does anyone carry around a laptop instead of a workstation

I was wondering if any of you instead of having a synth that you carry around with you to shows have a laptop instead and a midi controller running vstis. I was thinking about heading in that direction.

lappy and software are only way to go but this is the mpc forum.

mwalker wrote:lappy and software are only way to go but this is the mpc forum.

your ignorant opinion

true that


you saving up for a mpc? keep saving you will be there in a minute or two. well i have had one for about 8 or 9 years (mpc2000 classic, full blown). i guess when you finally get one and after 8 or 9 years you will likely move on to other things too but first you need to get one. huh?

mwalker wrote:lappy and software are only way to go but this is the mpc forum.

I've played laptop gigs, and while it was ok, I wouldn't want to tour with something as sensitive as a laptop.

If you have a mac, stability is a fact! Tho u have to know your computers' limits.. Counts for every computer off course.

I'm thinking more of the physical threats, like stage lights, sweat and pulled cables.

gigging live with a lappy could have some problems but if i was gigging live i would have aleast a backup lappy.

lappy and software thing, well if you do not have any experence with software (real experence) how can you tell which is better. i am not talking about playing around with fruityloops but experencing multiple hosts (cubase, live, sonar,etc), multiple vsti (trilogy, battery, lounge lizard, sampletank, etc) and multiple vst effect over a period of time (4 to 5 years). i brought my first piece of hardware in 1985 and have brought $1000(s) of dollars worth of hardware since then so what i am talking about is from experence. i thanks GOD i could afford whatever music stuff i ever wanted if for some reason you have not experenced hardware or software for a reasonable amount of time how can you know what is better. no flames here but the truth. i own akai mpc2000, s2000 and s01 but mpc2000 as a drum machine not a sequence is not better than battery, battery2 (which i order last nite), intakt or stylus rmx (which i should have by today or tomorrow). the s2000 or s01 is not better than reason nn-xt sampler, gigasampler, kompakt, komtakt, or sampletank 2xl (all of which i own).

the point i am making is that on a lappy you could have a full blown project studio on it.

how many pieces of hardware will it take to have:


trilogy - bass module
lounge lizard - electric piano
atmosphere - string and stuff
stylus - drum machine
battery - drum machine
battery 2 - drum machine
hypersonic - sound module
sampletank 2xl - rompler
proc-53 - synth
reason - rack module
b4 - organ
fm7 - fm synth sounds
absynth - synth

well i have this on a lappy with cubase sl2 and live4. also i have a firewire harddrive with about 100 gigs worth of samples. \

in conclusion, FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERENCE WITH HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE (and i am talking about 20 years with hardware and about 6 years with software) the lappy is the way to go.

if you got your first piece of equiment in the last couple of years what experences are you drawing on? simple question. huh?

i have to say i like both, i think you can do a whole lot with software that you may or may not do with hardware, but some people, like me, jus want that hardware too, i think a comination of both is good, using the software, especially for sound modules and stuff you definately get alot, and the doftware samplers can do a lot of things quickly

with phatmatik pro, i can load a sample, chop it, and play it, without havint to export the chops, i can play and loop like an instrument

there's more, i have sampletank, and trilogy, atmosphere, stylus, and battery, b4, fm7, novation vstation, and a few of the free ones around

if you can do it , go for it, i don't know about for live shows cuz i don't do that, but for home/production use i like it

but like i said i like my hardware too

i look at my computer as jus another instrument in the mix(with a bunch of instruments in it)

mwalker: While the point is interesting, who are you talking to?

Anyway. Take this piece of advice from someone who's been knocked out cold on stage (long story short, beware of jumping guitarists): It's not like a studio setting, stuff will break down, misbehave and cause havoc. Have some sort of backup for whatever you choose to gig with.

digi, on stage there is nothing like hardware because it is dependable. i would never use a lappy at a live gig. i rather lug my mpc (with a drumkat)which i have done in the past. i am not really talking to anyone just stating my opinions. period. there are a lot of people who say software s*cks but only has played with fuityloops for an hour. there are people who say reason s*cks but reason is a rack with a mixer, drum machines, synths and sampler and i forgot about effects just like a hardware setup. my point is how can anyone say software s*cks if you only experenced it for a minute or two. i got into softsynth with retro-1 and that product did s*ck but over the last 3 to 4 years software has come a long ways. 3 years ago if you told me that hardware sounds better than software i would have to totally agree but today the software is right there with hardware and much cheaper if you have a computer already.

saintjoe, i guess i am tried of the sound(s) of my hardware and that is why i do not use it/them anymore. the phatmatik pro is just like intakt, you can take a loop and slice and dice. to be honest, software is new and exciting just like hardware was when i first got into it (20 years ago) and when the next fad comes around i will more than likely be on that too. i just love music and technology (damn the is a powerful combination).

this thread started with lappy and mobility well one of my setup is ozone, lappy, and a firewire hardwire that i could carry in my m-audio napsack. this setup can make any type music basically anywhere. why should i have to make music in my basement studio all the time.

inclusion, one piece of software is not allways equal to one piece of hardware (ie native instruments b4 and say motif fully blown) but a nice collection of software can make you very mobile and productive. period. no flames, just the truth.

ps. if you only been making music for 2 or 3 years wait another 5 or 6 years and you will know what i am talking about because 2 or 3 years you are still a beginner here in the real world.

your like a broken record. why dont u just put what u own and ur opinions in ur sig so we dont have to see these threads anymore. Its always the same argument.