Post your keyboard controllers, synths, drum machines, etc!

Are you saying it's silly to have a Martin Garrix tattoo?

Yeah though... I believe the 3 most common(popular) VST's are 'Massive' , 'Nexus' and 'Sylenth'.

Sylenth is my favorite !

Cylotron said:

Are you saying it's silly to have a Martin Garrix tattoo?

Yeah though... I believe the 3 most common(popular) VST's are 'Massive' , 'Nexus' and 'Sylenth'.

Sylenth is my favorite !

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David Guetta tattoo > Martin Garrix tattoo

But yeah you're right, everyone uses those 3. I don't use any of them. I'm a very simple guy and a slow learner. I first like to do everything in the box. Since I use Ableton I want to maximize my knowledge of all of Ableton's native plugins. Then when I'm comfortable I'll try 3rd party VSTs. I've experimented with a few VSTs just to see what I'm missing but I found that the stuff I already have that's native to Ableton is already amazing. Like Ableton's native synths for example "Analog" which is exactly what it's called. It's modeled after 70s and 80s Analog synths. Then they have "Operator" which is an FM synth with 4 oscillators. It's POWERFUL AS FUCK and can do some crazy things. It would take me ages to figure it all out but I can do just about anything any other softsynth can do.

Some people I know use a shit ton of 3rd party VST plugins and have no clue what's in their DAW but will talk shit about other DAWs lacking good plugins LOL which is just stupid. Some of my friends are on the opposite end of the spectrum though and use like every DAW available which blows my mind because that's a lot of information to learn and try to retain. One of my buddies will start the song in FL Studio then go to Ableton then to Reaper then do his final mixdown and maybe master it in Cubase. Then on another song he'll use a totally different set of DAWs. I'm like WTF!

On my quest for knowledge it seemed like the information on the truth is getting out there and that's good because there is a lot of ignorance on DAWs and I was very very ignorant. That "DAW audio engine" myth is one I fell for as a novice but learned later it doesn't even exist. This link needs to get around the music production world http://www.image-line.com/support/FLHelp/html/app_audio.htm

Anytime I talk to someone who's just making dance music as a hobby(or a novice) always talk about the different DAW's they mess around with.

Whenever I talk to someone who's doing it professionally, will always use just 1 daw. If they incorporate hardware though, they'll regularly add new hardware.

I'm not sure if I asked before but what software do you use?

I've dabbled with different daws and had been using Cubase for awhile. Been having issues with my elicenser lately as well as occasional glitches with some vst's. I'm fairly experienced with FL Studio and thinking about just sticking with that(at least for now).

When I had my Mac I used Logic Pro. Oh and, I always thought that FL & Logic had the best interfaces(visually)

Oh ok. I actually started with Fruity loops back in the day, like around 2000 or so probably. I had no clue what I was doing and it felt tedious so I dropped production all together after a couple years(I was an idiot). I kinda wished I had stuck with it but oh well it is what it is. All that matters is I'm back doing it. I guess FL studio has come a looooong way since the Fruity Loops days.

I thought I'd post a quick list of what DAW's some professional producers use:

Anthony Rother - Logic Pro
Aphex Twin - Cubase
Basement Jaxx - Logic Pro
Legowelt - Propellerheads Reason
North Base - Logic Pro
Toronto Is Broken - Ableton Live
Zombie Nation - Ableton Live

Also, the following producers use FL Studio: Afrojack , Avicii , Deadmau5 , Martin Garrix ... seems a lot of " main room " DJ's/producers use FL

Just a silly idea. We should all make a soundtrack to this site. I think that'd be fun.

I just ordered this book:

Handmade Electronic Music

Can't wait. Arrives tomorrow. This is the 2nd edition, greatly improved over the first.

Has plans for a basic sequencer. I'm going to build it next so that it can run my noise maker, which I just finished up:



Saw some other simple circuits for adjustable filters - and I've seen some extremely simple oscillator circuits that I need to try out.

If anyone is interested in that book, I have the .pdf that the author created, that this book is based on, before he put out that 1st edition of the back. It's really cool.

Lagduf said:

I just ordered this book:

Handmade Electronic Music

Can't wait. Arrives tomorrow. This is the 2nd edition, greatly improved over the first.

Has plans for a basic sequencer. I'm going to build it next so that it can run my noise maker, which I just finished up:

View attachment 20396

Saw some other simple circuits for adjustable filters - and I've seen some extremely simple oscillator circuits that I need to try out.

If anyone is interested in that book, I have the .pdf that the author created, that this book is based on, before he put out that 1st edition of the back. It's really cool.

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very cool man, you know I may have to look into this book.

I don't think I've caught up on all the song links just yet but AI was cool cyclo, I dug the vibe.

does your monotribe have the midi mod? if you are unaware of the midi mod google it getting it on midi and sequencing it on your daw would bring it from toy status to pro gear IMO. I know tak loves the monotribe and I was sold on one until I decided to go the volca route for my first cheap analogue noise makers.

I think the rhythm wolf looks great but I've really yet to hear anything, gonna wait for some impressions when the thing comes out.

I would definitely jump in for a ng.com soundtrack lol. I been meaning to bring the sampler over to the cabinet again to get some weird noises again sometime!

complexz said:

very cool man, you know I may have to look into this book.

I don't think I've caught up on all the song links just yet but AI was cool cyclo, I dug the vibe.

does your monotribe have the midi mod? if you are unaware of the midi mod google it getting it on midi and sequencing it on your daw would bring it from toy status to pro gear IMO. I know tak loves the monotribe and I was sold on one until I decided to go the volca route for my first cheap analogue noise makers.

I think the rhythm wolf looks great but I've really yet to hear anything, gonna wait for some impressions when the thing comes out.

