If you had $3000

[tehlord]

If my budget for gear was just $3k, I probably wouldn't buy any. Maybe a 5-year CD or money market investment...

Not an exciting answer and you won't make much during that period of time, but it's certainly better than blowing your wad all at once.

There is so much awesome stuff out there in terms of software... and the used prices for groove boxes and 15-year old VAs are just so low right now. You can get a setup that will be a lot of fun for <$1000. Use that for a while and save until you've got at least $10k to spend (with capital still invested). That's walking around money.

I call nonsense, simply because I couldn't agree less.

[shroom81]

Behringer Deepmind and a basic Eurorack. Cause coke and hookers don't last as long

[justin3am]

If my budget for gear was just $3k, I probably wouldn't buy any. Maybe a 5-year CD or money market investment...

Not an exciting answer and you won't make much during that period of time, but it's certainly better than blowing your wad all at once.

There is so much awesome stuff out there in terms of software... and the used prices for groove boxes and 15-year old VAs are just so low right now. You can get a setup that will be a lot of fun for <$1000. Use that for a while and save until you've got at least $10k to spend (with capital still invested). That's walking around money.

I call nonsense, simply because I couldn't agree less.

I didn't think many would agree but it worked for me. I don't know maybe things would have gone differently if I'd invested in decent studio equipment from the beginning but I feel like learning on shitty gear made me appreciate the nice gear more once I had it.

Now I feel like someone grandpa, giving you a nickle and saying "don't spend it all in one place!".

[tehlord]

If my budget for gear was just $3k, I probably wouldn't buy any. Maybe a 5-year CD or money market investment...

Not an exciting answer and you won't make much during that period of time, but it's certainly better than blowing your wad all at once.

There is so much awesome stuff out there in terms of software... and the used prices for groove boxes and 15-year old VAs are just so low right now. You can get a setup that will be a lot of fun for <$1000. Use that for a while and save until you've got at least $10k to spend (with capital still invested). That's walking around money.

I call nonsense, simply because I couldn't agree less.

I didn't think many would agree but it worked for me. I don't know maybe things would have gone differently if I'd invested in decent studio equipment from the beginning but I feel like learning on shitty gear made me appreciate the nice gear more once I had it.

Now I feel like someone grandpa, giving you a nickle and saying "don't spend it all in one place!".

I wholeheartedly agree that you should avoid shitty gear for the sake of it, but 3 grand will go a long way.

In fact just sitting on my desk there's about $3k worth (if buying used) :-

Analog 4
Nord Rack 2x
Vermona Mono Lancet
Nova Desktop
APC for Live

I'd swap out the APC for a Push 2, but i don't have the space here.

It's a pretty potent little setup that covers many bases, but there are plenty of permutations that could be made for the same money.

[Googly Smythe]

In the "etc" department, a new desk and a decent chair to go with it.Then a new guitar combo - no idea which though.

[billcarroll]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvE84AGMWpE

Not for me, him ....

[Karma_tba]

I'd fix my Volkswagen.......

[beni_72]

It really depends on your reasons for buying hardware, how you want to use it, what kind of music you want to make etc.

To clarify

A setup to produce (but not restricted to) house, techno and and also to use as a live setup at a gig

[goldenanalog]

Here's a little game;

If you had approx $3000 to spend on a hardware setup from scratch what would be the things you buy? (You already have monitors and audio interface)

Synths, drum machines, effects, mixers, samplers etc

I want to get back out & play - so a Korg Kronos 61 would do the trick.

$3000 -> *POOF* -> $0

[NEOREV]

Put it toward a Minimoog Model D reissue...

Or a Arturia Matrixbrute and Korg Arp Odyssey

[tapper mike]

Not enough.

I'd prolly blow that on a car or lottery tickets first.

[beni_72]

Alright let's say you have to buy one of each of the following with the amount mentioned give or take a few hundred.

Synth
Drum machine
Sampler
Mixer
MIDI controller
Effects

[DJ Warmonger]

You might want to merge synth & controller as well as sampler, sequencer and drum machine into one.

Some ideas:

- Roland System-1m is modular synth that has external input, built-in delay and reverb
- Minilogue is polyphonic synth has external input and built-in delay
- Korg Electribe / Sampler are synth / sampler with sequencer and can send MIDI messages
- Arturia Keystep (not out yet?) is a MIDI keyboard with sequencer
- Mini / Microbrute is a synth with keys and CV outputs
- Elektron Analog series are analog / drum machine / sampler with sequencer and CV outputs each

[macmurphy]

Therapy.

[tehlord]

Alright let's say you have to buy one of each of the following with the amount mentioned give or take a few hundred.

Synth
Drum machine
Sampler
Mixer
MIDI controller
Effects

If you buy used you could get an Analog 4, Octatrack and TR-8 within budget (I would assume). They all have FX built in, can cross feed each other with audio and give you plenty of scope for all sorts of cool stuff. Any small mixer would do.

The Octatrack could also work as your sole drum machine, or an Elektron Rytm could act as a drum machine and a (basic) sampler.

I would veer towards the Elektron boxes as a core though as they are infinitely flexible and sound awesome.