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Dec 29, 02
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Getting into Production..
Ok, I want to get into some production work. I've done some editing of one-layered tracks, but I wouldn't mind learning to create some of my own tracks.
I know its mostly hardware, so what kind of basic hardware would I need? I currently run a P4 1.8Mhz w/ 256ram so in terms of powr I think I have enough. I know I might have to get a new soundcard. What else will I need? Any kind of feedback would be great. Oh ya, I'm looking toward hip-hop tracks. ~Tim 
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Dec 29, 02
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Get a pro soundcard, and you shouldn't really need any other hardware. software based production has made leaps and bounds over the past few years. I still think, at this point, that you can get more professional sounding results with outboard gear, but if you're just starting out it will be a couple of years before you've got the skills to manipulate your gear to the fullest extent. by then, i'll be surprised if software based studios aren't producing equal or better results than studios with outboard setups.
anyways, my reccomendation for soundcard is the M-Audio Delta, it's cheap and very effective. The delta 44 is a simple 4 in/4 out with a beakout box. The delta 66 has 6in/outs and includes a midi interface, which you will need if you intend on using any outboard gear, even if it's just a controller keyboard. for making hiphop beats... i'd maybe try working with a loop-based production tool like Sonic Foundry's ACID. Also get youyrself a copy of Steinberg's REASON, that's a great production tool. easy to use, capable of producing AMAZING results (peep the works of dnb geniuses like SKC and Chris.su), and it will actually teach you a bit about working with a physical studio. once you get a handle on what your doing with these programs and want to move on to something more professional... well i would reccommend Logic Audio but it seems that it will no longer be updated for PC platform! (grr that pisses me off) So you'll want to check out the latest version of Cubase, which i've heard is pretty kick ass. There you will get into the more advanced aspects of sequencing, and if you want to introduce an outboard synth or sampler into the mix, you can sequence & record it all in here, plus any live tracks you may want to drop in (ie vocals, instrumentation). If you're buying a sampler, which might be considered essential for hiphop, i'd go with an e-Mu. Akai's and Yamaha's are nice too. All have their ups & downs, but to my ear the e-mu has the warmest sound. akai's might provide a slightly harder drum sound, or so i've been told. I used to own an akai and i feel a lot better about the sounds i'm getting now out of my e-mu, but that may just be because i've learned a lot since i had the akai. anyways good luck & have fun. production rocks!!
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Dec 30, 02
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fuck that go all analog, get a TR-505 and a Minimoog and go nuts, in a limited way.
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Dec 30, 02
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er 606, my bad.
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Jan 02, 03
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Apple did purchase Emagic (makers of Logic Audio). As of now, there will no longer be any updates for the PC version of Logic since it runs much more efficiently on the new Mac platform. If you're gonna get an interface for your PC, go MOTU all the way, it uses very little host resource, and I've seen one in action on a machine like yours, it was very nice. As for getting something to compose tracks on from start to finish, I still use a peice of hardware - the Yamaha RS7000, and have been extremely pleased with it's overall abilities. http://www.yamahasynth.com/pro/rs7000/ After I get a track suitable for live performance out of it, I later track the song into Pro Tools or Logic and throw some finishing touches on it, not many though, as the RS7000 sounds pretty damn good all by itself. The beauty of the RS7000 as a peice of hardware, you switch it on and all the sounds and controls are right there ready to go. The sounds are good too. You get 16 tracks, each with an EQ and three effects blocks to use amongst them. There's also a master ouput effect, which I leave set to the single bit digital compressor - makes the mix pop right out of the monitors. (unlike the RM1x) Oh yeah, the RS samples too!!! (though I've found allkost everything I need in it's sound banks so far) Here's an example of my work, a sappy progressive breaks for a morning set, done entirely on an RS7000, recorded straight out of the box: http://www.dopedesign.com/dl.php?s=1&fe=1&id=99&pl=1 I *heart* Yamaha's grooveboxes, nothing even compares to the RS. (oops, I hope this doesn't turn into an MPC vs RS thread...) . Last edited by therecordbin; Jan 02, 03 at 03:37 PM.
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Jan 02, 03
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^you wouldn't really need the MOTU though, unless you were planning on recording several tracks simultaniously (like if you were recording a live band), right? That's like a $1200 card. Actually, if you're working with an entirely software based studio, your soundcard won't affect the outcome of your tunes at all, except your mixdown might be better if if your card gives you better sound in your monitors.
the groovebox/mpc type units seem to be popular with producers who like to perform their material live, but if that's not a concern i'd definitely choose a PC or Mac based setup. That way it's a lot more expandable. Not as 'hands on' maybe, but if you're willing to spend a little time learning how to use the automation functions in Logic, that won't be an issue.
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Jan 03, 03
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Jan 03, 03
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I've been told ProTools is the way to go? But isn't protools for live instruments?
I can use Cubase to create hip-hop beats right? I just need to sample them into the track. Correct? I'm sooo confused. All I know is Reason is a toy compared to Cubase.
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Jan 04, 03
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youll need a decent system though and shite load of plugins. Last edited by manos_one; Jan 04, 03 at 03:52 AM.
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Jan 04, 03
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If you want to make beats, I'd strongly suggest looking into Reason 2.0. When you get a jam you like in Reason, you can export each part as a perfect AIFF loop that you can then drop into Logic Audio, from there you just copy and paste the parts to seamlessly build the track - it's cake. You can also use your exported loops in a sampler. You could also use Cubase to do the same thing after you export from Reason, Cubase is optimized for PC as well. As far as needing a Motu interface, maybe you wont. I however still prefer Lexicon hardware reverbs to any plugin, and a real tube compressor will do magic to a mix as well - these are things you'd need a decent $700+ audio interface for, besides getting a true to disk signal to your monitors so you know what your song really sounds like .. .
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Jan 04, 03
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You could record them into Cubase, or you import them, or you could sample them into Cubase using it's sampler or a soft synth/plugin. It may not be as immediate or convenient this way though. Back to Reason again: Don't dismiss Reason for it's simplicity. It is a powerful tool for building beats or even entire songs, and you can use your own drumhits with it. You can build your beats from scratch using the ReDrum module in Reason and one of the many drumkits made for it, or you can import loops into the Dr Rex module in Reason, and then slice up the loop and resequence it... or not, you can just use the loop like it is in the sampler. Then you export what you've got and arrange it in Logic or Cubase. I mentioned that technique in my earlier post. Reason is basicaly an all in one songwriting workstation like my RS7000 (I use both), except it's software based. The music workstation is still the easiest and most efficient way to get your idea out of your head and through the speakers, especialy when the interface is simple and straight forward. Loading up Cubase and writing a song on it is a little different, allthough you could do this, it's more of an arrangement application like Pro Tools or Logic, that you use when you have a bunch of parts that allready make up your song, and you want to organize them and add some finishing touches or other parts like synths and effects. I usualy go into one of these applications with a working idea of my song that I made with a drum machine or sequencer, like Reason or the RS. From there, I can really see the layout of the tracks, and can move them arround like using a word processor. .
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Jan 04, 03
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Thanks, it's means a lot to hear people that know the genre compliment my music. Vast is a very good word, I'm out in New Mexico, and the landscapes and sunsets here are... vast. Haha - Yeah, and it's 18+ minutes long, I do need to prune it down a little and finish it before it gets released. .
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Jan 05, 03
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A 909, an 808, a 777, a 303, maybe a juno, and a decent controller/sequencer, that is all you need
EVER
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Jan 05, 03
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oh yeah, and a distortion pedal or six.
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Jan 06, 03
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[email protected] 107818774
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Jan 06, 03
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Roni Size... all his music is made with samplers. I think a lot of their bass sounds are sourced from old analogue synths, but i'm pretty certain it's all sampled, then arranged using sequencing software, probably Cubase. Their older stuff would have been made that way anyways - since they got rich they probably have just about whatever gear they want at their disposal. but the sampler is still the cornerstone of any dnb producer's studio.
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Jan 07, 03
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It's official pal (be glad I didn't say half an hour later, in Newfoundland :284: ). *** Anyways I'd start off with fruity loops 3.56, Acid Pro 4.0, and Soundforge 6. And get a shit load of sample cds. Remember hip-hop is what basically starting the sampling buzz so I wouldn't worry about stealing a few drum loops as long as they're beat sliced a bit and layered with an original beat. I don't need to tell you anything else 'cause these programs all have kick ass help files and are easily warez available. Mark Paul
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Jan 07, 03
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http://www.phatdrumloops.com
screw sample cd's, you should be able to DL all the sounds you need... this site is pretty cool, there are lots more like it.
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Jan 07, 03
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^sample cds are free man, ftp the shit.
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