What to spend $USD 200 on?

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.

If you have the equivalent of $USD 200, what do you buy?

More Headphones, for reference
3
12%
More plugins, soft synths or effects
3
12%
Inexpensive MIDI controller
10
40%
Extra Hard Disk
1
4%
Inexpensive 'traditional instrument'
2
8%
Microphone
2
8%
Outboard electronics
4
16%
 
Total votes: 25

drush
Posts: 1282
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Post by drush » Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:04 pm

because monitors are one of the most important things in your studio. even if your studio is the corner of your bedroom.

john gordon
Posts: 2680
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 12:24 am
Location: Delaware

Post by john gordon » Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:31 pm

for 250 you can get your teeth whitened professionally.

kabuki
Posts: 1893
Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2003 11:26 pm
Location: ATX, fyi

Post by kabuki » Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:34 pm

The Photon X 25:

Audio i/o

Midi Knobbers, Keyboard and xyz controller in one spiffy package.

$200
15" PB 2.5 Ghz, 4 Gig RAM, 750 GB HD, Live 9 still no cue points or program change messages?!?. Doesn't do shit.

djadonis206
Posts: 6490
Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2004 4:23 pm
Location: Seattle, WA.

Post by djadonis206 » Mon Jul 11, 2005 11:03 pm

Yeah, memory - a bigger flat LCD monitor, monitors or even a firewire hardrive...


but what I really want to say and I'm totally trying my hardest not to is...


$200 bucks? Treat yourself to an 8 ball and some porn - crass i know but I just had to - $200 (viola!)


peace

a
Ableton | Elektron

Music

braj
Posts: 383
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2004 10:35 am
Contact:

Post by braj » Mon Jul 11, 2005 11:12 pm

A half oz of primo indica?

spiderprod
Posts: 1120
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2004 10:11 pm

Post by spiderprod » Tue Jul 12, 2005 12:12 am

live 5 is coming soon !!!
that's where i would put my money .

montrealbreaks
Posts: 995
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2004 11:38 pm
Location: Montreal Canada

Post by montrealbreaks » Tue Jul 12, 2005 12:18 am

Someone said earlier to replace the weakest link in your signal chain.

The difference between a $200 audio interface (Echo Indigo) and a $2000 interface (MOTU Traveler) is there, but minimal compared to the difference between $200 monitors (Tannoy Proto J's) and $2000 monitors (KRKs with a sub) or something similar.

That's why a lot of people say save for good monitors.

But, excellent monitors will not work properly in a poor listening environment. I still say acoustically treat your room - it's the cheapest, most "bang for your buck" improvement you can make to your sound.

I have changed my username; Now posting as:


M. Bréqs

anonymouse
Posts: 627
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2004 2:33 am

Post by anonymouse » Tue Jul 12, 2005 12:32 am

I guess you were looking for some evil tip that would recommend you buy the XS3000 groovebox/mixer/synth/sampler from a small company in Czechoslovakia that comes with 4GB ram as standard and the flexibility of Reaktor, Metasynth and a Dave Smith Evolver combined, integrating a beautiful brushed steel interface with 3 joysticks . :lol:

But the advice to save up for decent monitor kit is bang on. It will transform your approach to composition.

The only other useful suggestion I would give you is a nice vel-sensitive semi-weighted keyboard. Or perhaps Reaktor 5. Either of these will transform your world dramatically. It depends on whether you are more of a keyboardist or a tweaker.

My original point still holds - less gear is much better. Where you think your set-up is missing something, innovate and use a free alternative. You need something special to make your mark, and there is nothing healthier than lack of funds to drive the artistic beast.

SimonPHC
Posts: 979
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2004 4:59 pm
Location: Ghent, Belgium

Post by SimonPHC » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:03 am

Microphone!

'Cause now, it's Sing-a-long time with your own tunes!!

the voice is one of the most inspiring sources of sounds, and so is the rest of your surroundings. Hit that garage port for massive reverb !!

DustCookie
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2005 1:38 pm
Location: Toronto

me

Post by DustCookie » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:24 am

I really think if you want to spend it wisely you should spend it on me..
My Dad's Major

Diskclaimer
Posts: 295
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Location: Danbury, CT
Contact:

Post by Diskclaimer » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:33 am

i think some new monitors are in order

thx1138
Posts: 676
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2005 9:03 am

Post by thx1138 » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:34 am

montrealbreaks wrote: But, excellent monitors will not work properly in a poor listening environment. I still say acoustically treat your room - it's the cheapest, most "bang for your buck" improvement you can make to your sound.

100% agree
:wink:
Macbook Pro C2D2.5 17"/4G/OSX.5.6/Live8.12/Brain/Bla bla bla bla

kick_kick_snare
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 10:03 am
Location: Norwich

Post by kick_kick_snare » Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:06 pm

buy your self a selection of fine wines and single malt whiskys, either that or just blow the lot on fast women and cheap drugs - sorry, I mean cheap women and fast drugs... erm... no... er...

I mean, yeah, save up for good monitors.

or spend the money on trying to recreate your favourate scene from a film, get all of your friends to watch and then tell you how great you are. or just buy all of your friends a drink.

I know, just walk into a busy bar and shout 'the drinks are on me!' and see what happens.

gamble. put it all on a horse. but don't put it all in a hore.

go to your local thrift store and buy everything.

give it to charity.

take you mum and dad to dinner at a really nice resturant.

spend it on aromatherophy.

spend it on night school and learn french.

Buy you self a set of decent chefs knives.

boots. really nice leather boots.

sponser a class of 9 year olds to go to the circus.

buy loads of rice and vegtables and make the worlds biggest stir fry, then hold a competition to see who can eat the most stirfry in one minute, charge $5 per entry and make some of your money back.

save up and get monitors.
I like jam.

mikemc
Posts: 5464
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2004 2:14 pm
Location: Maryland USA

Re: ...

Post by mikemc » Tue Jul 12, 2005 6:43 pm

mike holiday wrote:
Captain Screwbarb wrote:What's so nice about getting better moniters? Really I don't know.

well there was a mention of needing better monitors but not haveing the cash flow


BTW have you ever upgraded your monitors? going from not so good to good gave me a big :D
Ok, so, Mike, what was your not so good and what did your good end up being?
UTENZIL a tool... of the muse.

Meffy
Posts: 327
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2004 1:21 pm

Post by Meffy » Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:18 pm

Two days of personal coaching via Internet. And what do you know -- I have a couple days open next week! =^_^=

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