Special Interest

GEAR / TECHNOLOGY => gear/tech/etc => Topic started by: urall on September 13, 2018, 11:56:20 PM

Title: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: urall on September 13, 2018, 11:56:20 PM
What's that one piece of gear you'll never get rid of ?
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: ConcreteMascara on September 14, 2018, 04:20:56 PM
my Boss DD-20 Giga Delay pedal. had it since day and it's been nothing but awesome.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: NaturalOrthodoxy on September 14, 2018, 05:11:42 PM
korg volca keys. feels like the only synth I'll ever need (outside of appopriating the MS-20 in the studio where I recorded my album)
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Euro Trash Bazooka on September 14, 2018, 07:11:44 PM
Hard to say because I rarely buy or build anything that I wouldn't deem indispensable in my gear collection. Two things come to my mind and are crucial in my work process though: my octaver beefs up any thin signal and adds thickness to my sound sources, and a homemade compressor makes them all shine. They're both discrete pieces of gear, they don't hide my lack of creativity or my mistakes, they don't change my sound at all. However, they really make everything everything nicer (I don't use the octaver on everything but I use my compressor with everything: synths, drum machine, bass, guitar, etc...)
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Lysergikon137 on September 22, 2018, 12:15:01 PM
Weirdly enough now that you ask this I would have to say it's the distortion/waveshaper pedal with CV inputs from ElectroLobotomy. As long as I have something to run through it and something else modulating the gain or bias through CV I can maintain a rhythmic, hissing industrial sound. My synth is back at the builders' shop getting a makeover and some repairs so I'm currently running my LepLoop MultiCassa through it and modulating the gain with a 16-step CV sequencer from Michael Rucci. I still get very workable industrial pulses with short washes of feedback and some of my favorite tracks are using just the pedal and the LepLoop without any additional effects, just a separate blown out contact mic noise track.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Soloman Tump on September 27, 2018, 12:27:05 PM
Over the past 6 months, probably my MoodySounds Babybox

(http://files.effectsdatabase.com/gear/pics/moodysounds_babybox_002.jpg)

You can get some unique fuzz / feedback effects using your own source, and since it also has a high gain you can create some deadly distortion too.
Took me a while to figure out how it all worked as some subtle changes to the controls can yield vastly different results.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: theworldisawarfilm on September 27, 2018, 07:53:44 PM
 Korg MS-20 and thee SP-404. No surprises here.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: ekastaka on September 27, 2018, 10:40:40 PM
Microkorg. Lacks the look of a "real" synth, but you can get incredible sounds once you familiarize yourself with it. I've used it to write the majority of my material and have tons of patches saved on it.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Peterson on September 27, 2018, 11:26:20 PM
Sony brand answering machine cassette loops in 15, 30, and 60 second increments and maybe one homemade 3 second loop tape.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: theworldisawarfilm on September 28, 2018, 12:49:44 AM
Quote from: sunandsteel on September 27, 2018, 10:40:40 PM
Microkorg. Lacks the look of a "real" synth, but you can get incredible sounds once you familiarize yourself with it. I've used it to write the majority of my material and have tons of patches saved on it.

Amen. I will never sell mine.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Andrew McIntosh on September 28, 2018, 05:08:20 AM
My SH-101. First synth I got and been the basis of nearly everything until recently. Got the "boutique" version too.

Interesting re the Microkorg, I got rid of one this year. Found I just didn't need it what with midi synths. A very clumsy unit to programme, too. More a musician's synth than for me.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Euro Trash Bazooka on September 28, 2018, 01:23:02 PM
It's only my opinion but I can't stand Microkorgs. They sound tinny and extremely digital, and I can't deal with fixed architecture in synths anymore. To each their own obviously
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: FEAR_GOD on September 29, 2018, 09:31:27 PM
It's between My Korg MS-10 and Make Noise 0 Coast. I use them both on just about every Terror Cell Unit and Koufar recording over the last 4 or so years.

Korg MS-10
The filter is just so goddamn fat. This alone makes it work keeping as my only synth, I run just about everything thru it. The patch bay is really intuitive and user friendly and once you get some patches going the MS-10 transforms into a different beast.

