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Trance Forum » » Forum  Production & Music Making - Investment priorities
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Investment priorities

mmoloch

Started Topics :  1
Posts :  5
Posted : Apr 9, 2016 16:10:31
Hello everyone, this is my first topic/post in isratrance but I have been reading and following some production related topics.

I have some experience with music, learned to play piano as a child and now I play accordion in a small band, we play at weddings, baptisms, dances in small villages... a few months ago I began to produce psy... trying to produce lol

After having tested several vst synths I ended up choosing Serum and I love it but I need a way to control it better so is time to make a new investment... so far I have been using the onboard sound card with asio4all and headphones pionner hdj500, was enough to do some interesting things and learn to work with the tools I have available

I have about 200 euros to invest in one audio interface, one midi keyboard/controller and probably for studio headphones, the pionner hdj500 sound quite good, probably to good for music production.


Audio interface - I will use external instruments but for now only one at a time, for now I will not use microphones and most likely will never use them

Midi keyboard/controller - 25 keys, for now no need pads for druming, I need knobs to control Serum, I like the arturia minilab because the space between the knobs, some midi keyboards have a minimum space between the knobs and for people like me with huge fingers that can be a problem... the arturia minilab is a good choice or can I get better for 100 euros?

My headphones pionner hdj500 are a good option while not invest in good monitors?... if they are, I can invest 100 euros in the audio interface, if they are not, probably will have to invest in a cheap audio interface like Behringer UCA202 and invest the remaining 70 euros in studio headphones, which studio headphones you guys recommend in these prices?

To continue my progress and learning what is best?... a good audio interface or good studio phones?... after the summer I will be able to make a good investment, during the summer I have always more work, people like to get married in the summer with sun, so after the summer will invest in monitors and sound treatment.
routingwithin
IsraTrance Junior Member

Started Topics :  46
Posts :  204
Posted : Apr 9, 2016 18:07
I will always recommend 1) monitors before anything else. It brings you to the level of producing quality music. Then 2) room treatment. The reason is because even if you dont have a controller yet , you can still compose good sounding music. Then i would get a 3) midi controller.

Yes linking external knobs to your synth does open up a new level of design, cause you are sort of reaching a hardware phase. It also helps you to use your ears more, cause you dont have to watch the screen while tweaking. Close your eyes and turn those knobs. You will realize that your focus is much more on the sound itself.

Then i would get 4) headphones. I only use it really to check my mix for inaudible frequencies or clicks messing with my track. I am unable to get the same quality using headphones only instead of monitors. Headphones also tends to give a false stereo image.

My gear: Monitors: Yamaha HS7's : Controller: Alesis QX49 : Headphones: Shure SRH 440's

Continue doing research before buying. To get the best with the money you have

          " We are together in this matter you and I, closer to death, yes, closer than i'd like. How do you feel? - There can be no division in our actions, or everything is lost. What affects you affects me. "
mmoloch

Started Topics :  1
Posts :  5
Posted : Apr 10, 2016 01:05
The Yamaha HS7's have a very good frequency response, I like kicks and bass in G so I need monitors with an identical response, minimum 6.5" woofer, buying (cheap) monitors below 6.5 "would be a waste of euros because it would continue without hearing the base frequencies of my kick and bass.

I have not lost much time with kicks and basslines because it would be a waste of time, I have dedicated my time to learn how to work with synths and creating my lead patches.

In part I will follow your advice, I will buy a Akai LPD8 Pad, less than 50 euros and will be able to control serum and will save the remaining 150 euros to buy good monitors with 6.5" or 8" woofer.

I found some cheap options:

Swissonic ASM7 frequency response: 45Hz-20kHz for 240 euros
M-Audio BX8 D2 frequency response: 30Hz-24kHz for 289 euros

Anyone have experience with these models? M-Audio BX8 D2 B-Stock for 265 euros, the above are the same but it seems that come in open boxes, probably returned and taking into account that several online stores sell these B-Stock is a bad sign.
Blubberbert


Started Topics :  2
Posts :  32
Posted : Apr 21, 2016 17:56
Short Version:

1. Buy Interface and Cans. Cost you about 300 -400 €
2. Save Money
3. Buy good monitors (probably want to spend > 1000 € for the pair) and treat your room as routingwithin pointed out
4. You saved a lot of mony and time

Longer Version:

