Who said electronic musical bliss required deep pockets?
We’ve seen a steady flow of budget-minded gear over the last few years. What makes this equipment special isn’t just that it’s cheaper. It also has personality and produces distinctive sounds, loads of hands-on control, and fits compactly into carry-on luggage, meaning it’s a no-brainer on the road and in small live performance spaces. That’s encouraging more people to play live.
MeeBlip owner Zachary Hollback sent over a video that sums up why this can be fun. This isn’t necessarily about inventing new kinds of music: it really is, in the mode of folk music, about jamming and having a good time. And, boy, are there days when we need that.
From Roland, there’s the AIRA TB-3 – actually my favorite of the AIRA lineup, because not only does it have a clever touch interface for making melodies and decent, built-in 303 modeling, but it also sequences external gear, all in a compact package.
From KORG, who deserve the lion’s share of credit for leading this hardware renaissance, we get the MonoTribe, volca keys (one of my favorite synths at the moment), and the volca beats (with its massive bass drum sound) – see the volca series.
From Arturia, there’s the BeatStep, the cute pad controller with a built-in standalone sequencer.
And our own MeeBlip anode jumps in as the bass synth, sequenced by the BeatStep. (Funny – I’ve also used the TB-3 to sequence the anode.)
It’s all titled a jam for a sunny day, which is not what I have here – so time to make some hardware jams in the gloom and lighten things up!
Got a hardware rig of your own? What are you using? Let us know in comments.
My current rig is Dsi Tempest, AS Europa, Dsi Tetr4, Shruthi, x0x-rack, volca beats, plus some pedals and renoise for samples. Although not cheap, this setup gives me lots of possibilities without occupying too much room. Sometimes I ditch most of the synths and perform with just the Tempest + renoise so I can carry it all by myself in one bag.
tempest and renoise is so easy and fun . you have great style my friend.
Would love to see some videos of what you’ve done with this rig. Sounds epic.
My current rig is Dsi Tempest, AS Europa, Dsi Tetr4, Shruthi, x0x-rack, volca beats, plus some pedals and renoise for samples. Although not cheap, this setup gives me lots of possibilities without occupying too much room. Sometimes I ditch most of the synths and perform with just the Tempest + renoise so I can carry it all by myself in one bag.
tempest and renoise is so easy and fun . you have great style my friend.
Would love to see some videos of what you’ve done with this rig. Sounds epic.
My current rig is Dsi Tempest, AS Europa, Dsi Tetr4, Shruthi, x0x-rack, volca beats, plus some pedals and renoise for samples. Although not cheap, this setup gives me lots of possibilities without occupying too much room. Sometimes I ditch most of the synths and perform with just the Tempest + renoise so I can carry it all by myself in one bag.
tempest and renoise is so easy and fun . you have great style my friend.
Would love to see some videos of what you’ve done with this rig. Sounds epic.
I’ve been playing live with a laptop and controllers for years but last summer started expanding my setup to include a sampler and a couple of guitar pedals. I just found it all a bit bulky and time consuming to set up. Apart from the fact that I’d often be sharing a DJ booth with some CDJs and a mixer, or would be given a ridiculously small table to set up on. For my new live set I’ve tried to keep the fun element of having actual hardware by adding a microbrute, but keeping it simple by sequencing a lot of parts from the laptop, and using my soundcard to mix in the microbrute. This way I have no mixer, as few cables as possible and can setup in minutes.
I’ve been playing live with a laptop and controllers for years but last summer started expanding my setup to include a sampler and a couple of guitar pedals. I just found it all a bit bulky and time consuming to set up. Apart from the fact that I’d often be sharing a DJ booth with some CDJs and a mixer, or would be given a ridiculously small table to set up on. For my new live set I’ve tried to keep the fun element of having actual hardware by adding a microbrute, but keeping it simple by sequencing a lot of parts from the laptop, and using my soundcard to mix in the microbrute. This way I have no mixer, as few cables as possible and can setup in minutes.
I’ve been playing live with a laptop and controllers for years but last summer started expanding my setup to include a sampler and a couple of guitar pedals. I just found it all a bit bulky and time consuming to set up. Apart from the fact that I’d often be sharing a DJ booth with some CDJs and a mixer, or would be given a ridiculously small table to set up on. For my new live set I’ve tried to keep the fun element of having actual hardware by adding a microbrute, but keeping it simple by sequencing a lot of parts from the laptop, and using my soundcard to mix in the microbrute. This way I have no mixer, as few cables as possible and can setup in minutes.
Really enjoyed that
Really enjoyed that
Really enjoyed that
Thanks a ton for the mention!
In addition to the gear being inexpensive, compact, and a bundle o’ fun, every piece of equipment on that table can be reprogrammed in real-time, so patterns can be improvised and tweaked on the fly. It allows for an “evolving” live set, and that’s something that appeals to me a lot.
Nice jam !
I have few questions,
what do you use for mixer?
and how do you manage 1/8 -> 1/4 jacks?
And how do you manage sync between devices?
The mixer is a Behringer UB1202 I picked up for $40 used.
The Volcas and the MeeBlip use 1/8″ stereo outs, and I found the best way to deal with those was a Radio Shack 1/8″ -> 1/4″ cable (they’re mono, so I stuck a stereo splitter on the 1/8″ end and now I don’t have to stick them halfway in to get sound).
The sync was tricky. I had to try different routings, but what I ended up doing was running MIDI out from the master BeatStep clock to the TB3, then MIDI thru from the TB3 to a MIDI Solutions Quadra Thru to everything else. The Monotribe is actually modded with a DINTribe MIDI I/O, but you could theoretically sync it from one of the Volcas with the 1/8″ cable that comes with them.
Thanks
Thanks a ton for the mention!
In addition to the gear being inexpensive, compact, and a bundle o’ fun, every piece of equipment on that table can be reprogrammed in real-time, so patterns can be improvised and tweaked on the fly. It allows for an “evolving” live set, and that’s something that appeals to me a lot.
Nice jam !
I have few questions,
what do you use for mixer?
and how do you manage 1/8 -> 1/4 jacks?
And how do you manage sync between devices?
The mixer is a Behringer UB1202 I picked up for $40 used.
The Volcas and the MeeBlip use 1/8″ stereo outs, and I found the best way to deal with those was a Radio Shack 1/8″ -> 1/4″ cable (they’re mono, so I stuck a stereo splitter on the 1/8″ end and now I don’t have to stick them halfway in to get sound).
The sync was tricky. I had to try different routings, but what I ended up doing was running MIDI out from the master BeatStep clock to the TB3, then MIDI thru from the TB3 to a MIDI Solutions Quadra Thru to everything else. The Monotribe is actually modded with a DINTribe MIDI I/O, but you could theoretically sync it from one of the Volcas with the 1/8″ cable that comes with them.
Thanks
Thanks a ton for the mention!
In addition to the gear being inexpensive, compact, and a bundle o’ fun, every piece of equipment on that table can be reprogrammed in real-time, so patterns can be improvised and tweaked on the fly. It allows for an “evolving” live set, and that’s something that appeals to me a lot.
Nice jam !
I have few questions,
what do you use for mixer?
and how do you manage 1/8 -> 1/4 jacks?
And how do you manage sync between devices?
The mixer is a Behringer UB1202 I picked up for $40 used.
The Volcas and the MeeBlip use 1/8″ stereo outs, and I found the best way to deal with those was a Radio Shack 1/8″ -> 1/4″ cable (they’re mono, so I stuck a stereo splitter on the 1/8″ end and now I don’t have to stick them halfway in to get sound).
The sync was tricky. I had to try different routings, but what I ended up doing was running MIDI out from the master BeatStep clock to the TB3, then MIDI thru from the TB3 to a MIDI Solutions Quadra Thru to everything else. The Monotribe is actually modded with a DINTribe MIDI I/O, but you could theoretically sync it from one of the Volcas with the 1/8″ cable that comes with them.
Thanks
Hardware set up:
1 Monome controlling MLR (built for M4L) (for playing back pre-made percussion and noise and basslines)
2nd Monome playing Parc (4 channel step sequencer) (melodies)
Old school Electribe doing samples.
Everything is fed into Live. I hardly use any effects aside from some reverb and delays, I find its more natural and fluid than trying to dial in a grain delay live.
Most of my nastiness was already made in production, my jamming set up is a breakdown of tracks into a few channels.
Hardware set up:
1 Monome controlling MLR (built for M4L) (for playing back pre-made percussion and noise and basslines)
2nd Monome playing Parc (4 channel step sequencer) (melodies)
Old school Electribe doing samples.
Everything is fed into Live. I hardly use any effects aside from some reverb and delays, I find its more natural and fluid than trying to dial in a grain delay live.
Most of my nastiness was already made in production, my jamming set up is a breakdown of tracks into a few channels.
Hardware set up:
1 Monome controlling MLR (built for M4L) (for playing back pre-made percussion and noise and basslines)
2nd Monome playing Parc (4 channel step sequencer) (melodies)
Old school Electribe doing samples.