Make Noise 0 Coast
I feel like anytime I touch this machine I can make it produce any sound I want. It can be used as a filter (I've recently been filtering my drum machine thru it and its awesome) and when I couple it with my Korg SQ1 it just comes alive. Its really good for percussive sounds, leads, and if you use some effects it can create some really brooding and morose ambient textures.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: ekastaka on September 29, 2018, 11:46:58 PM
Quote from: Euro Trash Bazooka on September 28, 2018, 01:23:02 PM
It's only my opinion but I can't stand Microkorgs. They sound tinny and extremely digital, and I can't deal with fixed architecture in synths anymore. To each their own obviously

Its not necessarily my "best" synth - I use a Microbrute and Monologue as well. Its a bit limited, but its quite versatile within those limits and easily manipulated (for me). If a track needs just a bit more a small synth part or anything extra, I go to the Microkorg first. Not to knock the other synths I have, but I find those pretty interchangeable. I could replace either with something like a Minilogue or Bass Station and I would be more than fine. Can't ever replace my Microkorg.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Cauldhame on September 30, 2018, 02:55:28 PM
Edirol R-09 portable recorder. For years, this was all I had and the foundation of everything I made. Going without it would be unthinkable!
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Euro Trash Bazooka on September 30, 2018, 06:50:25 PM
Quote from: sunandsteel on September 29, 2018, 11:46:58 PM
Quote from: Euro Trash Bazooka on September 28, 2018, 01:23:02 PM
It's only my opinion but I can't stand Microkorgs. They sound tinny and extremely digital, and I can't deal with fixed architecture in synths anymore. To each their own obviously

Its not necessarily my "best" synth - I use a Microbrute and Monologue as well. Its a bit limited, but its quite versatile within those limits and easily manipulated (for me). If a track needs just a bit more a small synth part or anything extra, I go to the Microkorg first. Not to knock the other synths I have, but I find those pretty interchangeable. I could replace either with something like a Minilogue or Bass Station and I would be more than fine. Can't ever replace my Microkorg.

I hear you. Obviously, it's also about what's available and affordable around you, and how savvy you get with it. I think I became a gear snob with time, being surrounded with people owning nice gear and all (although that's not the case when it comes to synths.) Like, I tried all of the ones you mentioned and didn' t enjoy them because I first bought an MS20 (bad idea when you have no clue about how synthesis and patching work, which means it took me a good 3 years before I started having real fun with it) and was lucky enough to find a vintage monophonic synth rotting in a basement once, and the owner let me go away with it for barely nothing. So I got used to analog warmth and creating sounds out of nothing, which are nice feelings I haven't found in any of those recent synths. I tried though. The old synth is heavy and a pain to carry around, and it doesn't accept sequencers so I'm building my own 6U case to replace it. And in the meantime some friends of mine do killer stuff with Minilogues and whatnot but they're definitely not for me.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: monotome on October 02, 2018, 09:47:44 PM
Quote from: Euro Trash Bazooka on September 14, 2018, 07:11:44 PM
compressor

I second this, it really helps to beef up the sound without coloring it differently. Maybe a slight change in dynamics for the better.

Also not a piece of gear, but recording straight to tape from the mixer, so good for murky sounds, density or pushing volume levels.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Dyecap on October 03, 2018, 11:43:31 AM
Other than a few homemade fuzz and filter boxes...
My trusty crusty Tandberg 1/4" tape recorder -
(https://i.imgur.com/33nx88D.jpg)
- has its own decrepit character.
Also would not get rid of Aguilar gs 2x12 600w cab
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: fantastique on October 28, 2018, 04:37:37 PM
Peavey DEP 800 digital delay rack mount unit. It is very unique, and cheap to source (under $50 US) The saturation, flange, and glitches is incomparable outside of some analog units that cost five times as much. I recently purchase a rack just to keep this around forever. You can send very dry signals, say just some field recordings through this, and the messy glitches and saturation give it new life, vs say some newer digital delay that I think sounds a little too clean with much treble.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Cementimental on November 09, 2018, 12:20:43 PM
None. I have done at least one gig with zero gear from my collection :) and several recordings without any.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Peterson on November 15, 2018, 08:09:15 PM
Quote from: Cementimental on November 09, 2018, 12:20:43 PM
None. I have done at least one gig with zero gear from my collection :) and several recordings without any.

