I’m not exactly a DJ. Instead I produce music and have done some live performing of it. Up until now I have been doing FL Studio to sequence with some VSTis and Reason ReWired in. For physical gear, I mostly have been running off this Beringer UMX49 to perform a lead section live on keys and that’s it. Needless to say I want more freedom in arrangement.
The goal is to add a new layer, using Live to trig the patterns sequenced in FL Studio in Session mode. Live in the long run isn’t the issue, but I’m wanting to know where to go for hardware.
First off, I have been looking into an Ableton controller so I have been looking into a refurb of the Akai APC40.
On top of that, I’m wanting something for MPC style pads and a new keyboard controller (A mixer controller would be nice too but the APC faders and such can cover me for now). I was thinking the MPD18 (accidentally said MPC ) and then just waiting around for a new keyboard (since it isn’t a huge priority at the moment due to me having one), but do you guys have any suggestions of either separate pieces of hardware or combined ones? My budget is in the area of a few hundred so good values would be nice.
Edit: Also is there any gear you would suggest I also get/is there any gear that you suggest I not get?
Any help on this matter would be very much appreciated,
The APC40 is a great investment, you won’t be disappointed. I love mine to bits and pieces.
Akai’s MPD (did you mean the MPD18?) series has great pad controllers. Although, some of Akai’s keyboard controllers also have pads on them. Have you considered the MPK25/MPK Mini? Novation’s new Impulse keyboards also have lots of controls, velocity-sensitive pads included. Not sure if you’d like Novation due to their Automap software. People have complained about it, but I haven’t had many problems with it. :U
the apc40 is a great piece of hardware for ableton live, Ive had mine for just over a week now and Im loving it…
as far as a mixer controller, maybe check out the uc33e, great for dedicated mixer controls in ableton…
I would check out products like the mpk25 or the novation sl mkii, seems like it would be a nice controller to compliment the apc40, especially since you want pressure sensitive pads and a keyboard to jam on …
MPK25 is a bit out of my range but the MPKMini sounds like a good suggestion (the Novation stuff looks like a bit much for me), Not exactly the amount of keys I was looking for but it looks like I can find it as low as $75, so hell, some pads and some nice keys with knobs, and it does look like a good buy regardless considering how relatively portable it is. (If I need more keys, I can get a more vanilla board or just use my UMX49 for more extended things)
@ecto: the uc33e Mixer does look nice, but it seems a bit hard to find. Are there more recent control boards like it?
Once again, thanks for the suggestions. How does my workflow in general sound?
from my experience trying to do what youre asking about is an absolute pain in the ass and/or boring if youre trying to stick with only a laptop.
i find the most enjoyable experience is i use ableton to host maschine and a single soft synth controlled by a novation remote 25sl, each channel goes straight to its own output on an audio 4 which goes to the channel inputs of an ecler nuo 2, which has a kaoss pad on its aux send. once i get some more money i need to get back my old collection of hardware synths - lots of channels/vsts in software is nice for writing but if you want to just jam too many generic controllers gets too clumsy (especially mixing) so its just nice to treat the laptop as its own instrument to supplement other hardware with everything going into a real mixer. without a real mixer its too easy to just neglect adjusting your eqs and levels, and it just sucks the fun out of the experience trying to page thru controls on a midi controller.
As much as I’d love to go more hardware based in my synths and overall approach, for money and other reasons, it just isn’t in the cards at least at the moment. Regardless, I’m needing some controllers and my current keyboard, for lack of a better word, is crap. My controls are not going all that generic short of that MPK Mini I am looking into for my sequencing and oneshots.
even just a piece or two of hardware can make a world of difference for fun. plenty of cheap hardware out there. at least as cheap as most controllers. the lower end korg electribes run around 100, people have a short attention span so older kaoss pads go for around the same, plenty of cheap mixers out there and then theres stuff like this that are combos of the 2 that never took off (Pardon Our Interruption...)…
something like an mpk makes a great control surface for controlling a soft synth or 2 but if youre trying to use it for EVERY instrument in your mix and act as your mixer and your transport controls - personally it just killed my flow. so its really just a matter of personal style and your budget. just saying though from my experience - it helps to just have a couple controllers acting like their own instruments, a few pieces of hardware and a real mixer. for laptop and controller only, jamming seems to feel more natural with prewritten material thrown into a dj app.
