Beginner question: Do I need hardware?

[SuperDopeBeatMaker]

Hi all, I'm new to the music production thing and I've got my hands on ableton. I'm interested in producing techy, funky and electo house and I don't have any hardware devices for controlling the software. I'm interested to hear peoples recommendations for affordable (<£200) hardware that's going to make my life easier rather than more difficult as I get to grips with getting creative using the software. Also, I'm interested in seeing tutorials, books etc which may help me to get my feet off the ground.

Thanks guys

[beats me]

Any m-audio MIDI keyboard should do the trick and be in your price range, but I'd stay away from their audio interfaces.

For tutorial videos check out macprovideo.com. They got tutorials for Live 7, Live 8, and Sampler. They also have a lot of great production videos but mostly using Logic. The principles would still apply though.

[Ed J]

I'm interested to hear peoples recommendations for affordable (<£200) hardware that's going to make my life easier rather than more difficult

we talking things with slidey things, things with twiddley knobs or things with pressy keys? (faders, rotaries and the last one was keyboards, in case that wasn't clear)

[SuperDopeBeatMaker]

I'm interested to hear peoples recommendations for affordable (<£200) hardware that's going to make my life easier rather than more difficult

we talking things with slidey things, things with twiddley knobs or things with pressy keys? (faders, rotaries and the last one was keyboards, in case that wasn't clear)

Well I suppose whatever is most appropriate for production, maybe all three types.

Thanks

[SuperDopeBeatMaker]

Any m-audio MIDI keyboard should do the trick and be in your price range, but I'd stay away from their audio interfaces.

For tutorial videos check out macprovideo.com. They got tutorials for Live 7, Live 8, and Sampler. They also have a lot of great production videos but mostly using Logic. The principles would still apply though.

Cool I'll have a look at their stuff. Any specific models you'd recommend? (or recommend not to buy?)

[Ed J]

Well I suppose whatever is most appropriate for production, maybe all three types.
Thanks

In that case, you want a cheap midi keyboard (someone on here will be able to recommend one) and probably a BCF2000 if you can afford both. that'll give you total control over whatever soft synth you're plugging into live and also full hands-on mixing, which is one of those things that doesn't sound too important until you've tried it and realised how much nicer it is than messing with the mouse all the time.

[SuperDopeBeatMaker]

Well I suppose whatever is most appropriate for production, maybe all three types.
Thanks

In that case, you want a cheap midi keyboard (someone on here will be able to recommend one) and probably a BCF2000 if you can afford both. that'll give you total control over whatever soft synth you're plugging into live and also full hands-on mixing, which is one of those things that doesn't sound too important until you've tried it and realised how much nicer it is than messing with the mouse all the time.

Cheers for the help man, great advice. Anyone want to suggest some midi keyboards at a reasonable price?

[el_camello]

buy something cheap then see what you like/dislike about it. then you'll have a good idea of what you want and you can buy what you didn't know you needed in the first place.

[channelite]

Look for a used M-Audio Axiom 25. It has useful surface control presets for Live. My experience with used stuff, it's just as good as new except cheaper.

[sampletanker]

KORG NANO KEY.
KORG NANO PAD.
KORG NANO KONTROL.

all 3 are compact and cheap. (oops, i hope you have 3 usb ports?)

[funky shit]

What your looking for really, is a basic enough audio interface, some cheap (but decent) monitors.. and this http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/ ... ard--31117

[SuperDopeBeatMaker]

Thanks all for the great tips, I'll take them all on board.

Look for a used M-Audio Axiom 25. It has useful surface control presets for Live. My experience with used stuff, it's just as good as new except cheaper.

Yeah these look good and I've seen some 2nd-hand ones advertised locally, might take a look if I can snap one up at the right price.

What your looking for really, is a basic enough audio interface, some cheap (but decent) monitors.. and this http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/ ... ard--31117

I hear ya on the monitors. Just to get this outta the way, I may aswell confirm how much of my current gear doesn't fit the bill. My PC currently has 4GB ram, an Intel E8400 Core 2 Duo processor and a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme sound card. It's running Vista 64 bit and my speakers are a 5.1 surround Logitech 5500 set (I assume I'm better off with a pair of stereo monitors rather than surround sound). I also have some DJ headphones, Sennheiser HD-25 and some Sony MDR-V700.

What are the glaring omissions? BTW, at the moment I'm happy to use samples etc from sample CDs so I don't plan on feeding a guitar or mic into the PC just yet.

[Ed J]

I hear ya on the monitors. Just to get this outta the way, I may aswell confirm how much of my current gear doesn't fit the bill. My PC currently has 4GB ram, an Intel E8400 Core 2 Duo processor and a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme sound card. It's running Vista 64 bit and my speakers are a 5.1 surround Logitech 5500 set (I assume I'm better off with a pair of stereo monitors rather than surround sound). I also have some DJ headphones, Sennheiser HD-25 and some Sony MDR-V700.

What are the glaring omissions? BTW, at the moment I'm happy to use samples etc from sample CDs so I don't plan on feeding a guitar or mic into the PC just yet.

if you want to keep it cheap for now, don't bother getting monitors unless you really need to hear the quality, and a sound card can probably wait til you want to do analogue recording, as long as you get all USB-midi controllers.

Tbh, I'd probably get the axiom and a BCF2000/BCR2000 (probably drop the BCR/F unless you have a complete aversion to slumming it with the mouse for a while ), and save monitor/sound-card money for soft synths and plugins, you'll soon grow tired of the lack of range of sounds you get with the basic ableton stuff, and at the end of the day a sub-par song is still going to sound tired even on a nice pair of MR8s or KRKs.

[H20nly]

Any m-audio MIDI keyboard should do the trick and be in your price range, but I'd stay away from their audio interfaces.

For tutorial videos check out macprovideo.com. They got tutorials for Live 7, Live 8, and Sampler. They also have a lot of great production videos but mostly using Logic. The principles would still apply though.

Cool I'll have a look at their stuff. Any specific models you'd recommend? (or recommend not to buy?)

Look for a used M-Audio Axiom 25. It has useful surface control presets for Live. My experience with used stuff, it's just as good as new except cheaper.

+1

I have an Axiom 25. Live and that device have a great love affair. I just sit back and watch really.

[kristoffer1989]

I still love my oxygen.
I hate the soundcard i borrowed for a gig and used 20 min to get working.(after having no problems at rehearsal)


That's my thoughts about m-audio. Never had a single problem with my oxygen 8. Even though i smashed it so hard on a rock gig i had that some of the keys stoped working 'cos the circuitboard had a crack. Just opened it up and made shure the cuircuitbord was really tight. Using my keyboard for a gig today



If i were you i would get an m-audio oxygen 8, a decent soundcard and a korg nanopad.