Everything is fed into Live. I hardly use any effects aside from some reverb and delays, I find its more natural and fluid than trying to dial in a grain delay live.
Most of my nastiness was already made in production, my jamming set up is a breakdown of tracks into a few channels.
Quick shout for the MFB Nanozwerg: cheap as chips (just slightly more expensive than a volca) and only a single oscillator but heaps of fun and incredibly flexible.
Possibly muscled out now slightly by the cheaper volcas and pricier but more fully-featured Microbrute, but I love mine and use it on pretty much everything.
Quick shout for the MFB Nanozwerg: cheap as chips (just slightly more expensive than a volca) and only a single oscillator but heaps of fun and incredibly flexible.
Possibly muscled out now slightly by the cheaper volcas and pricier but more fully-featured Microbrute, but I love mine and use it on pretty much everything.
Quick shout for the MFB Nanozwerg: cheap as chips (just slightly more expensive than a volca) and only a single oscillator but heaps of fun and incredibly flexible.
Possibly muscled out now slightly by the cheaper volcas and pricier but more fully-featured Microbrute, but I love mine and use it on pretty much everything.
I’d really like to get enough pieces to do something fully live, and I’m not too far off.
Very small modular system, microbrute and beatstep. I have some other midi controllers as well which I could probably set up with ableton, but I’d really rather get a drum machine like the volca or preferably the MFB 522. Volca keys would be nice from the chord perspective but I’m cool with mono synths 😛
the MFB is great – sounds amazing. i think the volca sequencer is more versatile though. 🙂
I’d really like to get enough pieces to do something fully live, and I’m not too far off.
Very small modular system, microbrute and beatstep. I have some other midi controllers as well which I could probably set up with ableton, but I’d really rather get a drum machine like the volca or preferably the MFB 522. Volca keys would be nice from the chord perspective but I’m cool with mono synths 😛
the MFB is great – sounds amazing. i think the volca sequencer is more versatile though. 🙂
I’d really like to get enough pieces to do something fully live, and I’m not too far off.
Very small modular system, microbrute and beatstep. I have some other midi controllers as well which I could probably set up with ableton, but I’d really rather get a drum machine like the volca or preferably the MFB 522. Volca keys would be nice from the chord perspective but I’m cool with mono synths 😛
the MFB is great – sounds amazing. i think the volca sequencer is more versatile though. 🙂
Emjoying these posts!
We’re primarily using volca bass and keys, Minibrute, and TR8, all fed into Live for looping and mixing via Livid Cntrlr (which also doubles as another drum machine) . . . other synths and external efx join in sometimes as well . . .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH37bd-nTNE
More vids coming . . .
Keep hearing about MFB stuff buy have yet to try any. How do people find the small knobs/controls in a live setting?
nice! love the slightly looser vibe you get from playing parts in… looks like the elektron is languishing in the depths there. 🙂
Thx! The A4 is new to the setup so it’s not fully integrated w/ our live playing yet 😉
Emjoying these posts!
We’re primarily using volca bass and keys, Minibrute, and TR8, all fed into Live for looping and mixing via Livid Cntrlr (which also doubles as another drum machine) . . . other synths and external efx join in sometimes as well . . .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH37bd-nTNE
More vids coming . . .
Keep hearing about MFB stuff buy have yet to try any. How do people find the small knobs/controls in a live setting?
nice! love the slightly looser vibe you get from playing parts in… looks like the elektron is languishing in the depths there. 🙂
Thx! The A4 is new to the setup so it’s not fully integrated w/ our live playing yet 😉
Emjoying these posts!
We’re primarily using volca bass and keys, Minibrute, and TR8, all fed into Live for looping and mixing via Livid Cntrlr (which also doubles as another drum machine) . . . other synths and external efx join in sometimes as well . . .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH37bd-nTNE
More vids coming . . .
Keep hearing about MFB stuff buy have yet to try any. How do people find the small knobs/controls in a live setting?
nice! love the slightly looser vibe you get from playing parts in… looks like the elektron is languishing in the depths there. 🙂
Thx! The A4 is new to the setup so it’s not fully integrated w/ our live playing yet 😉
really nice vid! looks like a super fun setup… mine is not as budget – combines MPC1k, octatrack and OP-1 in a more ‘played’ fashion rather than sequenced and tempo locked… http://vimeo.com/107909936
been resisting those volcas for a while, but things like this make that a bit harder!
OP1 sounding nice there . . . curious about live looping w/ the Octatrack as well; for instance, when live looping, does it save the sample to the card for using again later?
Hi André, yes it can be saved, but you have to do it manualy. It´s a 2-3 step combo, Record->Edit->Save. All without stopping the sequencer.
exactly – no autosave when using the flex recording buffers.
New electribe controlling MS20 and Microbrute, Volca Beats, Bass and Keys and occasionally a Kaosillator Pro to add some extra beats. All MIDI or CV synced, and no computer!
really nice vid! looks like a super fun setup… mine is not as budget – combines MPC1k, octatrack and OP-1 in a more ‘played’ fashion rather than sequenced and tempo locked… http://vimeo.com/107909936
been resisting those volcas for a while, but things like this make that a bit harder!
OP1 sounding nice there . . . curious about live looping w/ the Octatrack as well; for instance, when live looping, does it save the sample to the card for using again later?
Hi André, yes it can be saved, but you have to do it manualy. It´s a 2-3 step combo, Record->Edit->Save. All without stopping the sequencer.
exactly – no autosave when using the flex recording buffers.
New electribe controlling MS20 and Microbrute, Volca Beats, Bass and Keys and occasionally a Kaosillator Pro to add some extra beats. All MIDI or CV synced, and no computer!
really nice vid! looks like a super fun setup… mine is not as budget – combines MPC1k, octatrack and OP-1 in a more ‘played’ fashion rather than sequenced and tempo locked… http://vimeo.com/107909936
been resisting those volcas for a while, but things like this make that a bit harder!
OP1 sounding nice there . . . curious about live looping w/ the Octatrack as well; for instance, when live looping, does it save the sample to the card for using again later?
Hi André, yes it can be saved, but you have to do it manualy. It´s a 2-3 step combo, Record->Edit->Save. All without stopping the sequencer.
exactly – no autosave when using the flex recording buffers.
New electribe controlling MS20 and Microbrute, Volca Beats, Bass and Keys and occasionally a Kaosillator Pro to add some extra beats. All MIDI or CV synced, and no computer!
Mini pedal board synth rig I used over Christmas- the black box top right is an Arduino USB midi converter. I’ve since added an MFB 522. Hours of fun!
Mini pedal board synth rig I used over Christmas- the black box top right is an Arduino USB midi converter. I’ve since added an MFB 522. Hours of fun!
Mini pedal board synth rig I used over Christmas- the black box top right is an Arduino USB midi converter. I’ve since added an MFB 522. Hours of fun!
I have always enjoyed small portable music gadgets since my first QY20 back in 1993. Recently I have been enamoured with my OP-1 as a standalone solution but over christmas I got hold of the four Volcas which I love. My fingers are crossed that Korg will release a Volca mixer with time synced effects, power distribution and my pigs may fly hope, USB hosting. Imagine how cool that would be? Anyway here is a first day jam with all the Volcas…
http://youtu.be/ZS7tn5hB-KQ
Nice idea for a volca mixer, that would be great.
a volca mixer with internal FX, and sync outputs!!!
Yes please. Comes with 3 cables that are bundled sets of three (audio, sync in and sync out). And they’re at right angles.
good lord this is horrible
The Volcas are super fun to jam on, but man that OP-1 is something else. I got one a couple of months ago after resisting for a long time, and it’s still blowing my mind. I’ve been trying to jam lately with the Volcas and Op-1 and other synths all synced up and it starts to get pretty overwhelming. Great fun, though.
I have always enjoyed small portable music gadgets since my first QY20 back in 1993. Recently I have been enamoured with my OP-1 as a standalone solution but over christmas I got hold of the four Volcas which I love. My fingers are crossed that Korg will release a Volca mixer with time synced effects, power distribution and my pigs may fly hope, USB hosting. Imagine how cool that would be? Anyway here is a first day jam with all the Volcas…
http://youtu.be/ZS7tn5hB-KQ
Nice idea for a volca mixer, that would be great.
a volca mixer with internal FX, and sync outputs!!!
Yes please. Comes with 3 cables that are bundled sets of three (audio, sync in and sync out). And they’re at right angles.
good lord this is horrible
The Volcas are super fun to jam on, but man that OP-1 is something else. I got one a couple of months ago after resisting for a long time, and it’s still blowing my mind. I’ve been trying to jam lately with the Volcas and Op-1 and other synths all synced up and it starts to get pretty overwhelming. Great fun, though.
