Would you experts recommend this setup for my needs?

[Ajacky]

Hi all,

I'm finally getting into producing and would like to make sure at the beginning that I'm starting with the right equipment and software. I have a background in DJing which I have done for 3 years now. I've had many kinds of gear during that time but I have most enjoyed my current setup which is a simple but high quality Rane Sixty One mixer and 2 turntables. To me less is sometimes more and I would like to focus on quality of features instead of quantity in my production setup also. I'm not someone who likes to tweak things a lot but rather enjoy everything being simple and working "straight out of box" and being reliable. I want a setup that is both not too overwhelming to start with but also something I can grow with and develop my skills. So simple, efficient but obviously not the most expensive at this point.

I'm looking to produce Electro-house/Mainroom house and remixes. This is the kind of setup I have at the moment:

Macbook Pro
KRK Rokit 5's
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
Ableton Live 8 Lite

I'm thinking of getting:

Ableton Live 9
Massive plugin
Sausage fattener plugin
Korg Microkey 37
Genelec 8040s (When I some day get the money for them)

Do you guys think this setup will serve my needs well or would you change something? Also are there some other essential VST plugins you would recommend?

Thanks a lot if you have the time to give advice

[Eventful]

The only input I can really give is this:

?Don't get a Nanokey. I only recommend those when portability is an absolutely critical issue. Get a full-size keyboard.

?The rest of the stuff is all good, from what I've heard. It all comes down to what you like, not what everyone says is "the best of".

[vitalispopoff]

?Don't get a Nanokey. I only recommend those when portability is an absolutely critical issue. Get a full-size keyboard

agree. in order to keep some space (which I'm constantly short of) I had to exchange 49key midi with 24 - a nightmare to work with, if You're able - don't think, and just buy 88 - full access makes difference, especially when You're thinking seriously about making music.

[Ajacky]

Thanks for tips. I will continue searching for the right keyboard. Thing is that I don't have much space on my desk so I think I'm gonna have to settle to some kind of smaller compromise keyboard or maybe something "mid-size" if there is such a thing.

[Sage]

8. Your KRKs are fine

But getting the 8040s would be totally worth it if the OP has the money for them.

[ze2be]

8. Your KRKs are fine

But getting the 8040s would be totally worth it if the OP has the money for them.

I have to second this. If you want something to grow with. And you dont need big ones, 6" is enough or actually maximum recomended size in most studio rooms. Optionally Dynaudio or Adams are safe buys for a long time, and they are the same price range. Genelec is the most "pro", but its getting a little old. When I get "famous and rich" I might consider moving from Genelecs to something new and fresh. But I will stick with them a good few more years.

Genelec promise to support you with spare parts years after each model has expired from production. Really nice pro service. Also great studio setup advices to get from their web site. Always buy Genelecs second hand! You dont loose a dollar when you sell them again. As long as you keept them in good shape, the value stays. Its high quality stuf.

[leisuremuffin]

if you're not really a keyboard player, the microkey prob won't bother you that much. The 61key one looks like a pretty nice deal considering you get the legacy plugs with it. However, no aftertouch!

I've never played one or seen one in person, but the Samson graphite looks pretty good for a beginners controller. pretty small, 49 keys some sliders and knobs. and it has aftertouch. you'd have to go handle one to make sure it doesn't feel like a piece of plastic shit of course. not sure if i really trust samson. I think that you're going to want aftertouch if you are thinking about playing synth patches ever. it's pretty much one of the best and easiest ways to get expression out of synth patches.

maybe look at arturia controller/plug in bundles? not super familiar but they look interesting.

i have an akai mpk49 and like it a lot, but that's like twice the cash and prob too big for your desk.



anyway, back to the rest of your setup i'd say you should try to get better monitors right away. I don't think you'll be happy trying to make dancefloor stuff on 5"speakers or even the 6.5" gennys if you don't add a sub too. I have a pair of event tr8xls and no sub and they are ok, but it's as shitty a setup as i could handle having. they reproduce down to 35hz, not super accurately, but you won't even get any of that on the two setups you mentioned. So what i'm saying is either go 2.1 or get speakers that have some lower end to them. can't be done with 5 or 6.5" drivers. those setups with 5 or 6.5" drivers will be great with a matched sub, but don't bother if you're not going to do that.


also audio interface is really important, i don't know anything about the focusrite unit you mentioned, it may be fine but worth researching. you can't go wrong with a motu ultralight it's not really that expensive and it is well vetted gear. As an electronic musician, the audio interface and monitors are really the most important part of your setup and are prob where you should spend most of your money at first. or at least you may as well because you will have to eventually.



.lm.

[ze2be]

I wouldnt go with a sub, its generally not recomended unless you have a huge room or sit outside. A 30 Hz wave is a 13 meter long wave, so unless your room is huge, the bass will just confuse you, and in many cases faze out.

6.5" max is recomended for normal size studios not only from the Genelec company, but also from a lot of folks around here. Read up on threads with SubFunk coments on Genelecs, and also Tone Deft and others. In small studios even smaller are recomended. Btw Genelecs has much more bass then other speakers of same size.

Frequencies down there are so slow that even the analyzers cant pick up the signal proparly. Down there its only a pure sine wave anyway. Either you add or decrese, not much more to do with it. If you really need to check the sub volume, play your music outdoor where theres no walls, and you will get the purest sound possible. Or borrow a Hollywood style studio. In any case, if you have basstraps in your studio, you get enough controll of the bass frequencies that matters. Also the sub is the easiest thing to fix for a master engineer.

I do dance music, and when I got rid of my Genelec Sub and put up bass traps, it became much easier to get control of the bass.

[leisuremuffin]

well, i suppose there are a lot of different opinions. I wouldn't be happy mixing dancefloor stuff on those gennys, but that's just me. Just because it's more difficult to accurately monitor the low end doesn't mean you shouldn't attempt to monitor it all. I would recommend treating your space as best as possible and not shoving your studio into a tiny bedroom. but that's my opinion.

What you should really do, OP, is to listen to a track that you know very well on all of the monitors that you are choosing between and pick the one that sounds best. It is really worth the effort.