rms1000watt · September 8, 2020 17:39
diff --git a/mbillz-live-sound-synth-recommendations.txt b/mbillz-live-sound-synth-recommendations.txt
 # Courtesy of https://github.com/mbillz

 Okay so here is a brain dump:

 Drum machine only: Model: Samples - you can really quickly spin up some cool and complex beats on this. It's basically a dumbed down version of the Digitakt with more knobs. You could pull off some decent bass lines on it, but I think it excels at just really quickly doing drums. It's pretty cheap too which is nice.

 Drum machine + sampling weird sounds: Digitakt - this has a ton more control than the Model: Samples gives you, but with that comes more complexity. The biggest benefit is that it allows you to plug something in and sample it and then modify the sound using filters and envelopes and an LFO. There is a lot more to learn here, but I personally think it's worth it. You can definitely sample a bass note and get some pretty good bass lines going, but I wouldn't say it excels at this.

 Synth + bass sounds: Digitone - If you want a groovebox / portal solution that doesn't have sampling but you can do crazy synth stuff with, this thing is sweet It pairs really well with the Digitakt too so once you learn one you can really easily learn the other. But it's also really really deep and FM synthesis is a beast that I haven't really figured out. I don't think this is the best solution, but I thought I would throw it out there because it does do bass really well.

 Sampling + synth + live looping: Deluge - This thing is super cool and can do ANYTHING, but it comes at the cost of not having a screen. It's not too bad to work without one, but there are a lot of weird shortcuts and it takes a bit to learn. And then if you don't use it for 2 months you forget it all. But - it can do everything.

 Things I haven't used:

 OP-1 and OP-Z - These similarly do drums, synth, sampling (maybe not live looping). I've heard these are fun as hell, but I've never used one. Supposedly Teenage Engineering is announcing something at the end of the month, so maybe wait for that. If it's a follow up to one of these I'll probably get it. But lately they've been partnering with Ikea and releasing like, towels and shit, so it may not be anything exciting.

 MC-101 or MC-707: These are similar to the Deluge and do a ton but I haven't personally used them since the interface looked a bit too fiddly for me.

 TR-8S: Basically the Roland competitor to the Digitakt - I've heard this thing is super fun, but haven't tried it myself. I think it has a built in synth engine so it could probably take care of bass pretty well.

 I've owned all of these things and I only have Digitakt & Model: Samples right now and I plan to sell the Model: Samples since the Digitakt covers everything it does. My synth sounds are taken care of by other things (Moog Matriarch, Hydrasynth, and my modular). I vibe the most with the Digitakt but that's partially because I've owned a ton of Elektron gear and am super super comfortable with it's method of sound design.

 I think overall for you I'd recommend the Deluge or the MC-707 (hesitantly since I haven't used it) because you can kind of bend it to whatever you want to do. Just load up a ton of drum samples on there and you're firing away. Live loop whatever into it and you're set. If I only had ONE piece of gear, it might be that one. This is a pretty good walkthrough so you can perhaps get a decent vibe of what it's like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBeeDwukpTs
	# Courtesy of https://github.com/mbillz

	Okay so here is a brain dump:

	Drum machine only: Model: Samples - you can really quickly spin up some cool and complex beats on this. It's basically a dumbed down version of the Digitakt with more knobs. You could pull off some decent bass lines on it, but I think it excels at just really quickly doing drums. It's pretty cheap too which is nice.

	Drum machine + sampling weird sounds: Digitakt - this has a ton more control than the Model: Samples gives you, but with that comes more complexity. The biggest benefit is that it allows you to plug something in and sample it and then modify the sound using filters and envelopes and an LFO. There is a lot more to learn here, but I personally think it's worth it. You can definitely sample a bass note and get some pretty good bass lines going, but I wouldn't say it excels at this.

	Synth + bass sounds: Digitone - If you want a groovebox / portal solution that doesn't have sampling but you can do crazy synth stuff with, this thing is sweet It pairs really well with the Digitakt too so once you learn one you can really easily learn the other. But it's also really really deep and FM synthesis is a beast that I haven't really figured out. I don't think this is the best solution, but I thought I would throw it out there because it does do bass really well.

	Sampling + synth + live looping: Deluge - This thing is super cool and can do ANYTHING, but it comes at the cost of not having a screen. It's not too bad to work without one, but there are a lot of weird shortcuts and it takes a bit to learn. And then if you don't use it for 2 months you forget it all. But - it can do everything.

	Things I haven't used:

	OP-1 and OP-Z - These similarly do drums, synth, sampling (maybe not live looping). I've heard these are fun as hell, but I've never used one. Supposedly Teenage Engineering is announcing something at the end of the month, so maybe wait for that. If it's a follow up to one of these I'll probably get it. But lately they've been partnering with Ikea and releasing like, towels and shit, so it may not be anything exciting.

	MC-101 or MC-707: These are similar to the Deluge and do a ton but I haven't personally used them since the interface looked a bit too fiddly for me.

	TR-8S: Basically the Roland competitor to the Digitakt - I've heard this thing is super fun, but haven't tried it myself. I think it has a built in synth engine so it could probably take care of bass pretty well.

	I've owned all of these things and I only have Digitakt & Model: Samples right now and I plan to sell the Model: Samples since the Digitakt covers everything it does. My synth sounds are taken care of by other things (Moog Matriarch, Hydrasynth, and my modular). I vibe the most with the Digitakt but that's partially because I've owned a ton of Elektron gear and am super super comfortable with it's method of sound design.

	I think overall for you I'd recommend the Deluge or the MC-707 (hesitantly since I haven't used it) because you can kind of bend it to whatever you want to do. Just load up a ton of drum samples on there and you're firing away. Live loop whatever into it and you're set. If I only had ONE piece of gear, it might be that one. This is a pretty good walkthrough so you can perhaps get a decent vibe of what it's like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBeeDwukpTs