I am just getting started..

skinnynicci · Post by **skinnynicci** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:31 pm

Hey Guys and Girls,

I just got my SP 404 on this past Saturday on a whim. I have always been interested in the creating, sampling etc. side of music. Now, I don't have a musically bone in my body, but i think that i am a little creative. Any recommendations on what type of gear I need in order to create some good sounds? I only have a turntable (numark TTUSB), the SP 404, a desktop with Ableton live 6 and Audacity.
I just need to know how to hook up it all up and get it going. Any tips are greatly appreciated. Thanks in Advance, NICCI

jsrockit · Post by **jsrockit** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:53 pm

Well, you have everything you need....though an audio interface might help. If not, you still have everything. You can either go right from the turntable / mixer to the SP-404 to get samples... or record samples off the TTUSB direct to computer...then get a USB card reader so you can load the samples to CF card and then insert the CF Card into the SP-404. Then, once you figure out what to do with the samples in the SP-404, you can hook up the audio out of the SP-404 to the audio in of your computer and record directly into Live or Audacity.

skinnynicci · Post by **skinnynicci** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:37 pm

Thanks for the reply, well I all ready have the card reader and compact flash...I guess I am on my way indeed...now all I have to do figure out how to combine and manipulate the samples/beats. I have to develop some patience first...

jsrockit · Post by **jsrockit** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 5:10 pm

Start simple. Load a bass drum, snare drum, and a cymbal. Set the BPMs to a slower tempo...around 90 or so...set it to one bar length... and just try to make a very simple drum beat... boom - tat - boom -tat (loop)...then lay the cymbal on top. Set the quantizing to 4 or 8 (which will place things in there correct places regardless of bad timing) until you get used to it....then change the quantising to 16 or 32. Once you get a drum beat, add some random samples until it sounds good. After a while, alot don't even bother with quantizing. I still do...even though I can make stuff without quantizing.

skinnynicci · Post by **skinnynicci** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 5:12 pm

EXCELLENT...You funking rock..

thanks for all the advice. Everyone needs a little help.

crowman · Post by **crowman** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:10 am

when trying to make beat patterns - if yu create a pattern - and it's bpm - you can then slow down the bpm to make it easier to record the pattern - and then reset the bpm to the intitial creation bpm(??? - does this work?)

--for the rhythmically challenged of course... (hand in air)

pt3r · Post by **pt3r** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:10 am

jsrockit · Post by **jsrockit** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:41 pm

skinnynicci wrote:EXCELLENT...You funking rock.. thanks for all the advice. Everyone needs a little help.

Did you try it?

skinnynicci · Post by **skinnynicci** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:25 pm

jsrockit wrote:
skinnynicci wrote:EXCELLENT...You funking rock.. thanks for all the advice. Everyone needs a little help.

Did you try it?

Not yet, but I will..I printed this post so I'll have your advice on hand...I'll try tonight