#63

For editing on my phone I use the Hokusai Audio Editor

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#64

Super-minimal: just loops and sing direct into phone into bandlab.com’s online multitracker. Can record on it via laptop later.
Less minimal: Just laptop and garageband or bandlab. But usually I will pack an iMic for line-in, a mini-plug line, and maybe a small mic also with a mini jack.
Barely minimal: same as above, plus my Oxygen8 keyboard that is maybe two feet long, and will fit on a carry-on bag.
Through all the various travel variations, I think I’ve actually recorded only once. But its reassuring to have the backup if time opens up on a trip.

#65

PO-32, Sidrax, a couple effects (Empress Reverb and Shallow Water), Zoom H4n. Or Laptop and QuNexus.

I’m also currently designing a Raspberry Pi-based synth that receives USB MIDI so all I have to do is bring that, my QuNexus, and headphones if I want to work on a plane or at a cafe. I have such a hard time finding pocket synths that have more than 3-voice polyphony, except the OP-1/Z.

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#66

Laptop with Live, Op-1, zoom h2, headphones

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#67

I can second this sort of, I took a full sized electric guitar on a plane twice (in 2014). I had a soft case and was prepared to act like it was really expensive, but I didn’t need to. I just put it in the overhead compartment and it went fine.

On the other hand, in college I had a professor Luis Zea, who flew from Venezuela via United Airlines to the US. He came with his only guitar, a classical he had been playing for thirty years. They made him check it, and when he got to the states the top of the guitar was completely smashed in.

#68

Yeah the thought of flying with any kind of delicate or acoustic instrument is terrifying to me, but unless you’ve got a Gibson guitar or something with a similar crappy headstock, electric guitars are pretty hard to damage.

#70

Haven’t read this whole thread, but: contact mic + cassette or digital recorder :wink:

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#71
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#72

Hell yeah. I feel like I’ve seen that clip before (or some other one of Cage doing this).

#73

A Synthstrom Deluge is usually everything I carry when traveling. It runs on battery and is such a powerful music making device

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#74

wondering what would you throw into your 60hp skiff?

#75

Apparently one of the reasons he liked playing the cacti is because they’d fall apart before he could spend long enough time with any given one to become familiar with it.

Seems like an ethos many computer musicians follow too. :slight_smile: (Always tinkering on software & as a result constantly relearning how to work with it…)

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#76

I have no groundbreaking setups to offer, as much of my minimal/travel setup has already been covered here, but I’ll chime in anyway.

I’m headed to Chile in August to visit some old friends and do a mini tour—not to mention that it’s been a general goal of mine to pare down my setup even for local shows—so I’ve been thinking a lot about how best to travel lightly.

Here’s what I’ve been able to manage as of late in a small a Pelican 1400 plus some spillover in my backpack:

  • 13” MacBook Pro (in backpack)
  • grid
  • Faderfox UC4
  • Apogee Duet
  • 10” iPad Pro
  • Zoom H4n
  • Usi microphones
  • 2-4 minirig speakers (sometimes in Pelican, sometimes in backpack, depending on whether I’m working in quad)
  • cables

I’m thinking that’s more or less what I’ll take to Chile later this year, but i might switch over to my 1510 case just to have some wiggle room and/or space to fit all music items in the hard case (and maybe throw in the Norns) and keep clothes and notebooks to the backpack.

I’m also thinking about swapping out the Duet for a sound card that doesn’t require a dongle cable for i/o.

For those who use an iConnectAudio4+, what are your thoughts on its sound quality?

EDIT: And I’ll add that I would probably just bring the laptop+controllers and the H4n+Usis if I were just leisure traveling. But I’m bringing the other stuff for a fuller live rig (and the mini rigs for a couple more intimate gigs) and the iPad specifically out of fear that my laptop will crash.

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#77

I’m also wondering about the iConnectAudio4+.

