How to Build a DAWLESS techno setup for under $1000 // Summer of Synths

[@sam33256]

i absolutely love this concept!! please keep building on it :)

[@MistyMusicStudio]

Great job guest starring, Trovarsi!! Got me in the mood for techno now haha

[@andrij.demianczuk]

So proud to see Intellijel get strong representation! Go Canada! Also, Circuit Tracks + Subharmonicon. Perfection!

[@petert7807]

Cant wait for the comments! My $1k techno setups(ignoring eurorack, because budget and modular are almost opposites): Boss rc-202 OR Korg Kp3, Model Cycles AND Drumbrute impact!( probably need a little 2 channel stereo mixer) 😊 1010blackbox + Toraiz Squid 😎 Edge+Qadrantic Swarm+Korg ER1 🔥 honorable mentions, Erica's DB-01 + LXR 02 seem to be made for this chalange. Rolands MC707 + fx pedal or two...slept on.

[@Trovarsi]

Yess! Those are great! Dude there are so many combinations of gear to make a setup under $1000. You can’t name them all really, but I think that’s the fun part about it! Exploring and trying new things. ✌🏽

[@infn8loopmusic]

Novation circuit tracks and a JDXi. That's all you need. You'll have analog synth, Two sequencers, a sampler you can load up, 4 digital synth channels, excellent drums in the Roland. And enough leftover in the budget for a zoom handy recorder and some patch cables and headphones. Bam. You're done.pick that stuff up used, you might be able to squeeze a couple pedals in too

[@Trovarsi]

Sounds like a cool setup. I haven’t tried the JDXi but I’ve heard great things about it. I love the Circuit Tracks! I could play a full set with just that honestly! 😀

[@infn8loopmusic]

@@Trovarsi they are both insanely good in their own ways. To me the JDXi is the most natural workflow to sit down and build out a track on. I always come back to it. Pairing it up with the circuit tracks makes up for what the JDXi lacks in sequencer capabilities (probability and randomization and polyrhythms) and adds the missing touches of analog synth and simplistic step sequencing that the circuit tracks is a bit lacking. It was a really great choice for me. I generally build out my track on the JDXi first and then plug in the circuit and sequence in drum fills and analog and double up the two digital synths from the JDXi with two FM synths from the circuit. The results are pretty astounding sometimes and if you run the JDXi into the circuit you can use it to mix everything and even add FX. I've had a lot of luck with it and can even get the program switching to sync up so when I switch programs in the JDXi the circuit switches along side so for each song part I create I can get them to switch at the same time. It's really awesome. My favorite example on my channel would be a track called 'Kinetic Groove' but I've also used that setup for quite a few other tracks.

[@Matt-zp1jn]

Roland SH-201 Synth - Digital hybrid, leads, strings, melodies, pads, supersaw, fx Behringer RD-3 - tb 303 analog acid squelch clone Arturia Drumbrute Impact - Drums 4 analog & FM, & fx Or Roland Aira System - 1 Synth w/SH-101 plug out acb Analog synth Novation Circuit Rhythm - Drums, Sample, Sequencer, midi controller, grid fx or Roland Aira TB-3 touch Aira TR-8 Drums, 808,909,606,707,727 Or Novation Mininova Synth Bass Station II. Drums, fx Or Novation Circuit O.G. (or Tracks), Synths, Sequence, controller & a Circuit Rhythm Arturia Microfreak Or Roland SH-201 Synth Hybrid Novation Circuit Tracks Arturia Microfreak

[@crtzmo]

yeah!! well done -- thanks Trovarsi and Bo!

[@x0d-live]

I love testing out different combos of 2-3 pieces of gear. Also, small eurorack pods. Super fun way to focus on a few tracks at a time.

[@JoeJohnston-taskboy]

Hear me out: Option 1: Volca Keys, Bass, Drum (~$600). That's all you need. But adding a Korg SQ-64 (sequencer/Pad MIDI interface) for $~300 will make your life significantly happier. Option 2: Circuit Tracks ($350). That alone will get you going, but throw in the Volca Keys and Volca FM2. That all will clock in at under $700 USD. Option 3: Reaper ($60) + free VST synths + Arturia's MiniLab 3 (for assignable knobs). All that is under $200.

[@Trovarsi]

Love it!! The Volcas are so powerful. Great suggestions!

[@Chunda8]

YES, you are right on. I saw a fantastic video where a guy had a Volca Bass, PO 133 and an NTS-1. He got a lot of sound out of that, the PO is also a Sampler so that gives you good range, the Volca Bass was the lead line and Bass sequenced, the NTS was processing. Not only under 1,000 but I think under 500 brand new. Great starting point for beginner DAW less, the adventurous may even want to add a cassette recorder for tape loops or the KOMA field kit.

[@radwarriortv]

He didn't just suggest a laptop setup... 😬😶‍🌫️

[@AndrewPRoberts]

I LOVE my circuit rhythm, super underrated

[@Trovarsi]

Me too! I totally agree with you. I take it everywhere. You never know what you'll be able to sample at the moment.

