what is the best equipment? | xltronic messageboard

�

You are not logged in!

F.A.Q
Log in
Register

�

(nobody)
...and 138 guests

Last 5 registered
Oplandisks
nothingstar
N_loop
yipe
foxtrotromeo

Browse members...

Members 8025
Messages 2613408
Today 0
Topics 127499

Messageboard index
what is the best equipment? 1 2 » »\|

Kidtrash from Santa Fe, NM on 2001-03-21 17:00 [#00001289]

what is the best equipmewnt for making music dood/?

dexitron from insecure garden. on 2001-03-21 18:08 [#00001290]

What kind of music?

speaking of which, what type of equipment would be the best
to start on mixing stuff. i try to do stuff o nmy computer,
but cannot find any programs that fit what im looking for.
IS it just that my standards need something that doesnt
exist, or am i looking in the wrong place?

o-ghap from wünderland on 2001-03-21 19:41 [#00001294]

the best equipment?..
hmm.. most stuff are generally good as long as you make
something good out of it. but i never use acoustic
instruments myself, i just manipulate circuits and stuff
like that, i only use software that allows you to modify the
sounds, virtual synths and stuff... but i´d say that in the
end, we will have to use all the instruments we can get, you
know...
-

D-Hex from KC Missouri on 2001-03-21 19:51 [#00001296]

If you are a beginner like me, I started with something
simple - MTV Music Generator. Me and my buddy have made
about 50 songs on it so far, and the quality is pretty damn
good. Its really easy to use although your going to want
something more professional eventually.

dexitron from argloo on 2001-03-21 19:56 [#00001298]

well yeah. thanks for the input. i figured as much, just
making the most out of what you have, right? manipulating
what you have to sound like you want it. i foudn a few nice
proggies for mac sound manip at
http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/mac/ some of the stuff is
exactly what im looking for. neat.

hevquip from somewhere in the u.s. on 2001-03-21 20:14 [#00001299]

mtv generator is definetly cool, except my damn memory card
keeps getting erased! computers definetly have the ease of
use, but i think they are an easy way out for making music;
good if you have a small budget though. i think you feel
more removed from the composing process with a computer. it
feels much better to be able to tap buttons and twiddle
knobs. so equipment is the best in my opinion. i got my mc
303 the other day. now i'm going to get a tr 707, sp 202,
and some kind of keyboard synth.

does anyone know of a good MIDI sequencer device i could
use? and maybe a keyboard synth too?

hevquip from somewhere in the u.s. on 2001-03-21 20:17 [#00001300]

kidtrash: i noticed you live in santa fe. i live in los
alamos (about fifty miles away). i didn't think there were
any "locals" on this messageboard.

dexitron from wandering on 2001-03-22 04:38 [#00001315]

hevquip,
what do those pieces of equipment do that you listed. i am
obviously a newbie to this stuff, i want to get my hands
wet, but want to know a good starting point...
if you could email me, that would be excellent. dexitron:
dead.goth@thefragile.com
thanks.

dj fony from helemano, hawaii on 2001-03-22 07:11 [#00001316]

If your looking for "real" equipment (hardware) give you a
few tips..... first lets start with your price range....
lets say less than $500:

go on ebay and find a roland mc-303.... it was my first and
you can get them for around $225 to $300 They have a built
in 8 track sequencer and all of there tones/programs are
editable.... I bought my little bro one to get him started
and he loves it.

Also there are the electribes (both cost around $250 to
$300):

the er-1 has got some crazy ass beat capabilities because it
use analog for 4 of the percussion parts and then you have
the sampled (but editable) hihats, claps, and crashes. I
HIGHLY recommend this instrument to anyone seeking an aphex
twinish type sound... I use it myself in my new mixes.

Then the electribe EA-1: it uses analong modeling capability
to come up with some crazy ass crystal meth to autechre
(even though they use the nord lead you can still immitate
some of the sounds they use easy) to aphex twin.

For around the $600 you can have both of these and be well
on your way to pumping out some kick ass tracks! And even
though the ea-1 has a polyphony of like 1 :) a computer can
solve that very quickly giving you the edge on making some
in depth crazy ass sounds.

