What should I get?

I have been making beats for a few years with Fruity Loops. In a couple of months I can upgrade to whatever equipment I want. I know I want to try an MPC or something similar, and a keyboard like a triton or motif. What would be the best equipment for someone like me to get started with?

For someone like you?? Who are you?? For someone whos been making beats for a few years on fruity etc, I think you need to go down to a shop and mess with a variety of things then exchange thoughts etc with us users....Its pointless us telling you what to buy and you dont really know what any of it actually feels like or is to use.

Your statement about buying whatever you want pretty much backs up what im saying...If I can buy anything I want, Im down at the shop testing everything that 'I want/think I want' till I find my groove...Then, I cut the cheque and go

B

You just gotta remember, it's all what you prefer... There are a million different keyboards and drum machines on the market. So for me to tell you, "Dawg, grab a MPC2000XL and a Motif.." would be pointless, because that is the setup that works for ME... but u ain't me. You need to think about what you want.. are you sampling? Then look for things that sample... Do you want a built in soundbank? Then look for that, all these questions will narrow down your search and help you to decide exactly the one thats right for YOU

I understand what you guys are saying. I was at a shop earlier today. I'm feeling the triton studio 88. I tried the Motif8 but the triton seemed easier for me. I also tried the mv8000. It seemed ok but kinda complicated. the guy at the store told me he prefered any of the mpc's over it because of ease of use. They were sold out of all mpc's so I couldn't try 'em out.

I'm gonna ask a better question. Is it worth it to invest in pro equipment? I like using fruity loops but I feel like its holding me back from doing what I really want to do with my music. Any help is appreciated.

Frutiy loops is a pretty wild peace of Kit... and in many ways it does exactly what a MPC does, but without them pads...

Have you ever heard of REASON.... That is a pretty flexible music making tool combined with a keyboard...

It all depends on what style of music\sound your after?? Something with a good array of quality mulit-effects will serve you well in the long term no matter what style of music you make....

michael, if FL is holding you back i suggest investing in an MPC...yeah you can make beats with fruity, yeah you can make beats with Reason, whatever...but its just something that inspires you about sitting in front of an mpc and banging out drums, or sitting in front of a mixing board tweaking levels...but yea i agree with everyone else, find out what YOU want to do and what you will need to accomplish it, if you can buy "whatever you want", then your gonna have fun testing all the shit b4 u actually buy it

I remember going to the shop and trying some gear. before that i had only messed with some software too.
i went into this shop to look at the 2000xl, the guy there loaded in about five drumsounds and said:"have fun".
I didn't know a single thing about all those buttons, and i spend half an hour figuring out how to record a simle 2 bar loop.
I then felt like i shouldn't get an mpc, too hard. Of course with nobody telling you how it works, or a manual for that matter, every machine seems hard at first.
I headed over to a friend who has an sp1200 in his studio. he showed me some stuff on it, but told me an mpc might be more what i was looking for. So i just bought it, i trusted the guy.
The bottom line: you can't go into the shop for an hour and decide wich machine is better. you can't trust anyone on this forum, they will always tell you the mpc is best

ieism wrote:The bottom line: you can't go into the shop for an hour and decide wich machine is better. you can't trust anyone on this forum, they will always tell you the mpc is best

You're on a MPC Forum, thats what we're supposed to do... But it's very true about goin in and trying it out, sometimes that doesn't work. My best suggestion is look around in some local small studios. Friends houses with equipment, check it out, try to get in on some of thier beats... Then they can show you how to work it. Then after this long azz process is over, you can finally look back and say, "Damn, I done tried a RS7000, a MPC1000, a MPC2000xl, a Motif, and a Triton, but I really liked....." It's a long process, but in the end, u can tell which one will suit you best, at least thats what I did...