Essential hardware for making beats...

Dear MPCholics.

Please detail, what basic hardware/software a fresh user should have to make a beat. I know, that this is a silly request, but I'm more a player then a producer and just don't have anybody to ask if I should have a external soundcard with inputs ect.

My setup for now is

Monitors
| |
MPC_REN---USB Keyboard
|
PC(Only the MPC DAW)

[great ASCII art, I know ]

what you have is all you need for making beats

get to it!

MPC Ren has built in soundcard. Watch some YouTube vids. Have fun with it.

You need some Vst instruments (since you are a player) or keyboard synth, if you want to make music mainly with samples then you just need something that you want to sample.

Danny wrote:what you have is all you need for making beats

+1

When you find new things you want to add or try, throw 'em into the mix. Just don't get suckered into buying tings you dont need. Do you prefer using hardware or software? You'll find out, eventually...

Here's some great free VST plugins.

http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/tech/the-27-best-free-vst-plug-ins-in-the-world-today-277953/1

and a shitload of royaltee free samples
http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/sampleradar-13154-free-sample-downloads-217833/1

So why is everybody using Fl, Ableton, Pro Tools etc? And what about external soundcards?

I know that you need only headphones and a Ren, but I'm talking about a pro-basic setup

Maybe I'm a newbie to the MPC DAW, but even after only a few hours I can see, that the Akai Daw isn't that good and user friendly as Pro Tools or even FL. So that's why I created this Topic.

Spread your knowledge to the more advanced newbies and tell whats your basic setup for more complex sound-making editing.

I am now searching for good headphones (maybe the Beyerdynamic 990 PRO?), an external soundcard (want to plug my guitar and maybe some other isntruments) and a Pro Tools kind DAW to getting started with.

Some people like making beats with their mouse^

MPC will cover all your sequencing and sampling needs

Some people get a DAW like ProTools to master and mix to finish the beat, or to record vocals, etc...

you might want to get a midi keyboard, a mic, headphones, and you're set, everything else is just icing on the cake

I think you are missing just a couple more essential items

A notebook and pen for taking notes while u create music

And optionally a coffee pot for early morning and long sessions

Raga138 wrote:So why is everybody using Fl, Ableton, Pro Tools etc? And what about external soundcards?

because they like this daw environment. maybe you like the mpc software environment, maybe you don't. it is all personal preference.

and what about external soundcards? you mean like your mpc ren? that is an external soundcard.

most people on here have been making beats etc since way before the ren came out, so we already had software and an external soundcard.
the ren comes with both - so 'needing' anything else is not really the case.

personally i think the essential thing you need is an 'off' switch for the internet - so you can make the stuff work instead of talking about how other people like to think they make it work.

Raga138, you can use the inputs on the Ren's built in interface for your guitar or other instruments like Tapedeck said.

The Ren as of now doesn't record audio tracks, so that would be the main plus of getting a DAW host program. The internal Ren interface's inputs will be available to whatever DAW program you choose.

Those music radar links are gold, and while you're there have a look at this -

http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/tech/ ... ter-569659

It's a nice general overview of basic setups. ( But like everybody said you have enough to do stuff now just grab some free VST instruments and samples and demo some DAW apps)

THX - OFF switch is maybe the best thing somebody could tell me

I'm just asking, because I started playing drums, teaching everything by myself and making so many mistakes instead of grabbing some books (pre youtube time - and I'm just 30 ) or asking some skilled players. Then after many years I learned new tricks, started to play with less mistakes and I had always this feeling, that I could save time and sweat, when I did it the right way from the beginning.

Don't understand me wrong - I know that only hard work gives crispy music but now I feel like I would stand in front of the Mount Everest with no clue what to do

PS: Maybe I just want to keep calm cause tomorrow my lovely chica will give birth

Raga138 wrote:THX - OFF switch is maybe the best thing somebody could tell me

I have this same problem. It is good advice.

Raga138 wrote:PS: Maybe I just want to keep calm cause tomorrow my lovely chica will give birth

Congrats man!

skimmed through the thread, if your looking for good headphones that you can even mix on ( if needed) audio technica, ath-m50s.

they are about 130-150. make sure you get the S model though, because the other ones has a coiled cord which is heavy and annoying.

get them here:

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT ... s=ath+m50s

General Advice - learn to use what you already have instead of looking for more things to add to your setup. Only then can you understand the real limitations of your gear and make informed decisions about what to add (hopefully things that truly expand your capability, not just shiny gizmos or one-trick ponies.)

Having said all that, if you're truly not feeling the MPC DAW, try Ableton Live. You should be able to get the Ren to talk to it as a 'soundcard' and do things like record your guitar.

You might want some sort of DI box to run the guitar through, or SM57 to mic an amp if you don't have that kind of gear. These are things you would need for any sort of recording setup if you want to do more than just plug up a turntable and sample beats. . . .