Moving on to more expensive equipment
($500-$1500)
I recommend getting a korg ms2000... you can make ANY sound
you want from it.... I got mine from ebay for $650 and it is
beautiful. They sacrifice the great sound capabilities in
this piece for the polyphony which is only 4 :( but its all
good! Like I said before... with computer OR a good sampler
you can make some rich tracks.

But if your into the NORD sound ( i.e. your a huge fan of
autechre;)) Then go get yourself a nord lead 2 rack (or full
size board, whichever suits your studio needs) you can get
those for around $800-$1200 (depending on rack or board)

And for everyones info (if anyone cares) the remix I did of
"on" I used my korg n-364 for the melodies and my computer
for the beat.... and the to cure a weakling child (cured)
mix I did I used an epiano on my mc-303 plugged into a DOD
guitar distortion pedal (cool eh?) for the opening part :)
the n364 for the melodies and the computer for the beat
(this is all before I got my ER-1 EA-1 and MS-2000) If you
want to hear some of these instruments in action then look
below.

djfony

http://www.mp3.com/djfony
go to my website and find the songs below to hear the stated
instruments.

"Phased Out" is using the ER-1 on the beats and the ms-2000
for everything else except the piano which is a mix between
the ms2000 and the n364.

"Urchin" and "Soothing Static" use ONLY the mc-303 (for
those of you who dont believe in the power of the groovebox
;))

"In the Middle" actually uses a roland g-800 (which I DONT
recomend ANYONE getting! I was lucky to squeeze out that
kick ass filtered to all hell piano sound from it!!)

"Reminisce" and "Schizoid" use only the mc-303 and only ONE
tone from it (just different octaves and a little twist of a
knob here and there :))

http://www.mp3.com/djfony

dj fony from helemano, hawaii on 2001-03-22 07:11 [#00001317]

damn i typed all that?!! damn!!

dj fony from helemano, hawaii on 2001-03-22 07:14 [#00001318]

btw HEV DO NOT GET THE SP-202!! I had one and it isnt all
that... save up about $200-$300 more to pick up a e-mu s2000
(i think its emu?) its got much better polyphony and
everything!

Wizard MaC from Holland on 2001-03-22 12:12 [#00001325]

The cheapest way is to download some free programs from -for
example- HITSQUAD.COM.
Here you will found all sorts of software, from trackers to
synths to plugins etc.

But I 'm thinking of buying a hardware synth with lots of
midi capabilities to make my tracks more alive and to use in
combination with my computer, maybe the YAMAHA AN-1X. (Hey,
doesn't Richard uses that one???!!) Check the AN-1X on
harmony-central.com for more info about that!

dj fony from helemano, hawaii on 2001-03-22 14:39 [#00001326]

From what I know richard has been building his own synths
since he was in hi pre teen years :) I dont believe (but I
could be wrong) that he uses ANY store bought analog synths.
Ive seen his setup before.... everything is homemade not a
single brand name on anything.

m on 2001-03-22 22:57 [#00001335]

anyone read the Future Music interview with RDJ? I missed
that one...

Torley Wong from Vernon, BC, Canada / WWW.TORLEY.COM on 2001-03-23 00:12 [#00001339]

i don't know, i don't want to sound like i'm jumping to any
conclusions BUT --

it sounds like a Korg MS-20 to me on some RDJ tracks like
"Digeridoo". not to mention classic analog drum machines
like the Roland TR-808 on numerous Surfing On Sine Waves
(under the alias Polygon Window) tracks -- that cowbell, or
at the very least, a sample of it, is unmistakable.
something along the same lines goes for SAW '85-'92...

i have no doubt Aphex Twin is brilliant, but i certainly
don't think he makes *everything* himself. gear is a tricky
issue, i leave it up to personal preference and what your
needs are as a unique individual. :)

Tekn010G from australia on 2001-03-23 10:37 [#00001359]