I have always enjoyed small portable music gadgets since my first QY20 back in 1993. Recently I have been enamoured with my OP-1 as a standalone solution but over christmas I got hold of the four Volcas which I love. My fingers are crossed that Korg will release a Volca mixer with time synced effects, power distribution and my pigs may fly hope, USB hosting. Imagine how cool that would be? Anyway here is a first day jam with all the Volcas…
http://youtu.be/ZS7tn5hB-KQ
Nice idea for a volca mixer, that would be great.
a volca mixer with internal FX, and sync outputs!!!
Yes please. Comes with 3 cables that are bundled sets of three (audio, sync in and sync out). And they’re at right angles.
good lord this is horrible
The Volcas are super fun to jam on, but man that OP-1 is something else. I got one a couple of months ago after resisting for a long time, and it’s still blowing my mind. I’ve been trying to jam lately with the Volcas and Op-1 and other synths all synced up and it starts to get pretty overwhelming. Great fun, though.
I’m also sequencing a MeeBlip (the old one, not the Anode) through a Rat distortion pedal with a BeatStep, and I also use the Volca Keys. I use arps on the Alesis Micron and pads from a Casio CZ-1000, and soon I hope to add a Microbrute. Beats come from a modified Alesis HR-16, even cheaper than a volca. Other effects come from a Boss pitchshifter/delay and a Kaoss Pad.
I’m also sequencing a MeeBlip (the old one, not the Anode) through a Rat distortion pedal with a BeatStep, and I also use the Volca Keys. I use arps on the Alesis Micron and pads from a Casio CZ-1000, and soon I hope to add a Microbrute. Beats come from a modified Alesis HR-16, even cheaper than a volca. Other effects come from a Boss pitchshifter/delay and a Kaoss Pad.
I’m also sequencing a MeeBlip (the old one, not the Anode) through a Rat distortion pedal with a BeatStep, and I also use the Volca Keys. I use arps on the Alesis Micron and pads from a Casio CZ-1000, and soon I hope to add a Microbrute. Beats come from a modified Alesis HR-16, even cheaper than a volca. Other effects come from a Boss pitchshifter/delay and a Kaoss Pad.
Cool! I use mostly an Elektron Analog 4 and a Waldorf Blofeld ( plus a repaired TR707) hardware is where its at!
Cool! I use mostly an Elektron Analog 4 and a Waldorf Blofeld ( plus a repaired TR707) hardware is where its at!
Cool! I use mostly an Elektron Analog 4 and a Waldorf Blofeld ( plus a repaired TR707) hardware is where its at!
I love oshow this tuff is working out. I love the idea of a Korg mixer with sync. Perhaps a breakout box for an iPad based mixer… I use a volca keys and bass, tr8 and a plugiator. The keys is awesome for the money and the plugiator is the best synth under 500 quid imo (an authentic sounding moog, odyssey, prophet and organ synth in one box with knobs… Still can’t believe it’s ceased development.) I fancy an anode and some hardware sequencing next.
I love oshow this tuff is working out. I love the idea of a Korg mixer with sync. Perhaps a breakout box for an iPad based mixer… I use a volca keys and bass, tr8 and a plugiator. The keys is awesome for the money and the plugiator is the best synth under 500 quid imo (an authentic sounding moog, odyssey, prophet and organ synth in one box with knobs… Still can’t believe it’s ceased development.) I fancy an anode and some hardware sequencing next.
I love oshow this tuff is working out. I love the idea of a Korg mixer with sync. Perhaps a breakout box for an iPad based mixer… I use a volca keys and bass, tr8 and a plugiator. The keys is awesome for the money and the plugiator is the best synth under 500 quid imo (an authentic sounding moog, odyssey, prophet and organ synth in one box with knobs… Still can’t believe it’s ceased development.) I fancy an anode and some hardware sequencing next.
Gotta say, this is one of my favorite posts in a long time. Seeing real people make music without spending a fortune on vanity gear is a refreshing change. Keep the vids coming, guys!
Gotta say, this is one of my favorite posts in a long time. Seeing real people make music without spending a fortune on vanity gear is a refreshing change. Keep the vids coming, guys!
Gotta say, this is one of my favorite posts in a long time. Seeing real people make music without spending a fortune on vanity gear is a refreshing change. Keep the vids coming, guys!
Am I crazy, or are most of the videos with these kinds of setups producing amateur, boring, repetitive house? I swear everyone is making the same kind of dull techno on Youtube with this stuff….
I don’t think you’re crazy. I think all this affordable hardware gives people a chance to try and create the type of music they’ve listened to, or danced to, in the past. The gear is cheap, so why not have some fun? I don’t think most are expecting to be superstars from uploading their jams to YouTube, rather they’re just having a laugh.
There are some great jams in unorthodox unusual styles out there on YouTube, but yeah, you do have to dig for them.
No you’re not. The person in this video had an argument with music and they’ll never go out together again. This doesn’t mean though that everone having this gear should “create” such a boring thing that reminds me 80’s arcade.
I will have to agree with you cynicone. It all sounds so outdated! I somewhere fail to believe that you can achieve the freshness of today’s music using these “cheap stuff”.
Just remember that most of yesterday’s classics in the realm of dance music was made with ‘cheap stuff.’ TB-303, most of the x0x stuff, yamaha’s DX series, Casio’s CZ-series and several other things were dirt cheap at the time that dance music was in its infancy. A hammer doesn’t build a house, but the person wielding a hammer can pound a nail easier with one. NO TOOL is a substitute for talent. I have heard enough recordings in my life to know that $50k worth of music equipment in the wrong hands can still turn out pedestrian results. My first two releases were done with less than $500 worth of equipment…they are still being played around the world in nightclubs.
By “the freshness of today’s stuff” I hope you aren’t referring to the stale, uninteresting, nothing but build and drops, strain of “EDM” that’s become so popular…
Man ain’t it the truth- Sometimes it seem’s like some of the best Electronica I’ve heard was made in the ’90’s but EDM – (Big letters) yawwwn
I don’t think anyone’s out to make a modern hit record with this stuff. It’s just a fun thing to do. It’s tactile, interactive, and gratifying. Like Peter mentioned, it’s a sort of electronic folk music. And believe it or not, it can go over quite well in the right live setting – I say this from experience. Mostly because of the novelty of it, sure, but it’s something different from and often more interesting than the standard “hit play” laptop performance.
So I don’t seem like such a hater…here’s a dude using hardware gear to make interesting stuff. Don’t know the guy…just stumbled upon this while researching gear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71wKmwTO8Ls
A good reason why I never post videos of my creative process. The tools used don’t impress me. I focus more on what I hear coming out of the speakers. If that sounds interesting to me, then I give it respect. If I don’t like it, I go back to work on doing my own thing. People don’t dance to equipment…they dance to the soundwaves created by the equipment. What is being used (price-wise) should never matter, the end result matters more. I welcome lower-cost machinery to the arsenal-and when the price comes down on high-end equipment…I welcome that too. As long as I can make it useful to me.
Seems you might be a little offended by my first comment. Look dude, I’m not saying that you CANT make good music with cheap gear. IDGAF if you beat a trash can with a dead cat…good music is good music.
What I failed to express I guess in my first post, is that I wish there were more videos of people making INTERESTING music with cheap gear. Only a dumbass would think you need expensive stuff to make good music. I’m not taking that position at all.
I have more gear than I should. You know what I’ve been making tunes on primarily this past two weeks? My iPad…with cheap apps.
No reason to get offended if/because you own some of the gear in the original video.
Look Dude, look dude. Dude, look. Dude. Look.
Dude! Look!
Aaaaaaaargggggh!
Sorry did I trigger your tourette syndrome?
I wasn’t offended (that would require an attack of my character or something else;) I’m glad that you expanded your comment, however!
but gear makes also a lot of fun. also to create a set-up. but you are right, gear is not rockin’ the house. it’s the people behind.
^^ thats about 3500 $ worth of gear , I think the guy above used about 1000 worth , Id liek to think that having top end items would make better tunes than the small volcas and a TB3 .
Not trying to say you need $3500 in gear. But for $1000 you could get an older piece, like say…a Roland MC-505 (I have one…bought it used $200) and make better stuff than the original video.
True , but used carries its own troubles too, broken pots/sliders or a synth that just plain out breaks, new gear normally works ( unless you need firmware updates of course) The video you posted is actually a worse tune to me than the original .one in the article , too glitchy and sliced up for my tastes unfortunately .
Thats what makes synths and music wonderful, we all like synths, but we like different styles of music ! cya around
Clearly it’s all a matter of taste. I read your first comment and immediately imagined what you would consider “interesting”… then got down to this and yup, I was right. You’re right in that the original is pretty much simple repetitive and old-school sounding. But this comes off (in my opinion) kinda precocious and scattered. Both would be skipped in my playlists, but then who the hell cares what I think anyway?
Personally I think the good stuff lies between these two examples. Just because something is “interesting” doesn’t mean it’s going to be enjoyable.
Sorry. Tangent.
