Good Studio Equipment

This xmas i am getting $850 cash. And I'm just gonna go all out on studio equipment, and i need some tips on what are good things to buy:

I am buying a $300 computer tower, so that leaves me with $550:

So can anyone help me on what to buy? (I am using FL Studio and producing Hardstyle music.

Should i get things like a soundcard, MIDI Keyboard with present sounds on it, or new speakers

this is my setup, these speakers are pretty old (Acoustic Monitor PSM 1250)

http://img580.imageshack.us/f/73855176746282338891100.jpg/

Thanks.

I'd really recommend spending more on the computer. Pretty much, all of your money. If you are PC then make sure you get an intel i7 950 quadcore, good motherboard, and at least 6 gigs of ram. I'd go from there. Even the best sound card will only get you so far on a slow computer. Then buy a soundcard or usb interface that has good ASIO drivers, and has usb 2.0 and you should be set until you can afford more. Best buy and Newegg actually have some pretty decent i7 machines but they tack on some stuff you may not need. I just notice from your pic that you don't have any hardware synths, so that means you are pretty much doing everything in the box, which is quite hard on your computer.

However,

An alternative for money conservation would be to go with a core 2 duo machine (and still lots of ram) and get it at around $500-550. That should hold you over for a while. With that and a sound card that will be all your money but plenty to "get the job done" with. Just not as much of a long term investment as the i7 setup.

If you want a midi keyboard I wouldn't worry about one with presets. Just get an m-audio or equiv. controller for around 100 bucks and use sounds in vst plugs. There are a great deal of "rompler" like vsts around these days. Nexus being one of the best, but there's a lot of free one's and cheaper alternatives.

Getting decent monitors is pretty much a separate task. If you've had those speakers a while, regardless of how "good" they are for producing, you more than likely at least know the sound of them and can get by on that till you can spend a lot of money on a good pair of monitors.

  On 12/5/2010 at 7:15 AM, Brandi_B said:

I'd really recommend spending more on the computer. Pretty much, all of your money. If you are PC then make sure you get an intel i7 950 quadcore, good motherboard, and at least 6 gigs of ram. I'd go from there. Even the best sound card will only get you so far on a slow computer. Then buy a soundcard or usb interface that has good ASIO drivers, and has usb 2.0 and you should be set until you can afford more. Best buy and Newegg actually have some pretty decent i7 machines but they tack on some stuff you may not need. I just notice from your pic that you don't have any hardware synths, so that means you are pretty much doing everything in the box, which is quite hard on your computer.

 

However,

 

An alternative for money conservation would be to go with a core 2 duo machine (and still lots of ram) and get it at around $500-550. That should hold you over for a while. With that and a sound card that will be all your money but plenty to "get the job done" with. Just not as much of a long term investment as the i7 setup.

 

If you want a midi keyboard I wouldn't worry about one with presets. Just get an m-audio or equiv. controller for around 100 bucks and use sounds in vst plugs. There are a great deal of "rompler" like vsts around these days. Nexus being one of the best, but there's a lot of free one's and cheaper alternatives.

 

Getting decent monitors is pretty much a separate task. If you've had those speakers a while, regardless of how "good" they are for producing, you more than likely at least know the sound of them and can get by on that till you can spend a lot of money on a good pair of monitors.

Thank you so much, this is my computer right now: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00607954&tmp_task=prodinfoCategory&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&site=null&key=null&product=1841799

Could you post a link or name of a computer and sound card i should buy? Especially a sound card because i have no clue on whats good for a good price lol

good soundcard (not soundblaster)

mixer

studio monitors

midi controller keyboard

hi basscreator!

  On 12/5/2010 at 7:06 AM, NoizeNuker said:

I am using FL Studio and producing Hardstyle music.

 

can anybody post links or names of soundcards/computers i should buy?

you could get an audio interface off craigslist for less than 100 dollars. as goes for the midi keyboard, less than 100 dollars.

  On 12/5/2010 at 3:19 PM, o00o said:

  On 12/5/2010 at 7:06 AM, NoizeNuker said:

I am using FL Studio and producing Hardstyle music.

 

lol

electronic beatmaking mask.

  On 12/5/2010 at 10:18 PM, loganfive said:

electronic beatmaking mask.

to really get into the zone for proper hardstyle you need a helmet that will protect you from those breakneck breakbeatz

that should really be his primary investment

Brandi B nailed it herp derp

  On 12/5/2010 at 1:22 PM, BCM said:

good soundcard (not soundblaster)

mixer

studio monitors

midi controller keyboard

This

What does he need a mixer for? Fading out piano rolls?

drop the grand on the computer

I think if he got his mind right he would have meant to type quality interface instead of soundcard and mixer.

well if your making hardstyle musics then surely you need some fabreeze

i'm just looking at these guys producing(http://www.youtube.com/user/bizzaredj) and it looks like they have so many channels of layers and mixers, and that would kill my computer that i have now. SO might use $600 on the computer and maybe $250 on a soundcard.

But can somebody link me a great soundcard please?

  On 12/7/2010 at 5:51 AM, NoizeNuker said:

 

But can somebody link me a great soundcard please?

this is pretty much average can't go wrong:

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/M-Audio-Audiophile-2496-PCI-Digital-Audio-Card?sku=701341

right now i'm using an external tascam i bought cheap for when i finally get around to buying a laptop.

these look pretty good, they are only around $40,000!

noize nuker

  On 12/7/2010 at 8:33 PM, alcoholic puppet said:

 

these look pretty good, they are only around $40,000!

the thing looks like a kids toy with the bright coloured cables... i guess it's a toy. you could buy a lot of shit for 40k

Buy these:

Dual Core Intel i3 w/ 6gb ram, comes with win 7 kb and mouse:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Dell+-+Inspiron+Desktop+/+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%23153%3B+i3+Processor+/+6GB+Memory+/+750GB+Hard+Drive/1244487.p?id=1218240956566&skuId=1244487 - $600

Great emu sound card with fantastic drivers and some decent fx (and a great mixer):

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/0404PCIe/ - 120$

And a monitor (comp doesn't come with one):

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/AOC+-+18.5%22+Widescreen+Flat-Panel+LCD+Monitor+-+Black/1437353.p?id=1218258635101&skuId=1437353 - $90

With tax and everything it's about 30-40 bucks over 800 but that's more than enough power to last you a while. You'll have to save up for a controller.

When you get more money buy a usb controller under $100 (m-audio is good) and then a second hard drive (1 TB under $100) and install it and have all of your audio playing back and stored on that drive. It's very easy to do.

  On 12/7/2010 at 10:20 PM, Brandi_B said:

Buy these:

 

Dual Core Intel i3 w/ 6gb ram, comes with win 7 kb and mouse:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Dell+-+Inspiron+Desktop+/+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%23153%3B+i3+Processor+/+6GB+Memory+/+750GB+Hard+Drive/1244487.p?id=1218240956566&skuId=1244487 - $600

 

Great emu sound card with fantastic drivers and some decent fx (and a great mixer):

 

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/0404PCIe/ - 120$

 

And a monitor (comp doesn't come with one):

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/AOC+-+18.5%22+Widescreen+Flat-Panel+LCD+Monitor+-+Black/1437353.p?id=1218258635101&skuId=1437353 - $90

 

With tax and everything it's about 30-40 bucks over 800 but that's more than enough power to last you a while. You'll have to save up for a controller.

 

When you get more money buy a usb controller under $100 (m-audio is good) and then a second hard drive (1 TB under $100) and install it and have all of your audio playing back and stored on that drive. It's very easy to do.

Thank you so much, and I live in North Massachusetts, so i can just take a drive up to best buy in NH, and buy the computer with no taxes lol =]