What would you buy now if you could never buy any new plugins or software or hardware ever again?

[BBFG#]

It just occurred to me that the better way to go with this scenario might be $30k in music store certificates and another $15k in computer certificates.

[AnX]

Let's say you wanted a fully self-sustaining home studio and wanted to release professional-quality releases, but you had only until the end of the week to purchase everything you would ever need:

- DAW
- Synth VSTs
- Effect VSTs
- Sample libraries
- Other third-party software
- Audio interface
- Midi controller

After this week, you can never buy any new software or hardware again. What do you do?

nothing, I already have more than I need.

[e@rs]

After this week, you can never buy any new software or hardware again.

No more deals hunting, money saved and way less distractions.

What do you do?

Focus on learning my existing tools. And, who knows... maybe make some music?

[dangayle]

After this week, you can never buy any new software or hardware again.

No more deals hunting, money saved and way less distractions.

What do you do?

Focus on learning my existing tools. And, who knows... maybe make some music?

I think this is actually the motivation for my original post. I literally don’t need anything. Guys back in the 80s and 90s with their samplers with 4mb ram made amazing tunes. Even Ableton Lite has Simpler, 8 tracks, and can use any number of VSTs. We’re super spoiled.

[BONES]

Yup and, of course, we mostly act accordingly (like spoiled children).

[CircuitEYE]

Some Genelecs and a sub.

Sooo expensive.

I wish man once said "...its not what monitors you use, its how many..."
You could buy 3 pairs of good monitors and still spend thousands less then a cheap pair of Genelecs and a sub.

[ramseysounds]

Buy Cubase. Done.

[e@rs]

You could buy 3 pairs of good monitors and still spend thousands less then a cheap pair of Genelecs and a sub.

You probably meant to say hundreds...

[kritikon]

If I could never buy anything again? I guess I'd rush out and cash up some pension money, spend the savings and buy a shitload more h/w.

32 channel mixer - probably a Soundcraft or similar.
At least 2 more patchbays
Another midi patchbay
Another pair of Jamo speakers.
BWasp
BMonoPoly
BNeutron
BVC340 Vocoder
BCat
Full BRoland modular and full BArp 2600
Korg Prologue
Korg full size MS20
Prophet 5
Erica Syntrx
Arturia PolyBrute
Lexicon PCM96 x 2
Bricasti M7
Eventide H9000

[felis]

Buy Cubase. Done.

Cubase and Halion

with a Kurzweil keyboard to control them

[Maykie]

DAW
Bitwig
Synth VSTs
U-he stuff
and maybe DS Thorn
Effect VSTs
I've been using exclusively free fx for years now and it 100% works for me, I had fun with slate digital vmr back in the day but I hate ilok software with passion and never install this trash on my pc ever again
Sample libraries
Probably some Freshly Squeezed Samples bundles
Other third-party software
nope
Audio interface
Something from Scarlett range
Midi controller
Something from Launchkey range

For hardware however things get complicated There is no way I could just choose one thing

[K-Bee]

Custom Desktop PC
DAW: FL Studio & Bitwig for MPE/ Seaboard purposes
Hardware: Yamaha Montage and Waldorf Iridium
MIDI Controller: NI Komplete MK2 49 and Roli Seaboard 49
Soundcard: Focusrite Scarlet
Plugins: Omnisphere and Komplete 13 Ultimate, Cypher and Strobe for Seaboard MPE stuff.

I'd like to bring all my current hardware synths but cutting down to the bone is resulting in the above setting.

[werp]

FL Studio complete version
Intellijel Rainmaker
DSI Poly Evolver keyboard and a couple of rack versions to chain up.
Hydrasynth keyboard for MPE duties
Linnstrument 200 for when I remember my brain is too small to hold more than four keyboard chord shapes at any one time.
M1 mac mini + peripherals
Everything U-He
keep up to date with arturia v-collection
Komplete ultimate
Synthstrom Deluge
My current guitar rig along with the guitars

I have most of this crap already...

[FapFilter]

I'd buy nothing, as i have everything i need

my current stuff looks like this and i don't feel i'm missing anything (not listing names, because they don't matter - if i wouldn't use these, there are literally hundreds of more or less equally great tools around)

In addition to that, there is so much freaking cool free stuff out there, in case i felt in need of some different flavor(s)

2 DAWs
1x DAW
1x Audio Editor

6 Instruments
2x Wavetable Synths
1x FM Synth
1x “Analog“ Synth
1x Melodic Sampler
1x Drum Sampler

2 Equalizers
1x surgical
1x quick & dirty

4 Compressors
1x clean digital
1x multipurpose bus
1x drum bus slam
1x multiband

1 Noise Gate
1x stock DAW

2 Limiters
1x Brickwall
1x Clipper

2 Reverbs
1x algorithmic
1x convolution

2 Delays
1x “analog“
1x digital special FX

1 Saturator
1x tape

1 Filter
1x “analog“

1 Pitch Shifter
1x stock DAW

2 MFX
1x classic
1x modern stutter / rearrange MFX

4 Utilities
1x Step Sequencer
1x Gain Staging
1x Metering
1x Stereo Tool

[BONES]

I find the mindset that determines that you need "2 x wavetable synths, 1 x FM synth", etc. very strange. I look to the tools that inspire me. How they work is irrelevant, beyond them being easy enough to work with, because they are all capable of making any kind of sound. e.g. Most of my vintage emulations can do FM so I'd never think that I need a separate FM synth for anything.