2nd Accident: Gear

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CURRENT SETUP

MAC AIR 2017



Even Apple laptops can be the cheapest option for music production, which is why I prefer working with computers. The second reason is that they are compact. Otherwise, I would have chosen the Novation circuit and gradually entered the world of dawless music production. Because what you see on my livestreams are me finding creative solutions, which I'm still happy with. But in an ideal world, I would have a dawless setup and some physical instruments like the Koto, Pipa, and Shamisen, which you often hear in my works on livestreams and music platforms. I'm a big fan of the traditional Asian sound.

ABLETON LIVE LITE

I use Ableton, and it took me about 2 years to make the switch from Garage Band. I used Garage Band on my iPad, but then I got a Mac and decided to switch to Ableton. I found myself leaning more towards live performing than music production, so I discovered Ableton's awesome performance capabilities. Another reason I chose Ableton is because of its developed community. People from all walks of life have come up with all sorts of solutions for this digital audio workstation (DAW). You never have to worry about getting stuck because there's always someone with an answer for anything you need to know when working with Ableton. It's a pretty raw software, unapologetic and not the easiest to master or get comfortable with. However, it's incredibly rewarding and encourages experimentation. Working with Ableton also teaches you a lot about sound.

NOVATION LAUNCHPAD MINI



So, I've got this MIDI controller called the Novation Launchpad Mini. It's kind of a temporary solution, really. I bought it in a hurry because I had a live performance coming up, and my Novation Launchkey Mini MK3 was acting up. It had a few glitches that weren't a big deal when I was making music, but they became a deal breaker when I had to perform. It would randomly launch clips and change sounds, turning the whole performance into a super raw experience for everyone.

Anyway, this Launchpad Mini is pretty cheap, but it gets the job done. It has an 8x8 button layout that's great for controlling sessions, and it even has these three "custom pages" where you can set up whatever you want. Personally, I use the first one for volume faders, the second one for finger drumming and functions like recording, playing, and stopping, and there's also a context fader that controls whatever I need depending on the project I'm playing. Usually, it's an arpeggiator or something for a rhythm synth. And then the third page is where I've set up four octaves for playing piano and strings.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend this thing, but it does the job for me.

DJ CONTROLLER: NUMARK MIXTRACK PLATINUM FX



For the past few years, I've been using the Numark Mixtrack Platinum FX. I got inspired to buy it by DJ Step1 and other DJs to make mixtapes for my DJ channels under the name "DJ Nojam." I still use it for that, but lately, after watching Maninna_noor's streams, I've been using it for sound design in my own music performances. Basically, I've been scratching with it.


FUTURE POSSIBLE SETUP

Future setup uncertain. Two options: 1) Dive deeper into Ableton with Mac Air M2 and Ableton Push 3. Safest path, complements skills and meets content creation needs. 2) Novation Circuit for transition into music production with sequencer, synth, physical instruments. Balances electronic and traditional sound. 3) iPad music production for portability, but only if fully replaces Macs (not currently feasible). Learned this the hard way.


I'm actually trying to be pretty sensible when it comes to buying new gear for my music production. I treat it like a business, so I only allow myself to splurge on new stuff once my current gear has made enough money for me. But for now, I'm pretty content with what I've got. Here's a list of the things I'm considering buying, and if you'd like to contribute to these upgrades, you can Buy Me A Coffee page.


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