So all the gear I have right now, didn’t exist when I was 18, back in the year 2000 - if I’d been encouraged back then, what kinda kit could I have afforded?
I had about £500 spare each summer, which at the I spent on Camera gear, so that’s the budget.
I already had good headphones and a stack of Minidiscs with an MD recorder, so that’s what I would have recorded to.
I was into the dance music of the time (as I still am), with a lean toward trance and chillout (BT, Sasha, Hybrid, Air, Zero 7, etc) - could I have got a synth and drum machine combo? Or would I have to pick one and wait for next summer for the other?
With all the love and fan fare I’d say a Virus. The first one was released in 97 and many still adore the early models to this day.
Of course if we’re going back in time knowing what we do now, you should probably buy up as much 80s Roland stuff as you can.
That’s exactly what I did when I was 16, with my hard-earned money through working all summer! My first machine, it was a very powerful beast and I sometimes miss its sequencer. I sold it 10 years later after my ITB switch, as the computer became the brain of my setup progressively… Fun times.
Using multitimbral synths was the way to go to make quality production on a limited budget back then. I used to have (and still have) a Korg Z1 (6 parts MT). However, I thought I might have bought a Nord Lead instead (though only 4 parts MT… but the Z1 was more flexible, esp for ambient patches). Of course, there was also the Waldorf Microwave XT (10 parts MT).
Edit : Add a cheap midi sequencer like the Roland MC-500 and one analog synth. As for the beats, I remember the Yamaha RY-30 was powerful (and quite cheap to buy on the used market).
a much smarter path. I chose the dumb one. but also returned it immediately (couldn’t demo it, or I would’ve never bought it). and purchased a Machinedrum. so I made up for my idiocy.
It would probably be a Roland groovebox. You’ve got some synth sounds and drums happening all in one box, so instant grooving! You could probably find a used MC-303 or 505 for a decent price on eBay at this time. My first groovebox was around this time and was the Roland D2 groovebox. My second synth was the Microkorg, but I think that was around 2002.
A solid option for a large keyboard synth in the year 2000 would have been the Yamaha AN1X.
The first Korg Electribe series was fresh at this time, so mix and match 2 or 3 of those for a good jam session!
A decent and affordable option for a drum machine in the year 2000 would be the Alesis SR-16. I had one that I would jam along to on guitar and synth. Not the best sequencer/interface, but it had a decent variety of sounds for various styles of music.
Oh, and grab all of the analog gear that you can at cheap prices, store them in a warehouse, maintain them, and then retire in 2022 when you sell them all off!