I have to comment on your post-The people using all these boxes in conjunction with each other (and producing live jams with it for youtube) probably do make some type of ‘amateur and boring’ music-but you thought enough of it to watch and comment-so it’s done it’s job. The people who are using this technology to it’s fullest aren’t talking about it, typically. They’re too busy making music that is going out all over the world. I own several pieces of this guy’s rig. I am a professional musician. I make music that sounds more like ME than anyone else. It’s easy to blame the gear, it’s harder to blame the artist. Go back to making music, and be creative-NOBODY IS WAITING FOR YOUR MASTERPIECE.
(but if you direct them to it, they’ll decide for themselves whether it’s good to them-or not)
Last: The amateur is the guy who invests thousands of dollars of their hard-earned money into drum machines, synthesizers, keyboards and modular units that they use for noodling around with-and never recording any results. The professional uses what he/she has to make music that gets them paid or recognized.
I have some of this guys gear. Check it out. Not shitty techno or house.
https://soundcloud.com/spaceflunkie/spaceflunkieacid-mix
Some cool atmospheric stuff going on here. Thanks!
nice work
I’m guessing that none of your friends are guitar players. They’ll string together complex effects chains and grind their way through the same few chord changes for hours on end, with little tweaks until they find just the sound their after. Not really that different from most synth geeks, and it can be tons of fun.
Music is all about expressing yourself, enjoyment and social connectedness. We don’t have to write a concerto every time we touch an instrument any more than we have to mangle our way through Mozart’s Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor six hundred times.
Yes, you are right. But still, i would rather hear someone make cheesy acid with a couple of volcas than those pointless noodles that some people make with expensive Buchlas like Todd Barton.
I was going to say something regarding your first comment then I saw the second comment and watched THAT video and TBH that kind of music is more to my liking matter of fact I love it. But I think (as other people had said) that it’s less impressive that its being done on some very expensive gear. I read your follow on comments so I get what you were not saying 😉 I’m more impressed at what folks can do with cheap stuff, Not because it’s any better, like I said I liked the other video better, but it’s more inspiring what you can do with cheap new gear. Even if you are inspired to say – yeah I can do better.
Am I crazy, or are most of the videos with these kinds of setups producing amateur, boring, repetitive house? I swear everyone is making the same kind of dull techno on Youtube with this stuff….
I don’t think you’re crazy. I think all this affordable hardware gives people a chance to try and create the type of music they’ve listened to, or danced to, in the past. The gear is cheap, so why not have some fun? I don’t think most are expecting to be superstars from uploading their jams to YouTube, rather they’re just having a laugh.
There are some great jams in unorthodox unusual styles out there on YouTube, but yeah, you do have to dig for them.
No you’re not. The person in this video had an argument with music and they’ll never go out together again. This doesn’t mean though that everone having this gear should “create” such a boring thing that reminds me 80’s arcade.
I will have to agree with you cynicone. It all sounds so outdated! I somewhere fail to believe that you can achieve the freshness of today’s music using these “cheap stuff”.
Just remember that most of yesterday’s classics in the realm of dance music was made with ‘cheap stuff.’ TB-303, most of the x0x stuff, yamaha’s DX series, Casio’s CZ-series and several other things were dirt cheap at the time that dance music was in its infancy. A hammer doesn’t build a house, but the person wielding a hammer can pound a nail easier with one. NO TOOL is a substitute for talent. I have heard enough recordings in my life to know that $50k worth of music equipment in the wrong hands can still turn out pedestrian results. My first two releases were done with less than $500 worth of equipment…they are still being played around the world in nightclubs.
By “the freshness of today’s stuff” I hope you aren’t referring to the stale, uninteresting, nothing but build and drops, strain of “EDM” that’s become so popular…
Man ain’t it the truth- Sometimes it seem’s like some of the best Electronica I’ve heard was made in the ’90’s but EDM – (Big letters) yawwwn
I don’t think anyone’s out to make a modern hit record with this stuff. It’s just a fun thing to do. It’s tactile, interactive, and gratifying. Like Peter mentioned, it’s a sort of electronic folk music. And believe it or not, it can go over quite well in the right live setting – I say this from experience. Mostly because of the novelty of it, sure, but it’s something different from and often more interesting than the standard “hit play” laptop performance.
So I don’t seem like such a hater…here’s a dude using hardware gear to make interesting stuff. Don’t know the guy…just stumbled upon this while researching gear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71wKmwTO8Ls
A good reason why I never post videos of my creative process. The tools used don’t impress me. I focus more on what I hear coming out of the speakers. If that sounds interesting to me, then I give it respect. If I don’t like it, I go back to work on doing my own thing. People don’t dance to equipment…they dance to the soundwaves created by the equipment. What is being used (price-wise) should never matter, the end result matters more. I welcome lower-cost machinery to the arsenal-and when the price comes down on high-end equipment…I welcome that too. As long as I can make it useful to me.
Seems you might be a little offended by my first comment. Look dude, I’m not saying that you CANT make good music with cheap gear. IDGAF if you beat a trash can with a dead cat…good music is good music.
What I failed to express I guess in my first post, is that I wish there were more videos of people making INTERESTING music with cheap gear. Only a dumbass would think you need expensive stuff to make good music. I’m not taking that position at all.
I have more gear than I should. You know what I’ve been making tunes on primarily this past two weeks? My iPad…with cheap apps.
No reason to get offended if/because you own some of the gear in the original video.
Look Dude, look dude. Dude, look. Dude. Look.
Dude! Look!
Aaaaaaaargggggh!
Sorry did I trigger your tourette syndrome?
I wasn’t offended (that would require an attack of my character or something else;) I’m glad that you expanded your comment, however!
but gear makes also a lot of fun. also to create a set-up. but you are right, gear is not rockin’ the house. it’s the people behind.
^^ thats about 3500 $ worth of gear , I think the guy above used about 1000 worth , Id liek to think that having top end items would make better tunes than the small volcas and a TB3 .
Not trying to say you need $3500 in gear. But for $1000 you could get an older piece, like say…a Roland MC-505 (I have one…bought it used $200) and make better stuff than the original video.
Hell, I’ve seen machinedrum mki UWs going for less than $700 lately. What about an old E-MU command station? Cheap and awesome too. All good hardware options.
True , but used carries its own troubles too, broken pots/sliders or a synth that just plain out breaks, new gear normally works ( unless you need firmware updates of course) The video you posted is actually a worse tune to me than the original .one in the article , too glitchy and sliced up for my tastes unfortunately .
Thats what makes synths and music wonderful, we all like synths, but we like different styles of music ! cya around
Clearly it’s all a matter of taste. I read your first comment and immediately imagined what you would consider “interesting”… then got down to this and yup, I was right. You’re right in that the original is pretty much simple repetitive and old-school sounding. But this comes off (in my opinion) kinda precocious and scattered. Both would be skipped in my playlists, but then who the hell cares what I think anyway?
Personally I think the good stuff lies between these two examples. Just because something is “interesting” doesn’t mean it’s going to be enjoyable.
Sorry. Tangent.
I have to comment on your post-The people using all these boxes in conjunction with each other (and producing live jams with it for youtube) probably do make some type of ‘amateur and boring’ music-but you thought enough of it to watch and comment-so it’s done it’s job. The people who are using this technology to it’s fullest aren’t talking about it, typically. They’re too busy making music that is going out all over the world. I own several pieces of this guy’s rig. I am a professional musician. I make music that sounds more like ME than anyone else. It’s easy to blame the gear, it’s harder to blame the artist. Go back to making music, and be creative-NOBODY IS WAITING FOR YOUR MASTERPIECE.
(but if you direct them to it, they’ll decide for themselves whether it’s good to them-or not)
Last: The amateur is the guy who invests thousands of dollars of their hard-earned money into drum machines, synthesizers, keyboards and modular units that they use for noodling around with-and never recording any results. The professional uses what he/she has to make music that gets them paid or recognized.
I have some of this guys gear. Check it out. Not shitty techno or house.
https://soundcloud.com/spaceflunkie/spaceflunkieacid-mix
Some cool atmospheric stuff going on here. Thanks!
nice work
I’m guessing that none of your friends are guitar players. They’ll string together complex effects chains and grind their way through the same few chord changes for hours on end, with little tweaks until they find just the sound their after. Not really that different from most synth geeks, and it can be tons of fun.
Music is all about expressing yourself, enjoyment and social connectedness. We don’t have to write a concerto every time we touch an instrument any more than we have to mangle our way through Mozart’s Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor six hundred times.
Yes, you are right. But still, i would rather hear someone make cheesy acid with a couple of volcas than those pointless noodles that some people make with expensive Buchlas like Todd Barton.
I was going to say something regarding your first comment then I saw the second comment and watched THAT video and TBH that kind of music is more to my liking matter of fact I love it. But I think (as other people had said) that it’s less impressive that its being done on some very expensive gear. I read your follow on comments so I get what you were not saying 😉 I’m more impressed at what folks can do with cheap stuff, Not because it’s any better, like I said I liked the other video better, but it’s more inspiring what you can do with cheap new gear. Even if you are inspired to say – yeah I can do better.
