Vacation Synth

The Lounge Other Gear
#1

I am currently planning my vacation setup. We will spent a few calm days at the seaside in summer and i want to Bring a small Setup to Jam a little.
Thought about iPad + iConnect Audio 4 for recording/fx + iSEM and Ruismaker.
Arturia Keystep as Controller.
But…

Which 2 Synths would you add?
Digitone
Volca Keys
Volca Bass
Microbrute
Monologue
SH01a
Behringer Neutron
Behringer Model D
Waldorf Rocket
Doepfer Dark Energy
Make noise 0 Coast

The Music Genre is Ambient/Berlin School.
I want it for gnarly Bass Drones, plucky arps, warm Bass Pads. My favourite pick at the Moment… Digitone plus SH01a.
What would you add to the iPad as your 2 vacation Synths and why?

Your setups [ 10k Archive]
#2

too much gear means youll need a mixer.
personally , just the ipad and possibly the digitone .

adding something else, unless its got audio through , would be a pain.
perhaps the neutron would be nice , as its a new box, has a delay and works via midi and you can patch things with leads to get some wild noises.though its a bit big.

you wouldnt need controller if you took digitone …

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#3

Digitone + 0-coast would be my pick. Just those two with a recorder would amuse me endlessly. Actually, I might have to try pairing them myself :smiley:

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#4

Just the Digitone all by itself wouldn’t be so bad, and simplifies things greatly.

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#5

You can’t go wrong with a Digitone- broad sound range, multitimbral and built in sequencers- midi sequencer to control your iPad. Top notch choice

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#7

What about an OP1? It’s my favorite synth on the go.

Benefits:

  • extremely portable
  • built in rechargeable battery
  • multiple synth modes
  • sampler with built in fm radio to sample
  • easy to sync up with POs (more portable dopeness)
  • 4 track tape mode
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#8

I’m down to just my iPhone now. I can start an AUM session with Fieldscraper constantly recording and mangling loops, get some generative percussion and pads going and everything changes as you walk around. You can record the whole kit and kaboodle and resample it later. The plethora of awesome iOS synths and AUM and all of the sequencer tools by Bram Bos make the iPhone a mini Elektron box.

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#10

Yeah to be honest Nanoloop 2 on GBA synced with PO-33 covers most of what I want to do when I’m away from my studio…

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#11

Digitone by itself

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#12

I’m taking Digitakt with a battery for outside use, and 84hp of eurorack and a small mixer for indoor jams.

Blofeld and Digitone are great options being multitimbral. iPad works but I find it a PITA.

#13

Anything battery powered that can be jammed right by da beach mon. My go to will always be the OP-1, sample a bit of the oceanic atmosphere and play chromatic bird calls.

4 Likes
#14

No advice, just a couple of questions as food for thought. If you’ve travelled with such a setup before, they’re probably not so relevant.

-what are you hoping to get out of this vacation musically and non-musically?
-how much time and space will you be able to dedicate to jamming?
-what are your travel companion’s expectations for this vacation?
-how does the setup you want to take differ from what you use at home?
-what do you feel holds you back when jamming at home?
-if you could bring just one piece, what would it be?
-what would be the first to leave at home?
-what if you had to take just the one piece you wanted to leave at home?
-what is the one piece of kit in your arsenal you feel is underutilized?
-what is your goto piece of gear you are most likely to pick up?
-what setup has worked best for you in the past?

Hope that helps,
Hans

5 Likes
#15

Yeah these are big ones tbh. Every time I’ve gone on holiday I’ve taken some gear with me, but I rarely get a chance, or even have the desire to work on music. The only time I’ve ever really written anything substantial was when staying in Osaka a few years ago, I wrote a decent chunk of an album on nanoloop2 one evening in an airbnb :smiley:

That said, one of these days I do want to take some time off work, book an airbnb somewhere nice, and dedicate a few days to working with a small setup, maybe with a collaborator or two…

2 Likes
#16

+1 on the OP-1 (or some POs). I travel all the time with my OP-1 and it’s perfect for long transatlantic flights or early jetlag-induced playing in hotel rooms. Battery lasts forever, and fellow passengers or cabin crew always ask me what it is!

Not sure if you’re flying but putting a DT or DN in your hand luggage would probably raise eyebrows at security, and will add weight to your checked bag.

Have fun!

#17

No flying, just traveling by car to the baltic sea and staying in a rented house for a few days, so electricity will also be not a problem.
I just want to enjoy myself with jamming around with sounds in the evening or at rainy days. No TV there, no internet. No intention to produce big hits. Maybe collecting ideas or sketches. Nothing seious. Just enjoying.

Lots of interesting tips here! I like the idea of just the Digitone and the iPad.
I will definately take a look at the FieldScaper

Leaving the iPad at home and use just Digitone plus Fieldrecorder could be a nice option too.

Thank you guys!

#18

Digitone FTW

1 Like
#19

Wait! You got a Neutron? Already? Uli, is it you?

(#Digitone for sequencing, and because of flexibility and 4 independent tracks. And maybe the 0 coast. If that isn’t enough, download Audulus for the I-pad, it’s the closest thing to Reaktor you can get, you can build your own synth/fx unit and control it via midi.

#20

No Neutron, but i thought about getting one. But i dropped already the Idea.
I recently installed Ripplemaker…my choice AS a Music Easel to Go. :sunglasses:

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#21

Digitone - a box of wonder. For real, you can get endlessly creative w/it, whether it be jaunty, chiptune-esque, bouncy pop tunes, crazy-detailed, splintering arpeggios, or ever-shifting, “ambient” or industrial soundscapes–and everything in between. Its potential is inexhaustible.

2 Likes
Is Keystep the best?
#22

I stopped taking gear with me on all vacations, less worries and I get to listen to silence and nature - receptive senses, and some other fancy esoteric advantages, etc. :wink:
Family happy, me happy.
&
Recharged for fresh soundwork or ready to finish things that are overdue.

Have a good trip!
T.

PS: a small often local instrument I’ll buy on the spot or a few LP’s … it never really ends. :smiley:

7 Likes