Audio Production Desk suggestions?

So I figure a good handful of you produce, so I thought I'd ask... what kind of workstations do you produce on? I try to invest any money I make from my music back into my studio. I currently have a Quiklok Z-555 that's seen better days, so I need a new desk. Any suggestions?

Needs to support 2 computer monitors, a deskstop tower, latop, 2 octave controller, a micromixer, a couple rack items, and a set of monitors at a bare minimum.

good golly miss molly.

i'd suggest a big plank and a couple of sticks.

maybe a a nav' 'puter and some candy etc.

I used to own an L shaped office desk that worked really well. Kind of a pain to move though.

Ya, I doubt many people have nice production desks. My stuff is strewn across my computer desk and another small cart on rollers :sup:

Just be creative. I find that there is no perfect solution out there (for me at least)... I've definitely looked. First, I'd think long and hard about what you have, what you use the most, and what's the most comfortable way to use it all. After that, it's a bit of a game of tetris on how you ergonomically fit your stuff together. I always want stuff to be an arms length away, further than that, and it can get on my nerves having to move around a lot. I want to move fast between things. Right below my monitor, I have my typing keyboard,and triggering gear (APC40/Launchpad) so I can jam out, while looking at the screen to reference the clips Im working with in Live. If I spin my chair 45 degrees, I am looking at my keyboards and drum pads (set up so when I turn, they are in perfect playing position). I dont need to look at the screen for playing those, so that's why there aren't directly in front of the monitor. To put it all together, I used several different stands and little desks etc to layer them together. Everything is tightly compact and tiered over each other where needed/possible). It works quite nicely. I'd snap a pic, but my room is a mess. Another time.

dining table

I'm on some big computer/CDT desk that was being throw out by a collage!

I'm ambitiously designing and building my own 2 piece case on casters with some friends for easy transportation for jamming, performing and recording.

Ok, here it is.

So, I have an ikea table for the mouse/keyboard/controllers with some spare wood pieces for extra desktop space. The box that the monitor and knob box are on, is just a cardboard box stuffed to the brim with old photos. To the left, I build a little wooden stand for the nord modular g2. behind that, on another home made wooden stand, is a dj coffin. I stripped out the dividing panels, so its all hollow inside (transport all my gear inside it). On top of that is my rack, with the audio and midi interfaces and the g2 engine. forgot to mention the laptop goes on top of this, and I can see that if I need to see the sequence view when I'm playing etc, without having to turn my head back around) the virus ti is on a metal laptop stand. Pretty simple, cost me very little, and everything is at my finger tips. I wont find any expensive studio gear online or else where, that works this well.

save some money!

I use what used to be a sewing machine desk i think. Its big enough for my obsolete CRT monitor, my speakers, computer keyboard, and mouse. My midi keyboard is on top of 2 boxes by my feet, and next to that, my tower and subwoofer. Also, behind my right speaker appears to be 2 dirty coffee cups, a bowl that had noodles in it yesterday, dust, and a long empty CD spindle. Also, scraps of paper is littered about, mostly containing phone numbers. Oh, there's a fork. OOOOOH a sharpie!

^ lol, I got the same thing going, except for the sewing machine desk... mine was from a middle school. Got it when I did salvage a while back. I just butted up a few tables & desks into an L and made it work.

Also, re: loganfive's suggestion... I actually did build a keyboard stand out of spare cinderblocks and 2x4's i found outside my old apartment complex... that shit was sturdy as hell. And free!

Years ago I used a door lying on a stack of milk crates. Milk Crates also happen to be the same width as a normal rack unit - so they served double duty. :)

  On 2/7/2011 at 4:53 PM, luke viia said:

^ lol, I got the same thing going, except for the sewing machine desk... mine was from a middle school. Got it when I did salvage a while back. I just butted up a few tables & desks into an L and made it work.

 

Also, re: loganfive's suggestion... I actually did build a keyboard stand out of spare cinderblocks and 2x4's i found outside my old apartment complex... that shit was sturdy as hell. And free!

tbh i was utterly hammered when i made that post, and have no memory of it.

but yeah, various set ups over the years including a 6' fish tank stand.

currently on a 5' by 3' ikea desk with the tower underneath, mixer, monitors, main synth/midi controller, dual monitors, keyboard and mouse set up on. sma;ll school desk with reel to reel to my right, and a rack with effects and power amp in to my left. there are various keyboards on stands around the room, a roland v-kit set up behind me and 5 guitars (telecaster, yamaha classical, bluebird half size classical, yamaha bass and horrible epiphone les paul hanging on the walls.

  On 2/7/2011 at 12:31 AM, Kcinsu said:

Ok, here it is.

 

Is that touchosc running on the iPad?

What are you using it for? (or more just misc tasks).

no, it's touchable, a dedicated ableton live controller. very nice! access to clips, levels, keyboards, pads, etc.

recommended!

Touchable

Solid oak desk does the job for me.

Some people claim it sounds muddy but I really like the warmth it adds to my tracks.

Especially nice if you're doing Burial type dubstep things.

PS don't fall for faux-oak coated stuff, you'll notice why when your tracks get played on a big rig.

lol

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Studio-RTA-Creation-Station-Studio-Desk?sku=546550

Not sure how much your wanting to spend. Bit pricey for what it is I suppose, but if you need a rack to put a few things in its not a bad option. I'd personally prefer the racks angled on either side rather than right in front of me, but for now all I really use the rack for is power and a few pieces that are always in studio, the rest is in a portable rack.

ikea's modular desks + bits and pieces from the "AS IS" section (matching shelving pieces and a few packs of 5" legs) do the job for me.

kcinsu is right though it's all about layering as much as possible, you want it tight. reality is if things are out of arm's reach quite often they won't get used as much out of pure laziness. look at which features of your gear you use the most and which you could sacrifice underneath some other piece of gear and stack things accordingly (for example I have had setups before where my midi controller has gone on a tray underneath the desk only enough for the keys to come out because i haven't need the knobs and BS on that specific controller).

  On 2/10/2011 at 9:06 AM, ryanmcallister said:

kcinsu is right though it's all about layering as much as possible, you want it tight. reality is if things are out of arm's reach quite often they won't get used as much out of pure laziness. look at which features of your gear you use the most and which you could sacrifice underneath some other piece of gear and stack things accordingly (for example I have had setups before where my midi controller has gone on a tray underneath the desk only enough for the keys to come out because i haven't need the knobs and BS on that specific controller).

QFT. That's what I have been trying to do with my rig as I'm trying to balance more instruments/controllers/devices. You gotta make it your setup comfortable, ergonomic and efficient.

  On 2/9/2011 at 11:05 PM, Kcinsu said:

no, it's touchable, a dedicated ableton live controller. very nice! access to clips, levels, keyboards, pads, etc.

 

recommended!

Touchable

Ooo. Somehow this had slipped under my radar.

Thanks for the helpful answer and recommendation :)

a terrible cell phone picture of my desk. i bought it used so unfortunately i don't know what it is. it works quite well for me, as i do 90% of my work from my laptop. the "speaker stands" have been reinforced with cardboard tubes to hold the monitors.

to the left, my yamaha cs-2x; this has its own bench as it lives mostly to be my practice piano. to the right, my sound card, oberheim rack, and reverb. i admit to buying the cheapest used "pro" gear i could find, and i admit it never gets used accordingly. the reverb is powerful but a glitchy knob makes it very tedious. the synth is powerful but a pain in the ass to edit. so, VSTs it is. (maybe one day i'll afford that prophet 08 pe rack.)

i've seen kcinsu pilot that desk and it's a wonderful thing. he's like a little factory over there.