Am I crazy, or are most of the videos with these kinds of setups producing amateur, boring, repetitive house? I swear everyone is making the same kind of dull techno on Youtube with this stuff….
I don’t think you’re crazy. I think all this affordable hardware gives people a chance to try and create the type of music they’ve listened to, or danced to, in the past. The gear is cheap, so why not have some fun? I don’t think most are expecting to be superstars from uploading their jams to YouTube, rather they’re just having a laugh.
There are some great jams in unorthodox unusual styles out there on YouTube, but yeah, you do have to dig for them.
No you’re not. The person in this video had an argument with music and they’ll never go out together again. This doesn’t mean though that everone having this gear should “create” such a boring thing that reminds me 80’s arcade.
I will have to agree with you cynicone. It all sounds so outdated! I somewhere fail to believe that you can achieve the freshness of today’s music using these “cheap stuff”.
Just remember that most of yesterday’s classics in the realm of dance music was made with ‘cheap stuff.’ TB-303, most of the x0x stuff, yamaha’s DX series, Casio’s CZ-series and several other things were dirt cheap at the time that dance music was in its infancy. A hammer doesn’t build a house, but the person wielding a hammer can pound a nail easier with one. NO TOOL is a substitute for talent. I have heard enough recordings in my life to know that $50k worth of music equipment in the wrong hands can still turn out pedestrian results. My first two releases were done with less than $500 worth of equipment…they are still being played around the world in nightclubs.
By “the freshness of today’s stuff” I hope you aren’t referring to the stale, uninteresting, nothing but build and drops, strain of “EDM” that’s become so popular…
Man ain’t it the truth- Sometimes it seem’s like some of the best Electronica I’ve heard was made in the ’90’s but EDM – (Big letters) yawwwn
I don’t think anyone’s out to make a modern hit record with this stuff. It’s just a fun thing to do. It’s tactile, interactive, and gratifying. Like Peter mentioned, it’s a sort of electronic folk music. And believe it or not, it can go over quite well in the right live setting – I say this from experience. Mostly because of the novelty of it, sure, but it’s something different from and often more interesting than the standard “hit play” laptop performance.
So I don’t seem like such a hater…here’s a dude using hardware gear to make interesting stuff. Don’t know the guy…just stumbled upon this while researching gear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71wKmwTO8Ls
A good reason why I never post videos of my creative process. The tools used don’t impress me. I focus more on what I hear coming out of the speakers. If that sounds interesting to me, then I give it respect. If I don’t like it, I go back to work on doing my own thing. People don’t dance to equipment…they dance to the soundwaves created by the equipment. What is being used (price-wise) should never matter, the end result matters more. I welcome lower-cost machinery to the arsenal-and when the price comes down on high-end equipment…I welcome that too. As long as I can make it useful to me.
Seems you might be a little offended by my first comment. Look dude, I’m not saying that you CANT make good music with cheap gear. IDGAF if you beat a trash can with a dead cat…good music is good music.
What I failed to express I guess in my first post, is that I wish there were more videos of people making INTERESTING music with cheap gear. Only a dumbass would think you need expensive stuff to make good music. I’m not taking that position at all.
I have more gear than I should. You know what I’ve been making tunes on primarily this past two weeks? My iPad…with cheap apps.
No reason to get offended if/because you own some of the gear in the original video.
Look Dude, look dude. Dude, look. Dude. Look.
Dude! Look!
Aaaaaaaargggggh!
Sorry did I trigger your tourette syndrome?
I wasn’t offended (that would require an attack of my character or something else;) I’m glad that you expanded your comment, however!
but gear makes also a lot of fun. also to create a set-up. but you are right, gear is not rockin’ the house. it’s the people behind.
^^ thats about 3500 $ worth of gear , I think the guy above used about 1000 worth , Id liek to think that having top end items would make better tunes than the small volcas and a TB3 .
Not trying to say you need $3500 in gear. But for $1000 you could get an older piece, like say…a Roland MC-505 (I have one…bought it used $200) and make better stuff than the original video.
Hell, I’ve seen machinedrum mki UWs going for less than $700 lately. What about an old E-MU command station? Cheap and awesome too. All good hardware options.
True , but used carries its own troubles too, broken pots/sliders or a synth that just plain out breaks, new gear normally works ( unless you need firmware updates of course) The video you posted is actually a worse tune to me than the original .one in the article , too glitchy and sliced up for my tastes unfortunately .
Thats what makes synths and music wonderful, we all like synths, but we like different styles of music ! cya around
Clearly it’s all a matter of taste. I read your first comment and immediately imagined what you would consider “interesting”… then got down to this and yup, I was right. You’re right in that the original is pretty much simple repetitive and old-school sounding. But this comes off (in my opinion) kinda precocious and scattered. Both would be skipped in my playlists, but then who the hell cares what I think anyway?
Personally I think the good stuff lies between these two examples. Just because something is “interesting” doesn’t mean it’s going to be enjoyable.
Sorry. Tangent.
I have to comment on your post-The people using all these boxes in conjunction with each other (and producing live jams with it for youtube) probably do make some type of ‘amateur and boring’ music-but you thought enough of it to watch and comment-so it’s done it’s job. The people who are using this technology to it’s fullest aren’t talking about it, typically. They’re too busy making music that is going out all over the world. I own several pieces of this guy’s rig. I am a professional musician. I make music that sounds more like ME than anyone else. It’s easy to blame the gear, it’s harder to blame the artist. Go back to making music, and be creative-NOBODY IS WAITING FOR YOUR MASTERPIECE.
(but if you direct them to it, they’ll decide for themselves whether it’s good to them-or not)
Last: The amateur is the guy who invests thousands of dollars of their hard-earned money into drum machines, synthesizers, keyboards and modular units that they use for noodling around with-and never recording any results. The professional uses what he/she has to make music that gets them paid or recognized.
I have some of this guys gear. Check it out. Not shitty techno or house.
https://soundcloud.com/spaceflunkie/spaceflunkieacid-mix
Some cool atmospheric stuff going on here. Thanks!
nice work
I’m guessing that none of your friends are guitar players. They’ll string together complex effects chains and grind their way through the same few chord changes for hours on end, with little tweaks until they find just the sound their after. Not really that different from most synth geeks, and it can be tons of fun.
Music is all about expressing yourself, enjoyment and social connectedness. We don’t have to write a concerto every time we touch an instrument any more than we have to mangle our way through Mozart’s Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor six hundred times.
Yes, you are right. But still, i would rather hear someone make cheesy acid with a couple of volcas than those pointless noodles that some people make with expensive Buchlas like Todd Barton.
I was going to say something regarding your first comment then I saw the second comment and watched THAT video and TBH that kind of music is more to my liking matter of fact I love it. But I think (as other people had said) that it’s less impressive that its being done on some very expensive gear. I read your follow on comments so I get what you were not saying 😉 I’m more impressed at what folks can do with cheap stuff, Not because it’s any better, like I said I liked the other video better, but it’s more inspiring what you can do with cheap new gear. Even if you are inspired to say – yeah I can do better.
I’ve been really happy using one of the new quad core bay trail tablets running Reason. The cpu is good enough to run NN-XT and some Combinator patches. The small Behringer usb mixer in the picture works a treat. There’s also an Alesis Vortex that I got really cheap having aftertouch as an added bonus. And finally, an iPad first gen on Alesis IODock, running Loopy HD, and controlled by Behringer midi pedals. This rig works wonderfully for me and it’s reasonably cheap to be mentioned here.
I’ve been really happy using one of the new quad core bay trail tablets running Reason. The cpu is good enough to run NN-XT and some Combinator patches. The small Behringer usb mixer in the picture works a treat. There’s also an Alesis Vortex that I got really cheap having aftertouch as an added bonus. And finally, an iPad first gen on Alesis IODock, running Loopy HD, and controlled by Behringer midi pedals. This rig works wonderfully for me and it’s reasonably cheap to be mentioned here.
I’ve been really happy using one of the new quad core bay trail tablets running Reason. The cpu is good enough to run NN-XT and some Combinator patches. The small Behringer usb mixer in the picture works a treat. There’s also an Alesis Vortex that I got really cheap having aftertouch as an added bonus. And finally, an iPad first gen on Alesis IODock, running Loopy HD, and controlled by Behringer midi pedals. This rig works wonderfully for me and it’s reasonably cheap to be mentioned here.
