transferring the essential outboard gear setup to pc

[iconn12345]

Let's say you want to build a basic setup (for dance music production, primarily techno) with outboard gear.
I suppose the essential gear used would be: the tb303, the tr909 and the tr808; a sampler; an fx unit (for delays, reverbs etc.); a compressor. (I will not mention keyboards, controllers etc.) Would this be the basic setup? Let's call this setup the REAL setup (the professional setup or whatever) or the professional environment.

Let's try and translate the professional environment to the pc or the improvised environment.
Let's say you don't have outboard gear. How would you recreate the sounds of the 909 and 303? Using software samplers loaded with hq samples of the real machines or would you use the soft synths? Or do you think neither is a good solution and would get an analog synth similar to the 303?
Next we have to translate the hardware sampler; we use a software sampler instead.. and/or the pioneer djm600 sampler (which I often hear with hard techno/schranz). The real fx unit we can switch with the pioneer fx unit, or some boss pedals.. The only unit I think we cannot replace is the compressor, we'd have to buy one.

This is kind of the way I'm thinking of setting myself up.. What do you think?

[loopdon]

when turning over to the pc i'd re-think the situation. with all th possibilities given - why stick to sounds from machines that are more than 20 years old? to make the transition easier you could use a vst counterpart or high quality samples of your favourite machines but i wouldn't stick with emulations of emulations, only. referring to the roland stuff, that, if i am correct, was ment to 'replace' mebers in traditional bands.

[judas_beast]

The beauty of a PC setup, is the variety of soft synths availble. I love the sound of a 303 or a 909 as much as the next man, but look to the future.

[iconn12345]

Yes but most of the soft synths sound bad. Maybe the situation is better now i haven't checked any of them for a year or two.. I understand that experimenting is good. But what soft synth do you use when you just want a 303 sounding bassline?? Audiorealism? WHat about rebirth, do you guys still use it? It sounded good..

[iconn12345]

ok i just searched the production forum and saw that audiorealism is the general consensus..

[judas_beast]

ok i just searched the production forum and saw that audiorealism is the general consensus..

Yeh I use Audiorealism. Check the free VST's thread in this forum, some good stuff.

I used to really dislike soft synths, but theres a lot of good stuff out at the moment.

[Barely Human]

So many people now are converting to Vst orientated set ups. I know a lot of people who have some decent hardware that is just sitting there gathering dust now. A lot of the stuff now with Vst sounds really good, and because of its wide use, its character is getting played with. I remember when the warm analouge sound was the only thing you aimed for, now it seams its a play off between analouge kicks and bottome end fused with very digital sounding synth lines and crunchy top end. I would deffinately save your money and go down the vst route. At least then you wont feel guilty if a plugin ends up not getting used.

The main problem with Vst is how much choice is out there. When you buy a piece of hardware, you tend to learn the thing inside out and really get it to do things it wasnt designed to do, (see squarepusher for best example of this). But with vst, most people have thier plugin folder full of hundreds off different things and try to use them all instead of learning a couple extensively.

That being said, you only have to look at reactor to see the huge benefits from Vst.

[dirty_bass]

The main problem with Vst is how much choice is out there. When you buy a piece of hardware, you tend to learn the thing inside out and really get it to do things it wasnt designed to do, (see squarepusher for best example of this). But with vst, most people have thier plugin folder full of hundreds off different things and try to use them all instead of learning a couple extensively.

That being said, you only have to look at reactor to see the huge benefits from Vst.

This is a really good point, and it`s why a lot of vst produced dance music sounds generic and lifeless.
There`s no pushing of the envelope, and little experiemntation.
To combat the billion vst folder of mediocracy, I learn one new vst a month (sometimes not even that) and really get to know my synths.

I treat my vst like I used to treat my old studio, designating tasks to certain synths. It now means I know my synths and effects really well, can get what I want quickly, and can push and experiment as I know the capabilities. When something genuinely impressive comes along, and I get my hands on it, I spend time with it, rather than knocking up another track in half an hour with it.

People are very impatient these days, yet musicality is a lot about time spent and experience.

[paulcortex]

i have all my hardware synced to my laptop which is running synapses orion platinum. ..through a focusrite saffire audio unit(hardware is tr707,tb303,quasimidi quazar,2x fat freebass383)
i have a P.C. running soundforge that i record into via my mackie mixer...works fine for me.

...although i do love the audiorealism bassline :)

...just wack some chorus and delay onto it and put it through
a limiter for that honky sound!!!

[dirty_bass]

i have all my hardware synced to my laptop which is running synapses orion platinum. ..through a focusrite saffire audio unit(hardware is tr707,tb303,quasimidi quazar,2x fat freebass383)
i have a P.C. running soundforge that i record into via my mackie mixer...works fine for me.

...although i do love the audiorealism bassline :)

...just wack some chorus and delay onto it and put it through
a limiter for that honky sound!!!

I gotta say, anyone doubting the power of the audiorealism simply needs to listen to Pauls last live PA
He used it extensively, and I was convinced.

Rocking shit anyway, I`ll post a link to it in the files section.

[iconn12345]

I gotta say, anyone doubting the power of the audiorealism simply needs to listen to Pauls last live PA
He used it extensively, and I was convinced.

Rocking shit anyway, I`ll post a link to it in the files section.

got it.. now tell me.. analog drum machine, right? the hihat sounds warm and big. on my laptop speakers even. i haven't listened to it through the monitors so i might be wrong

[paulcortex]

heres a rough breakdown of the live set...

rides....tr 707

claps....tr 707

bassdrums....orion plat

909s...orion plat!

303's....audiorealism bassline through orion plat

effects...all orion plat

synths/basses....scorpion/crystal/dx100/screamer(very good orion synth)

vocals...orion plat sampler

i use an oxygen8 controller from the 303 cut off and freq
and to manipulate effects.

get urself orion platinum....it DOES rock!

[iconn12345]

heres a rough breakdown of the live set...

rides....tr 707

claps....tr 707

bassdrums....orion plat

909s...orion plat!

303's....audiorealism bassline through orion plat

effects...all orion plat

synths/basses....scorpion/crystal/dx100/screamer(very good orion synth)

vocals...orion plat sampler

i use an oxygen8 controller from the 303 cut off and freq
and to manipulate effects.

get urself orion platinum....it DOES rock!

thx for the info.. check out some sounds i got from fruity.. pretty fat for a sampled kick..
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8NG9IXYE