Hey everyone,

Posing the question as stated in the title. Looking for the ultimate small studio production gear. List below of the blow the budget outline based on my research and knowledge from a big name sound editing buddy who doesn't have a care for trance but is a great technical asset and mentor in my venture nonetheless. I have fiddled in logic for well over a year but never seriously and that's my DAW of choice moving forward if that effects the choice of kit. I am musical and capable on a wide variety of instruments notably the piano which is the only one ive carried thru with over the years (however I have never even touched a synth let alone a digi keyboard, so don't know how much that helps). I am looking to throw myself in the deep end with this. It's a long time coming and I have some mates who have DJ'd in the past keen to join me on production sessions + as stated before a sound tech who is very at ease with a host of equipment + terminology and is like a robot on logic. So backround out the way here is the proposed kit list:


>iMac 27", 3.4ghz I7, 16g RAM. (Already Own)
>Logic 9 (Already Own)
>ReFx Nexus2
>Avid Artist Control
>Avid Mbox Pro Artist Bundle
>Access Virus TI2 Polar
>*Advise on headphones and monitors

What the good the bad and the ugly of the above what else do i need to form a "limitless" fully fledged mini trance production studio (room acoustics and all aside).

Thanks so much and sorry in advance if you feel its a silly question. Please indulge me i am here to learn and the advice ive seen on these forums is the best, reason why i posted here. I work hard for my money and this is where I intend to throw a small chunk, my choice so try refrain from comments in that light

Can't help you towards the hardware bit, seeing as your going the mac route. But why the fuck would you want to buy fucking Nexus? Save your money, get Kontakt for fucks sake. Far better sample-player, which is what nexus is, and with a far greater selection of libraries, plus you can do alot more to the dynamics and texture of the sound in kontakt than you can in nexus.

Monitors? Hmm.. Really depends on the size of the room. And how limitless your budget is. If I were in your shoes I'd definitely go for a couple of Genelec 8050a's, or maybe even something from their mid-field selection. And a pair of headphones with a really nice and soft sound.

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BA-DUM-TSS

quote:

ALFI - BOHICA - DJ MIX (Stream+Dropbox)

You already have the Mac and Logic. If you know fuck all, you have enough there to throw yourself into the deep end with for the next 3-4 years.

Just get a decent set of monitors and forget about buying a load of gear you know fuck all about.

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Soundcloud

ya i would stay clear of the mbox, you don't need the virus, artist control is not something you need, nexus2 is a waste of time,

you need monitors , an interface and a midi keyboard.

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"This is why Superman works alone." GC
old stuff from days gone by (2001-2004)
Mad For Brad's gay little contest

Ok leave the nexus battle out of it... I understand where you guys are coming from with your points but its a personal addition and no money needs to be saved on it, so lets throw Kontakt in there.

Besides that why would I get an alternate midi keyboard if a virus is on the cards and why an alternate interface if an Mbox is on the cards? Also as mentioned logic will be my realm and from my understanding and first hand "experience" (or lack thereof) in the soundies office it is the ideal control surface for working efficiently in logic? And please give examples of kit so I can actually research your alternate suggestions over the ones posted?

Its really not going to make you sleep any worse at night knowing a noob has a power set up that he can grow on and move forward. So please guys just indulge the title in fantasy land and suggest an ultimate, budget free, small footprint, refined, high end studio! Thanks

Talent. Looks like you're out of luck since it can't be bought. And there is no "battle" in regards to Nexus. It's simply a tool for people who want to escape sound design (which takes years to learn) and are willing to sound like everyone, those of whom are also too lazy to learn sound design.

quote:

Originally posted by TradeMark Ok leave the nexus battle out of it... I understand where you guys are coming from with your points but its a personal addition and no money needs to be saved on it, so lets throw Kontakt in there. Besides that why would I get an alternate midi keyboard if a virus is on the cards and why an alternate interface if an Mbox is on the cards? Also as mentioned logic will be my realm and from my understanding and first hand "experience" (or lack thereof) in the soundies office it is the ideal control surface for working efficiently in logic? And please give examples of kit so I can actually research your alternate suggestions over the ones posted? Its really not going to make you sleep any worse at night knowing a noob has a power set up that he can grow on and move forward. So please guys just indulge the title in fantasy land and suggest an ultimate, budget free, small footprint, refined, high end studio! Thanks

the mbox is shit and you aren't using protools. The virus is 2000. A midi keyboard is 100. I honestly am a little confused. You said no budget. Your current budget is in the highs thousands.

ahhh you are saying you have money to burn,

well then.