I’ve been slowly building up a similar hardware setup in an attempt to get away from the laptop I’ve been anchored to for years. The problem is, the more you get, the more you want. GAS kicks in pretty hard.The “budget” part of the story is a bit misleading, since the video posted above uses over $1k worth of hardware. 🙂 Here’s a video of me trying to figure out how to get everything synced up with the OP-1 as master clock. Not super interesting, just a test substituting the OP-1 for the usual Volca Beats. I’m getting there…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVFeKcvs_Ys
I’ve been slowly building up a similar hardware setup in an attempt to get away from the laptop I’ve been anchored to for years. The problem is, the more you get, the more you want. GAS kicks in pretty hard.The “budget” part of the story is a bit misleading, since the video posted above uses over $1k worth of hardware. 🙂 Here’s a video of me trying to figure out how to get everything synced up with the OP-1 as master clock. Not super interesting, just a test substituting the OP-1 for the usual Volca Beats. I’m getting there…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVFeKcvs_Ys
I’ve been slowly building up a similar hardware setup in an attempt to get away from the laptop I’ve been anchored to for years. The problem is, the more you get, the more you want. GAS kicks in pretty hard.The “budget” part of the story is a bit misleading, since the video posted above uses over $1k worth of hardware. 🙂 Here’s a video of me trying to figure out how to get everything synced up with the OP-1 as master clock. Not super interesting, just a test substituting the OP-1 for the usual Volca Beats. I’m getting there…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVFeKcvs_Ys
Don’t be scammed into getting the Beat Step. It’s total garbage without a computer and even with a computer it barely passes usability. This video actually demonstrates one of the many reasons why. It has to be a master controller and you have no BPM readout. Other than that there are a hundred reasons why it fails. Get a rhythm wolf as a sequencer instead for more options (multiple patterns, a/b chaining, easier sequencing/note input, bpm readout, 1/4 – 1/32, triplets, swing, accent, midi out, clock out (says gate but its a constant gate unlike the beatstep which can only gate on steps with note values, etc.) plus some usable extra sounds. Arturia also completely abandoned the thing after 1 minor update.. take a look @ the beatstep forum on their site. I totally regret buying the thing and it just serves as a paper weight.
I like the BeatStep just fine. It works as advertised. It’s not optimal as a master clock, but I just slave it to my other gear. I have no issues with it.
You CAN’T slave it to your other gear without spending the same amount you paid for it to buy a standalone usb midi host box. It can only slave to its usb input. Never mind the other issues, that alone is totally stupid when there are better options for the same price. The point of my post is to warn people that if you are interested in a computer free setup, do NOT waste your money on the beatstep.
Well, yeah. I have a standalone midi host box as a central part of my setup anyway. You generally need one if you are going to be syncing most kinds of hardware without a computer. I never expected the BeatStep to serve that purpose.
That’s what this Topic is about. I got the beatstep and if the rhythm wolf never came out, I would’ve ended up buying a usb midi host box as well. Thank god I didn’t have to and got another piece of gear that fills the role for the same $$.
I’m not saying the beatstep doesn’t have a role it can fill…. when a computer is present.. but it’s standalone functionality is a complete after thought by Arturia.
I typically stand by gear I own, and I love Arturia (own a SparkLE, mini & micro brute along with the BS), but this thing comes up short.
Anyways, just trying to give advice to people just getting interested in this so that they end up with something with easier standalone usability and no extra cost to get there.
All that said & perhaps to be a little fair – if you’re just interested in pressing play, you can hook it up to your computer and preload a bunch of 16 step sequences to use with the bpms you expect. It’s not a total loss by itself.
That said.. I would still recommend the RW for this a million times over the BS.
I just got a Beatstep and using it as the Master Clock can be frustrating when you are going ‘sans laptop” but it is doable. Since I’m doing Improvisation jams it just makes me more reliant or my ears and body to “Feel the beat” But boy howdy do I not like knowing what the actual Tempo is. that said I would not call it a waste it is super fun once you get the hang of Winging it with Tempo. I will probably get the Kenton USB to MIDI converter anyways though (or build one with Arduino depends how motiviated I get) as for the Rhythm Wolf, It’s sort of on my list. I just have not seen how you can change the pitches of the individual steps from the Bass Sequencer (easier sequencing/note input). I like how on the Beatstep you just change the scale and twist the kobs in 1 to 1 with the pads. I know it is of course “Do-able” I just have not watched enuff videos on the RW. (which got totally panned, I mean it really does sound awful)
It didn’t get totally panned and that has largely subsided. Peter Kirn himself was unfair to it (irresponsibly so if you ask me) and there is a stupid video on youtube.. but, go back and look @ the comment’s on Peter’s unresearched flame article (which he also tried to use as a vehical for a childish “analogue isn’t always better” diatribe/rant). I usually like Peter’s writing but found that nothing more than early over-reaction. I think it sounds great for exactly what it is (pretty limited & sounds like a KPR with a better Kick), but sound-wise the only thing people were complaining about really was the bass synth.. which I never intended to use in the first place really. Also, the pitch problem has been addressed by Akai since then with their tuning program…which works. Anyways, the strength of the thing IS the sequencer, sync, + some drum sounds to throw in. And it’s insanely cheap for that.. there’s no alternative as cheap or cheaper other than the BS (or a v1 electribe..but you lose the extra cv gate/sync); which unless you need cv pitch/gate conversion really has nothing going for it, imo.
RW – You change the pitches of individual steps just as you would on most step sequencers (think of an electribe). In either step record (1 at a time, turn a dial/pick a note) or perf record mode(sequence keys=keyboard). Even worse than not knowing what your tempo is without a computer on the BS, is guessing what notes you’ve dialed in. They’ve recieved some good recommendations for resolving that (pads+multicolor leds=represent keyboard), but it doesnt appear they are ever going to update the thing again and are either just abandoning it or going to move on to v2.
I went out and bought it anyways- I think it IS as bad as it sounds on the vids lol I mean when I plugged it in I was like Hrrmm the Kick is OK but the snares and Perc — BLEHHH. BUT It is growing on me I have run it through my Ibanez AD -202 Analog Delay and Roland Octave Divider and It’s got quite a tone now LOL All it need was some FX to juice it up. The Bass synth is Weak sauce the filters need more Oohmph , but again – I ran the output of the Bass through a Korg Monotron as filter and interesting stuff ensued. .
My biggest complaints are:
I have found that even with the Tuning utility it goes out of tune across the Octaves after an hour or so.
You have to hold down a the “Bass Pad” to change the Note Value – and it makes a Sound as you sweep through the values. (Same with Selecting Drums)
Step Sequecer doesn’t remember that last not assigned to a step it resets back to C1 – so if you like a particular musical phrase but want to “Jam” with the step timing (Like on the Beatstep) you lose all you note data. The only way to get them back in is in Real time Recording (if you don’t want to sweep through the values. )
I have 60 days to return it so I’ll have had a good enough run with it. – That said, I like weird babies and in the past got rid of gear I thought I had no use
AKAI/MAudio/ Inmusic has a habit of abandoning their babies ( I love my Venom but they dropped support for that – No new Drivers or Firmware for my MPX 8 or EIE Pro either and have you tried getting replacement faders for the APC 40?? ) AKAI is not the company is used to be. They have great ideas but execution and post release Maint. is poor.
I have 60 days to return it so I’ll have had a good enough run with it. – That said, I like weird babies and in the past got rid of gear I thought I had no use for only to forever rue that day I did so. (see pic for examples)
The kit to me is just there for backing. The kick is dope, just wish it had more range. Anyone mod this yet? The snare is way better than people think, imo. Hat’s aren’t bad (KPR) and are less bad when you sort out the variations on the hits and chokes when using the 3 lvl accents. But, this is why I cite marketing fail. They tried to make this thing look like a x0x beast, when they should’ve gone an entirely different route.
The continue only on the sequencer is only when its not master..but i feel you, kind of annoying.
btw.. here’s a RW+Volca tune 🙂
https://soundcloud.com/light_box/drum-song-riddim-wolf
also..great idea with the monotron. I have to try that..my `tron has been sitting gathering dust for awhile now.
FYI I ended up returning it. It was just was not worth it for me. Of course now I’m Eying the Roland MX-1 to control my AIRA setup. so the extra $ will go to that.
Don’t be scammed into getting the Beat Step. It’s total garbage without a computer and even with a computer it barely passes usability. This video actually demonstrates one of the many reasons why. It has to be a master controller and you have no BPM readout (add in the knowledge that slave devices BPM readouts are disabled when in slave mode). Other than that there are a hundred reasons why it fails. Get a rhythm wolf as a sequencer instead for more options (multiple patterns, a/b chaining, easier sequencing/note input, bpm readout, 1/4 – 1/32, triplets, swing, accent, midi out, clock out (says gate but its a constant gate unlike the beatstep which can only gate on steps with note values, etc.) plus some usable extra sounds.
Arturia also completely abandoned the thing after 1 minor update.. take a look @ the beatstep forum on their site. I totally regret buying the thing and it just serves as a paper weight. If they ever update it i might change my mind, but for now it is so limited its not worth the effort of plugging in. Really, even with all it’s limitations if it could’ve just been a hardware slave it would have made all the difference. You could go crazy and spend another 200 bucks and get a usb->midi standalone box to make up for it, but why spend the extra cash when the rhythm wolf exists in the same price range? I guess maybe if you need a computer/usb midi->cv convertor it is a good option. It can fullfill that role at least, but as a standalone sequencer..total fail.