Very intrigued. Borrowed gear? Spontaneous use or or some pre-planning which allowed you to get acquainted? Any links to said recordings?
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Cementimental on November 18, 2018, 05:50:19 PM
Here's one gig where I was asked to play last minute, didn't have time to go home and get any gear so I played using random objects found at the venue and borrowed from a friend's car (he'd just picked up a free vintage echo unit etc), a borrowed multi-fx with loose connection, the DJ booth headphones as mic, unamplified triangle and haribo wrapper. Hey, i never specified an especially GOOD gig! :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p8U6jZg8RI

Also I played in Denmark one time but lost my suitcase with nearly all my gear on a bus back from a gig the night before, had to grab the 4 or so remaining pedals I never used and a handful of mismatched dregs of my cables, managed to play a decen tharsh noise set nontheless I think haha

Kicking a fire extinguisher around an underpass counts as a gig too

Recording-wise I guess I mean found-noise eg one of my tracks is just raw audio from a video camera attached to the front of a taxi for completely un-noise-related reasons (can't remember which track right no so no link), and have done some with borrowed gear after a quick go on it.

Maybe overstated it ha. But I don't feel like I have one totally essential piece of gear. Some kind of mixer and some things which make/feedback sound will do if all else fails
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: dodecaphonic on November 18, 2018, 11:36:32 PM
I think my yamaha monitors
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: NaturalOrthodoxy on November 29, 2018, 01:15:20 PM


Also I played in Denmark one time but lost my suitcase with nearly all my gear on a bus back from a gig the night before, had to grab the 4 or so remaining pedals I never used and a handful of mismatched dregs of my cables, managed to play a decen tharsh noise set nontheless I think haha

[/quote]

nice work!

I helped out putting together a Bizarre Uproar show in Manchester a few years ago, we put Negative Midas Touch from Sheffield on as support. She lost her suitcase on the train, but she used an iphone synthesizer, borrowed a reverb pedal, and a looper and did a fucking boss dark ambient/death industrial set.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: PrincessHaultaineIII on November 30, 2018, 06:09:38 AM
I have a custom gain built by Electro Lobotomy that I can no longer do without, it makes everything that goes through it sounds so much better. It has two inputs and three outputs, and four feedback paths, so really it's a gain+, but I am the only one to have one, I fear breaking it or losing it over everything else I have.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: mosquito on December 18, 2018, 06:34:11 PM
Honestly none of my gear is really "indispensable" or overly important to me, but I've got a soft spot for the Fostex XR-7 cassette 4track.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Electro Surgeon on January 04, 2019, 12:53:05 AM
my Zoom HD16 recorder
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: duckworship on January 04, 2019, 03:36:21 AM
As I mentioned before in a previous thread about Sirkut, the SNB is one of the better noise synths I've ever used. I really didn't wish I sell mine! It is somewhat "limited" in the sense it could be considered a one trick pony, but when paired with various effect pedals, you can get a lot of great sounds out of it. 
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Acne on January 31, 2019, 03:12:36 PM
Quote from: W.K. on January 30, 2019, 09:03:40 PM
T-Resonator. Broke it twice beyond repair, and now the third one already looks like someone smashed someones head with it, not one pot is sitting straight. Still, if it breaks and cannot be repaired, I am going to buy another one.

Really like this thing, but the build quality leaves a lot to be desired and it's not cheap either.

What do you run into it? It seems sick
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: l.b. on January 31, 2019, 06:18:28 PM
boring one: Steinberg UR44 usb audio interface. makes everything sound right on, way better than the focusrite or similar entry-level interfaces. it's not fun to use, it doesnt have a cool story or anything, but it's literally my one indispensable piece of gear. you can make sounds with anything.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Euro Trash Bazooka on January 31, 2019, 11:30:47 PM
Oops, I just built myself a compressor again...
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Hemwick on May 10, 2019, 09:14:46 PM
My peavey modeling amp.  It's a vyper and has an assortment of effects built it.  Makes it very easy to work with and especially being on a budget.  Works great with a bass but my guitar sounds like shit through it.  I run my micro korg and bass through it all the time
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Acne on May 11, 2019, 03:39:58 PM
My boss loop station right now, great for layers live, but I just got an sp404 though so I imagine that will kind of take over any layering need once I get the hang of it.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Hemwick on May 11, 2019, 03:50:01 PM
Quote from: Acne on May 11, 2019, 03:39:58 PM
My boss loop station right now, great for layers live, but I just got an sp404 though so I imagine that will kind of take over any layering need once I get the hang of it.