On computer, I have the popular program "frooty loops" which
I use to make all my music, and it has a 3xOsc and a ts404
emulator,(I have no idea what the numbers mean or what they
are) but how does it stack up in sound quality, and where
would you get the REAL instuments from, I live in australia,
so maybe I'm just a couple of years behind in technology (as
always) but I havn't seen anything of the sort in any of my
local Music stores, I'm saving up for a $1,500 keyboard (I'm
guessing 700 euro or pound or whatever) but this seems like
a better option, any more info would be greatly apreciated,
fanku |:)

Tekn010G from australia on 2001-03-23 10:42 [#00001360]

(bit more explaining to avoid confusion) I can't buy stuff
online (such as ebay) unless it's pay-on-delivery , so
that's not an option,

Wizards Teeth from Inside A Palace Made For Bees on 2001-03-23 11:47 [#00001364]

I am a fan of the programme fruity loops.

I have heard version three is available, does anyone know
what extra options this version has ?

lula from none on 2001-03-23 13:49 [#00001366]

fruity loops version three has a free subscription to
playboy

Tekn010G from Australia on 2001-03-23 22:46 [#00001383]

Extra Options in frooty loops v.3 :
New Layout
Real Time Editing of "knobs"
(ie. If you press record wgile listening to your song
through and edit anything {such as volume}) It will keep it
next time you run the song normally
you can save the ts404 sounds,
"Plucked" sound device plug-in makes anything from a sitar
to a gituar (makes string noises)
Beep map (makes noises based on a picture or spectograph
(whatever that is)
sim synth: Where you can make heaps of different noises,
3xosc : a sound making thing that sounds like midi in my
opinion
Piano roll: the big daddy, this thing enable you to make
complex "chords" and other things as well as color coding
everything for your convinience, (if that defintion isn't
clear just download the program
But it definitely is a big step up,

Ross from Canada on 2001-03-23 23:46 [#00001387]

Where can you get fruityloops v.3? any info would be
appreciated! thanks

Tekn010G from Australia on 2001-03-24 10:11 [#00001426]

try typing "frooty loops" into a search engine, or try
www.frootyloops.com,

Wizard MaC from in a tree on 2001-03-26 10:48 [#00001522]

Reply to Tekn010G:
If I had the money I should buy the Yamaha AN-1x, because
this synth is a monster for it's price! It has A LOT of
possibilities to edit the oscillators and it's even possible
to record the knob-twiddling in a patch!
Also great possibilities for performances, lots of knobs
etc. (Check vintagesynth.com for more information)

And to everybody: does Frooty Loops have more possibilities
than a tracker like TraxVox? Is it compatible to VST?
(Fruity Loops seems to be popular here)

XePhA88 from San Jose, CA on 2001-03-26 11:05 [#00001523]

Okay, Okay, so I've had an MC-303 for a while now, but can
someone take my under their wing and help me use it with my
computer. Basically I want to sequence with Cakewalk 9 and
just use all the sounds on the MC-303.

I'll make it worth the while for help. Mp3's, programs
(cakewalk 9 for instance), sexual favours, whatever.

Oh, and btw hi Torley Wong, ltns. Hey Torley, I noticed
that there is there a song floating around on napster called
'Aphex Twin - Robert Miles RARE DUET' BUT it is not either,
in fact it is one of your songs... might want to
investigate.

alan flifton from outer mongolia on 2001-03-26 11:05 [#00001524]

all you need is a computer, cubase VST, soundforge and a
keyboard (analog preferrrabelly), software is the future for
music, real instruments have had their day!, game over. he
he :)

PS, could someone tell me where to get fruityloops 3 with
the free subscription to playboy?.

XePhA88 from San Jose, CA on 2001-03-26 11:08 [#00001525]

hey alan, email me and I can help you with the playboy
thing...

o-ghap from burnip lane on 2001-03-26 11:26 [#00001529]

i think fruityloops is a bit lousy..
please dont hate me..

