The Absolute Minimum Viable Creative Setup Thread

[Felix]

Fun drum machine jamming. There are some quite advanced and interesting drum machine apps available on the iPad that also allow you to send midi via an iRig.

[nytlab]

I’ll be taking an Intellijel Palette case, Norns, Grid and Arc on a 2 week family holiday (although traveling with a toddler we’ll see how much use they get).
Unfortunately, Crow won’t arrive until a couple of days after we fly out.

[josephbranciforte]

max/msp, a notebook, and coffee.

[pleurodesis]

I just googled “MiRack” to see what I was missing out on. Whew… I’ll have to add iOS to the search to be more specific.

[Noisetrees]

I’ll just trust you it’s one of those things you regret right after pressing search.

[pleurodesis]

A cold case homicide recently solved. The murderer was one “DJ Freez”.
Anywho, MiRack (the app) is intuitive enough? Looks like it might be a beast on the CPU.

[Noisetrees]

It’s pretty hungry yea, depending on the amount and type of modules you use. It’s basically VCV on iOS.

[DemiJon]

I brought this setup for some recording and a show in Greece last year. Four voices of abstract electronics, loads of possibilities. Turns out though, that the Intellijel 7U cases only just barely squeeze into carryon dimensions, and filled with modules they’re several kgs over the weight limits. Putting the 7U into its carry bag puts it over the size limits too. So at the last minute I had to get a Pelican 1650 case, and packed the 7U case into that, padded with clothes and other travel gear. Disappointing! I might’ve risked it and tried to carry it on, but I reeeeeally didn’t want to be like the guitarist who checks his guitar and picks it up at the other end smashed.

[P1505]

My set up for absolute minimum is now a piano.

A layer on top is piano plus Echophon.

Morphogene is my next buy.

[Moist]

Laptop, Pure Data, Organelle.

[Gahlord]

“The culture that’s going to survive in the future is the culture that you can carry around in your head.”

— Nam June Paik

[thedigitalDog]

Laptop, SuperCollider, TidalCycles, Opusmodus, Reaper.

[myecholalia]

Would love to hear more about your usage of Opusmodus.

[thedigitalDog]

Well, I’ve just been started learning this one, and I do love it indeed. It helps me delve into more music theory, is highly efficient at quickly sketching new ideas, has a sound synthesis language implemented and everything one could dream of regarding algorithmic composition. And yes, I do love to learn to code in Lisp also. Oh, and the attention to details put into the documentation is top notch too, which doesn’t hurt … In the end, my scores are sent to Reaper, where a minimal amount of Spitfire Audio instruments are loaded, or my own sounds built into Renoise/Redux.

[CaneMan]

@myecholalia

Opusmodus

I’m vaguely tempted to explore Opusmodus simply because the OMN language that it uses is a Lisp programming language.

[casualdecay]

Whenever I travel I bring along just my iPad and always have a blast with that. So based off the original post that would be my answer!

In general if there were some kind of financial emergency I think I could sell all of my gear today except for my Minilogue XD, my Eventide Space, and the iPad and probably be okay. I’d have to put the dance music project on hold for a bit but all my other projects would work with just those three. I’d invest in a nice midi controller and audio interface for the iPad though!

[thedigitalDog]

There is also Extempore which does offer Scheme, and is another gem on its own … because one caveat with Opusmodus is that it is mac only, at least for now.

[mattleaf]

I recently traveled with 15” mbp, Launchkey Mini Mk3, DT 990’s, a PMD 620 and Sony A7sii.

I find the 15” size a bit unwieldy these days. It’s great for the graphics chip, but if I could, I would much prefer travel with a MacBook Air. I’m not constructing anything on a trip a MacBook Air couldn’t handle, and it’d get the weight down.

I’ve traveled with expensive audio gear on trips before, and I’ve lost luggage with gear inside it too. I think the best approach is a few light things in a backpack.

Unless you are relocating for a period of time, even a 2-4 week residency, in those situations I take a more extensive setup.

A laptop and small lightweight controller is my preferred approach for travelling however. Even the small amount of gear I mentioned at the top accumulated its fair share of cables, chargers, dongles, batteries etc.

If I’m moving from place to place, I find it’s better to relax on the trip, just focus on recordings and enjoying your surroundings, and bring the material back to the studio when u return.

It all depends though. If I have a new standalone box I’m excited to learn I generally take it a long also, upcoming gigs can determine a bit of what u take also.

[ElectricaNada]

Not sure if I fully understand the premise of this thread. I have tons of instruments, but all I really need is my voice and one other instrument. If I had to choose only one, it would be a close tie between a tanpura or a classical guitar. I’m leaning towards the tanpura.

[jbowman]

?