I’d grab my OP-Z, sample some sounds from around the house, and work from there. An hour should be plenty to get something rolling.
Then I’d spend the next day and a half trying to record the stems as loops into Ableton 
2 Likes
Again depends on type of music i am making but yesterday i wanted to put together an instrumental hip hop beat i needed quickly. I used cubasis as my daw, moog model d app for bass and synhthmaster2 for keys and leads. SynthMaster 2 is a super flexible synth with a ton of synth types such as fm, va, wavetable, additive, physical modelling etc. Then fx with MixBox and tape pro. Samples from my sample banks and stuff i have sampled over the years i have on my ipad.
If i want to experiment and tweak more then i usually use drambo and apps like miRack which is a modular system that has all the mutable instruments modules amongst tons of other stuff. I can make sounds and loops and dump into tracker for further mangling though i have only started doing this
1 Like
Rythm working a beat
Digitone starting some chord progression and any melodic ideas
MFB Nanozwerg running main or secondary bass
Rythm then adding second bass if possible,
Digitakt then adding vox sample or other rhythmic/melodic ideas
2 Likes
How do you have your Rytm set up with Live/Push 2?
What’s the master clock?
I’ve recently got a Push 2 and Live, and it would be the absolute dream if I could get pattern changes in time/sync from Live to my AR/A4/Digitone, but I don’t think that will happen any time soon.
One sequencer, currently the T-1. Might be joined by or swapped for the Oxi once I get it and get a feel for it. A few voices, right now an MM2, Typhon, Nord Drum, and Minotaur, with a Poly Beedbo giving me a little effect coverage for the last two. Everything run into a Bluebox.
1 Like
My most efficient setup is a Digitakt + Battery pack + Phonon SMB 02….
My setup can be liquid and flowing, but for quick, productive, and fun, that would be M:S all day.
Fastest for me right now is the combination of DAW and modular I have setup at the moment.
Sending several sequences to my 84hp until I find an interesting way to combine them, record the result, and then build and arrange things fast in Ableton 9, using stock plugins, vahlala reverb/delay and a tape vst, that’s all I usually use and I can make a track in 1 or 2 hours.
3 Likes
A big time saver for me was getting round to setting up a generic template in the DAW. I have three sends which by default are to Valhalla Plate for short reverb, VintageVerb for long reverb, and Echoboy for stereo tape delay. Fabfilter Pro-C (if needed - super easy sidechaining) and Pro-Q ready on the channel strips, Izotope Tonal Balance on the master set to my normal reference track.
In combination with the UAD channel strip presets it means I have to spend very little time setting stuff up for a new track.
I should have done it years ago.
9 Likes
A4 mk1, load a kit I’ve made before or new kit with track 1 - lead synth; track 2 - pad/drone type sound; track 3 - kick drum; track 4 - bass. Sequence out kick track copy a couple patterns and start sound locking other percussion into the mix so i’ve got about 4 variations. work on bass or pad sounds. sequence out variations and make a chain to loop. use performance macros to figure out some interesting transitions, etc. I can get a structure together fairly quickly this way and start writing vocals and guitar parts to what i come up with (ideally).
Afterwards I can start plotting things out on the DT & A4 for a fuller sound and arrangement.
Probably the most productive setup I ever had in terms of output was just a Digitakt, Boss Micro BR-80 digital 8-track, and a pair of studio headphones.
The most versatile? The most professional? Definitely not, but I think that for electronic music or hip hop there is something to be said for just having one machine. It forces you to be creative and there is very little screwing around with setting things up or figuring out what you want to use or dealing with technical difficulties once you know how to use it.
Same thing with that little pocket-sized Boss 8-track. I basically just recorded the stereo outs and did one or two take. It has basic mastering algorithms on it, which actually sound pretty good, and it gets your levels pretty much perfect, so you just have to grab the stereo track off the SD card and upload to SoundCloud or YouTube or whatever.
As soon as I started adding stuff to that setup, the productivity dropped rapidly.
For most versatile and professional, I would definitely say a DAW, but it is much less productive for me, as there are so many variables, even with templates.
9 Likes
-EA-1 for master midi sequencing a monophonic performance on the TX81Z. (Track 1= bass, Track 2= dual lead via keyboard split.
-Touch of Reverb on track 2 TX81Z leads via Behringer mixer.
-Optional (bass track 1) delay FX via ES-1. ES-1 for drums. Program some patterns in w mutes (typically 8 patterns) and launch those patterns.
