On-the-go music making device
- Banned
- Topic Starter
- 11467 posts since 4 Jan, 2017 from Warsaw, Poland
I'm considering getting a portable hardware device to make (hobbyist level) music on the go, i.e. while commuting, on vacations, on the couch / in bed, etc. Currently I have a laptop, few DAWs and lots of plugins, but I rarely have the time - 2h commute, 10h job, 3 kids - to deal with all that complexity and to make it worse I tend to fiddle endlessly with stuff, because I have so many options... As a result, I'm able to maybe finish one track in a quarter or 6 months, if I'm lucky; most often 1 per year.
I long to the 16-bit Amiga days, where I had limited number of tracks / voices, only the simplest of FX available and very small library of sounds. I could knock out a track in 2-3 sittings, because I was not able to make it more complex or tweak the parameters endlessly.
So, I'm looking to buy something simpler, with limitations but still fun & ideally portable(ish). I've set my eyes on:
- iPad Pro (+Cubase most likely) - but I'm afraid it will quickly get very complex again with all the cheap and growing fast library of instruments & FX
- Akai Live - seems like the limitations are just about right, but every video I saw focused on it being a machine for "beats", i.e. hiphop-styled music and I do trance / electronic; there are just 2 synths (I don't count the Rhodes one) and no proper synthesis outside of those
- Synthstrom Deluge - appears to be the right choice with seemingly pretty deep synthesis options, but vast majority (if not all) videos & demos I saw were not convincing me that its engine can pull off proper trance sounds (it all sounds soft, kinda squishy and plasticky )
Any thoughts on that subject? Other recommendations?
Thanks in advance!
I long to the 16-bit Amiga days, where I had limited number of tracks / voices, only the simplest of FX available and very small library of sounds. I could knock out a track in 2-3 sittings, because I was not able to make it more complex or tweak the parameters endlessly.
So, I'm looking to buy something simpler, with limitations but still fun & ideally portable(ish). I've set my eyes on:
- iPad Pro (+Cubase most likely) - but I'm afraid it will quickly get very complex again with all the cheap and growing fast library of instruments & FX
- Akai Live - seems like the limitations are just about right, but every video I saw focused on it being a machine for "beats", i.e. hiphop-styled music and I do trance / electronic; there are just 2 synths (I don't count the Rhodes one) and no proper synthesis outside of those
- Synthstrom Deluge - appears to be the right choice with seemingly pretty deep synthesis options, but vast majority (if not all) videos & demos I saw were not convincing me that its engine can pull off proper trance sounds (it all sounds soft, kinda squishy and plasticky )
Any thoughts on that subject? Other recommendations?
Thanks in advance!
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- KVRAF
- 15135 posts since 7 Sep, 2008
It doesn't get better than a Surface Pro. People will recommend an iPad but it's night and day between that and a Surface with regards to studio. I recently finished a track with well over 100 tracks, dozens of instruments, hundreds of FX whilst drinking coffee in a famous coffee chain. It's the best thing I've bought for the studio since forever really.
EDIT: But I see you want simple. Considered an Electribe?
EDIT: But I see you want simple. Considered an Electribe?
"I was wondering if you'd like to try Magic Mushrooms"
"Oooh I dont know. Sounds a bit scary"
"It's not scary. You just lose a sense of who you are and all that sh!t"
"Oooh I dont know. Sounds a bit scary"
"It's not scary. You just lose a sense of who you are and all that sh!t"
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- KVRAF
- 2797 posts since 26 Jul, 2015 from Philadelphia
Those are very different things, not sure if there is a good way to compare them. With an iPad you can do many thing’s beyond music which, depending on what your work is, could be a benefit in general. Not sure if you would take a hardware synth on your commute with you, an iPad you probably would. The latest Cubasis version is very good (also works on an iPhone, btw) and not too complex (all things considered).
Follow me on Youtube for videos on spatial and immersive audio production.
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- KVRAF
- 15135 posts since 7 Sep, 2008
This is a good point. I bought an Electribe to use out but always felt like a d!ck using it in public so never really did. With an iPad/Surface, etc. people just assume you're doing buzinez or bookfacing.
