What next?

I have all the necessary equipment to compose my music. I've been kickin out beats with it for a few weeks now.

Now I want to start buying things like effects, synths, compressor, burners, etc. I needed some suggestions on what I should focus on next. Not just anything, but something that I KNOW i'll need. I would love to get more sounds for my keyboard and I definately need a compressor. I dont know...what should i do now? Thanks!

how many money can you spend?

I try not to spend hundreds on one rack size module or thousands on anything that I know I can get in excellent condition for much cheaper. So I dont pay attention to price much. Im not trying to break my wallet but if its worth it ill look into it. But to answer your question, ill say I have around $1000 dollars to spend right now (on more then ONE thing).

I just need some suggestions on what yall would get next, then Ill start researching some deals.

What cha got?

computer/software/soundcard. That way you get a recorder plus effects/compressors that sound just as good if not better than cheap hardware boxes. If you don't know anything about PC's, find someone who does to help you put one together. Order it from www.newegg.com
(i think that's the link). Give yourself a month or two to learn it. The learning curve sucks a little bit, but then you're rolling. Budget like $750 for a computer and $300 or so for a soundcard. See if anyone has an old crappy monitor and keyboard and mouse they can give you. Oh yeah, do your research, don't just buy anything.

yea i have a computer. the thing about that is I actually switched from strictly computer use to hardware. Its way different and now I cant seem to shake my addiction to the 'crack pads' on the mpc

Computers are definately worth it. I have a shitty sound card that came with the computer and have yet to move my computer to the room my equipment is in. I've always been aware of a computers ability to tighten up tracks BIG TIME! But....I cant shake my addiction....

I would love to get a good deal on a new computer tho...thats a good idea. Ill look into that. Thanks for your help

yup, you don't have to stop with the crack pads. Computer would just give you effects + better editing and arranging capabilities. What kind of computer do you have now? If it's decent then just get a new soundcard...let me know the computer, maybe I can help you out

i got a computer called eMachines
the thing actually runs very well. I've been using it to make music and use cool edit for years. I have windows xp. I aint hip to all that uva talk about how many mhz and ram i got in it. But it runs just fine. Fast enough for running Fruity loops and cool edit. Hope that helps

I want a mac...I hate mac's when it comes to shit like everyday use, but I think they're the best for studio use. Thankz

they are not the best. The best is what works best for you.

Mac was the first to go into music while PC's (IBM) went business, so all the music heads grew up on mac for music and it stuck when PC's cought up and passed mac with music software.

I would save and get an Apogee MiniMe. It is a 24-bit/96kHz 2 channel mic pre and A/D converter. They run between $1100. & 1300. dollars. Well worth the money. Pro quality pre's and pro quality A/D conversion into your computer. Man you can't beat that for the price. It does make a difference to your sound quality. Check it out.....

This is what I got and Im mad happy

MPC 2000xl with 8/outs
Two Turntables
DJ Mixer
Fostex MR-8 8 track - this is mad important. I use this to record stuff like scratches, bass, guitar, vocals, synths, etc.

http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--FOSMR8

I then got a big used mixer for $160.


got a beringer compressor for $50 off ebay

got a synth KorgMS2000r $499

A radium keyboard controller

and a HHB Burnit CD-R for $499



also
Sonic Foundry ACID 4.0
and a wave editor that came with my Sound Blaster extigy, which is a really bad soundcard. Latency issues.

and mad plugins for the editor.

The most important things besides the MPC is its 8-outs, the mixer, and the 8 track. The synth is a close because it really adds alot to my sound. YOu can get a sound module instead of a synth, like a proteous or a E-MU MP7. I would mainly concentrate on gear for mixing down and recording your music. You can really make your beats sound 100 times better than the MPC itself. Mixing and recording are the next steps into producing your own music. You can get some crap gear that you can learn on for mad cheap. My setup sounds mad nice and I get good recordings out of here. I will upgrade, but for now this is a good teacher. If you can make it work on crap, wait till you get the primo ish. You got over that intial 6 month learning hump, and saved crazy loot.

hhhhmm

id say get a bigger mixer, some lexicon reverb- cheap units like the lxp-1 privide quality verb for around £100......spend a bit more and you can get mx or pcm and take advantage of the lovely ambience algorythms *(the key to getting that space with out reverb in urban music)....the halls are v nice too...that will cover your verbs and delays.....

get a compressor and an eq....i use dbx for my compression...v nice...

couple of multi fx units perhaps.....

i use a spirit fx 8 which has built in reverb...also with two auxs which i send to my lexicon and vf-1 respectivly......

for sounds try sample cds....stylus, groove agent, attack...lift the drums from there.....buy up tutors collections.....

akai s5000? pricey but the absolute bollocks- use as a synth or for 'real instruments'- so many sample cd's are already set up for the s5000.....

shame your not in the uk i could hook you up with some cool peeps.....

then get a sonic maximiser or better still an spl stereo jack....put that over your mix for low end and high end sheen...

you can get half this stuff quite cheap if you play the ebay game....

guitar fx pedals are also needed....

sounds like you have lots of buying to do...

greg

greg, thats exactly what i needed. The lexicon sounds good. I try to shop cheap. Not cheap quality wise but price wise. Im always on ebay. Everything I own right now is from ebay. I kinda figured synths were gonna run me a couple hundred $$$. Is the akai s5000 a keyboard or rack size?

A compressor was definately on my list. Especially the EQ. I love tweakin the eq's. I got a vicious ear for sound and music. So I love to play my tracks and play with the eq. The fixed eq on my 488 juss aint cuttin it. The mixer helps out a bit tho..

What exactly is the Sonic Maximiser? Is it like mastering software?
I would love to get a wahwah pedal for my guitar. I love the guitar, and if I can play wit the sound I know i can come up wit a few ideas.

What do the multi effects units mainly include. Delays, verbs, echos, things like that?

My mixer is small. I dont always use it, though I should...But my 488 is basically a mixer...You cant tweak the mids on the 488 eq tho. Any suggestions for good mixers? I probably wont focus on that right this second, but ill add it to my list.

Thanks for that...I been writin down my list wit all yall suggestions.

the s5000 is a rack mount, its the ****. i got one hooked up through usb on my computer and you can just dragg and drop.. if i wanna make a remix or something i can throw a whole song in the thing, speed it up or slow it down and bam! it works wonders with my mpc.

If I were you I'd get a decent sound card, like the new Emu joints and a digital mixer with ADAT I/O's to go with it, like the Tascam TMD-1000 and some monitors...

sweet-beets wrote:the s5000 is a rack mount, its the ****. i got one hooked up through usb on my computer and you can just dragg and drop.. if i wanna make a remix or something i can throw a whole song in the thing, speed it up or slow it down and bam! it works wonders with my mpc.

oh aight. coo. well it seems like a lot of this shit will do better wit a computer hooked to it. so I think ill look into that. I already have one, but it aint in the room my equpment is... I need a new one anyway...any suggestions?