Hi guys,
I need advice on what to get next.
I don’t have any pieces of gear right now apart from my iPad with koala and logic.
I am a fan of (portable) grooveboxes, but recently I started thinking about buying a pc with touch screen and FL studio instead of an Akai live 2.
BUT my work requires to be at the computer 8 hours a day and I didn’t know that chromebooks can’t load FL studio (was looking at them because they’re so cheap and I don’t know like anything about computers) which leaves the possibility to buy either a windows touch or a MacBook and both are expensive.
I don’t honestly know what to do, if I should go for some groovebox with little to no screen need (sp404 but surely not the trackers I used to love) or try with a pc but I don’t know how good for my eyes it could be for me to stare for 10+ hours a day at computer
IMO the MPC Live 2 is a great piece of gear,: We can use it like a portable all-in-one production studio, as a groove box, and as well as an instrument for jamming. Put it on your lap, beat the pads, have fun - that’s this thing for me
Another groovebox to dive in deeply is the MC-707.
Both MPC and MC-707 are “rabbit holes” of their own right
But first of all I recommend that you know your musical style and whether a piece of gear might fit to you or not.
Maybe some YT videos can help you to understand different boxes’ workflow and strengths. The better you know your own workflow and preferences the better you can find a matching groovebox.
Do more research, find out what you really want, which direction you want to go in as it sounds like you don’t know what you want really.
I’ve collected quite a few grooveboxes and music making pieces over the years and i’m in a good place with them as they’re mostly all very capable and I love using them, but, i’m also enjoying a hiatus of not having touched a piece of gear for about 2.5 months and enjoying other things I love instead. If you don’t know what you want, buy nothing would be my advice until you can focus your mind closer to what you really want, or even if you really want or need something new.
If you don’t know exactly what you want to achieve and don’t really know the gear you want. Because hardware cost and choice is overwhelming.
Then I would not recommend an Elektron, those box are super duper great, but not for someone which has never had any hardware AND most important which is unsure of the goal.
Mc707, MPC Live, I guess are reasonable do it all box, which… might better fit a not really sure one
I think this is the answer. I know it’s easy to feel eager to take the next step, but you’re all over the place with this.
Try to really isolate your interests and your goals, and then it will be easier to ask for specific advice.
I’m hesitant to recommend any 1 specific piece of gear because there is nothing here to tell me you won’t just be wasting your time by following my recommendation.
It sounds like you need something that is visually very easy to learn, because you will quickly grow tired of hidden button combos and blind workflows if you have no frame of reference for working with these types of machines.
Think about things like whether you want a synth or a sampler or something that does both, that is a big first question. I just don’t want to blindly recommend something that I like, because it won’t really be relevant to you to know what I like or what works for me.
What kind of music do you intend to make? Figure out what artists in that genre tend to use and see if any of that gear seems compatible with how you enjoy to interact with technology.
Music gear isn’t that different than other technology, everyone knows whether they want a refrigerator with a tv and a bunch of features on the front or if they just want to open the door or maybe get some ice. Music gear isn’t that different, it just serves a different purpose.
A bit off-topic but since you brought this up: I have been staring at a screen for 10+ hours on most workdays for about 25 years, still have 20/40 vision acuity. The trick is to not only stare at a screen for 10+ hours, take breaks to look at the sky or some far off distance for a while to relieve the strain of focusing too close, I don’t think there’s any evidence that using screens by themselves cause permanent damage, it’s more the strain from not looking away from a screen for long periods that can cause discomfort.
Or at least that’s what my ophthalmologist told me when I asked why I didn’t had yet suffered issues from screens through my life
Already tried it, twice.
I have had most groovebox on the market but tue to recent changes I ended up with no gear at all.
After hating on samples for a year I discovered how nice can it be to manipulate them, but it’s better if you can see the actual sound wave so for sure the woovebox is a nice product but doesn’t fit my needs at best
(Yeah I know I stare at a computer 8hrs a day but something that has a screen and doesn’t relay completely on it is the way imo)
Heart says this, it’s the portable sound making device with the most features
However my eyes are telling that this is the shitties idea I can have: small screen, even smaller than a pc and relies completely on it
AUM. I run synths and the like into Koala to resample them, then output to individual channels in AUM and add effects. Add a MIDI controller and it’s an incredibly powerful live setup too.
Check out the original Polyend play. You can get ‘em cheap. If you don’t like it you won’t lose much when you resale it. YouTube should have some good videos.
I am sure that that isn’t the answer at all.
I used to sit every day in my room and spend some time making music.
Now I haven’t got anything like that anymore
I already know what kind of music I want to make
I already tried different pieces of gear
But right now I don’t k is what to do, money is a problem too and because of that I’d love to get the pest thing for the price I pay.
I’d have no problem buying something for 800€ if that’s the best for me