I was looking at boss loop station yesterday when I went to get some new cables.  It does seem like a great pedal but just don't want to spend 100 dollars for one pedal though
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Acne on May 11, 2019, 04:06:47 PM
Quote from: Hemwick on May 11, 2019, 03:50:01 PM
Quote from: Acne on May 11, 2019, 03:39:58 PM
My boss loop station right now, great for layers live, but I just got an sp404 though so I imagine that will kind of take over any layering need once I get the hang of it.

I was looking at boss loop station yesterday when I went to get some new cables.  It does seem like a great pedal but just don't want to spend 100 dollars for one pedal though

It's a total powerhouse, was one of the first things I ever bought and I think I have used it for every set I've ever played. I think the JamMan soloxt is better probably and pops up on eBay for 60-70, holds more loops and has more banks and its loaded from an SD card which is convenient
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Hemwick on May 11, 2019, 04:40:10 PM
Quote from: Acne on May 11, 2019, 04:06:47 PM
Quote from: Hemwick on May 11, 2019, 03:50:01 PM
Quote from: Acne on May 11, 2019, 03:39:58 PM
My boss loop station right now, great for layers live, but I just got an sp404 though so I imagine that will kind of take over any layering need once I get the hang of it.

I was looking at boss loop station yesterday when I went to get some new cables.  It does seem like a great pedal but just don't want to spend 100 dollars for one pedal though

It's a total powerhouse, was one of the first things I ever bought and I think I have used it for every set I've ever played. I think the JamMan soloxt is better probably and pops up on eBay for 60-70, holds more loops and has more banks and its loaded from an SD card which is convenient

Excellent thank you for the feedback.  The SD card functions sold me.  And the price isn't bad at all. 
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: A-Z on May 12, 2019, 03:28:50 AM
Sherman Filterbank 2. Can't help but use it on every production.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: tiny_tove on May 13, 2019, 09:19:55 PM
Quote from: A-Z on May 12, 2019, 03:28:50 AM
Sherman Filterbank 2. Can't help but use it on every production.

need to buy this
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Foss on May 19, 2019, 11:19:23 PM
The only things i have ever actually bought another exact copy of after they broke is the Danelectro french toast (the best for piercing harsh guitarsound) and the boss eq pedal for being in command in the fx pedal chain for noise. Also mandatory to have a turntable that can take a beating through some rough sampling. I have used the same pair of Technics 1200 for the last 15 years, and they will for sure last forever.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: slowtone on June 29, 2019, 04:55:18 AM
Boss DSD-3 Digital Delay/Sampler

Rugged unit, does the job, you have to work out your sample shitnish in your head, work is not a four letter word, no extra features, very worth the money.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Balor/SS1535 on August 06, 2019, 06:24:38 PM
For me, it would have to be my guitar am (I'm not sure what model it is - but it's not too high end).  I can use it for feedback, I can run my keyboard through it, and it makes some really nice noise when I plug the input cable about halfway into the headphone port.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Stipsi on August 07, 2019, 03:25:04 PM
4ms noise swash
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: PuddysJacket on November 04, 2019, 08:47:07 PM
Bitch Box
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: WhiteWarlock on November 07, 2019, 01:30:00 PM
Me... my spirit... my brain... & Eye... everything else can be somewhat easily replaced or substituted...
(you will realize this for yourself if start having physical problems and/or die)
next is my 1984/85 Gibson... & 1978 Korg 35 chip original MS20... just because... they are part of "me" anymore
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Balor/SS1535 on November 12, 2019, 05:17:29 PM
Quote from: WhiteWarlock on November 07, 2019, 01:30:00 PM
Me... my spirit... my brain... & Eye... everything else can be somewhat easily replaced or substituted...
(you will realize this for yourself if start having physical problems and/or die)

