Making minimal techno with minimal gear

Sipe · Post by **Sipe** » Sat Aug 27, 2005 9:42 pm

Hey everyone. Just joined, first post. Hopefully you all can help.

I'm still young. This is very good. Except when it comes to financial issues. Wages for the youth are far from the best out there, and the few hours of pay I get tend to go toward gas money.

However, i still have some decent equipment. I just don't have a lot of it. I have a decent msuical background, being in the highest classical band in the high school i'm attending, as well as the marching band. I know my fair share of music thereoy.

Now as for my equipment;

I have a Yahama Motif ES6, a Korg electribe drum machine, and a Microkorg at my disposal. Thing is, with alot of the synths geared toward that pop trance nonsense, I sometimes have diffculty finding a sound that works for me. My next purchase is going to be a turntable set i've had my eye on for a while, and after that i'm thinking TB-303 or possibly 909 drum machine. Yes, i'll have to save in huge amounts for the 303, but it's a sacrifice i'm willing to make. That little box has gotten more praise than any other machine I know.

Now, given all of that, what would you have me purchace next to enhance my sound? A laptop seems most logical, even before the TB-303, as i can't very well tweak all my stuff just having it sit in the motif workstation.

Your thoughts?+

mlexicon · Post by **mlexicon** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 2:41 am

i say laptop!

tsod · Post by **tsod** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 2:58 am

sure! laptop and software.. the most affordable and equal quality meanwhile

fredrik_h · Post by **fredrik_h** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 10:40 am

Sipe wrote:....I have a Yahama Motif ES6, a Korg electribe drum machine, and a Microkorg at my disposal. Thing is, with alot of the synths geared toward that pop trance nonsense, I sometimes have diffculty finding a sound that works for me. My next purchase is going to be a turntable set i've had my eye on for a while, and after that i'm thinking TB-303 or possibly 909 drum machine. Yes, i'll have to save in huge amounts for the 303, but it's a sacrifice i'm willing to make. That little box has gotten more praise than any other machine I know.

Now, given all of that, what would you have me purchace next to enhance my sound? A laptop seems most logical, even before the TB-303, as i can't very well tweak all my stuff just having it sit in the motif workstation.

Your thoughts?+

I'd also say a laptop even though I don't use computers myself for music, it's a good choice, aslong as it works.

I've used the ER-1 and the Microkorg and sure the _presets_ are made for trance/whatever, but you need to learn to program your owns sounds because pretty much all presets suck in most of the synths out there - the er-1 can sound quite good even though the sound is a bit plastic (which doesn't need to be negative thing in my eyes/ears) but with the right use (and preferably a compressor, which you're well of with just a software-compressor if you're getting a laptop anyway) you can do magic with it. I don't really see the use of a 303 these days more than if you're really an analouge freak (which I doubt you are...?), or just want it for its status.
many synths (including the ms2000 & microkorg) can do 303'ish sounds, and I think you'll survive with that for quite a while. I'd say - learn what you got and if you don't got a platform for recording stuff - get a computer/laptop +soundcard + midi-interface.

roebin de freitas · Post by **roebin de freitas** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:39 pm

there are some 303 clones that are worth while and at a nifty price as well

just google a bit. plenty of reviews and even ways to make one yourself can be found easily.

minimal house · Post by **minimal house** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 11:33 pm

Id say dont get a laptop..too many people are using them.

I have an electribe R and a korg ms2000r and you can definately do some wicked sh!t with just that setup alone, and will have a unique minimal sound.

If your looking for an alternative to laptop production look into the electribe series. They are reasonably priced and pack a good punch.

fader · Post by **fader** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 2:30 am

i'm with you minimal house. i don't make music myself. stupid coz i do have a nice powermac and all this soft i 'got' from 'someone'... and i just never bothered installing one of those programs.. after being 8hrs behind a screen at work i really lack the courage to start making music for the rest of the evening behind a screen too...
but recently i was at a friends place that has one of those electribes (i think there are 3 of 4 different models) and i had fun playing for hours on that thing

it's just different man, i dunno. if i ever start making music it'll be definitely with hardware

Jesse Somfay · Post by **Jesse Somfay** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 2:36 am

I use a fast desktop PC, Ableton, and a pile of VST synths and FX. For what it's worth I have been able to do anything I could possibly dream up with this right now. If I were to use more hardware, I would need to spend a mountain more of money just to achieve the same things. This is just a personal preference though to reach my needs since my productions are filled to the brim with effects now. I personally need to be able to make really quick tiny edits on the fly and do it well, and this is how I do it. The only real 'hardware' I use would be my electric guitar, amp and fuzz pedal.

Making minimal techno with minimal gear

Making minimal techno with minimal gear

Re: Making minimal techno with minimal gear