Wizard MaC from beardy coconut on 2001-03-26 12:17 [#00001535]

Hey ALAN FLIFTON, you use Cubase.
I know Cubase is a bigger program than Cubasis, but do you
know how to make phat beats in Cubasis? (Is there an editor
in version 3.7 or do you know a VST-plugin to make beats??)

alan flifton from outer mongolia on 2001-03-26 12:37 [#00001536]

Wizard, Sorry mate i dont know how to make fat beats in
cubase, i dont think its possable.
There is a plugin for VST you can download called beat
creator...i think!, but its not that good. All it does is
overlay a kick, snare or high hat over a sound that you have
already.
I used it before to boost up a week drum wav that i had.

I normally find drums on the net and twist them in
soundforge. :)

Tekn010G from Australia on 2001-03-26 22:31 [#00001552]

I'm almost certain that you can just go to their homepage
and download the latest version, why don't people look
anymore? (no offence, just making a point)

alan flifton from outer mongolia on 2001-03-27 09:33 [#00001614]

latest version of what?

jimbeam from Kentucky on 2001-04-03 21:48 [#00002460]

Don't rely on what has been built before:
---->Native Instruments' Reaktor.

No longer must we rely on manufacturers to build musical
hardware. We now can build any synthesizer or other audio
device that could ever exist to suit the needs of any type
of musical composition. Some that couldn't even exist.
Limited only by your computer. It may not be the end all of
everything, but is certainly is a beginning.

Try the demo first. Reaktor is $350.
Try the demo first. Reaktor is complicated.
Try the demo first. Reaktor is not ReBirth.
Try the demo first. Reaktor is VERY CPU intensive. You will
need a decent computer.

I love hardware, though....

--->jimBeam me up, Scotty

tekn010G from Australia on 2001-04-03 23:33 [#00002474]

I "was" talking about the latest version of frooty loops,
but that was ages ago

Quoth from Lincoln on 2001-04-04 00:53 [#00002479]

Fruity loops blows ass! You guys really need to get all
analog and just be able to record on to the computer. ALL
ANALOG=ALL BETTER. TRUST ME! Although, I don't have all
analog stuff, i have some... TR-606, TB-303, MC-505, DR-202,
SP-202, JUNO-60 (ALL ROLAND), CASIO SK-1 & SK-5, YAMAHA XP:)
The only thing I use a computer for is recording, for that
Cakewalk Pro Audio 9.

rob aka bucephalus from australia on 2001-04-04 03:38 [#00002487]

the setup i use to create my music is:
- fasttracker II v2.09
- acid
- SAWPLUS 32 (multi-track recording)
- Wavelab (mutilation of sounds)
- Cakewalk Pro Audio 6.0
- An old Casio keyboard fed through a ZOOM 505 guitar
effects pedal (don't laugh, it produces the most incredible
hard synth sounds)
- 3 guitars, one of which is acoustic
- A violin which i haven't used yet
- Soundblaster Live (its cool 'cos it has tons of realtime
effects and multitracking capability)
- Goldwave (the best program for fucking up your sounds with
ring mod, etc...)
- Various sounds sampled from keyboards/drum machines that i
repair
- Rebirth (for those analog drum sounds)
- A whole heap of guitar effects (distortion, chorus,
flanger, pitch shift, delay, eq)
- None of the above
- All of the above

rob aka bucephalus from australia on 2001-04-04 03:38 [#00002488]

tekn010G from Australia on 2001-04-04 03:41 [#00002489]

yeah,.. I'm gonna buy a synth soon, but I'll probably still
use frooty loops to sequence stuff though,...

rob aka bucephalus from australia on 2001-04-04 03:48 [#00002490]

does anyone know how to get a good replica of that warm
string sound used in 'rhubarb', 'i' and the end of 'xtal'??
I've tried heaps of stuff, but the closest I could get was
on a Casio CT-570 synth pad sound with long attack time and
long release time...

rob aka bucephalus from australia on 2001-04-04 03:50 [#00002492]

hey tek, wanna go on that aphex room again?

tekn010G from Australia on 2001-04-04 03:53 [#00002493]

rob aka bucephalus from australia on 2001-04-04 03:57 [#00002494]

ok, if anyone wants to join my chat room, it's at
www.start.com.au and the room is called aphextwin.nu...

tekn010G from Australia on 2001-04-04 04:24 [#00002495]

my computer f**ked up and restarted, it said it was
"dangerously low on resources", That's what I get for not
resarting it in 5 days, but anyway give us your e-mail again
and I'll send you those samples

rob aka bucephalus from australia on 2001-04-04 05:17 [#00002499]

plegz@yahoo.com.au

tekn010G from Australia on 2001-04-04 08:45 [#00002510]

you should have them by tomorrow,

Francizek Peotrivich from Perth, Scotland on 2001-04-04 19:45 [#00002558]

My arse makes this excellent "Trump" noise from time to
time, and no its not for sale.

secosyphus on 2001-05-14 05:06 [#00006305]

Mt rig is always getting bigger and yes, analog is best!!!!
i've got a korg polysix
a univox maxi-korg
a multitiude of gee-tar effects like
the digitech whammy II
electro-hamonix big muff pi
a good old crybaby wah
a radio shack midi keyboard for a basic controller
a boss dr-5(the onboard sounds aren't awesome but the
built-in seqeuncer rocks!) which controls an sp-202(which
gets a bad rap but i bought it super cheap and when using
midi to trigger samples taken of the poly six it is
awesome)
and a whole assortment of guitars and basses which i record
to computer or four trak or sample and make loops and
fucked-up sounds with
an old school 486 computer for MIDI sequencing and for
managing my midi stuff.......

luke on 2001-11-02 04:46 [#00047873]

HEy Jimmy Beam from KEntucky - u still here

U got Reaktor? If so could you please tell me about the
sampler, as it - like you know. or could you just confirm my
suspicion: that you can custom make the interface/sampler
32Bit virtual/ etc.

um .. like i mean like how does sampler on reaktor compare
to Battery (all in a box ready to go) ???

Currently I am contemplating whether I should get Dynamo
(later to be upgraded to Reaktor) + Battery .. or whether i
should just take the plunge and get Reaktor ???

Oh and the dynamo instruments, are they the same as the
Reaktor instruments .. and is there a standard sample
instrument, just for starters like (or sampler marco and
shit)

I kind of supsect all this but it would be nice to get a
confirmation. Fuck i am going all fucken wet from just
talking about the possibilities and that.

Aktium from bat country on 2001-11-02 07:19 [#00047883]

I love sound forge, you can do so much with it. i had a djx
and i plugged it into the computer. the cool thing with the
djx is that you can take parts out of each style pattern.
and tweek it out, change the bpm, add effects. but with
sound forge i was able to combine different parts of the
styles to other ones. just by changing the bpm. and i would
add effects, chop up, distort different parts of the
styles. it was quit fun, but i spilled beer on the djx x.
and now it is dead. so im going to get something better (the
djx is shit by itself) but i made it useful. im also
regreting selling my friend a few years ago my tb-303 for
$300, its on e-bay now for $850 "DOH!!"

www.mp3.com/aktium (djx was used on some of these songs)

Aktium from bat country on 2001-11-02 07:35 [#00047884]

ya guitar peddles are excellent for synths, it creates a
whole new level of sound manipulation. i use 4 right now,
flange, distortion, delay, sampler, plus you add the
effects on a software program, the possibilities are
endless. I LOVE MAKING ELECTRONIC MUSIC!!! there so much
you can do. i just need to get some more toys. i think i
will always use my bass guitar for most my bass lines. its
so much easier, i just loop a drum sample and kick out a
bass line, then just add effects, samples and it goes on
from there. oh yeah, i remember i read an interview with
mike parandise (wrong spelling probablly) you know, mike
from mike and rich "expert knob twiddlers" saying that
richard doesn't make his own equipment. but i really don't
think it maters if he does or doesn't its what he produces
that is important. i don't care if he makes all his sounds
from farts, he is still a genious and he has been a major
part of the soundtrack of my life!

Ceri JC from Wales on 2001-11-02 11:54 [#00047939]

Techno Ejay 2+ is pretty cool with its built in sound
generator you can create a track made entirly of your own
samples within an hour or two.

Messageboard index