True, unless you get into making some sort of installation art that continues to play and create music independently of yourself (which is possible).
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: WhiteWarlock on November 14, 2019, 05:50:10 AM
Quote from: Balor/SS1535 on November 12, 2019, 05:17:29 PM
Quote from: WhiteWarlock on November 07, 2019, 01:30:00 PM
Me... my spirit... my brain... & Eye... everything else can be somewhat easily replaced or substituted...
(you will realize this for yourself if start having physical problems and/or die)

True, unless you get into making some sort of installation art that continues to play and create music independently of yourself (which is possible).
correct yet it still generally requires "You" somehow... unless you personally train an apprentice... ancient method
have created quasirandomgenerativesequencer that can hypothetically play until something breaks or power goes out...
yet it requires me for doing the system setup & such... & anyone else would be clueless for the most part... unless teach them...
hmmm something for pondering... Thanks for the idea... haven't been thinking about such applications...
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Balor/SS1535 on November 14, 2019, 05:56:16 PM
Quote from: WhiteWarlock on November 14, 2019, 05:50:10 AM
Quote from: Balor/SS1535 on November 12, 2019, 05:17:29 PM
Quote from: WhiteWarlock on November 07, 2019, 01:30:00 PM
Me... my spirit... my brain... & Eye... everything else can be somewhat easily replaced or substituted...
(you will realize this for yourself if start having physical problems and/or die)

True, unless you get into making some sort of installation art that continues to play and create music independently of yourself (which is possible).
correct yet it still generally requires "You" somehow... unless you personally train an apprentice... ancient method
have created quasirandomgenerativesequencer that can hypothetically play until something breaks or power goes out...
yet it requires me for doing the system setup & such... & anyone else would be clueless for the most part... unless teach them...
hmmm something for pondering... Thanks for the idea... haven't been thinking about such applications...

I would wonder, then, what the true extent of your influence on the music ultimately would be.  You are correct in pointing out that you would still need to have the plan of how to make the system, and would, most likely, play a part in building it.  However, if the system would then go on to play music completely independent of you, I would think that the longer it does so, the less important you (as the creator) would become.  Alternatively, I suppose that one could also argue that the longer the music plays independently the greater the importance of the creator was - after all, they did make something that was able to operate in such a manner.

I think that Steve Roden did some art installations that center around this idea.  I will have to look into them some more.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: doll on February 18, 2020, 07:29:15 PM
picking one piece is difficult. I couldn't imagine getting rid of my Moog DFAM and Mother-32. They show up on nearly everything I record. They compliment eachother well, and are pretty simple, but still deep enough to explore and find new things often. I don't see many PE/noise artists using either one.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Into_The_Void on February 26, 2020, 06:16:24 PM
Quote from: doll on February 18, 2020, 07:29:15 PM
picking one piece is difficult. I couldn't imagine getting rid of my Moog DFAM and Mother-32. They show up on nearly everything I record. They compliment eachother well, and are pretty simple, but still deep enough to explore and find new things often. I don't see many PE/noise artists using either one.

I´m definitely interested in the DFAM, it has such a fat and punching sound. Not a very linear one, but really though indeed.

If I have to choose one piace which absolutely I cannot part from doing industrial / harsh noise, I would say it´s my Analogue Heat. Maybe it doesn´t have a strong appeal in the noise circle, still is an amazing machine, with a lot of different solution to characterize, enrich and distort the sound. Plus, work as filter and envelope generator as well, and is fully analogue. A real beast.
Beside that, I usually put a lot of Monotron delay, monotribe and MS20 (both share the same cutoff, which is incredible, and the monotribe has the noise knob which adds a lot of dirt when distort) and, doing harsh noise, my self made metal thing with piezo.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: host body on February 26, 2020, 06:26:41 PM
Quote from: Into_The_Void on February 26, 2020, 06:16:24 PM
If I have to choose one piace which absolutely I cannot part from doing industrial / harsh noise, I would say it´s my Analogue Heat. Maybe it doesn´t have a strong appeal in the noise circle, still is an amazing machine

i love elektron gear and outside of synths thats gonna be my next purchase.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Eigen Bast on February 28, 2020, 01:58:14 AM
That new FM synth groovebox Elektron are doing sounds very interesting. Way more interested in taking that for a spin than the model samples.