"I was wondering if you'd like to try Magic Mushrooms"
"Oooh I dont know. Sounds a bit scary"
"It's not scary. You just lose a sense of who you are and all that sh!t"
"Oooh I dont know. Sounds a bit scary"
"It's not scary. You just lose a sense of who you are and all that sh!t"
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- addled muppet weed
- 105846 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
i used to get my board weevil and a battery amp out on buses years agoMushy Mushy wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 2:29 pmThis is a good point. I bought an Electribe to use out but always felt like a d!ck using it in public so never really did. With an iPad/Surface, etc. people just assume you're doing buzinez or bookfacing.
when the younger folk started listening to dance music on their phones a lot. it was more audio warefare than entertainment
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- KVRAF
- 5664 posts since 7 Feb, 2013
Do you know this guy?
https://themaniac1.bandcamp.com/
For what I know he is making all his stuff on an android phone with Caustic app.
https://singlecellsoftware.com/caustic
Last edited by recursive one on Thu Jan 16, 2020 2:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
You may think you can fly ... but you better not try
- KVRAF
- 8828 posts since 6 Jan, 2017 from Outer Space
I would consider even an iPad mini + a sensel morph as LinnStrument clone. Hard to beat in terms of transportability (and price)
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- KVRAF
- 2797 posts since 26 Jul, 2015 from Philadelphia
That and the annoying extra security checks you get at the airport. People understand an iPad, they generally do not understand a device that looks a lot like a bomb out of a bad action movie.Mushy Mushy wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 2:29 pm I bought an Electribe to use out but always felt like a d!ck using it in public so never really did. With an iPad/Surface, etc. people just assume you're doing buzinez or bookfacing.
Follow me on Youtube for videos on spatial and immersive audio production.
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- KVRAF
- 15135 posts since 7 Sep, 2008
I have to explain my Launchpad and soundcard every time. It's well annoying.mgw38 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 2:40 pmThat and the annoying extra security checks you get at the airport. People understand an iPad, they generally do not understand a device that looks a lot like a bomb out of a bad action movie.Mushy Mushy wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 2:29 pm I bought an Electribe to use out but always felt like a d!ck using it in public so never really did. With an iPad/Surface, etc. people just assume you're doing buzinez or bookfacing.
Could be worse though:
"I was wondering if you'd like to try Magic Mushrooms"
"Oooh I dont know. Sounds a bit scary"
"It's not scary. You just lose a sense of who you are and all that sh!t"
"Oooh I dont know. Sounds a bit scary"
"It's not scary. You just lose a sense of who you are and all that sh!t"
- Banned
- Topic Starter
- 11467 posts since 4 Jan, 2017 from Warsaw, Poland
I have SP4 and I really wanted to like it, but most DAWs and Plugins don't really work well enough with touch screen (they were not designed for it) and it all really looses its charm when you need to pull out a keyboard - at that point might as well use a 'proper' laptop And yes, other than relatively low CPU power it doesn't do much for limiting options and streamlining the workflow
No, I wasn't considering Electribe. I thought they're not being made anymore I'll have a look - thanks!
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- addled muppet weed
- 105846 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
why i do not travel.Mushy Mushy wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 2:42 pmI have to explain my Launchpad and soundcard every time. It's well annoying.mgw38 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 2:40 pmThat and the annoying extra security checks you get at the airport. People understand an iPad, they generally do not understand a device that looks a lot like a bomb out of a bad action movie.Mushy Mushy wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 2:29 pm I bought an Electribe to use out but always felt like a d!ck using it in public so never really did. With an iPad/Surface, etc. people just assume you're doing buzinez or bookfacing.
Could be worse though:
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- addled muppet weed
- 105846 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
- Banned
- Topic Starter
- 11467 posts since 4 Jan, 2017 from Warsaw, Poland
Yeah, I was aware of him (and his setup) long before he got known. From Psynews.org, actuallyrecursive one wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 2:36 pmDo you know this guy?
https://themaniac1.bandcamp.com/
For what I know he is making all his stuff on an android phone with Caustic app.
https://singlecellsoftware.com/caustic
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- addled muppet weed
- 105846 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass