building up my first studio

Electronic Music Production // Dark Arts
Hux
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building up my first studio

Post by Hux »

Hello everybody,

I'm a new member on this forum as well as a starting producer.

I (try to) produce dark minimalistic techno like the kind you here in Berlin (Ostgut Ton, Nachtstrom Schallplatten).

As i want to take production more seriously im looking into investing in some hardware for my home studio, but as you all know there are more synths and other hardware out there than a beginner like me would feel comfortable with. Therefore i would like to ask some advice as to which pieces might add the most to my production or which ones you think are the best for my setting. my budget is about 1000 to 1500eu and i have no problem working with secondhand gear. The tools i already have are a macbook with ableton, 2x allen&heath K2 and an ableton push 2 which i might sell. So my question is which would be the choices for my 'studio' for that budget. ( I already thought about korg minilogue and other reasonably priced synths for example)

Thanks in advance,

Hux

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Barfunkel
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Re: building up my first studio

Post by Barfunkel »

That's not much of a budget if you wanna go hardware to be honest! It also might not make your productions any better.

An Elektron Analog Rytm is always a safe bet though. Really easy and fun to use, sounds great too + it's pretty versatile for a drum machine, because of the sample loading feature.
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TimBuys
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Re: building up my first studio

Post by TimBuys »

May I ask why you are considering selling your push 2 and why you are so focused on hardware? I don't know how long you have been producing but mabye it is smarter to get better at synthesis before making a large investment on an expensive hardware synth? I thought I needed a hardware synth for the longest time, but now I am happy I spend my money on a drum machine instead.

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Lost to the Void
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Re: building up my first studio

Post by Lost to the Void »

Buy good monitors first and foremost.
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Críoch
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Re: building up my first studio

Post by Críoch »

Yeah.. basics.

Good monitors / soundcard with lots of inputs & outputs. Also something quite recent & not in danger of being left unsupported next time you upgrade a computer or OS.

I know you are interested in HW.. But don't go buying too much new stuff right now. Everything is a learning curve & if you know what you are doing, you could make almost any genre with a limited kit.

You'll need a drum machine, synth & some fx. To be fair.. its all about the processing. someone like legowelt can make samples in Ableton sound like an old Amiga because he knows the approach. Check his site.. download his racks & see what he does.

Buying good priced 2nd hand stuff lets you to sell on after a few months, should you decide.. without losing money. You may even get a bargain & meet other folk in Berlin that you could collaborate / learn from.

Rome wasn't built in a day.
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Hux
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Re: building up my first studio

Post by Hux »

TimBuys wrote:May I ask why you are considering selling your push 2 and why you are so focused on hardware? I don't know how long you have been producing but mabye it is smarter to get better at synthesis before making a large investment on an expensive hardware synth? I thought I needed a hardware synth for the longest time, but now I am happy I spend my money on a drum machine instead.
actually the push 2 isn't as practical for live performance as i thought and it doesn't add a lot to ableton either except for some more streamined producing maybe. but i'm still not 100% sure whether i'll sell it. So if i get it right you would keep on improving my synthesis skills with for example operator?

Barfunkel wrote:That's not much of a budget if you wanna go hardware to be honest! It also might not make your productions any better.

An Elektron Analog Rytm is always a safe bet though. Really easy and fun to use, sounds great too + it's pretty versatile for a drum machine, because of the sample loading feature.
I'm only 19 so i can't splash too much cash unfortunately. however it's just a startup and i would like to keep on adding stuff over the years but right now thats all i can spend on it. i'll look in to the elektron though.

Lost to the Void wrote:Buy good monitors first and foremost.
i'm sorry i forgot to mention that i already own a pair of monitors and a monitor headphone which i use most of the time.

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Re: building up my first studio

Post by Hux »

Críoch wrote:Yeah.. basics.

Good monitors / soundcard with lots of inputs & outputs. Also something quite recent & not in danger of being left unsupported next time you upgrade a computer or OS.

I know you are interested in HW.. But don't go buying too much new stuff right now. Everything is a learning curve & if you know what you are doing, you could make almost any genre with a limited kit.

You'll need a drum machine, synth & some fx. To be fair.. its all about the processing. someone like legowelt can make samples in Ableton sound like an old Amiga because he knows the approach. Check his site.. download his racks & see what he does.