As for indispensible gear...man I adore my trogotronic 657. Ive had it 3 years and it always finds a way into my recordings and live set up.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: doll on February 28, 2020, 08:48:39 PM
Quote from: Into_The_Void on February 26, 2020, 06:16:24 PM
Quote from: doll on February 18, 2020, 07:29:15 PM
picking one piece is difficult. I couldn't imagine getting rid of my Moog DFAM and Mother-32. They show up on nearly everything I record. They compliment eachother well, and are pretty simple, but still deep enough to explore and find new things often. I don't see many PE/noise artists using either one.

I´m definitely interested in the DFAM, it has such a fat and punching sound. Not a very linear one, but really though indeed.

The DFAM is definitely worth considering. Its an industrial machine for sure. Great for deep pulsing bass, harsh metallic tones, and everything in between.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: host body on March 20, 2020, 12:06:19 PM
Quote from: doll on February 28, 2020, 08:48:39 PM
Quote from: Into_The_Void on February 26, 2020, 06:16:24 PM
Quote from: doll on February 18, 2020, 07:29:15 PM
picking one piece is difficult. I couldn't imagine getting rid of my Moog DFAM and Mother-32. They show up on nearly everything I record. They compliment eachother well, and are pretty simple, but still deep enough to explore and find new things often. I don't see many PE/noise artists using either one.

I´m definitely interested in the DFAM, it has such a fat and punching sound. Not a very linear one, but really though indeed.

The DFAM is definitely worth considering. Its an industrial machine for sure. Great for deep pulsing bass, harsh metallic tones, and everything in between.

I'm really tempted to burn my savings for one. MS20 can do deep pulsing bass and harsh metallic tones and probably i wouldn't need a DFAM to make music, but it just looks so immediate and easy to make sick industrial beats with. With the MS20, i have to search for a sound, then record it into a sampler and do that for like 4-8 times to get a kit. With a DFAM it would probably so much faster.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Kim V on March 20, 2020, 03:15:21 PM
Quote from: doll on February 18, 2020, 07:29:15 PM
picking one piece is difficult. I couldn't imagine getting rid of my Moog DFAM and Mother-32. They show up on nearly everything I record. They compliment eachother well, and are pretty simple, but still deep enough to explore and find new things often. I don't see many PE/noise artists using either one.

Same here, used both for most of the tracks on Your Truth.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Modular Lazvig on April 24, 2020, 12:13:43 AM
Lyra-8 whole banks on my MPC are made of it.  Used in many ways . Whatever I do Lyra is there...
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Stipsi on April 25, 2020, 06:19:23 PM
Boss oc2 octaver.
I use this basically in every set up i have/had.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Sektion1 on May 09, 2020, 03:13:57 PM
An old beat up dynacord echocord, mainly used it on my synths to get a nice rugged and ripping overdrive
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Balor/SS1535 on May 24, 2020, 01:02:26 AM
Quote from: NaturalOrthodoxy on September 14, 2018, 05:11:42 PM
korg volca keys. feels like the only synth I'll ever need (outside of appopriating the MS-20 in the studio where I recorded my album)

Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?  Has anyone else used it for noise or power electronics?  It looks really great for the price.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Soloman Tump on May 24, 2020, 01:18:34 AM
Quote from: Stipsi on April 25, 2020, 06:19:23 PM
Boss oc2 octaver.
I use this basically in every set up i have/had.

I pretty much always include my Oc3 in a pedal chain, so have to agree with you there.  Can get some serious tones out of it, and a great range from the 3 different modes. 
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: abandonist on May 24, 2020, 09:01:32 AM
Sp-404. It's on everything I do.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Neithan on June 10, 2020, 12:48:33 PM
For last half a year Lyra8 - doing on it so many different textures, sounds, layers and everything - it's incredible beast.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Japsi on July 19, 2020, 06:32:19 PM
Either my Sanyo Talkbook recorder (used for lo-fi field recordings), or my modified Walkman.

The Talkbook takes standard cassettes, and the built-in microphone seems to have a really nice filter that cuts the high-end in a deliciously warm way.