I like the BeatStep just fine. It works as advertised. It’s not optimal as a master clock, but I just slave it to my other gear. I have no issues with it.
You CAN’T slave it to your other gear without spending the same amount you paid for it to buy a standalone usb midi host box. It can only slave to its usb input. Never mind the other issues, that alone is totally stupid when there are better options for the same price. The point of my post is to warn people that if you are interested in a computer free setup, do NOT waste your money on the beatstep. Square peg, round hole.
Well, yeah. I have a standalone midi host box as a central part of my setup anyway. You generally need one if you are going to be syncing most kinds of hardware without a computer. I never expected the BeatStep to serve that purpose.
That’s what this Topic is about. I got the beatstep and if the rhythm wolf never came out, I would’ve ended up buying a usb midi host box as well. Thank god I didn’t have to and got another piece of gear that fills the role (and more) for the same $$.
I’m not saying the beatstep doesn’t have a role it can fill…. when a computer is present.. but it’s standalone functionality is a complete after thought by Arturia.
I typically stand by gear I own (to a fault even), and I love Arturia (own a SparkLE, mini & micro brute along with the BS), but this thing comes up short…even for it’s price.
Anyways, just trying to give advice to people just getting interested in this so that they end up with something with easier standalone usability and no extra cost to get there.
All that said & perhaps to be a little fair – aside from other things i mentioned it can do well (such as super affordable computer midi->cv) – if you’re just interested in pressing play, you can hook it up to your computer and preload a bunch of 16 step sequences to use with the bpms you expect then disconnect it and have fun. It’s not a total loss by itself. It’s other play modes are useful..ping-pong, rand, etc.
That said.. I would still recommend the RW for this a million times over the BS.
I still pray they update the thing again (unlike their other gear, this is looking doubtful)..I wanna love it.
I just got a Beatstep and using it as the Master Clock can be frustrating when you are going ‘sans laptop” but it is doable. Since I’m doing Improvisation jams it just makes me more reliant or my ears and body to “Feel the beat” But boy howdy do I not like knowing what the actual Tempo is. that said I would not call it a waste it is super fun once you get the hang of Winging it with Tempo. I will probably get the Kenton USB to MIDI converter anyways though (or build one with Arduino depends how motiviated I get) as for the Rhythm Wolf, It’s sort of on my list. I just have not seen how you can change the pitches of the individual steps from the Bass Sequencer (easier sequencing/note input). I like how on the Beatstep you just change the scale and twist the kobs in 1 to 1 with the pads. I know it is of course “Do-able” I just have not watched enuff videos on the RW. (which got totally panned, I mean it really does sound awful)
It didn’t get totally panned and that has largely subsided. Peter Kirn himself was unfair to it (irresponsibly so if you ask me) and there is a stupid video on youtube.. but, go back and look @ the comment’s on Peter’s flame piece (which he also tried to use as a vehical for a “analogue isn’t always better” diatribe/rant). I usually like Peter’s writing but found that nothing more than early over-reaction. I think it sounds great for exactly what it is (a very simple analogue drum machine), but sound-wise the only thing people were complaining about really was the bass synth.. which I never intended to use in the first place really. Also, the pitch problem has been addressed by Akai since then with their tuning program…which works. The root of the past percieved issues of the RW boils down to 2 things – it’s stupid marketing and it’s launch issues (tuning)…both of which really have nothing to do with the machine itself at all anymore.
Anyways, the strength of the thing IS the sequencer, sync, + some KPR-style (with better kick) drum sounds to throw in. And it’s insanely cheap for that.. there’s no alternative as cheap or cheaper other than the BS (or a v1 electribe..but you lose the extra cv gate/sync); which unless you need cv pitch/gate conversion really has nothing going for it, imo.
RW – You change the pitches of individual steps just as you would on most step sequencers (think of an electribe). In either step record (1 at a time, turn a dial/pick a note) or perf record mode(sequence keys=keyboard). Even worse than not knowing what your tempo is without a computer on the BS, is guessing what notes you’ve dialed in. They’ve recieved some good recommendations for resolving that (pads+multicolor leds=represent keyboard), but it doesnt appear they are ever going to update the thing again and are either just abandoning it or going to move on to v2.
I went out and bought it anyways- I think it IS as bad as it sounds on the vids lol I mean when I plugged it in I was like Hrrmm the Kick is OK but the snares and Perc — BLEHHH. BUT It is growing on me I have run it through my Ibanez AD -202 Analog Delay and Roland Octave Divider and It’s got quite a tone now LOL All it need was some FX to juice it up. The Bass synth is Weak sauce the filters need more Oohmph , but again – I ran the output of the Bass through a Korg Monotron as filter and interesting stuff ensued. .
My biggest complaints are:
I have found that even with the Tuning utility it goes out of tune across the Octaves after an hour or so.
You have to hold down a the “Bass Pad” to change the Note Value – and it makes a Sound as you sweep through the values. (Same with Selecting Drums)
Step Sequecer doesn’t remember that last not assigned to a step it resets back to C1 – so if you like a particular musical phrase but want to “Jam” with the step timing (Like on the Beatstep) you lose all you note data. The only way to get them back in is in Real time Recording (if you don’t want to sweep through the values. )
I have 60 days to return it so I’ll have had a good enough run with it. – That said, I like weird babies and in the past got rid of gear I thought I had no use
The BeatStep is a lost cause I’m afraid 🙁 but it is fun so I’m keeping it.
AKAI/MAudio/ Inmusic has a habit of abandoning their babies ( I love my Venom but they dropped support for that – No new Drivers or Firmware for my MPX 8 or EIE Pro either and have you tried getting replacement faders for the APC 40?? ) AKAI is not the company is used to be. They have great ideas but execution and post release Maint. is poor.
I have 60 days to return it so I’ll have had a good enough run with it. – That said, I like weird babies and in the past got rid of gear I thought I had no use for only to forever rue that day I did so. (see pic for examples)
The kit to me is just there for backing. The kick is dope, just wish it had more range. Anyone mod this yet? The snare is way better than people think, imo. Hat’s aren’t bad (KPR) and are less bad when you sort out the variations on the hits and chokes when using the 3 lvl accents. But, this is why I cite marketing fail. They tried to make this thing look like a x0x beast, when they should’ve gone an entirely different route.
The continue only on the sequencer is only when its not master..but i feel you, kind of annoying.
btw.. here’s a RW+Volca tune 🙂
https://soundcloud.com/light_box/drum-song-riddim-wolf
also..great idea with the monotron. I have to try that..my `tron has been sitting gathering dust for awhile now.
FYI I ended up returning it. It was just was not worth it for me. Of course now I’m Eying the Roland MX-1 to control my AIRA setup. so the extra $ will go to that.
Don’t be scammed into getting the Beat Step. It’s total garbage without a computer and even with a computer it barely passes usability. This video actually demonstrates one of the many reasons why. It has to be a master controller and you have no BPM readout (add in the knowledge that slave devices BPM readouts are disabled when in slave mode). Other than that there are a hundred reasons why it fails. Get a rhythm wolf as a sequencer instead for more options (multiple patterns, a/b chaining, easier sequencing/note input, bpm readout, 1/4 – 1/32, triplets, swing, accent, midi out, clock out (says gate but its a constant gate unlike the beatstep which can only gate on steps with note values, etc.) plus some usable extra sounds.
Arturia also completely abandoned the thing after 1 minor update.. take a look @ the beatstep forum on their site. I totally regret buying the thing and it just serves as a paper weight. If they ever update it i might change my mind, but for now it is so limited its not worth the effort of plugging in. Really, even with all it’s limitations if it could’ve just been a hardware slave it would have made all the difference. You could go crazy and spend another 200 bucks and get a usb->midi standalone box to make up for it, but why spend the extra cash when the rhythm wolf exists in the same price range? I guess maybe if you need a computer/usb midi->cv convertor it is a good option. It can fullfill that role at least, but as a standalone sequencer..total fail.
I like the BeatStep just fine. It works as advertised. It’s not optimal as a master clock, but I just slave it to my other gear. I have no issues with it.
You CAN’T slave it to your other gear without spending the same amount you paid for it to buy a standalone usb midi host box. It can only slave to its usb input. Never mind the other issues, that alone is totally stupid when there are better options for the same price. The point of my post is to warn people that if you are interested in a computer free setup, do NOT waste your money on the beatstep. Square peg, round hole.
Well, yeah. I have a standalone midi host box as a central part of my setup anyway. You generally need one if you are going to be syncing most kinds of hardware without a computer. I never expected the BeatStep to serve that purpose.
That’s what this Topic is about. I got the beatstep and if the rhythm wolf never came out, I would’ve ended up buying a usb midi host box as well. Thank god I didn’t have to and got another piece of gear that fills the role (and more) for the same $$.
