Hi everyone,
Don’t blame me for this, but I needed some cash and, with regret, decided to sell my entire Elektron setup, keeping only my Push 3 Standalone. It was a tough choice, but I was using my hardware less and less, and the last 10 tracks I signed were produced almost entirely in Ableton — that’s what motivated the decision.
Now I have the opportunity to reallocate a ‘mini budget’ to improve my setup, and I’m hesitating between getting a MIDI controller (probably a small keyboard?) to complement my Push 3, or a small synth to fill in the sound design gaps that Ableton can’t quite cover.
I produce techno heavily inspired by Detroit techno.
One small note: I’m looking for something fairly compact.
Do you have any suggestions? I have to admit I feel a bit lost… (still not sure if selling all my Elektron stuff was a good choice even if I hardly needed money)
With VSTs, there’s pretty much nothing Ableton can’t do. I’d vote midi controller.
What kind of thing do you need? Keys, faders?
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would rather go for a small keyboard… and maybe add a second one with faders to act like a mixer with Push 3 (but not my priority).
I read good things about the Novation Launchkey Mini MK3 but I don’t know if that’s the best option.
Maybe a cool, knobby mono synth that will double as midi keyboard duties?
Unless you’re a keyboard player who cannot get along with the grid, I’d say you need an analog voice. There’s just no substitute in my opinion. If you’re only using ableton instruments or max for live because your’e in standalone, I’d say get a moog minitaur or an Analog Four.
Just get Serum 2, can sound totally analog. Faderfox EC4 and map the macros. 8 Macros can surly be controlled from push 2/3 also. EC4 also has a script to control lives mixer.
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The Analog Four MK2 was the first machine I sold … I miss it but couldn’t keep it…
I need something smaller (and cheaper…) and that’s why I was looking for a “small” midi controler with keys.
I own Serum 2 (Serum 2 and Korg M1 are the only VST I own - with Live Suite)
Arturia Minilab is good and cheap.
Minilab has really nice keys out of the 25 key mini keyboards.
Of the Launchkeys I’d recommend the full size 37 over the minis if key feel is anything of a concern. It’s not “small” but it is relatively compact for a full size keyboard (and the features map perfectly to Live.)
Plus Diva with the Mona skin for classic synth sounds maybe?
Never heard of it but I’ve been hesitating for a while about buying Arturia Analog Lab as an additional VST suite to complement my current collection … (And I the Minilab comes with an “Intro” licence that can be upgraded for 70€)
So it maybe makes sense !
As I mentioned a bit earlier, the MiniLab seems like a very good option that I wasn’t aware of before… And the possibility of getting the Intro version of Analog Lab (upgradeable for a reasonable price) is another added bonus.
I don’t have Diva yet, but it’s (along with Analog Lab) the only additional plugin I was considering for my current setup…
Diva is good, but Zebra has also the filter emulation diva has, and it has much more modulation options, and macros, but its complex to program. From a practical standpoint serum can do anything, beeing fast is a plus for me.