How do you...

[Jip]

how do u make your beats, what programs/equipment do u use

im just interested to know 

[Low Key]

I use a Roland Fantom S-88


A Power Mac G5 with ProTools


And a Mackie Control Surface with ProTools compatibility


Once I pick up some more cables, I'll be able to plug in my Kaoss Pad and sound like Roger Troutman

[Jip]

how much that stuff cost u? 

also, what do the bottom 2 do, im aware the first one is some sort of mixer, but what else does it do?

[Low Key]

The keyboard was about $3000, the Mac was $4000, the Mackie mixer was about $700, and the Kaoss pad was $300. For the whole studio, it probably costed somewhere around $20,000.

[Jip]

so you have a proper studio thing, or is it in your home?

[Low Key]

The Kaoss pad can add effects to both intruments and vocals. It has synths, distortions, and a bunch of other stuff. It wasn't necessary, but it's cool to have. The Mackie pretty much does everything ProTools does on the computer, except it is easier to use. Copy and paste tracks, compress vocals, all kinds of stuff. I like it because it has infinite tracks. There are only 8 on the board, but I can just hit a button and get 8 more fresh tracks.

It's in my house, but it's pretty professional. There is sound foam in the booth to make the vocals sound cleaner, there are bass traps in the corners to reduce the echo, a triple thick plexiglass window on the booth, and there is sound proofing on the walls going outside so it's pretty much silent if you were standing by the wall outside.

Here's a sample of a couple beats I have made so far. They aren't mixed yet so they repeat after 8 measures.

This one is probably my best one to date
http://s53.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1459DDRUMC6BK16HA889X7S09L

For the clubs
http://s53.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3KA2ZTI9NG8RW19MUE5MVWLISP

For the ride
http://s53.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3SHRH4B14NCHT0RO151JDGN52S

[Jip]

1 last question, do you have instruments you use to get sounds from, if not where do u get them from?

[Low Key]

The Fantom itself comes with 600 sounds. If you look on the picture of the Fantom, right above the logo is an expansion bay where you can put a bunch of different packs in that have between 100-300 sounds for about $500. My crew went out and got 3 of them for me to mess around with. Otherwise the mic I use can also record live instruments which can then be sampled onto the keyboard. We've been doing some stuff with a couple guys that play the guitar and the sax and it sounds pretty good.

[Jip]

thanks for the info man

[.:TimeLock:.]

when u know what your doing and u have the money to get the right equiment that's what u buy but if u just learning u don't need all that, not in my opinion

peace

[Low Key]

Yeah definately don't pick those up unless you are trying to get serious about music. For about 6 years, the total cost for my setup was about $600 (keyboard, mixer, mic) and that was perfect for what I needed at the time. Once I met a few more people that wanted to take this music thing further, that was the time to upgrade.

[Suga Foot]

when u know what your doing and u have the money to get the right equiment that's what u buy but if u just learning u don't need all that, not in my opinion

peace

I agree.  The only thing I've bought is a 500 dollar microkorg.  I use my parents old amp and turntable and I just use my regular pc.  I've done fine with it.  You can download most sounds you need for free (if you wanna go the sofware route).  I don't think I'd ever use an mpc, I'd love to get a triton or a fantom tho.

[On The Edge of Insanity]

I'm using;

Emu SP1200
Akai S950
Roland Juno 60
Yahama TG-33

And recording into a Roland VS840ex