The neccessities

Equipment-wise. This isn't a "build your dream studio" thread, just reccomendations for somebody whose stepping their foot into an enormous world of beat-production, who isn't planning on pulling the DJ card. I know i'll have the drum machine/cpu with acid tamdem goin, but what other pieces of equipment would u dub "near-mandatory"?? my dads got a real nice keyboard but thats his deal, i prob wont have that at my fingertips (not that i can play piano anyways) but is that something i should look into?? thanx in advance

i say since your using acid, drum machine (mpc?), a good route to go would be some nice quality vst and a midi keyboard. and a nice pair of monitors or some bookshelve speakers. i think that would be a great startup.

personally i like fl studios and typing keybaord - but midi keyboard is great for testing out different chords and scales.

Definately get your hands on a keyboard/controller and learn basic music theory. Fruity Loops is definately a great place to start. I usually talk FL down b/c most people who are strictly FL tend to limit themselves to just that program. I think it becomes a bad thing b/c not knowing the basic concepts to external hardware i.e. mixers, synths, and samplers, your ultimately shorting yourself in regards to what "Big Studios" generally use. By allowing yourself to learn the concepts behind hardware, you can make music at any studio/place you go to.

start here at www.tweakheadz.com

read the guide

read it again

and start learning the equipment you have and how to push its limitations.

Mike Dugan said it best - tweak headz is really sweet too.

Well I just got some good news that my dad (keyboard player) still has his Kurzweil sp76 that im gettin the chance to add to the mix so i've got another weapon in the arsenal. With this setup can i subtract a mixer from the equation, and if so does that make an audio interface mandatory?? what ive been readin is makin it sound like if i go the soundcard route a mixer becomes pretty much mandatory, and im not tryin to factor in a mixer at this point

LOL @ "Synth Pop Recording Setup"

dope pictures

yea tweakheadz came in maad handy, thanks for those who reccomended it. still dont know whether the soundcard or audio interface route is the best to go for my setup. ive asked around some other places but most dont have experience with a MPC like u guys obviously would. what are you guys using??? got any good ones to throw out there that would cost me 200 or less??