Questions you have about what to buy.

Before you start thinking of equipment to buy, figure out what you really NEED. Most aspiring producers buy what they think they WANT without thinking first. Its really easy to get caught up in gear lust if you don't think first. There is nothing worse than spending top dollar on a device that you end up selling a few months later because its not what you wished for.
Remember, EVERYTHING in Guitar Center will sound great, its suppose to! The demos you see on Youtube is suppose to make the viewer think they need to have it. If you look at most producers that have invested 10+ years into this, you will find out (A) they barely have much equipment, or (B) they have really nice expensive gear that they absolutely need or (C) They have a bunch of gear that looks nice, but their music does not reflect the equipment they own!
My advice is before you spend a penny, THINK about if you need it. Is there any possible way you can do without it. Can your current equipment emulate what you want to buy? Example, you might want a Yamaha Motif, but if the samples are available online, can a $20 DVD of sounds be better than spending $1000+ on a keyboard? You might want expensive monitors, but will your headphones be a good enough reference while you record? Nick Speed (G-Unit producer) uses stock Ipod earbuds!
Look at what other producers have and figure out if you really need gear you can't afford. If Dilla can use an MPC3000 and a portable turntable, why can't you? You might want Protools 9, but if you music sounds like crap on CD-R, the purchase probably isn't worth it. Learn the basics before spending the money. Don't place the fault on professional mastering if the beats ain't fresh right in the box. Keep your money, work on YOU. Less gear = less schyt to understand.
Think first!

+1

I always chuckle inwardly at threads like that. An online forum is a bizarre place to ask stuff like that too..... To many "experts" giving advice on what is essentially a subjective thing. Some of the answers in threads like those are bizarre and rarely of any real help to the poster!

roxstar wrote: (C) They have a bunch of gear that looks nice, but their music does not reflect the equipment they own

Bomb Beats

and others

Yo I was just saying the same thing in the other thread. That's a true statement right there.

But on the flip side, I think you have to make some bad purchases, you have to go through a lot of gear, and you have to put your work in to really figure out what works for you. I'm down to an MPC, a keyboard, a TT to sample from, an analog filter, and a channel strip with EQ. Of course I went through a lotta gear to get there, but those are my essentials. I have a DAW/soundcard to fill in the cracks, but 75% of everything I do comes thru those 5 pieces.

roxstar wrote:Before you start thinking of equipment to buy, figure out what you really NEED. Most aspiring producers buy what they think they WANT without thinking first. Its really easy to get caught up in gear lust if you don't think first. There is nothing worse than spending top dollar on a device that you end up selling a few months later because its not what you wished for.
Remember, EVERYTHING in Guitar Center will sound great, its suppose to! The demos you see on Youtube is suppose to make the viewer think they need to have it. If you look at most producers that have invested 10+ years into this, you will find out (A) they barely have much equipment, or (B) they have really nice expensive gear that they absolutely need or (C) They have a bunch of gear that looks nice, but their music does not reflect the equipment they own!
My advice is before you spend a penny, THINK about if you need it. Is there any possible way you can do without it. Can your current equipment emulate what you want to buy? Example, you might want a Yamaha Motif, but if the samples are available online, can a $20 DVD of sounds be better than spending $1000+ on a keyboard? You might want expensive monitors, but will your headphones be a good enough reference while you record? Nick Speed (G-Unit producer) uses stock Ipod earbuds!
Look at what other producers have and figure out if you really need gear you can't afford. If Dilla can use an MPC3000 and a portable turntable, why can't you? You might want Protools 9, but if you music sounds like **** on CD-R, the purchase probably isn't worth it. Learn the basics before spending the money. Don't place the fault on professional mastering if the beats ain't fresh right in the box. Keep your money, work on YOU. Less gear = less schyt to understand.
Think first!

WELL SAID!!!!