nah 500 don't cut it

Golly 5000 is alot to spend. A nice (expensive) solution is a korg triton, which integrates midi sequencing, sampling and synth in one keyboard (or, cheaper, a rack). Another same-idea newcomer that apperently is some good shit is Yamaha Motif (keyboard) or RS7000 (desktop module).

Anyways, if i had a lot of G's to spend now, I would not try to look for an all in one solution. They are fun of course, but as you are working with them for a while you realise a setup with individual devices for seperate functions is much more flexible (tho harder to master/understand) and is not always more expensive. (trust me if you love making music you will expand your setup when you can and then it's easier to do so with separte devices). Anyways I started with a groovebox (MC-307) which is an all-in-one-type solution, but after a while you "need" pmore powerful synthsounds and sampling n stuff. It was still a good piece of gear to start off with and I don't regret getting it, and will be using it for long to come.

Looking at the secondhand market can save you a LOT of dough and you can still have top-machines, just not the newest of the newest. Your basic studio consists of one or more of each of the following devices:

- mixer
- sampler
- synth
- drumcomputer
- sequencer
- controller

did I leave anything out? well anyways if you think you are gonna get SERIOUS, it might be better to focus on separte stuff, if you're just plain gonna hobby you can get a workstation (and will expand later, just watch it )
Eh yeah I'm rambling amn't I

conrats on deciding to start your own studio...
guess you've really been bit by the trance bug..

if your looking for a workstation, id suggest going
with a keyboard/sampler/drum machine combo. the
mc307 is a decent purchase, but kind of limits your
sound control and selection to strictly dance type
music. budget wise its probably your best choice,
but if you want to get the most bang for your buck,
i suggest going w/ a product from either korg or
roland...yamaha makes some good stuff too.

a new synth/controller from korg thats excellent
in terms of sound selection and control is the
"Karma". i shit you not, that keyboad will dominate
in any type of musical genre you decide to produce.
go play with one if you have a music store in your
area, or listen to the online samples @ the korg
website. if you are looking for a strictly
dance type keyboard, then id say look @ either the
korg prophecy or Z1 virtual analog synths. if your
into programming your own sounds and u love that
fat analog sound, one of those 2 will surely tide
you over. the prophecy can be found used for about
$400-600 while the z1 will run you about $800-1200.
a good place to start lookin is in the
harmony central classifieds.
http://www.harmony-central.com/Services/#cla

roland makes good synths found in there new xv and
older jv series models, while yamaha's an1x and cs2x
are a good bang for the buck.

good luck in your ventures
better post your tracks when they're all done!!

lexicon

lexiconavenue [QUOTE]conrats on deciding to start your own studio...
guess you've really been bit by the trance bug.. ![QUOTE]


I've always had the bug, I'm just now starting to earn enought money Djing, to be able to do it right.