all hardware setup

[lowpassfellow]

AK: thanks for your wise words. You have given me a lot to think about.

gowans: i have not considered an MPC. i used to own a monome (which i know is not the same). i've got two launchpads which i'm using alongside a patch i'm writing in Pure Data which i hope to use for performance one day.

[steevio]

i'm sorry i didnt have anything more positive to say to help you mate, its only because i'm totally dissolved in modular world, and the only thing i can recommend to anyone right now is get a start on modular and see it is a lifetime long project.

you can start with just something like a Dark Energy or MFB Kraftzwerg

and if you like the whole feel and awesome sound of real analogue its a platform for the future.

you wont get polyphony etc, but monosynths have a whole world of sound and texture to explore, which we are always too impatient to pass by in search of more layers.

the reason i didnt mention it before is because i worry that i sound like i'm always pushinbg this stuff, and its not everybodies thing.
i'm just being passionate and honest, i really do think modular is amazing.

[oblioblioblio]

+1 ^steevio


It's too easy to sound like an arsehole blabbering on about how much they like themselves when talking about modular. But it really is a magical world, and I find it a bit difficult when someone is about to drop a load of money on gear and for it not to be on modular. Seems like a waste.

I dunno how much it comes down to personal taste, I really think a lot of it is down to prejudgements about modular being too geeky (ok that's true), and a big rabbit hole (also true). But goddammit. It's so deep and exciting, and musical!

If anyone can make it to London on 22 Jan, the main UK retailer Postmodular.co.uk is holding a little showroom type affair where you can play on modules. I might go down myself.

[TechnoMusic]

i've been looking at the Korg Electribes, Virus TI snow and similar form factor boxes.

Both of those are software in a hardware box.

any good suggestions?

Yep dont bother, stick with software and just spend a lot of time working it till you can produce what you want instead of getting stuck in "Gear acquisition mode" as often happens.

If you absolutely must have "hands on" creative control, let me suggest Native Instruments Maschine. As far as I'm concerned its the future, especially with the 1.6 update coming out this month.

[AK]

i've been looking at the Korg Electribes, Virus TI snow and similar form factor boxes.

Both of those are software in a hardware box.

any good suggestions?

Yep dont bother, stick with software and just spend a lot of time working it till you can produce what you want instead of getting stuck in "Gear acquisition mode" as often happens.

If you absolutely must have "hands on" creative control, let me suggest Native Instruments Maschine. As far as I'm concerned its the future, especially with the 1.6 update coming out this month.

You dont escape wanting new stuff just because you decide to go totally in the box. In fact, its probably worse as developers are constantly on the path to upgrade their products or write new ones to work with the advancement of processing power that you feel you dont want to be left behind.

You say 'hands on control' almost like an afterthought, where you said, 'if you absolutely must have' implies its a secondary requirement and doesnt feature in a regular set up as a normal feature. The majority of people making music would rather be having a hands on experience with their instruments than to not.

The fact that some hardware is dsp doesnt mean that the software alternative is in some way more beneficial. To argue that point and by rendering 'software in a box' pointless, contradicts your suggestion of NI Mascine, which is nothing more than what you were arguing against buying. So your point doesnt really make any sense.

Something like Maschine is faddish at best and will have little or no resale value in a few years. It's not the future, its the present and its to cater for the, 'I want everything done for me' producer mentality, it will be stuck in its own technological period and will become obsolete leaving another wasted 500 quid.

You buy software and stuff designed to run with a computer switched on, you are at the mercy of that computer. If that fucks up, you cant make music. When computer processing power has its next new superboost, your plugs are somehow, 'yesterdays technology' and become unwanted. If you have spent a small fortune on them, you can kiss that cash goodbye. Try selling a software synth in a music store. No chance. Its always lose, lose with a totally in the box set up.

Yes decent hardware can get expensive but then so can software. Nobody said music making was cheap but at least with decent hardware, you are buying into an investment. You will be able to make your money back, or indeed, make a profit. Will have portability, wont require you to turn on and sit at a computer screen and will ultimately be far more rewarding.

Theres obviously a lot of rubbish hardware out there and some of it wont stand the test of time. Im sure the OP realises this, hence the topic but since he actually wants a hardware set up, why offer the solution of, 'stick with software and get Maschine'? Why?

[tone-def]

+1 ^steevio


It's too easy to sound like an arsehole blabbering on about how much they like themselves when talking about modular. But it really is a magical world, and I find it a bit difficult when someone is about to drop a load of money on gear and for it not to be on modular. Seems like a waste.

I dunno how much it comes down to personal taste, I really think a lot of it is down to prejudgements about modular being too geeky (ok that's true), and a big rabbit hole (also true). But goddammit. It's so deep and exciting, and musical!

there is more to music technology than modular synthesizers. samplers, effects units and microphones are all very useful and can do things synths can't. i agree though, mono synths that aren't modular of semi modular are a waste of money (unless it's a mini moog).

[oblioblioblio]

there is more to music technology than modular synthesizers. samplers, effects units and microphones are all very useful and can do things synths can't. i agree though, mono synths that aren't modular of semi modular are a waste of money (unless it's a mini moog).

your right tony. it was a bit strong.

i do feel strongly about modular, and I do feel that it's a bit misunderstood... i dunno whether people think it's all too prog rock or something.

eurorack scene is really making things accessible, and some seriously exciting designers, picking up a lot of the designs that haven't been easy to get hold of before, like Buchla, Serge, Wiard. And people doing stuff that no one has ever done before, like the Metasonix range abusing and using tubes that have been sleeping in boxes since the 50s, Tony @ MakeNoise doing things with sequencers that no sane person should ever have thought of.

Like, every day I pretty much sh!t myself with excitement in my studio, and I really can't rationalise that so many people are uninterested.

(sorry, another rant about modular there! )

[lowpassfellow]

there's some interesting discussion going on here. obviously everyone has their own views on the subject, and some may think that spending cash on hardware is crazy when there's so many software based solutions out there. however, when it comes to protection of investment, I have to side with AK here.

i'm definitely going to go hardware. not a 100% conversion initially, but buying one piece of gear at a time. becoming good at using it, and then moving to the next until i've got what i wanted.

i'm trying to arrange a demo with the Elektron gear first, and i'll move on from there.

thanks to everyone who contributed!