DAW: REAPER ($60)
REAPER is not a very commonly used DAW among electronic music producers, but shouldn't be overlooked for that reason. It has all the features you need, is very customizable and very, very cheap. FL Studio (and Ableton Live) are probably better options for electronic music, but this one gives you a lot more for the money. It doesn't come with much in terms of quality stock plugins, but there are a lot of free ones available out there. They also have an extremely liberal demo for anyone to try out. I also think it's a good idea to buy a "30 day all-access"-pass from http://www.groove3.com/str/ to get you started with style. (Thanks to Mivo for reminding me of this option). You can find A TON of great free VST's here: http://bedroomproducersblog.com/
http://reaper.fm/index.php
Total so far: $75 with the all-access pass
MIDI keyboard: Nektar Impact LX61 (200$)
This keyboard offers a very good for the money and offers everything a beginner needs. The key action is decent, and both pads, faders and knobs. Overall, a great package for a small price.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ImpactLX61/
Total so far: $275
Headphones: KRK KNS8400 (120$)
These headphones are a bargain and are excellent for studio use. I personally rate these headphones way higher than I rate their most popular studio monitors, the Rokit's.
Total so far: $395
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wibgl3W9KgE/T ... G_0171.JPG
Studio monitors: JBL LSR305 ($300/pair)
These monitors are excellent for the money. They may not have enough low-end for all tasks, but when you have good studio headphones, that is not a big problem
. Just beware of the rear-ported design, they shouldn't be placed too near corners because of this. DIY treatment is also more important when dealing with this type of monitors.http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LSR305/
Total so far: $695
Audio interface: Steinberg UR22 ($150)
This interface has all an electronic music producer needs and doesn't break the bank. A lot of "bang for the buck". Has 2 XLR inputs, 2 TRS outputs and 2 MIDI inputs. It also supports up to 192kHz in sample rate, which is very impressive for an audio interface is this price range! Latency isn't bad either.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UR22/
Total so far: $845
DIY treatment
Acoustic treatment is very important, especially in less-than-ideal bedrooms. Buying can be expensive, but building them yourself is not, luckily. I have allocated a decent chunk of the budget for this ($130), which should give you enough treatment to strongly imrpove the acoustics in your room. For a good guide, look at this website: http://www.aaronbrownsound.com/571/.
Total so far: $975
Cables
You've got a little money left over ($25) and still no cables in sight. We all need cables to connect our gear together, and luckily, they aren't very expensive if you look around. Stores like Monorpice sell cables for cheap, and maybe you convince your local music store to throw in some for free with a purchase. With this setup, you only need a pair of TRS cables (connecting the audio interface and studio monitors).
I hoped this little guide helped the ones who want to get started and/or want some decent gear without having to empty your own/kids' college fund.
EDIT: Got some helpful suggestions and changed the setup a lot based on these.
Reaper is a great choice, though. I'd get it with Mutool's MUX, since that covers Reaper's lack of included goodies. Very underrated, I feel, for a low price.
