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I'm pretty much new to the whole electronic music idea. I've been in multiple bands playing guitar and stuff like that and know the set ups back and forth. I guess my question here is what is a basic set up for making this music. Sorry for asking such a stupid question but I didn't really see anything for newbies here. Any opinions are greatly appreciated.

Buy a DAW (Logic, Cubase, Fl Studio etc)
Buy a MIDI controller (i.e. keyboard) to control the software instruments

Buy Software instruments or use the ones the come with your DAW
Native Instruments is an extremely good place to start.

Sit back and collect money, women, and fame.

all you really need is a computer and Reason and you can make tunes. thats about as basic as it gets.
like ket said tho, a full daw like logic or ableton and a midi controller are a must.

my setup is fucking basic....computer, ableton, vst synths and effects, Korg R3 which doubles as my midi control, tunetable for sampling, monitors, an interface and good drum samples.

Got a PC? Buy a copy of computer music magazine there is enough software on the cover cd to get you started.

I suggest starting with Magix Music Maker 7.

Thanks for all the answers. :] I just sold most of my guitar equipment and have a little extra cash so I'm thinking about getting some equipment. How does this sound?
MacBook Pro
KRK-RP5 Monitors
Akai mpd32
Ableton Live 8

Does that sound reasonable? Also, I've read a lot about soundcards, are those an absolute necessity?

jsills wrote:all you really need is a computer and Reason and you can make tunes. thats about as basic as it gets.
like ket said tho, a full daw like logic or ableton and a midi controller are a must.

my setup is fucking basic....computer, ableton, vst synths and effects, Korg R3 which doubles as my midi control, tunetable for sampling, monitors, an interface and good drum samples.

I'd call that setup a pretty comprehensive one!

I've got a copy of Logic Pro and some decent headphones. ..and thats it. A DAW is all you really need to get going. Something like Logic, Reason, Live etc will come with enough bundled virtual instruments to give you more than enough to get started with. Start investing in things like monitors and a midi controller once you're sure this is something you're interested in I'd say!

garstep wrote:Thanks for all the answers. :] I just sold most of my guitar equipment and have a little extra cash so I'm thinking about getting some equipment. How does this sound?
MacBook Pro
KRK-RP5 Monitors
Akai mpd32
Ableton Live 8

Does that sound reasonable? Also, I've read a lot about soundcards, are those an absolute necessity?

You won't be able to use those monitors unless you have a soundcard... I mean no offense by this but if you don't know that proper studio monitors will require a soundcard then perhaps it's not time to lay down £300 on a pair just yet. It's more than possible to make great music without a mac, control surface, etc.

What computer have you got right now?

I'd say a macbook headphones and Logic

Well, I already have a MacBook Pro. So I'm not going to be spending too much. I already have a ableton live 7. Basically all I need are monitors and some sort of midi controller (and a sound card). I'm pretty set on diving into it, as that's how I come about most things.

garstep wrote:Well, I already have a MacBook Pro. So I'm not going to be spending too much. I already have a ableton live 7. Basically all I need are monitors and some sort of midi controller (and a sound card). I'm pretty set on diving into it, as that's how I come about most things.

Well if your mind's made up make sure you get a midi controller with a keyboard, the apc40 is nice but more designed for live use. you can probably get a novation 25sl for that sort of money.

stappard wrote:

garstep wrote:Well, I already have a MacBook Pro. So I'm not going to be spending too much. I already have a ableton live 7. Basically all I need are monitors and some sort of midi controller (and a sound card). I'm pretty set on diving into it, as that's how I come about most things.

Well if your mind's made up make sure you get a midi controller with a keyboard, the apc40 is nice but more designed for live use. you can probably get a novation 25sl for that sort of money.

peep the edirol controllers they're cheap and feel alot better then the m audios

ketamine wrote: Sit back and collect money, women, and fame.

vulvavibration wrote:

ketamine wrote: Sit back and collect money, women, and fame.

led lights and lighted gauges on gear brings in the pussy
your studio should look like the consoles in star trek

honestly: i think it really impresses. let's start a scientific prove for that. we should approach with statistics. whats yours?

vulvavibration wrote:honestly: i think it really impresses. let's start a scientific prove for that. we should approach with statistics. whats yours?

no women allowed in the studio unless they know what they're doing or can sing
pics on facebook or such is what impresses

vulvavibration wrote:honestly: i think it really impresses. let's start a scientific prove for that. we should approach with statistics. whats yours?

It does work! "Hey, do you want to come over to my studio and sing?....."

garstep wrote:Thanks for all the answers. :] I just sold most of my guitar equipment and have a little extra cash so I'm thinking about getting some equipment. How does this sound?
MacBook Pro
KRK-RP5 Monitors
Akai mpd32
Ableton Live 8

Does that sound reasonable? Also, I've read a lot about soundcards, are those an absolute necessity?

that looks like a great setup

mine's
MacBook Pro
Mackie HR624 monitors+KRK V12s sub
Ableton 8
Akai apc 40 controller for playing out (+a midi keyboard for playing in notes in the studio)
http://www.ableton.com/apc40

... so its similar territory...

You'll only need an external soundcard if you are wanting to record in stuff through a mic directly into the computer and need it to be at the highest quality analogue to digital conversion (the only thing I ever use my Focusrite Saffire external soundcard for these days, but you can use a mixer with a good mic pre-amp, and then take a line into your macbook pro's direct, so no, I don't think you need an external soundcard at all, save your dough bro)

The internal soundcard in the Macbook pro is :
excellent sounding (sounds great over a PA - indistinguishable from my Focusrite Saffire soundcard which I'm about to sell to a mate that needs one for his pc)unlike many other especially pc laptop soundcards that often have nippy groundloop noise unless the laptop is running off batteries or unearthed,

really quick (no latency, ie when you move a controller the sound changes sound instant), and is

very stable (my Saffire crashed my computer a couple of times at parties, not what you want! been totally fine since I stopped using it)

I would recommend the APC 40 controller (link above), works like a dream with Ableton, is a bit more expensive than the one you've listed but you wont regret it! Great for playing live with, and useful in the studio with auto assigning fx/instrument controllers + loop launching grid, which can also be used as drum pads.

Hope this helps, and happy music making!

mmm new rack built

Okay so I've basically decided on getting the APC40 and an M-Audio Axiom 25. Will I need any other equipment like this as far as hardware goes? Is this too much?