The Walkman, which I'm still modding, has gone from being a generic tape/radio device and turned into a horrendously harsh noise machine, perfect for HNW and also for getting random samples from frequency sweeps.

The hardware I've got is largely self-built, so it's replaceable/fixable without too much hassle.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: W.K. on October 28, 2020, 01:15:05 AM
Quote from: Modular Lazvig on April 24, 2020, 12:13:43 AM
Lyra-8 whole banks on my MPC are made of it.  Used in many ways . Whatever I do Lyra is there...

Quote from: Neithan on June 10, 2020, 12:48:33 PM
For last half a year Lyra8 - doing on it so many different textures, sounds, layers and everything - it's incredible beast.

Always good to hear about Lyra! However I sold it it is really an unique instrument with many uses.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: TS on November 04, 2020, 08:06:00 PM
A Lyra recently turned up in our studio too. I really liked it the little time I've had with it. Seems curiously limited in a way, for instance,there's no volume controls for the oscillators. Compared to the Pulsar it seems very singleminded. But in a way I think that's a good thing, puts you on paths you might not have went down if the usual controls were there. Great sound overall!
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Uncle_bin on November 18, 2020, 11:46:28 AM
For me this year its been my Digitakt. Its a great little box that just keeps inspiring me over and over again. The elektron sequencer is amazing and can lead to a lot of unexpected results. Lots of hands on control. You can destroy samples beyond recognition. The bit crusher, delay, reverb and compressor built in are pretty cool as well. Overall a pretty deep unit once you get to know it but its not so complex that you loose yourself in fiddly menu diving and programming. It feels like proper instrument.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: host body on November 18, 2020, 05:54:45 PM
Quote from: Uncle_bin on November 18, 2020, 11:46:28 AM
For me this year its been my Digitakt. Its a great little box that just keeps inspiring me over and over again. The elektron sequencer is amazing and can lead to a lot of unexpected results. Lots of hands on control. You can destroy samples beyond recognition. The bit crusher, delay, reverb and compressor built in are pretty cool as well. Overall a pretty deep unit once you get to know it but its not so complex that you loose yourself in fiddly menu diving and programming. It feels like proper instrument.

Agreed, altho I've kinda neglected my Digitakt in favour of the Octatrack. As you said, the Digitakt is great for it's spontaneousness, it's really easy to just make music as opposed to programming music, like it often is with a computer or any digital sampler. I did use it to play field recording loops using the sequencer and it's random trigs.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Uncle_bin on November 18, 2020, 06:23:02 PM
Quote from: host body on November 18, 2020, 05:54:45 PM
Quote from: Uncle_bin on November 18, 2020, 11:46:28 AM
For me this year its been my Digitakt. Its a great little box that just keeps inspiring me over and over again. The elektron sequencer is amazing and can lead to a lot of unexpected results. Lots of hands on control. You can destroy samples beyond recognition. The bit crusher, delay, reverb and compressor built in are pretty cool as well. Overall a pretty deep unit once you get to know it but its not so complex that you loose yourself in fiddly menu diving and programming. It feels like proper instrument.

Agreed, altho I've kinda neglected my Digitakt in favour of the Octatrack. As you said, the Digitakt is great for it's spontaneousness, it's really easy to just make music as opposed to programming music, like it often is with a computer or any digital sampler. I did use it to play field recording loops using the sequencer and it's random trigs.

Yeah for sure there's some overlap between the two devices. I don't own the octatrack personally but all their devices seem to offer a bit of a different workflow. The problem with that is once you get started with elektron you end up wanting all their devices to have all the features that each box offer hehehe
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: host body on November 18, 2020, 06:56:36 PM
Quote from: Uncle_bin on November 18, 2020, 06:23:02 PM
Quote from: host body on November 18, 2020, 05:54:45 PM
Quote from: Uncle_bin on November 18, 2020, 11:46:28 AM
For me this year its been my Digitakt. Its a great little box that just keeps inspiring me over and over again. The elektron sequencer is amazing and can lead to a lot of unexpected results. Lots of hands on control. You can destroy samples beyond recognition. The bit crusher, delay, reverb and compressor built in are pretty cool as well. Overall a pretty deep unit once you get to know it but its not so complex that you loose yourself in fiddly menu diving and programming. It feels like proper instrument.

