How would you spend my money?

[UL]

I posted this info yesterday

Current studio equipment:
PC - Custom build from Rain Recording 3.0 Quad core AMD Phenom Black edition, 4 GBs of RAM, Windows XP 32 bit
DAW - Ableton 8 suite
Maserting software - Izotope Ozone 4
Interface - RME Fireface 800
Controllers - APC 40, M-audio Axiom 49
Speakers - JBL LSR 4328p and a JBL 4312p sub - Event PS6
Furman PL Plus DMC 15v power conditioner

Now i think a better question to pose which would yeild better results....Considering what i already have for equipment, what else should i add to my setup to optimize a creative enviroment for making DnB/Aggrotech (TBM)?
Note i have a current budget of $5000 USD (i could spend more if needed) How would you spend this money to break out some good tunes? Thanks

[Emissary]

A lava lamp, some champagne glasses, a bong, an old radio, a tape deck, some Klauss wunderlick tapes, a feather duster, a few empty coke bottles with mold in them, a 53inch monitor, a doublended seesaw and a cloudbuster.

[contakt321]

I would spend this money on taking 1-4 weeks off of work, and spend 40-80 hours a week studying techniques and practicing making music.

You have everything you need, just start making the songs.

PS: check out the dogsonacid forum, it's all D&B focused, lots of great tips on there.

[UKRuss]

pr0n

[kb420]

Jack Daniels, beer, and strippers!

[Trip Downtown]

Just set it aside and start making tunes. You've got enough already to start cranking out songs, no need to spend moeny just because you have it. The worst musical purchases I've made have been when I had extra cash and just wanted to spend it. Even if you buy a bunch of stuff now you can guarantee that in a couple of months you will want something else.

$0.02

[Tone Deft]

How would you spend this money to break out some good tunes? Thanks

if you could write good tunes you wouldn't need to spend more money on gear.

spend money on guitar/piano lessons. take a class on music theory and composition.

[1.6180339887]

First of all, ignore the asshats who are gonna tell you got everything you need already blah blah...
That's just your stock response. Ya, they're right but who cares - right ?





Anyways lets proceed with the gear whoring.

What you want is a nice (analogue) synth or two, a nice analogue filter, a small mixing desk, cables, maybe a monome (kit) if you're into it, a couple quality VSTs, and some affordable sound treatment for your room.


Nice synths:
used roland sh-101
dave smith evolver (mono or poly)
future retro XS

filter:
sherman filterbank 2
mutronics mutator
schippman ebbe & fludt

mixing desks:
allen & heath

monome:
monome.org

vsts:
reaktor 5 (worth it for the user library alone)
2caudio aether (sweet reverb)
altiverb (convolution reverb, cool for simulating real spaces...)
impOSCar (synth)
Oddity (synth)

actually...there's tonnes of vsts to choose from and I wouldn't know where to stop.
Whatever you do, if you're spending idle cash I urge you to experiment with hardware first (buy used if/when possible) as it's a safer investment when it comes to re-sale imo.


[/idle gear whoring]



of course, if you're musical ability/talent isn't up to much it's not going to increase just because you buy some extra toys. But you know that already.

[UL]

Ok, Here is my scoop. Right now im in Iraq and i have been slowly and meticulously gainng the correct gear for my set up without overspending, but leaving enough room to grow into. I have been teaching myself ableton for some time, not to mention all the stuff that goes with production, gear placement ecccc..... I must admit it is quite alot of information. I find time between military stuff and family stuff to persue my passion. Ive been on the decks for sometime, even while i have been in the military i have been able to play in Japan, LA, and Minneapolis (originally where i am from). As for production, I dont think its a question of being able to write the tunes, its more a matter being able to get the sounds out of your head and hopefully manipulate them through various hardware, software ecc.... The reason I ask for advice is basically just a lack of knowledge. I have attmepted to seek professional instruction on various topics within the realm of music, but I will not do online classes (I find it counterproductive). Any in person instruction would require me to drive hours north to LA to attend classes on top of a very hectic work schedule, which i am fine with but you never know when one day you get a call and realize you will not be around for another year. Its quite sad actually. I have opted to teach many other service members/musicians or comp geeks a thing or two about my electronis realm, free of charge, just to offer a alternative to what i am facing. I really do appreciate any advice or comments given to me positive or negative. I have alot more to add, but i think the focus of the post is merley to get an understanding and recommendations on other things i may not be aware of yet. Thank you everyone I appreciate your considerations. - Jesse

[Tone Deft]

^well, he asked "what else should I ass to my setup?" so I gave him an ass of a response.

The Dance Music Manual is often recommended, here's a link to it and similar books
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=s ... al&x=0&y=0


I'd get a Virus or Nord or Moog Dave Smith synth. get one with a properly long keyboard.

agreed on the above filters.

Linn Drum or Machine Drum for drums.

a BCR and a BCF for control surfaces. or go nuts and get a Lemur.

some sample CDs. I really like "All The Breaks." there are TONS of DnB sample CDs that would make it dead simple to make songs from if you just slapped them together.


I wouldn't spend all the money at once. I'd get one thing from each category (synth, drums, samples, effects and controls) use them for a while and then see what you felt you were missing. I wouldn't buy another thing in a category until I felt I had honestly learned what I already have to its fullest. thing about buying lots of stuff at the same time it slows you down in learning your gear. also, when you get new gear, record what you do right off, it seems some of the best twiddling with new stuff is the best sounding.



edit - LA is hours north of Iraq? j/k you're at Pendleton or San Diego. you pay for the gas money and hotel and I'll teach you everything you'd want to know about Live. I love it down there.

[UL]

Ok nice catch on the "ass" thing haha. Yeah i may have to take you up on that.

[ethios4]

Buy some synths and get some acoustic treatment for your room. Considering you have a sub and are working in bass-heavy genres, you will get MUCH better results with proper bass traps, and general reflection treatmeant.

If you doubt the wisdom of this, setup a low frequency sine wave ( <100 HZ) and walk around your room. Try it at different frequencies. You will probably notice that a constant bass tone is drastically louder/softer in different areas....this will make working accurately on bass nearly impossible. Get it fixed.

http://www.realtraps.com/

[beats me]

This



http://www.arturia.com/evolution/en/pro ... intro.html

[nuxnamon]

add to your sample library (loops, etc.)
music lessons
a better control surface for mixing (eucon, mcu)
max4live
get a nice micpre and mic
get a dual screen monitor setup
more music lessons
and one synth of your choice and get to know it inside out..

[djsynchro]

reissue of the Neve 1073 preamp & EQ that's your 5 grand spent enjoy.