What is the best and most efficeint equipment to buy for making instrumentals

[Dream63]

Im 18 yr old college student from connecticut i love music and i wanna make my own instrumentals/beats. I wanted to know whats the best equipment to buy. I already have turntables and Im saving for Akai Mpcxl 2000 so what else do I need. I have a budget around 5,000-10,000 dollars. So please give suggestions

 

[dj funkifize]

that's quite a large budget you got.

I would recommend you get everything that actually makes the sounds first. I didn't and was stuck with excellent equipment for recording, but not much for actually making music. But months later, I got some more sample CDs and a new guitar and am all set to go.

It actually all depends on what kind of music you make.

You are probably going to want one or more synths -actually, even better, midi keyboard and several modules (which ones depend on the type of music), use your MPC for beats and phrase sampling and such.
then just something to record in. Cubase, cakewalk, etc.

well, like I said, what you need depends on what music you're making and how you want to make it.
-Mike

 

[Bongo Fiend]

Im 18 yr old college student from connecticut i love music and i wanna make my own instrumentals/beats.

Sorry mate but "instrumentals/beats" is a bit vague!

What kind of music are you talking about? Thrash metal? Country? Trance? Classical? Gabba? Hip hop? Big beat? Jazz? Ska? Drum+bass?

I wish I had a budget of $5000...

 

[Gio]

I wouldn't get an Akai. Get yourself a fast PC (1.4ghz, 256mb RAM, 40gb Hard disk) and Steinberg 'Halion' instead. Much more user friendly with much more room for samples, and cheaper if that matters.

Other software i'd recommend is Propellorhead's 'Reason' and Native Instrument's Reaktor - Infinitely versatile - limited only by your pc's specs.

You'll need a sequencer/recorder, the latest versions of Cubase (Steinberg) and Logic (Emagic) are fairly similar - choose the one you prefer.

Hardware wise get yourself a Nord Lead 2 or 3 synth (Clavia) which you can use as a master keyboard for your software too. You'll probably need a small hardware mixing desk (12 channel should do)

Congratulations! Now your'e broke like the rest of us and you can get on with making some tunes.

P.S. Look out for tips and walkthroughs on the web, some of the technology i've mentioned can be pretty baffling at times!

Also look out for good magazines. 'Future Music' (by future publishing) in the UK is good (www.futuremusic.co.uk).

Hope i've helped

 

[sonic43]

x

my set ups much the same as yours, dream. i gots the technics and a mpc2000xl.. which acts as the midi sequencer. (id recomend getting a zip drive for it.) . then you just need to go to music shops without impulse buying and play with all the synth/moduals. . . you should make a lot of visits before you make your final decisions. .. youll only need one synth with a keyboard and lots of modules, unless you want a little more flexzablity then get a couple main keyboards.
as for recording ... ive been researching that one now... i now use a tascam 4track tape recorder.
but ive been looking into all the different types. of multi track digital recording, like.. akai dps12. yamaha md8. mackie/tascam harddisk recorders. or buying a computer w/software+hardware. theres even more types...

sonic43

 

[mano 1]

WELCOME TO FUTUREPRODUCERS.COM DREAM63!




For this bugdget there are two possibilities: all software, or software sequencing _ hardware sound generation.


all-software can be interesting, here is what I recommend:

. fast computer (intel is prefered no matter what the other will say, I learnt the hard way) with lots of memory

. a GOOD sound card. I recommend a HAMMERFALL for the money you have it'll go int he budget... SUPER soundcard. the pros use this.

. Cubase VST 32 5.0 (midi sequencer, host for VST instruments, audio recording)

. VST instruments: Steinberg HALion (sampler), NI PRO-52 (synthesizer), NI BATTERY (EXCELLENT drumbox, sort of akai mpc2000XL on your screen), NI AB-SYNTH (synthesizer, different from PRO52) - VST instruments are opened from inside cubase, very easy to setup and use.

. MIDI controller (between 100 and 500 dollars for a very decent one), basically its a keyboard without any sound, controlling CUBASE and all your VST devices.



There, you should be actually fine for much cheaper than what you thought, and you can compose any kind of music with this setup.

I am sure some people will walk in and say its not good, but believe me with what is listed here you will be fine for now!

The HAMMERFALL soundcards deliver an instant zero (almost zero) latency, it means your software synthesizers will respons very quickly to notes triggered.

Everything will run on the ASIO interface of the soundcard, so you can even record your software synths (VST instruments) into audio tracks, etc.. ready for mastering.



There is also another possibility, which is to buy a REAL sampler and a REAL synthesizer instead of the VST instruments. If you decide to go this route, get a mid-priced Yamaha A4000 or EMU E5000 studio sampler, and a decent synthesizer, such as either ACCESS VIRUS B, or a WALDORF MICRO Q keyboard (new), or a NOVATION SUPERNOVA II RACK


everything I've listed in this message is good, soft or hardware. I am sure itll help you in your project, post any question. Good luck!

 

[Asa]

-Mayn, instead of getting an MPC ...get a keyboard workstation like the Korg Triton or even better the Kurzweil K2600 being that you have a budget like that for an 18 year old...I assume you doing like rap/hiphop music...

-the bad thing about getting a drum sampler like the MPC is that there are no built in sounds and you have to sit there and load all that **** up wit a floppy and you have no keyboard controller to play some tunes...all you can really do is sample ****....

-

 

[Tribal]

I just got HALion, and I'm pretty damn impressed. It's really changed the way I write my music, so much easier than a hard sampler, and to be honest I prefer it to the one's I've used.

 

[Qadesh]

Yo Man,
Making music is Not about having the best equipment AT ALL. The most talented cats are the ones that are the most creative. Making sounds from **** you wouldn't even think of. I've got Cakewalk Pro Audio 8./ sound forge & cool EP. Get a phat Mic, and just Mic ****. Get a bass guatiar/ midi keys and just minipulate your sounds dude. That way you can have 9 grand to wipe your *** with!

 

[Bongo Fiend]

Yo Man,
Making music is Not about having the best equipment AT ALL. The most talented cats are the ones that are the most creative. Making sounds from **** you wouldn't even think of. I've got Cakewalk Pro Audio 8./ sound forge & cool EP. Get a phat Mic, and just Mic ****. Get a bass guatiar/ midi keys and just minipulate your sounds dude. That way you can have 9 grand to wipe your *** with!

2 true

Loads of successful artists get by with very basic setups. Increasing numbers of artists are mainly dependent on software which is the cheapest way to go.

 

[Tor]

(intel is prefered no matter what the other will say, I learnt the hard way)

ManoOne, I am about to buy a computer with an AMD chipset, is this bad? whats the problems? does AMD work well for audio? Any help would be much appreciated...

Cheers!

~Tor

www.mp3.com/toraudio