Apple display to have 2 screens
SSD only , thunderbolt external for samples. 3 x G drives thunderbolt 4tb each
mac mini running VSL ensemble for extra processing.
interface : rme UCX
Virus TI 2
Moog voyager rack
DSI polyevolver
1000$ in room treatment
Klein + Hummel O 300 D
Waves Mercury
NI synth collection
Kontakt
MeldaProduction bundle
Spectrasonics RMX and Omnisphere
Artist Control + mix
Waves Alchemy Drum libraries
Vengeance house essentials 1+2+3
FXexpansion Tremor+ synthsquade
Fabfilter bundle
Izotope Ozone+trash
Reason 6
Live 9


Would cost about 15 000 - 20 000 to get a basic setup that is pretty good.
IF money is really no object, I would build your own room. 100 000 $ should get you a basic custom setup.

___________________
"This is why Superman works alone." GC
old stuff from days gone by (2001-2004)
Mad For Brad's gay little contest

Last edited by Looney4Clooney on Feb-22-2013 at 04:17

Was waiting for someone to throw a "talent can't be bought" into the mix. Some people are touchy. You automatically presume because someone intends on using nexus as a small part of their arsenal that they are lazy and incompetent? Nonsense its a great tool not everyone has to be classed as the lazy noob tabbing away from nexus to a DAW thinking they have created a work of art.... That is not my intention.

Looney4Clooney! Thanks for the response that's what I was looking for! All power suggestions (especially the Klein and Humel nod, was looking at those) have actually checked out just about every item off that list in my research so I see what you going for! Why the polyevolver out of interest on top of a virus, they are different animals and said to compliment one another but in a minimalist approach how worth the space is it? Now maybe I should add in the fact that this is a startup setup i am after not in the sense of budget or hardware capabilities but in the sense of footprint... I will expand and soon most likely but for now I am not at the point of building up a studio or completely sacrificing a room in my house. Looking for an ultra refined, high end lets call it "Desktop" setup. Just out of interest why don't you like the avid artist control + mix for creation work in logic? They seem on paper and in person like the IDEAL tools?

Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by Looney4Clooney well then. Apple display to have 2 screens SSD only , thunderbolt external for samples. 3 x G drives thunderbolt 4tb each mac mini running VSL ensemble for extra processing. interface : rme UCX Virus TI 2 Moog voyager rack DSI polyevolver 1000$ in room treatment Klein + Hummel O 300 D Waves Mercury NI synth collection Kontakt MeldaProduction bundle Spectrasonics RMX and Omnisphere Artist Control + mix Waves Alchemy Drum libraries Vengeance house essentials 1+2+3 FXexpansion Tremor+ synthsquade Fabfilter bundle Izotope Ozone+trash Reason 6 Live 9 Would cost about 15 000 - 20 000 to get a basic setup that is pretty good. IF money is really no object, I would build your own room. 100 000 $ should get you a basic custom setup.

lol
I just use Reaper,Reason and Vengeance sample CD's to make TRACKS!
I guess I need more shit gear now!

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Trance Addict 4 LIFE!

quote:

Dr.DRE "It's not the equipment....it's the muthaf@#%r running it"

quote:

Originally posted by Pagan-za Fighting online is like winning the special Olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded.

