I know workflow has been covered before, but I’m curious to hear what people think their most productive set up/workflow is.
QUESTION- if you have to stop what you’re doing right now and go and create a new track from scratch within an hour or so, what would be your set up?
I chop and change my set ups quite regularly at the moment, and I find the more elaborate I get with gear, the less productive I get… but I think I’m always looking for THE set up that offers the best all round balance.
I would stop using hardware and go all in the box.
Less fun though
Interesting point actually… An extra element of my question would be ‘what set up sparks your creativity?’ too, as, for me anyway, I need the set up to be a creative spark… I just don’t get that as much ITB, I agree it’s probably fastest, but I’ve got a greater chance of being less inspired creatively… so higher probability to sit and stare. 
For producing I use a couple hardware machines and a DAW
Ableton + user samples / sounds bank here
But something Like Kurzweil K2700, or modern MPC or perhaps Spectralis 2 can do the trick.
Maschine+ looks interesting
I guess the production is done by person so no matter what tool one uses, its always a matter of idea and skills. You have to start and finish it and get the job done. And nobody cares how you did that. But if u want to finalize a music piece and get it ready for release (incl. some mastering ) its hard to avoid computer
Bitwig on its own with a keyboard for note input. If going hardware, it would be a decent sampler, such as Tracker, Octatrack, or Digitakt, going straight out into a mastering / saturation device of some kind such as Analog Heat or Boum.
A single machine or a couple of simple ones if I want to make something quick, for example:
Nanoloop on GB
Monotribe + Volca sample
Octatrack
Rytm
Polyend Tracker (once fully learned!)
Deluge
MC-101/707
OP-1
OP-Z
606+303
Etc.
My setup has been put together with exactly this restriction as its mission.
It’s the shit for banging out quick tracks.
Most of my setups over the last 12 months or so have been about refining the ability to get tracks done as quickly and efficiently as possible. Every track I’ve made for the last 12 months has been made in under 2 hours.
I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it if you’re trying to get a label interested, but if you don’t have a lot of spare time and need to scratch the itch, it works wonders.
I’m most productive using hardware, but:
less is more! I very often suggest people to limit their setups to one synth and one sampler/sequencer and become a master of both of those for optimal inspiration and speed in workflow.
My setup right now is an AR mk2 and a DSI mopho x4.
That looks like a nice focussed set up with yet a lifetime of possibilities, congrats on the restraint and focus.
………
WTB: Restraint and focus, can trade for a body part if needed (cepting the obvious, ofc)
I have been going with this currently.
The cat has been a hindrance to productivity, but a massive boost to mood, so not sure on that side.
Ahhh so cute!
I know I questioned modular with the ‘why bother?’ shout, but this looks cool… so you’re mainly sampling the Lyra and the rack into the OT? Or syncing them?
Yeah, restraint is kinda the word.
And practice.
Lots more practice.
Train that kitty to do some p-locking and you’d cut production time in half! 
M:C / Blackbox / Typhon / Reface CP / Ukulele
All going through a soundcraft notepad8FX
Mixer aux send goes to the blackbox audio in so I can choose to record loops of Uke, reface or typhon.
Blackbox output 2 goes to the typhon audio in so I can add fx to anything.
M:C for beats, bass and chords. Typhon for pads, leads and fx. Reface for awesome piano goodness. This is the most creative and productive I’ve been since owning a 4 track in the 90’s
Circuit provides the most convenient sequencer ever, that’s how i actually work on my patterns IRL — i create them in Circuit and then record to 101/707 clips.
it would be even better if it had some more scales in scale mode, but it is what it is (and there are workarounds).
also, Circuit works well as finger drumming surface, but to make it do this job with external gear – black Axoloti magic required.
EDIT: however convenient Circuit is, 2 synth tracks is just 2 tracks.
if i need to create a new track in an hour or so, i certainly prefer more — it’s easier & faster to compose several simple patterns and layer them than squeeze the maximum from just 2 tracks.
Well I’ve switched the modular a bit since that picture, it’s now a DFAM, Quadrantid Swarm and a slightly augmented Erica Fusion System. So it kinda works like 3 separate synths, but all interconnected in various ways.
I’ve got the OT setup mainly as mixer and FX for everything, supplying midi clock to the QS, which then sends the clock on to everything else, and a couple of sample tracks for drums, but it’s ready to sample anything going through it, should the need arise.
Mine is going to have to be. Dismmising most ios apps I bought and use screens for apps that are like tweaking hardware. Thats with euclidean drums. So maybe the fastest way to make music ( EVA )
You just have to be content with euclidean sequencing I guess.
App combos I thought of yesterday are. Poison 202. Primer or phasemaker as fm. Or mononoke in place of either of above.
Other ipad. Ripplemaker and shockwave combo.
Then a 3rd ipad for granular/shoom or skiid.
But theres a tonebooster synth soon. I might just buy apps that can tweak via screen. Should I continue to not bother patching much.