Don’t expect any fancy polish or automation this way but I get a cool groove w
variations/structure done pretty fast. I enjoy the simplicity and effectiveness of it. Examples are on my youtube. I find The Electribes rubber buttons are really nice for jamming.
10 Likes
PC: Unify from PluginGuru
Bitwig with Omnisphere
Non-Pc: iPad x2
HW: deepmind12 + wavestate + Octatrack Poly Tracker or DT to sequence and resample
Deluge on the couch gets me pretty far.
Next step up, I was fairly productive with MM2 + Deluge + MIDI keys before I lent to the MM2 to a friend. I should say, productivity to me is having fun and relaxing while making music.
3 Likes
Piano + field recorder + notebook + Reaper.
Not most fun, but most productive.
2 Likes
One analog synth, one digital synth, one drum machine, one sampler, an audio interface with lots of IO, and a good controller (Push for me). Slaved to Ableton with an E-RM multiclock. Templates, parts, sample chains, etc are crucial. Takes a good while to get this kind of hybrid setup dialed in, but once done, it’s pure flow. Multitracking quick and easy, and no stopping to align tracks. Just jam and arrange when there’s enough material. Overbridge and a patch bay takes things to the next level of convenience and speed.
My whole setup has been designed around the idea of having maximum routing possibilities with zero unplugging/replugging of gear, with everything spot on the grid at all times (if I want to). Stand alone no-computer option is great too - you just need the right interface 
This type of setup is really productive for me, and fast to get ideas down.
2 Likes
I’m finding recently that I’m really enjoying sequencing in the box. Much quicker for long phrases. Can finish an arrangement way quicker when I have one element i.e a bass that has a fair bit of melodic transition between phrases. Then I can do my drums, arrange, then just start adding things that complement what’s already there.
1 Like
Octatrack with prepared samples + external pedal or synth on ins/cue loop -> AH or Reverb on master -> Reaper
To be frank, this is my most fruitful HW setup so far (would it be just recording the jams, remixing the existing material or creating textures and drones for further processing). That’s the main reason of dreaming of next level OT or same-level sampler, because it is already the core of my setup and allows to do the most effective composing on hardware side.
(I don’t want to start another thread of OT wishlist and speculations 
This is official!)
All the other hardware it seems too much of hassle with connections and power. Unless you have a dedicated mini-studio with everything routed and mounted, this is not effective.
One deep and flexible groovebox or sampler makes much more than a pile of many devices (imo of course).
Even a combination of just two Elektron devices does not work for me - too many ways to combine and just difficult to sync/manage presets, etc.
The end goal kind of dictates the set up. If I’m recording guitar it is as easy as plugging into my pedal board and hitting record in Ableton. With electronic stuff things start to get complicated since sound design, sample selection, style, etc. can all dictate the workflow and end goal.
Over the past few years, I’ve started writing out song ideas for various projects before ever grabbing an instrument so that I have a clearer thought in mind when I have time for music. This has immensely sped up my productivity, and also allows me more focus on starting and finishing projects.
I have a few different ‘setups’ depending on how I’m working, and which provides a more streamlined approach to getting ideas out. Most recently I added the Koma Field Kit and FX to my studio, and have them paired with a Teenage Engineering PO12 and PO33. I consider these as one unit, and use their group functionality as a single instrument. My approach to my Rytm MKI is similar, as both these ‘setups’ allow for quite an array of complexity.
For me, the ability to have an end goal in mind is the key to quick workflow. Eventually all my instruments end up recorded into Ableton, which either falls under material for a track or sample fodder. My Rytm is my most methodical instrument, as I like to setup kits prior to recording patterns, and can take quite some time to perfect its sound before it is ‘ready to use’. Digitone is similar, but only because I like to create new sounds when using it. All my other equipment is pretty much ready to play/record, and can easily and quickly be recorded following my basic outlines for material I want to create.
1 Like
Yes me too:
- Octatrack, Rytm plus synths - for making tracks
- OT, Rytm, 303, palette case - live rig
- 12u Modular - sound experimentation, samples for (sequenced by) OT
- MPC plus synths - for linear sequencing or when I eventually get around to trying some hip-hop
- Matrix mixer & pedals - for when it’s harsh noise time
- 0-coast/palette case - for travel/holiday/sofa patching
I spent ages trying to have one unified setup and then realised it just isn’t possible (for me anyway).
1 Like