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#78

My go-to is a zt lunchbox amp and a pretty delicate vintage epiphone which I have beat on for years and dragged everywhere without totally breaking it (frets and case are nearly shot)…

Played a couple of duo gigs on only that last couple of weeks, traveling to London after work. Cheated both times because in both cases the other player provided a mic, stand and small pa speaker.

I’d love to combine this setup with a headset mic like a motivational speaker. That, some kind of preamp to balance mic/guitar signals and a boomerang looper I think everything would still fit in a small rucksack and could play all night without a partner.

This thread got me thinking about a twisted choice of norns hardware as preamp/multifx in this setup…

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#79

Happy to answer questions from my experience with it.

#80

shnth + headphones/minirigs
I’ve got a couple sets of shnth patches that can be hours of fun.
I would not be recording anything simply enjoying in the moment.
I might throw in a passiver mixer of some sort as the shnth can be very loud

op-1 + continuumini + headphone/minirigs
looping with the continuumini on the OP1 is a blast alternatively throwing on an arpeggio with a sample from the continuumini on the OP1 and then playing over it is just perfect.

ravpower + plumbutter + headphone/minirig + banana cables
the plumbutter never disappoints and is just too much fun to play in the woods, it feels right.

shnth + computer (FISH (application programming the shnth)) + headphones/minirigs
I’ve got plenty of patch ideas for the shnth written down that I’ve just got to dedicate some time to. Making time to chisel away at these ideas feels very creatively expressive.

the onde speaker will get added into the mix at some point
I may then take a vixen mixer to send inputs around a mix of minirigs (2.1 main output) and the onde (solo voice via aux send) but that isn’t particularly minimal.

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#81

An Onde speaker and a shnth sounds like a great combo! Wish I jumped on the Onde speaker when it was in the kickstarter :frowning:

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#82

Went on a short spring break trip with the family and left the computer and ipad at home. The iRig was the most cumbersome part but it let me record into the phone for pretty backdrops. A smaller form factor converter would be appreciated.

Bought the wrap years ago for pens and it happens to be a perfect fit for the OP-Z, but I don’t think the company is active anymore.

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#83

I’ve been content with the following as a travel rig:

  • Taylor Gs Mini travel guitar (acoustic electric; koa wood)
  • iPad
  • iPhone (which I have with me anyways)
  • Small USB audio interface (I use this one)
  • Sensel morph + MPC overlay
  • Rode iXY stereo mic
  • various cables and adapters to make everything mesh
  • headphones, sometimes a portable speaker
  • a small iPhone tripod

Depending on the nature of my travel, I usually also have my MacBook Pro, and chargers, etc. If I’m feeling particularly adventurous, I’ll bring the OP-1 along as well, but lately I’ve been finding enough inspiration from iPad apps.

Besides the guitar, this stuff all fits into a relatively small backpack. The Morph isn’t a perfect substitute for a MIDI Keyboard controller, but it is sufficient. It works well as a drum controller, and with MPE synths, and it connects to all of the computer gear.

The amount of adapters feels a bit ridiculous sometimes, and I would love to have a portable USB interface that requires fewer adapters, but I haven’t seen anything that meets my needs yet.

The tripod works well for setting up the iXY as a room mic to track the guitar with DI and room sound, as well as providing interesting phone-video options. The iXY also works great for field recordings.

I’m not currently content with my speaker situation. I’ve been using a Boombotix BoomBot Rex that I got as a gift 5 years ago, and it’s not aging well. The battery is starting to get finnicky, and the sound quality seems like it’s degrading a bit. I’ve been considering getting some MiniRig speakers, but haven’t prioritized it yet.

The size of the travel guitar is really convenient – most US-based airlines will treat it as a personal item, and it fits in most overhead bins. I have no idea about South African airlines, but if you fly via budget European airlines (EasyJet, EuroWings, RyanAir, etc), the guitar+backpack combo is probably only “valid carry-on” if you get a premium ticket.

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