Moving away from the box

[JonasEdenbrandt]

I recently been feeling really uninspired to make music. I read in thread here about how the computer is perhaps great for making music but not for composing, and thought I would make a go for moving away from the computer.

As far as hardware goes I have: a crappy keyboard, an mmt-8 sequencer, an SP-404, a piano, an electricbass, record players and three DJ mixers.

Any way I've started working with the SP-404 and just sampling records and been trying to put together beats with them. I find making beats like this very rewarding in a lot of ways. There are problems though. For me as a person thats been making music in the box just punching in the beats is a hassle (still i see this as a positive thing, and it's only a new thing to learn). Also I find it hard to get okay sources. A bigger problem though is that when sampling single hits from records these hits are usually very short, so to get a full sounding beat going u need like a ton of samples and it easily gets muddy and cluttered. I know that full tracks have been made on similar samplers like the 404 so there has to be ways of doing this.

I guess what I'm after are tips and tricks for making music with just a sampler/simple hardware. Should I get FX and resample things through them? How do i get past that everything comes out on the same channel? Are usually things that are recorded from samplers like this recroded one sound at a time?

[Phase Ghost]

What kind of computer do you have? If you have a mac look at Numerology. While it's a computer program, when you use it with the Novation launchpad, you don't even look at the screen. It's got that hands on step sequencer vibe plus a lot more. I love it.

As far as sampling, I'd say maybe try the MPC. However, most people I know with an MPC use more for the sequencer than the sampling aspect of it. The computer really is the ultimate sampler. Especially when it comes to slicing up beats. You could always slice up on the computer and arrange on your 404.

[AK]

I've had a fair few samplers and a lot of which were a single stereo out, my Korg Triton Studio has multiple outs but I rarely use them. I used to pre-process my samples before loading them into the sampler. I was - and still am using wavelab for this, alternatively, if the samplers offers a selection of filters for each sample, make use of them. ie: Hp/LP/BP filter types might be all you need to ensure things are separated enough to remove the need for multiple outs. But certainly, pre-processing them is the way I'd go. If you are using samples for most drum sounds, do you have a decent library? I'd much prefer using a sild source of individula hits than purely sampling off records.

I know nothing about the SP-404 though, so can't comment on getting the most out of that.

[hydrogen]

tip for getting out of the box: Get a couple credit cards and max them out.

[oblioblioblio]

Hydrogen speaks the truth.

Although I am sure there are ways you can fit hardware into a reasonable budget. Resampling is probably one technique. Also look out for bargain buys. x0xb0x, DIY and machines that are out of favour.

[JonasEdenbrandt]

All intresting inputs.

My idea with this is to at least complete one track (or at least some kind of sketch) without using the computer at all. Then maybe try doing something more close to a real thing with both computer and sampler (or some similar setup).

As for processing the samples. What should i look into for processing. Filters prolly, maybe I should build/buy a HP/LP filter or two or use the filter on one of my DJ mixers. As for compression if I use mostly samples from records should i be looking into a compressor? One thing that comes to mind is that the sounds on the record are probably already compressed? Will i squish things to much if I ad compression of my own? As for reverb will I be able to resample stuff with reverb tail on it and still make it sound ok? Or will i have to record the sounds seperate and add reverb on the performance?

One of my thoughts is that theres a ton of techno, house and Hiphop tracks that still stand and have been made with sp1200 and MPCs. How did these oldschool producers go about their buissnes? Did they process and resample? Did they record overdub onto tape playing sounds on their own?

[hydrogen]

All intresting inputs.

My idea with this is to at least complete one track (or at least some kind of sketch) without using the computer at all. Then maybe try doing something more close to a real thing with both computer and sampler (or some similar setup).

As for processing the samples. What should i look into for processing. Filters prolly, maybe I should build/buy a HP/LP filter or two or use the filter on one of my DJ mixers. As for compression if I use mostly samples from records should i be looking into a compressor? One thing that comes to mind is that the sounds on the record are probably already compressed? Will i squish things to much if I ad compression of my own? As for reverb will I be able to resample stuff with reverb tail on it and still make it sound ok? Or will i have to record the sounds seperate and add reverb on the performance?

One of my thoughts is that theres a ton of techno, house and Hiphop tracks that still stand and have been made with sp1200 and MPCs. How did these oldschool producers go about their buissnes? Did they process and resample? Did they record overdub onto tape playing sounds on their own?

wow! you got the mind for it... just get creative! i love your approach already... doesn't matter how you go about it man. you could get a lot of milage of resampling... and even use your computer for processing sounds and then bringing back into the hardware.(i know you said you didn't want to at all) so make use of everything you got... just like you said using your mixer with the filters.. you are a genius!

[eggnchips]

I too was feeling uninspired by mouse clicking and was sort of feeling pressure to compose a track worthy of a release, so I just kept clicking away making track after track and kind of not feeling it. I recently invested in a mixing desk and a Machinedrum, and must say that even though it's been a while since I actually recorded and composed anything, I feel so much more energized jamming, learning the ins and outs of my new gear and overdriving the mixer channels- I haven't looked at the computer screen for ages.
I jam now as much as I can and don't even bother saving the work. My aim is to be able to jam proficiently enough to record it
all one take, like others do round here.
I was also tempted to get a Maschine. Possibly a good bridge between hardware and software for someone like yourself.