Well, I suppose I could have tried to be more helpful. To be honest. even some of the most successful trance producers, and I know several whom I chat with Skype regularly and have kept up with over the years even though I don't listen to trance, have just used monitors and something as simple as Reason. Someone who didn't even have proper monitors and only using Reason enjoyed tons of airplay by AVB, A&B, among other top trance jocks. So what you first should understand is that it's the passion, hard work, sheer talent and creativity that will give you the advantage over any ideal production setup in terms of "gear". If you want to focus energy on what you are going to make the music with, that's fine, but don't make the mistake of thinking that it's going to make or break anything. You might just end up with a bunch of expensive gear and realize you aren't any good at production.

If you want to touch on how well you will become at production, even with the best setup, just buy a pair of decent studio monitoring headphones, load up Rob Papen Predator, your copy of Logic, and one sample pack from Vengeance or the like and get busy. You might want to figure out if you even have an aptitude for it before you start trying to amp yourself up about how exciting and fun it is to build a studio. because honestly, regardless of how well you equip yourself, there will always be a guy with headphones and cracked copies of VSTs that will be leaps and bounds ahead of you. Honestly, it's just kind of annoying when someone first starts production and they obsess about what "gear" to get.

Evolve wise words and trust me I understand what you are saying and I get your point/concern! There is always going to be someone leaps and bounds ahead of you running half your gear... That's life! But he's not doing you is he? If that makes sense?

I want this setup as a gift/investment for myself! Who wouldn't want a new Beamer as a first car even though your neighbor who races professionally owns a beetle from Woodstock as his personal vehichle? Like come on it gets laughable at a point.. I am no fool and as with all things in the music game its talent, drive and passion that shines over each and every other aspect. I am under no illusions of adequacy bought upon by cool gear. Trust me.

I can afford the best, I am looking for a high end minimalist approach as far as the controls, interface and hard synth go and as for software its not going to kill any one to load up on the best.

Please guys just forget the "it's not the gear that makes the artist" speech and focus on this silly little setup of mine, let me worry about how much of a tool I am.

So please! High end, minimal approach, function like a champ on logic (which I am more proficient with than half the so called noobs I have seen online that you guys wanna class me with). And can someone please comment on the Avid stuff you guys clearly aren't the biggest fans

Fair enough, sorry to preach. If I had the cash to spend, I would probably splurge like you are, but you seem a bit more well off than me, as I'm a young man who just kind of parties, enjoys friendships and relationships, works and produces. I do have a career path but I don't really manage my money that well. I've kind of picked up a little and can look forward to spending several thousand dollars this year to embellish, the first time in a while.

This is what I would get:

An analogue tube compressor (there are many, and I'd need a lot of research and help from people here to figure it out). I would use this the same way I use software emulation of saturation/warmth like PSP vintage warmer.

A Nord Rack 2. Just a wonderful sound, especially for basslines. Wonderful envelope and filter. The first time I got to play around with one of these in the studio I was hooked. I would also consider a virus for leads and such, although just because of the characteristics of the sound they have, not solely because they are analogue. Juno also has some awesome synths. Unless you are making house where groove is paramount and you are playing the groove of a bassline or something on the keyboard, your piano keyboard skills will not really come in handy in trance production. The musical aspect of knowing how to play a keyboard will though.

You will want a great distortion plugin, Saturn is the best on the market at the moment. You will want a variety of VST filters, some that are more transparent and others that color the sound. If you want straight talk, the plugins that come with Logic are more than sufficient in terms of effects and instruments, but there are plenty of wonderful third party ones as well. Mix and match.

Monitors: there are so many to choose from, and since you have the money, this will open you up to some pretty nice options. The pros and cons are generally minute details that shouldn't interfere with making actual music.

Lastly, but definitely not least of all, your room needs to sound good. The last thing you want are psychoacoustics fucking up your work flow so that your music only sounds good in your room on your monitors. A little bit of well applied treatment will go a long way.

Aside from working in various studios, I am totally in-the-box and have been my entire 10 years working on music. That isn't to say I wouldn't love to have a nice tube compressor and a nord rack.