So what are you exactly proposing my hardware list to be? So I got my rack of software, ableton controller, keys and pads. What else exactly are you suggesting?
i dont know you - it depends on your style and budget dude. or space restrictions too.
i mean ive been making music now about a decade and i started out learning the ropes with software and controllers, and im just now starting to feel comfortable and know what i feel what works for me for just jamming and not over thinking something thats supposed to be just fun. what works for me - its nice having a dedicated mixing surface, its nice having some dedicated fx (especially if youre trying to conserve CPU) and its nice just having my midi controller controlling a single instrument. not to sound cheesy but it just makes everything more tangible, theres less thought involved, and more feeling involved; same thing does the same thing every time.
best advice, check craigslist and ebay with no real aim and check within your budget. especially something like craigslist - you can often talk people down. try stuff out, if you dont gel with it you can usually turn around and sell it for the same amount you put in. just dont be buying shit when you shouldnt because then youll be that guy on craigslist desperate to sell who can be talked down to less then what you put in
edit: again matters on your tastes but i mean i think this is a good indication of the capability of just a minimal setup and just treating your laptop like the wildcard in your set up
Well I don’t even have that proper of an audio interface, I’d probably want to get a decent Firewire (? (my knowledge of a lot of stuff is from 3 or so years ago)) interface first, then a mixer to take in computer and my external stuffs.
The way I figure, between the clip launching / FX controls on the pad controller, and the channel controls on the VCM-600… it’s a retarded setup. You could probably add in some fun stuff on iPad’s as well, with touchOSC. But that’s personal preference.
You also will need to get a good soundcard/audio interface. For me before I decided to go with the traditional route, I was looking between these, from a production/live perspective:
There’s just something sexy about that Apogee. Honestly.
For an additional controller, and it’s own software, I also have the Maschine on my list of things to get production wise. It’s pretty fucking amazing, and everytime I read about it or watch a video, it makes me want one that much more for the production side of things.
And as far as keyboards go… that’s really up to what you need out of one. If you had all that other stuff, a basic midi keyboard would be fine. But if you don’t, getting an Akai MPK 49 might not be a bad idea. I’d def. go with a 49 over a 25 if you can.
For full control from a production perspective, that’s my “list” if you will. I know it wouldn’t work perfectly for everyone, but that’s my view on it.
people have short attention spans, you can get one of native instruments last generation of sound cards (audio 4/8) for less then 200. i got my audio 4 for like 120 and you can get a cheap line mixer for like 100, if you buy used and shop around you can get something decent for the same. firewire isnt too popular or common, a usb card will do the trick.
Yea, my ideal set up would probably be…APC40 (for larger arrangement movements and basic channel control), something simpler like the monome (for working with sequences and really just w/e else it needs to do), a good 49 Key with Pads like the MPK49 (for composition and soloing), a good interface, and a more dedicated mixer for my channels.
Anything more like an external mixer or hardware synths would be nice, but I think at my point, I don’t think I’d be using them up to their moneys-worth.
As for the MPKMini, I’m mostly looking into it since I am on the go often so it is nice to have something small to move around that is still capable. My only gripe is the lack of bend/mod wheel.
What would be suggested for headphones for the production/live performance standpoint? I have heard good things about HDJ500s.
On top of that, I have found the Launchpad to look interesting for more Monome style stuff. Would it not be stupid to have an APC40 for dedicated session and channel and have the Launchpad for its user modes for the more Monome style usage? (aka are there cheaper alternatives?)
While it isn’t pressure sensitive, I feel the Launchpad could work for now when it comes to pads for drums.
So basically I’m Talking:
-APC40: Session and channel control.
-Launchpad: Drum Pads and Monome style control with user modes.
-MPKMini (are there any good 25 keys with pads and mod/pitch wheels?): Soloing off synths and stuff.
Is this stupid? Are there smarter variations? (like dropping the apc40 and getting my minikeys, a nanokontrol for my channel control?)
) and then just waiting around for a new keyboard (since it isn’t a huge priority at the moment due to me having one), but do you guys have any suggestions of either separate pieces of hardware or combined ones? My budget is in the area of a few hundred so good values would be nice.