If your short on cash but still quite sure that you probably will stick to producing, IŽd advise you to go down another road. Why? If you buy cheap, you will throw away that gear soon enough and spend that money again. Better buy stuff you wonŽt regret and keep if your upgrading later. Start off with a half decent Audio Interface thats what you might use for gigs later, if you should ever need to upgrade. Then buy a pair of good cans youŽll keep em forever. You can find professional cans that are about the price of a pair of shitty monitors. Some people say - but you canŽt properly mix on cans - well thats not true at all. A well treated room and good monitors will of course be much better - but a pair of cheap monitors and a badly or not treated room will be much worse than mixing on a pair of good cans. Save up for a pair of good tried and tested monitors and donŽt waste your time with guesswork on "bad" monitors - youŽll need to start all over again later.(you CAN learn their flaws and get decent mixes but believe me youŽll regret having done that once you hear your mixes on good monitors later) Your broad rule for most cases should be: try and buy at least in the midrange - tried and tested products. (see "mother of" threads)

Cheers
ansolas
IsraTrance Full Member

Started Topics :  108
Posts :  977
Posted : Apr 24, 2016 14:51
Acoustic Treatment           http://facebook.com/ansolas
http://ansolas.bandcamp.com/music
http://myspace.com/ansolas
http://soundcloud.com/ansolas
http://ansolas.de
moki
IsraTrance Junior Member

Started Topics :  38
Posts :  1931
Posted : May 1, 2016 01:16
Investment priorities is a good question. It is not easy to prioritize investments, especially with a limited budget. I thought that it would be good to pay for every single piece of software that I have tried. This extends my budget already. But a new controller would be fine too. New boxes are a must. Or some new decoration, some lights, some atmosphere for the place. But actually I'd love to buy some tutorials, because it is still damm difficult to find good tutorials in the vast variety of free web video. Or I missed the point in time when it was possible to find good tutorials for psychedelic trance. Books with notes, loads of them. And why not just act to the extend of high moral and pay for all music ever heard for free? And then, the physical feeling of a brilliant synthesizer, it would be fantastic to touch it directly without a mouse. Or a more powerful midi keyboard that is extremely sensible to touching...God, there would be so much to do with a bigger budget. But as a matter of fact, mine is not that irrelevant, so at the end it is question of priority. Life at all. Less money for pleasure, more for discipline...I think I'd start with the software. And get some new one officially.
vipal
IsraTrance Full Member

Started Topics :  123
Posts :  1397
Posted : May 2, 2016 12:08
JBL Lsr305 seems to be the best option in the absolute low budget category, maybe 2nd hand http://www.ebay.com/itm/JBL-LSR305-powered-active-studio-monitors-pair-/162056569934 (when you forget abt producing you still have good speakers).

stay away from M-audio monitors, forget abt exotic cheap brands, just a waist of money. go second hand. put heavy curtains in your room.           http://soundcloud.com/vipal
TimeTraveller
IsraTrance Full Member

Started Topics :  80
Posts :  3207
Posted : May 2, 2016 23:16
You already have some headphones and they are fine for now.
Imo this is number one of things I would buy if I started again. If you really don't want to invest in external gear later and also don't wanna use a microphone than a great soundcard is indeed not needed for now.

Accoustic treatment is for sure a clever idea. It is worth even trying. As for midi keyboard, don't buy a keyboard with 25 keys.. Forget this idea better. You even mentioned that you have a bit expirience with piano. You will regret not buying atleast 3 octaves after some time. 2 Octaves are too often too less imo. With 2oo€ I'd probably spend 100 on treatment (for a nice start) and 100 for a nice controller with more than 25 keys. Second hand could help to get a usefull one for 100.           https://soundcloud.com/shivagarden
vafl

Started Topics :  2
Posts :  36
Posted : May 7, 2016 17:14
so, what is your budget at the end?

200 Euros?

Did you think about to buy some used gear?

You have headphones, and if you dont need mic preamps you dont really need new soundcard.

Than you need just monitors and midi keyboard.

but 200 Euros is tight budget.

Only something used will get you there for 200 Euros.

here are some budget midi keyboards:
http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/15-of-the-best-budget-midi-controller-keyboards-565848


and something like these monitors:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/m_audio_bx5_d2_single.htm

are around 200 Euros, but you get only one monitor .

5" monitors are ok for G.

but if you cant go above 200 Euros than i would suggest that you buy midi keyboard and stay with existing audio system, headphones and what you use for speakers, and soundcard with asio4all.

You will save 100Euros if you buy midi keyboard for 100 Euros and when you save 100 Euros more you can buy pair of 5" maudios.
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