroit techno studio

A

arg0n

Guest
Well, this is my first post, so before I start let me say that this is a great site! Now let's go to the point...
Ok, I'm a techno producer (Not trance alike, I'm talking about real techno Hard & Fast (Detroit I must say). 'till today, I've only used soft (pc)to create my songs, currently using reason, but I would like to set up a hardware studio, but I don't really know where to start, so I'm asking for your help. Which material should I buy... keybords synths, drum boxes, fxxxx, what? Anyone who could give me a hint?
(If you could give the complete setup of the studio that would be just wonderfull, I mean tell me all the things I should buy to get a nice studio going, not a millionare studio, just a studio! (Influences: Jeff Mills, Dave Clarke, Chris Liebing, Ben Sims, Umek, Carl Cox...)
 
Hi,

Obvious answer, but ... it depends which parts of your software setup you are dissatisfied with.

I have a mostly-software setup, but the best item of hardware I have invested in is a synth (although decent ones don't come cheap). This has definitely improved the production standards of my tracks.

I have a fairly cheap Yamaha keyboard (it has some reasonable piano sounds, and it functions as a MIDI controller too). I also have a reasonable vocal mic, which I use to record all manner of sounds (mainly percussion).

I use a mixer to mix all the different inputs into my PC (synth/keyboard/mic/Minidisc). Other than that, my only hardware is my turntables, my amp and my speakers!

If I were to spend any more money, I would get a better mixer (with less hiss) and a better soundcard (maybe a digital job with a higher sample rate / bit depth). But I do all of my sample-editing and sequencing, and even some synthesizing, in software.

Why do you want to get some hardware?
 
Why do I want hardware? Well, I don't have any kind of hardware around (just the turntables), I kinda liked to know which hardware is suposed to be used when creating techno, I got got part of the idea whith reason, but I would like to "press buttons"... perhaps I should only get a keyboard synth... an external controller perhaps (for reason 'course). By the way, which components does Jeff Mills (or anybody else I mentioned in the influences) studio have? Only computers and keyboard synth or something else?
 
helo.

I've heard that a lot of detroit techno artists use this very cheap drummachine:
Alesis HR-16b (it's old, ugly as hell, not lots of sounds, but very easy to use, very cheap - $100-150 used, has sequencer....check it out) I heard Carl Craig used it on whole new album, especially on the song 'At Les'. But it sounds pretty 80's (which I like).

Also the TR909 is used very often.

I don't know about synths, but I know a lot of techno artists use Virus, Nord Lead and definitely some older vintage stuff like Korg MS-10, 20, Jupiter, Juno,....

And man, I'm from Slovenia, and I don't have any idea of what equipment Umek uses in his production.
Have to find out!

take care.:)
 
I think, for "Strings of Life" by Rhythim is Rhythim, Jeff Mills used like an old Atari 1040, a TR909, a Yamaha DX7 and I don't know where the bass line comes from.

You'd be well off with Cubase VST, a decent soundcard, some software synths and a MIDI keyboard.
 
software

I don't think you should get more hardware just because that's what the 'pros' do.

Remember that when many of them started out, they had no choice. But now, you can do much much more in software - and it's affordable too.

IMHO doing (almost) everything in software is the way forward. (It's a shame that some software is shoddy and crash prone.)
 
Strings of life

strings of life doesn't have a bassline, so now you can stop wondering. People are making excellent techno with gear of all discription but I would recomend a virtual analogue synth, or maybe you could go for novations new hardware controller for Reason. It will have dedicated Knobs and buttons for most of Reasons functions; overcoming Reasons main obstacle, it's limited interface (i.e. a mouse)
 
I've seen the news on novations new product, it seems great and I was thinking in buying it anyway, only I don't know how much it costs. Does anyone out there know?
 
depends

Really it comes down to what you want "your" sound to be. There's absolutely nothing wrong with appreciating tracks taht other people have made, but there's no guarantee that even if you purchased the exact same set-up (equipment-wise) that you could reproduce the sound that they have. A lot of people's sound really comes in the mixdown process and is determined by many intangebile variables, settings, tweaks, etc.

Music tools, whether software or harware are ultimately just that: tools. How you use them is the biggest factor in the final outcome.

Personally, I like to sequence and record via software, but much of my 'instruments' are hardware as well as outboard effects. Some people prefer an entire software rig and others are die-hard analog heads and cringe at the thought of making music with a analog modeling synths.

Best way to evalutate gear and what is right for you is to get as much sound output samplings from the manufacturere, many have demo cd's that showcase their products or have listening features online. Otherwise go to a local store and spend some quality time with a piece of hardware or program that you are interested in. You can tell pretty quickly if a piece of gear has the potential to make you happy. Beyond that
forums such as this are great places to personal reivews for a specific piece of gear.

As for specifics to your question. I think that a lot of good detroit techno was made with a heavy Roland influence. 909, 808s, tb-303a and my personal favorite, the sh-101. I've heard some nice string/pad sounds come out of an arp oddesey. I've used an oberheim matrix and managed to squeeze a hint of detroit out of it. I like the effort that Propellerhead software has put forth with their rebirth series, but for me the sounds are way to thin to be useable. lots of fun though.


Hope ths helps.
 
Strings of Life?

Strings of life was written by Derrick May, he is Rythmn is Rythmn. It's on Transmat, check it out.

Now, I work with Kevin Saundersons label, KMS. In the new studio he is actually running cubase on a mac. AS for hardware it's a lot of analog equipment, along with a few other keyboards, and also AKAI samplers. For monitoring, the studio was built for active monitoring. Don't know the exact dynamics of this, i'm still learning. Also the genelec monitors for by the computer. Hopes this helped.

Also if any of ya are from Detroit come on down to the works on Monday the 22 to see Kevin and Derrick May play. It's the kick off of the monthly Global club night.

Later.
 
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