Buying good priced 2nd hand stuff lets you to sell on after a few months, should you decide.. without losing money. You may even get a bargain & meet other folk in Berlin that you could collaborate / learn from.

Rome wasn't built in a day.

its funny you mention legowelt actually as im going to a workshop with him 2 weeks from now :) ill roam the secondhand market for a relatively cheap drum machine and maybe a synth.

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Críoch
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Re: building up my first studio

Post by Críoch »

Man.. cool! Please report back & let us know what it was like :)

He's cool. There's a good against the clock / fact tv video, how to make a legowelt track, where he is just talking about music/ putting green some stuff together. Very cool guy.

His site has some great downloads.
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Re: building up my first studio

Post by Hux »

Críoch wrote:Man.. cool! Please report back & let us know what it was like :)

He's cool. There's a good against the clock / fact tv video, how to make a legowelt track, where he is just talking about music/ putting green some stuff together. Very cool guy.

His site has some great downloads.
I have seen the video about 15 times already :) i definetely will right something about it, seems like a great forum already.

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Re: building up my first studio

Post by WOLF! »

Like mentioned here before.
A good soundcard and monitors are a very wise investment.

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Lost to the Void
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Re: building up my first studio

Post by Lost to the Void »

Hux wrote:
TimBuys wrote:May I ask why you are considering selling your push 2 and why you are so focused on hardware? I don't know how long you have been producing but mabye it is smarter to get better at synthesis before making a large investment on an expensive hardware synth? I thought I needed a hardware synth for the longest time, but now I am happy I spend my money on a drum machine instead.
actually the push 2 isn't as practical for live performance as i thought and it doesn't add a lot to ableton either except for some more streamined producing maybe. but i'm still not 100% sure whether i'll sell it. So if i get it right you would keep on improving my synthesis skills with for example operator?

Barfunkel wrote:That's not much of a budget if you wanna go hardware to be honest! It also might not make your productions any better.

An Elektron Analog Rytm is always a safe bet though. Really easy and fun to use, sounds great too + it's pretty versatile for a drum machine, because of the sample loading feature.
I'm only 19 so i can't splash too much cash unfortunately. however it's just a startup and i would like to keep on adding stuff over the years but right now thats all i can spend on it. i'll look in to the elektron though.

Lost to the Void wrote:Buy good monitors first and foremost.
i'm sorry i forgot to mention that i already own a pair of monitors and a monitor headphone which i use most of the time.
But are they good monitors or cheap monitors?
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Hux
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Re: building up my first studio

Post by Hux »

Lost to the Void wrote:
Hux wrote:
TimBuys wrote:May I ask why you are considering selling your push 2 and why you are so focused on hardware? I don't know how long you have been producing but mabye it is smarter to get better at synthesis before making a large investment on an expensive hardware synth? I thought I needed a hardware synth for the longest time, but now I am happy I spend my money on a drum machine instead.
actually the push 2 isn't as practical for live performance as i thought and it doesn't add a lot to ableton either except for some more streamined producing maybe. but i'm still not 100% sure whether i'll sell it. So if i get it right you would keep on improving my synthesis skills with for example operator?

Barfunkel wrote:That's not much of a budget if you wanna go hardware to be honest! It also might not make your productions any better.

An Elektron Analog Rytm is always a safe bet though. Really easy and fun to use, sounds great too + it's pretty versatile for a drum machine, because of the sample loading feature.
I'm only 19 so i can't splash too much cash unfortunately. however it's just a startup and i would like to keep on adding stuff over the years but right now thats all i can spend on it. i'll look in to the elektron though.

Lost to the Void wrote:Buy good monitors first and foremost.
i'm sorry i forgot to mention that i already own a pair of monitors and a monitor headphone which i use most of the time.
But are they good monitors or cheap monitors?
they are quite old philips ones i wouldn't say they're the best but i use my headphone most of the time. guess that isn't optimal either?

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Re: building up my first studio

Post by Lost to the Void »

philips make monitors? As far as I am aware they have never made studio monitors.
So I would say yes, if you are looking to build a studio, then you need proper monitors.
If you buy decent they will last you practically a lifetime.
If you can`t hear what you are doing properly, all is for nought.

Failing that a very very good set of headphones will do.

But good monitors win every time. They are the heart of every studio.
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Re: building up my first studio

Post by Hux »

Lost to the Void wrote:philips make monitors? As far as I am aware they have never made studio monitors.
So I would say yes, if you are looking to build a studio, then you need proper monitors.
If you buy decent they will last you practically a lifetime.
If you can`t hear what you are doing properly, all is for nought.

Failing that a very very good set of headphones will do.

But good monitors win every time. They are the heart of every studio.
working with audio technica m50-x as headphones but then ill invest in monitors for sure. any opinion on for example the yamaha HS range?

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Críoch
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Re: building up my first studio

Post by Críoch »

Re: Legowelt..

I only saw it for the first time like 2 days ago. He's cool. I like his approach. Everything sounded a bit shit at first.. or at least like it wasnt going to be that good.. but when it all came together it was perfect.

Thanks Hux. Forum is indeed nice so long as you don't mind all the joking in between the serious helpfulness :)
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Re: building up my first studio

Post by Críoch »

If you are getting monitors.. Don't get anything small, like the 5in speaker type. Get the 8in ones.. spend a bit extra. Save up a bit more than you originally consider spending & it'll be worth it.

Besides, you'll not end up replacing them down the road.
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Re: building up my first studio

Post by Hux »

Críoch wrote:If you are getting monitors.. Don't get anything small, like the 5in speaker type. Get the 8in ones.. spend a bit extra. Save up a bit more than you originally consider spending & it'll be worth it.

Besides, you'll not end up replacing them down the road.
I guess that will be my first purchase then alongside a drummachine maybe. always thought drummachines were something you bought right at the end as i thought i could easily be replaced by samples. It's sometimes difficult to find something as a beginner as there are so many options. grateful for all the help and replys

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Re: building up my first studio

Post by Lost to the Void »

Hux wrote:
Lost to the Void wrote:philips make monitors? As far as I am aware they have never made studio monitors.
So I would say yes, if you are looking to build a studio, then you need proper monitors.
If you buy decent they will last you practically a lifetime.
If you can`t hear what you are doing properly, all is for nought.

Failing that a very very good set of headphones will do.

But good monitors win every time. They are the heart of every studio.
working with audio technica m50-x as headphones but then ill invest in monitors for sure. any opinion on for example the yamaha HS range?
The HS range is ok. They are probably on the better side in the cheap monitor range, but at some point you would want to move on.

Look at spending around £500 -£1000 for pair of good mid priced monitors.
Better going for something at the mid price bracket that will stay with you for a lifetime.
Buy cheap, buy twice, as they say.

M50x are ok, they have problems though (mid range channel level problems being one). If they were your sole monitoring option I would definitely upgrade to something better.

As for dum machine, meh, not an urgent purchase really. Ableton vst`s and good sampling skills will get you great (I would say better) results than your average drum machine, which will be fairly limited.
I think you are right, get other stuff first (versatile synth), leave the drum machine until later.
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Re: building up my first studio

Post by Mattias »

Good monitors (it doesn't cost a lot to get decent ones) and a little (real) basstrapping
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Re: building up my first studio

Post by buffered »

Have to agree with advice to invest in monitors. You didn't mention an audio interface though. Do you have one?
If not I would say interface and monitors before anything else.
In terms of interface, do not go for an interface with a huge amount of ins and outs as at your pricerange. The more ins and outs at a cheaper price generally means something is compromised.
If you are on a mac, have a look at the apogee duet or similar interfaces that offer a very high quality input/output.
This will last you for a long time and when you decide you need further ins/out, your apogee will still be very useful if you are ready to play in a live situation.
Having a good monitor setup from the beginning is very good practice. It will save you sooooooo much time. You will focus on your sound with the confidence that you are not missing something.
A good place to maybe consider are the presonus sceptre series or Adam A7. I hear KRK make some decent middle of the road workhorse type monitors but this is only what i've heard.
Also keep your eye on the secondhand market. Have seen plenty of Mackie HR and Dynaudio monitors on various secondhand sites at good prices.
If you can't stretch to a good audio interface and monitors, I would suggest a good interface and decent monitor headphones. If you have a nice working environment, go for open back headphones. Beyerdynamic are affordable and reasonably reliable. Focals Spirits are quite nice also.

So after good monitoring my advice would be....keep it simple. Learn how to make the sounds you want with a small amount of tools. If in Ableton, learn how to use it. Constantly chasing gear will not make you sound any better unless you know how to use things in an effective way.
This is where good monitoring and a basic understanding of things comes into play. Then just have fun and fuck about with things.


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