Agreed, altho I've kinda neglected my Digitakt in favour of the Octatrack. As you said, the Digitakt is great for it's spontaneousness, it's really easy to just make music as opposed to programming music, like it often is with a computer or any digital sampler. I did use it to play field recording loops using the sequencer and it's random trigs.

Yeah for sure there's some overlap between the two devices. I don't own the octatrack personally but all their devices seem to offer a bit of a different workflow. The problem with that is once you get started with elektron you end up wanting all their devices to have all the features that each box offer hehehe

Ain't that the truth, I hope to one day get the A4, Rytm, Machinedrum, Monomachine and an Analog Heat. I just love the workflow, really. Oh well, maybe I'll be abled to collect them all in 10-20 years.

Just checked and there's a MK1 Octatrack for sale for 550 euros locally. That's an insanely good price!
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Uncle_bin on November 18, 2020, 07:52:56 PM
Quote from: host body on November 18, 2020, 06:56:36 PM
Quote from: Uncle_bin on November 18, 2020, 06:23:02 PM
Quote from: host body on November 18, 2020, 05:54:45 PM
Quote from: Uncle_bin on November 18, 2020, 11:46:28 AM
For me this year its been my Digitakt. Its a great little box that just keeps inspiring me over and over again. The elektron sequencer is amazing and can lead to a lot of unexpected results. Lots of hands on control. You can destroy samples beyond recognition. The bit crusher, delay, reverb and compressor built in are pretty cool as well. Overall a pretty deep unit once you get to know it but its not so complex that you loose yourself in fiddly menu diving and programming. It feels like proper instrument.

Agreed, altho I've kinda neglected my Digitakt in favour of the Octatrack. As you said, the Digitakt is great for it's spontaneousness, it's really easy to just make music as opposed to programming music, like it often is with a computer or any digital sampler. I did use it to play field recording loops using the sequencer and it's random trigs.

Yeah for sure there's some overlap between the two devices. I don't own the octatrack personally but all their devices seem to offer a bit of a different workflow. The problem with that is once you get started with elektron you end up wanting all their devices to have all the features that each box offer hehehe

Ain't that the truth, I hope to one day get the A4, Rytm, Machinedrum, Monomachine and an Analog Heat. I just love the workflow, really. Oh well, maybe I'll be abled to collect them all in 10-20 years.

Just checked and there's a MK1 Octatrack for sale for 550 euros locally. That's an insanely good price!

Yeah they usually are between a 1000/1200 Canadian dollars over here. Which is not bad for all it offers and you get the same architecture as the mk2.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: zd313 on December 13, 2020, 12:19:07 PM
Ibanez AD-100 delay unit. Absolute beast - the last piece of gear I would part with. At this point I'm using multiple synths basically as processing units only; but I've never seen a better dealt unit ever. 
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: psychotropicdecision on December 16, 2020, 07:13:34 AM
tc electronic darkmatter - really cool affordable distortion! my first and i still use it in almost every recording i make
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: diigitae on February 11, 2021, 11:28:03 PM
my polyend tracker and tinysizer they rules
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: subduct on February 16, 2021, 04:28:03 PM
Elektron Octatrack. It just does so much, and there is always more to discover
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: Soloman Tump on February 16, 2021, 05:07:58 PM
Quote from: psychotropicdecision on December 16, 2020, 07:13:34 AM
tc electronic darkmatter - really cool affordable distortion! my first and i still use it in almost every recording i make

Yes, I have one of these. Really useful and cheap as chips
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: manuelM on February 16, 2021, 10:14:46 PM
My glasses hahah just kidding...
My DOD Death Metal is one of those pedals I never disregard :)
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: human aspic on February 22, 2021, 02:36:34 AM
for me it all depends on the project.

one of them relies pretty strongly on an octatrack
another on my 4track
another on contact mics and a soundwave breakdown

sometimes i use all of them together.
Title: Re: What's that one indispensable piece of gear in your collection ?
Post by: U235 on May 02, 2021, 01:35:30 AM
My Akai MPC5000 Very good sampler, excellent sequencer and effective synthesizer for Power Electronics
I only need a computer to convert its wav in mp3