Essential hardware to replace a DAW

Electronic Music Production // Dark Arts
innovine
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Re: Essential hardware to replace a DAW

Post by innovine »

As alternatives to the MPC, a Yamaha r1mx and rs7000 are very popular choices for midi sequencing, especially among the live set guys as they are apparently excellent for jamming and improvising live on (MPC is a production machine, not really a live tool). Lots of knobs and stuff on them too, and I'm itchy to get one but they don't come up for sale here so often. I don't think these are good as synths and samplers though, just pure sequencing.
I've tried an XL-7 in the past too. This was pretty neat if you would like to record incoming midi from some other source, but I found the tiny display made editing rather fiddly, and I wasn't blown away by the interface for x0x style sequencing neither. I sold it again, but the 4x4 knobs on the side are something I wish the MPC had...

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helloitsmeagain
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Re: Essential hardware to replace a DAW

Post by helloitsmeagain »

not sure about other MPCs, but you can record midi from external resources on the 4000. Also, the 4 knobs on the left and 2 sliders are freely assignable, can be assigned to multiple destinations at once. So you can assign them to some variables on a pad, record in your modulation. Then, reassign them to other variables on a different pad... repeating the process till your track is an incomprehensible mess of modulation, should you so wish.
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Mslwte
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Re: Essential hardware to replace a DAW

Post by Mslwte »

Mslwte wrote:
ross-alexander wrote:you want to go start to end product entirely without a daw? or just for creating stuff and multitracking into a daw?
I'd like to completely cut out the computer. I'm guessing now it's looking unlikely. Multi tracking to a daw is kinda what I have been doing up to this point.

I like the idea of an mpc. I've read before that techno people have used them.
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Re: Essential hardware to replace a DAW

Post by seanocean »

glad the topic of the octatrack has come up. it's a beast. but it's more for cutting up audio on the fly not for tracking out existing samples, though i bet you could do that with USB (?). i was just hinking the other option would be cirklon. but that's really expensive. not like the octatrack isn't.. but more expensive than an old MPC 1000 etc.

http://www.sequentix.com/cirklon.htm that's like tr style sequencing on everything.. pretty decent.

i mean as long as we're talking about sequencers. you could go with an old yamaha sequencer, or even go oldschool with the alesis MMT-8
http://www.vintagesynth.com/misc/mmt8.php

you say you have outboard gear?
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decair
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Re: Essential hardware to replace a DAW

Post by decair »

personally, I'm enjoying the Octotrack...there's of course is a learning curve involved. If I had decided on something else it would be the Yamaha SU-700...Speedy J had two back in the day and I owned one myself...that has by far been the most creative sampler in my bag...won't replace a daw but, the efx chains are ridiculous!
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atom_output
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Re: Essential hardware to replace a DAW

Post by atom_output »

i'm currently in the process of slowly acquiring hardware so i can take a rest from software. i'm starving for some knob-twiddling, and the decision is to combine both korg esx and octatrack. both units are still on the way, and i plan to combine some efx pedals and whatnot.

not really a daw-replacement, and i'm still going to design all my sounds on the computer, but it's definitely a powerful solution for live hardware techno. i've been reading up on octatrack, and this thing is scary. it'll probably take years to master it.

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Re: Essential hardware to replace a DAW

Post by Barskiniov »

Anyone used a publison cl 20 c compressor once? I consider to buy one...

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Mslwte
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Re: Essential hardware to replace a DAW

Post by Mslwte »

The update to this thread, I took a break from music and now I'm getting my mojo back :)
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https://noizefacilityrecords.bandcamp.com
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Re: Essential hardware to replace a DAW

Post by Críoch »

Nothing like a bit of vinyl with your name on it to get you back in the mood either.. :)
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Mslwte
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Re: Essential hardware to replace a DAW

Post by Mslwte »

Lol it helps :D
https://soundcloud.com/mslwte
https://noizefacilityrecords.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/subsekt909
https://www.facebook.com/subsekt909/
Lost to the Void wrote:Fuck off, get some tequila down ya neck and make some noise you cunt....

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Re: Essential hardware to replace a DAW

Post by Kuchta »

atom_output wrote:i'm currently in the process of slowly acquiring hardware so i can take a rest from software. i'm starving for some knob-twiddling, and the decision is to combine both korg esx and octatrack. both units are still on the way, and i plan to combine some efx pedals and whatnot.

not really a daw-replacement, and i'm still going to design all my sounds on the computer, but it's definitely a powerful solution for live hardware techno. i've been reading up on octatrack, and this thing is scary. it'll probably take years to master it.

After years of different workflows, including completely ITB, completely hardware, recording to 1" 8-track (I shit you not) and an MPC as my hub, this is now where I have settled. I'm almost totally hardware, but still think you miss out massively without, at the very least, the ability to edit in the way that even the simplest DAW lets you.

Hardware is great for 'performing' and getting your clips and samples together, be that a single drum hit or 32 bars of developing twiddles. I then dump these (via old mixers, pre-amps, tape machines, pedals and effect) into Protools which I use as a glorified tape recorder that also allows me to edit. I don't use effects in there, I don't even adjust levels unless I'm after automation. Then straight out to a hardware mixer with simple delay and reverbs for the final mix and some dubbing of effects.

Works great for me, means all my original sounds are backed-up for further remixes or live shows, and I don't get to stare at a screen with a mouse all day.

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rktic
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Re: Essential hardware to replace a DAW

Post by rktic »

I totally understand the urge to get away from the clickbait of DAW based music production. But let's split this further:

most of the clicks happen during sequencing and mixing. If you wanna keep the ability to just record multiple tracks at once and then cut shit up effectively you won't get anywhere without real screen estate.

Idea: sequence with midi, mix OTB, record to an iPad with a multitrack i/o device? Best of all worlds, really.

Cause, as romantic as recording to 8-tracks etc is: in the end you wanna send stuff around on the digital domain either way. And just be it for mastering and email sakes.

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Wiu
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Re: Essential hardware to replace a DAW

Post by Wiu »

Planar wrote:
Lost to the Void wrote:
Mslwte wrote:Well it looks as if I'll have to quit music for a bit and watch porn
You could make music from all the sex sounds like these people did.
I made an album like this. It was 12 seconds long. The main sound was inadequate sobbing...
Over a year later, this made me lol just as much as the first time I read it.
Thank you for the laughs, debate, new music found, production tips etc etc over the years. I wish Subsekt and everyone all the best for the future. Wiu.

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Wiu
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Re: Essential hardware to replace a DAW

Post by Wiu »

And I never did post any kick drums distorted through the Tascam. I'm a lazy cunt.
Thank you for the laughs, debate, new music found, production tips etc etc over the years. I wish Subsekt and everyone all the best for the future. Wiu.

innovine
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Re: Essential hardware to replace a DAW

Post by innovine »

An AW4416 could possibly replace a DAW, at least in some ways. You can record 16 channels at once, each with EQ and compressor, some inbuilt effects, good routing possibilities, etc. Once recorded each of the 16 tracks can have up to 8 virtual tracks (alternative takes),, and you can cut out sections of tracks and move them around and so on. You can set and jump between lots of markers, punch in and out recording, and best of all you can record all the fader movements and changes, store all the eq settings in scenes and recall them, etc. Kinda DAW like but editing is primitive and a bit painful to be honest... more suitable for correcting an occasional error rather than complicated arrangement. You'd be better off getting it right in your sequencer and simply re-recording most times. It is excellent for that.


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