What gear do you need for producing?

[moey2k2001]

Hi Guys & Dolls.

Since I learned DJing and basic production by myself, I need some help here cuz I never did not music school, course or any music engineering programs.

What kind of gear do I need for producing good high class house music?

This is what I have been working with so far and all what I have:

HARDWARE
MacBook Pro 13" - 2.8.ghz 640gb 8gb ram
MacBook Pro 15" - 2.8.ghz 500gb 4gb ram
Cakewalk MA-15D Roland Monitor Speakers
Behringer Mini Mon Monitor Matrix Mixer
Audio Control Sound Card from NI
AKG UHFSR40 Wireless Mic
Maschine from NI
Kontrol X1 from NI
Vestax VCI100 DJ Controller

SOFTWARE
Logic Pro 7
Maschine
Battery
Peak
Deck
Traktor

Please let me know what I additionally need and why.
All help appreciated.
Thank you.

[photojojo]

Logic is good. A keyboard would be nice. A Maschine would be great for banging out beats.

[moey2k2001]

I forgot to mention that i have a MAudio 49e Keyboard.

[photojojo]

Then you really don't NEED anything else, but like I said a Maschine would be good for banging out beats. And maybe this book

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Music-Theory-Computer-Musicians-Book/dp/1598635034"]Amazon.com: Music Theory for Computer Musicians Bk/Cd (Book) (9781598635034): Hewitt: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51rtpUU4meL.@@AMEPARAM@@51rtpUU4meL[/ame]

[moey2k2001]

I've got Maschine and usually I use it to bang out beats as you say...
The books is really useful?
Cuz I bought a few books and winded throwing them away...
Is the book uptodate with the current stuff on the market and necessaries?
thanx mate

[heaps]

All you need:

1) Computer
2) Decent monitors
3) Headphones
4) Creativity
5) Time

[moey2k2001]

what about the sounds?
what do you guys suggest?
where should i buy off sounds?
the usual sounds in logic & garageband seem to be over used because I hear them in many songs which play on the radio...
where can i get good quality sounds?
do you think Native Instruments "Komplete Packages" are good and worthy?

[Nephew]

All you really NEED is a computer, Ableton (or some other DAW) and headphones. From there you can start making music. That's how I made my first EP.

Everything else is just to make that process a much more enjoyable experience.

You have a bigger list of production gear than I do so I would say you're good to go. Just have to sit down and start learning your software/hardware and try to find your sound now. Once you do that you'll be golden.

[heaps]

I like freesound.org for some basic samples, once you get into sound design you'll realize that you only need samples (unless they're vox) for specific characteristics (i.e. punch for a kick) because you'll alter the fuck out of them til the original sample sound is unrecognizable.

The bottom link in my sig was made only using samples and DSP chains native to Renoise (epic program for sample-heavy music). Most of them are untraceable

[ferran]

Logic comes with plenty of instruments to create house music. With so many free audio unit plugin's, you should have plenty of variety. Personally I think a fully programmable hardware synth that's modular helps.


Benjamin Ferràn