I would definitely jump in for a ng.com soundtrack lol. I been meaning to bring the sampler over to the cabinet again to get some weird noises again sometime!

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I've been reading through the book. It has soooooo many great projects and weird noise makers. It's more towards the hacking/noise end of the spectrum but I bet with a proper setup adding one of these noise makers in to the mix could make for some cool effects. That said I'm just interested in making noise. I'm definitely going to build a sequencer, couple different lo-fi oscillators, a mini-amp, and maybe a mixer from this book. We're talking real basic, lo-fi stuff using chips that don't costs more than a buck.

I was already ready to pick up a monotribe but I think I want to step up a bit and grab a used Arturia Microbrute. Been seeing them on ebay for $199 plus shipping. Seems like a versatile beginner analog synth.

My freshly made 10 step sequencer driving my 556 Stepped Tone Generator.

Oh god damn I'm so proud, so happy. Lo-Fi goodness.

Need to get this from a prototype to an encased build ASAP.

that's so cool man great work

I'm having the biggest musician's block I've ever experienced. Everytime I sit down to make a new track, it only ends in playing around with some sounds, then I switch of my stuff and that's that. I feel empty.

Happens to me every now and then. The longest hiatus I had so far lasted for a whopping 3 years...

I've been having some issues myself. Haven't had much free time lately & when I have actually sat down to work on a track, I'll do some cool loop(at least I'll think it's cool), save it and tell myself I'll get back to it.... but I haven't

Tons and tons of incomplete project files just sitting there. Sometimes I'll think about getting myself fired & collecting unemployment(so that I'd have all the time in the world to work on tracks)... but I'm a contractor. Oh well.

I just wish I had more time. My wife is very flip floppy about my hobby. One minute she wants me to just mess with my music and the next she's annoyed that I spent the whole day messing around on my setup. I've improved but I still suck at making music and I don't have much to show for and it's frustrating as fuck. To be fair I'm gone at work for a good portion of the day so it's not like she's being a total bitch. I just need more free time.

I need something like that closet from "the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" so I could disappear for hours and come back and only a second has passed.

Not enough time for making music is another problem for me at the moment. The closer we get to New Year's Eve, the more work we have at the factory and in the shop. There's hardly a weekend that isn't packed full with all sorts of dates for goods delivery, etc. In a few hours I'll be on the road again to deliver stuff to two customers in the Frankfurt area, then we'll meet with a group of people who want to start a production line for firecrackers and single shots and I won't return before Monday evening, and then it's work-work-work until Sat again... it's wearing me out, man.

I haven't watched any of the new Sonic Talk shows in ages... Hopefully things will settle down in January and I'm sure that my creativity will return when I don't have to deal with fireworks stuff for a few weeks.

I still have some unreleased tracks sitting on one of my external HDs, perhaps I'll release them in the meantime, let's see.

I made a new track(sort of)... Noticed that Beatport was doing another remix contest and one of the tracks was by an artist named Andrea Balency. I decided to take the vocals from that(as well as a few other bits here & there) and incorporate them into my previous track "Other Worlds". I always felt that track would do well with some sort of mixup/mashup.
Anyway, it's been submitted to Beatport for the contest and here's a link to it on youtube:

Don't know how long it'll last on youtube as I was notified right after uploading of possible copyright infringement.

Also, if you happen to have a Beatport account & wouldn't mind voting for it, here's a link:
http://play.beatport.com/contests/andrea-balency-youve-never-been-alone/54743388753a0d7913450a52

dang... my original track "other worlds (dream mix)" only got 2 likes on soundcloud. now that i've re-vamped it mixing in those vocals, the new "vocal" version got 9 likes in 1 day.

i've been wanting to incorporate original vocals into my tracks for some time now. sadly i don't have a mic
perhaps this is encouragement to go out and buy one(a long with that voice transformer i've always wanted)

BUMP!!!!...

I had some free time over the Thanksgiving weekend and made a new track. It's a house track w/ an early 90's feel to it(somewhat similar to my "Is This House Music?" track)

I need a new audio interface for my MacBook Air. Only need Stereo in, as I'm happy to just route from my mixer, but wouldn't mind ditching the old Behringer for a more modern interface if affordable. I can't drop Apogee Duet coin on this but willing to go in $200 - $400-ish. Any recommendations?

Well, Akai makes some nice equipment and supposedly the "EIE" model for $199 is excellent.

Cylotron said:

Well, Akai makes some nice equipment and supposedly the "EIE" model for $199 is excellent.

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Saw that, and was really digging it, but the reviews are atrocious on Amazon.

Might do the Roland QuadCapture instead. Only the front two inputs are analog, but that's all I need for the mixer and the only complaint anyone has is the single knob to control audio out to your monitors and headphones. I can handle that...

Still, wish the Akai's reviews weren't scaring me so much because I could ditch the mixer and just direct connect everything with that. Would clear some desk space. The reviews at B&H (where I'd probably buy it, since they don't charge me tax) are way, way better... DAMN DAMN DAMN. Anyone able to vouch for the EIE? Cylotron, do you have one of these setup and running?

I had a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 but it's lost in storage atm. It's pretty decent and fairly inexpensive now. I'm running on a Win 7 machine so don't know about support for the latest OSX. Was thinking about getting something new soon.

Takumaji said:

I'm having the biggest musician's block I've ever experienced. Everytime I sit down to make a new track, it only ends in playing around with some sounds, then I switch of my stuff and that's that. I feel empty.

Happens to me every now and then. The longest hiatus I had so far lasted for a whopping 3 years...

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thats when you uncase the technics and go through your old singles.

spinning mini sets always gets the ideas flowing