I’m not saying the beatstep doesn’t have a role it can fill…. when a computer is present.. but it’s standalone functionality is a complete after thought by Arturia.
I typically stand by gear I own (to a fault even), and I love Arturia (own a SparkLE, mini & micro brute along with the BS), but this thing comes up short…even for it’s price.
Anyways, just trying to give advice to people just getting interested in this so that they end up with something with easier standalone usability and no extra cost to get there.
All that said & perhaps to be a little fair – aside from other things i mentioned it can do well (such as super affordable computer midi->cv) – if you’re just interested in pressing play, you can hook it up to your computer and preload a bunch of 16 step sequences to use with the bpms you expect then disconnect it and have fun. It’s not a total loss by itself. It’s other play modes are useful..ping-pong, rand, etc.
That said.. I would still recommend the RW for this a million times over the BS.
I still pray they update the thing again (unlike their other gear, this is looking doubtful)..I wanna love it.
I just got a Beatstep and using it as the Master Clock can be frustrating when you are going ‘sans laptop” but it is doable. Since I’m doing Improvisation jams it just makes me more reliant or my ears and body to “Feel the beat” But boy howdy do I not like knowing what the actual Tempo is. that said I would not call it a waste it is super fun once you get the hang of Winging it with Tempo. I will probably get the Kenton USB to MIDI converter anyways though (or build one with Arduino depends how motiviated I get) as for the Rhythm Wolf, It’s sort of on my list. I just have not seen how you can change the pitches of the individual steps from the Bass Sequencer (easier sequencing/note input). I like how on the Beatstep you just change the scale and twist the kobs in 1 to 1 with the pads. I know it is of course “Do-able” I just have not watched enuff videos on the RW. (which got totally panned, I mean it really does sound awful)
It didn’t get totally panned and that has largely subsided. Peter Kirn himself was unfair to it (irresponsibly so if you ask me) and there is a stupid video on youtube.. but, go back and look @ the comment’s on Peter’s flame piece (which he also tried to use as a vehical for a “analogue isn’t always better” diatribe/rant). I usually like Peter’s writing but found that nothing more than early over-reaction. I think it sounds great for exactly what it is (a very simple analogue drum machine), but sound-wise the only thing people were complaining about really was the bass synth.. which I never intended to use in the first place really. Also, the pitch problem has been addressed by Akai since then with their tuning program…which works. The root of the past percieved issues of the RW boils down to 2 things – it’s stupid marketing and it’s launch issues (tuning)…both of which really have nothing to do with the machine itself at all anymore.
Anyways, the strength of the thing IS the sequencer, sync, + some KPR-style (with better kick) drum sounds to throw in. And it’s insanely cheap for that.. there’s no alternative as cheap or cheaper other than the BS (or a v1 electribe..but you lose the extra cv gate/sync); which unless you need cv pitch/gate conversion really has nothing going for it, imo.
RW – You change the pitches of individual steps just as you would on most step sequencers (think of an electribe). In either step record (1 at a time, turn a dial/pick a note) or perf record mode(sequence keys=keyboard). Even worse than not knowing what your tempo is without a computer on the BS, is guessing what notes you’ve dialed in. They’ve recieved some good recommendations for resolving that (pads+multicolor leds=represent keyboard), but it doesnt appear they are ever going to update the thing again and are either just abandoning it or going to move on to v2.
I went out and bought it anyways- I think it IS as bad as it sounds on the vids lol I mean when I plugged it in I was like Hrrmm the Kick is OK but the snares and Perc — BLEHHH. BUT It is growing on me I have run it through my Ibanez AD -202 Analog Delay and Roland Octave Divider and It’s got quite a tone now LOL All it need was some FX to juice it up. The Bass synth is Weak sauce the filters need more Oohmph , but again – I ran the output of the Bass through a Korg Monotron as filter and interesting stuff ensued. .
My biggest complaints are:
I have found that even with the Tuning utility it goes out of tune across the Octaves after an hour or so.
You have to hold down a the “Bass Pad” to change the Note Value – and it makes a Sound as you sweep through the values. (Same with Selecting Drums)
Step Sequecer doesn’t remember that last not assigned to a step it resets back to C1 – so if you like a particular musical phrase but want to “Jam” with the step timing (Like on the Beatstep) you lose all you note data. The only way to get them back in is in Real time Recording (if you don’t want to sweep through the values. )
I have 60 days to return it so I’ll have had a good enough run with it. – That said, I like weird babies and in the past got rid of gear I thought I had no use
The BeatStep is a lost cause I’m afraid 🙁 but it is fun so I’m keeping it.
AKAI/MAudio/ Inmusic has a habit of abandoning their babies ( I love my Venom but they dropped support for that – No new Drivers or Firmware for my MPX 8 or EIE Pro either and have you tried getting replacement faders for the APC 40?? ) AKAI is not the company is used to be. They have great ideas but execution and post release Maint. is poor.
I have 60 days to return it so I’ll have had a good enough run with it. – That said, I like weird babies and in the past got rid of gear I thought I had no use for only to forever rue that day I did so. (see pic for examples)
The kit to me is just there for backing. The kick is dope, just wish it had more range. Anyone mod this yet? The snare is way better than people think, imo. Hat’s aren’t bad (KPR) and are less bad when you sort out the variations on the hits and chokes when using the 3 lvl accents. But, this is why I cite marketing fail. They tried to make this thing look like a x0x beast, when they should’ve gone an entirely different route.
The continue only on the sequencer is only when its not master..but i feel you, kind of annoying.
btw.. here’s a RW+Volca tune 🙂
https://soundcloud.com/light_box/drum-song-riddim-wolf
also..great idea with the monotron. I have to try that..my `tron has been sitting gathering dust for awhile now.
FYI I ended up returning it. It was just was not worth it for me. Of course now I’m Eying the Roland MX-1 to control my AIRA setup. so the extra $ will go to that.
Awesome little jam. I love the fact that these cheap but great little boxes can make so much good noise. It’s very inspiring to see people getting creative with their setups, in a way these are actually cheap customizable modular rigs. It’s such a fun time to be a musician.
And also in these oversaturated times of overproduced pop music, I actually find it very refreshing to hear these bedroom jams, lots of character and lo-fi goodness come from these raw analog sounds.
I’ve been playing around with integrating hardware synths into my Ableton Live/Push setup and found they really complement each other in nice ways. I’m constantly changing things around though, adding and subtracting to find the perfect setup, but that’s all part of the fun. Pretty common I think, I read in an interview with Aphex Twin recently, that he sometimes favors building studios, to making actual tracks : )
Here’s a jam I did a little while ago based around the Monotribe synced to Live:
http://youtu.be/c2GfZDbsV3w
Digidub. Good stuff.
Awesome little jam. I love the fact that these cheap but great little boxes can make so much good noise. It’s very inspiring to see people getting creative with their setups, in a way these are actually cheap customizable modular rigs. It’s such a fun time to be a musician.
And also in these oversaturated times of overproduced pop music, I actually find it very refreshing to hear these bedroom jams, lots of character and lo-fi goodness come from these raw analog sounds.
I’ve been playing around with integrating hardware synths into my Ableton Live/Push setup and found they really complement each other in nice ways. I’m constantly changing things around though, adding and subtracting to find the perfect setup, but that’s all part of the fun. Pretty common I think, I read in an interview with Aphex Twin recently, that he sometimes favors building studios, to making actual tracks : )
Here’s a jam I did a little while ago based around the Monotribe synced to Live:
http://youtu.be/c2GfZDbsV3w
Digidub. Good stuff.
Awesome little jam. I love the fact that these cheap but great little boxes can make so much good noise. It’s very inspiring to see people getting creative with their setups, in a way these are actually cheap customizable modular rigs. It’s such a fun time to be a musician.
And also in these oversaturated times of overproduced pop music, I actually find it very refreshing to hear these bedroom jams, lots of character and lo-fi goodness come from these raw analog sounds.
I’ve been playing around with integrating hardware synths into my Ableton Live/Push setup and found they really complement each other in nice ways. I’m constantly changing things around though, adding and subtracting to find the perfect setup, but that’s all part of the fun. Pretty common I think, I read in an interview with Aphex Twin recently, that he sometimes favors building studios, to making actual tracks : )
Here’s a jam I did a little while ago based around the Monotribe synced to Live:
http://youtu.be/c2GfZDbsV3w
Digidub. Good stuff.
Here’s another recent jam using mostly cheap analog monosynths in combination with software:
http://youtu.be/8JKA11-bytg
Here’s another recent jam using mostly cheap analog monosynths in combination with software:
http://youtu.be/8JKA11-bytg
Here’s another recent jam using mostly cheap analog monosynths in combination with software:
http://youtu.be/8JKA11-bytg
THIS is how it’s done:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byUffEZQs-c
THIS is how it’s done:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byUffEZQs-c
THIS is how it’s done:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byUffEZQs-c