Remix decks vs external hardware synths, drum machines & samplers?

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
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Remix decks vs external hardware synths, drum machines & samplers?

Hi peeps

Not sure if this has been posted before. I could not find anything regarding it.

With the remix decks now available .What are your thoughts on remix decks vs external hardware synths, drum machines, samplers etc. As far as I can tell, unless you produce your own samples for the remix decks, grabbing loops from other people’s songs and playing them leads to a less original set. Far more preparation is needed using a DAW as opposed to having hardware like electribes, 909’s and kaossilators where you can make up stuff on the fly and then add those samples to your remix decks using the loop recorder. Do you think that the remix decks will lead to the decline of original live electronic music production? Using the remix decks with external hardware seems to me to be the logical way to use them. What are your thoughts?

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+1 for external hardware:

  • invites you to play it even when you don’t have all your dj kit setup
  • less strain on laptop and less things to preconfigure

Was super stoked about the remix decks F1 when I first got one but then that soon faded when I realized how fidlly it can be grabbing loops and going back and forth layering stems. All the prep required kinda takes away from the fun. Back when I used only vinyl and a kp2 I really like using the external hardware for grabbing audio on the fly and playing back samples

I reckon hardware is always gonna be more fun but the main issues are:

  1. being able to play nice melodies with a synth in key over top requires that you can play the keyboard unless you have some sort of in-key function ala kaossilator or the ipad called flail
  2. arp/sequences/loops need to sync somehow and midi clock (on my pc laptop) ain’t the best
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No.