[@AndrewPRoberts]

@@Trovarsi Something I love to do with it is to plug my phone into the audio input and basically use it as a microphone by using an app called "MOREC", which just live monitors the audio coming through the mic. That and pulling samples from random videos in my camera roll

[@johnglennon5623]

​@@AndrewPRobertsonly app I can find called morec is a charging station

[@mikemartin1894]

Circuit tracks ,volca nubass, volca fm ,volca sample,volca beats Arturia keystep pro..if bought used definitely under or just hitting 1000..I'm about 9 months in and these beginning pieces will always hold a special place in my heart

[@We.Are.Lockhart]

Bass Station 2, Circuit Tracks and Drumbrute Impact.

[@BoBeats]

Solid setup!

[@alexgrunde6682]

Liked the second build better, seemed more versatile, less cumbersome. Also, can go even cheaper if you get the Behringer knockoff instead of the Moog original.

[@zzkjbry]

yea why did she chose expensive gear ? And the second set up had no euro rack ... so fail ...

[@Trovarsi]

@@zzkjbry I made these setups with things I already have in my studio. I didn't go out and buy gear to make this video. Also the DFAM is a semi-modular analog percussion synth, that can be put in a eurorack case...

[@charityreddingmusic]

@@zzkjbry what are you even going on about? Lol. Pretty sure the D fam can be put in a eurorack case bro. People just love to hate. Let’s see your YT tutorials.

[@cksample]

@@zzkjbry Because it's synths. It's all expensive duh

[@zzkjbry]

@@Trovarsi Dfam is cheating lols

[@williamshaneblyth]

Not into techno but I still loved this ... Keep it coming

[@jon_gee]

Right on T!!! Techno forever!!

[@spaceracer3492]

🖤🖤⚡️both are awesome setups!!

[@zzkjbry]

td3, rd9, edge and some rack gear also from Behringer, leaving a bunch of money to get messed up on and make techno !!!

[@blavatsky7534]

MPC live, Roland TB3 , and a eurorack bracket as a doorstop

[@Trovarsi]

LOL sometimes I feel that way too. But I would swap MPC Live with the digitakt or octatrack. :)

[@dankeplace]

Great stuff Bo, thank you.

[@Chunda8]

Hey Bo, not for nothing, but I saw a great video where someone was getting great sounds with: 1. Volca Bass 2. PO 133 and 3. an NTS-1. But no Eurorack. The master of minimal techno Eurorack is Ricky Tinez, the core of his mini system was Mimetic Digitalis, the case was Intelligel with Scales and Steppy, the main oscillator was Osiris. Really solid results but I'm confident he went well over 1K.

[@Trovarsi]

Yes Ricky Tinez is awesome!! Great dude and friend, but his system is well over the $1000 limit of the challenge. Also, he's a master of House IMO. :)

[@isaac.anthony]

4 "volca" (roland) and a bestie mixer. and you have enough left for a couple of good iOS apps.

[@marc.lepage]

Volca is Korg. Probably can't go wrong with them.

[@isaac.anthony]

@@marc.lepage that Roland S-1 is FIRE! I just meant that small format boxes.

[@RababaInc]

Syntakt all the way 🔥

[@tlatsegms]

Great sound⚡⚡

[@Chunda8]

If you're really on a tight budget and still in the DAW: Acoustica Mixcraft for about 189, Behringer headphones, Behringer UM2 CODEC and any MIDI keyboard used. Ready to go for well under 400 not counting the computer.

[@CHONK-Music]

From all the demos I’ve heard, the DFAM comes across as a bit of a one trick pony. While I do like that trick to listen to, it’s not something I think I’d enjoy producing with. Although, with my TD3 and my TR8S, I could probably get lost for a few hours…

[@Trovarsi]

TD3 and TR8S is a super sick combo too! You definitely could play a full liveset with just those two pieces of gear! 😀

[@cannedpineapple2702]

Would this work with a circuit tracks? What does the rhythm bring that tracks doesn't?

[@andywalkswithme9550]

Is this room in your new house? I love the natural light. if you made all your vidios in that room I would love every one!

[@Trovarsi]

Thanks! This is my studio. I always wonder about the light. Good to hear you like the setup. :)

[@stefangieck2914]

Trovarsi is the real epiphany here!

[@adeevision1297]

I think you need something with more melody that to me was just drums . I use a es2 , argon8 and a volca fm2 plenty of options and melodies . All under a 1000 !

[@petert7807]

Electribe 2 is sooooo fun for live Techno jams!

[@Trovarsi]

That’s a great combo too! Lately I’ve been all about the drums. 😆

[@adeevision1297]

@@Trovarsi I like it though ! . Mine is just about light enough to put in a case and take to gigs !

[@Trovarsi]

@@adeevision1297 Thanks! Yeah I hear ya on that carrying business... As long as I can carry it on the plan and in a rolly I'm good.

[@dictabeat]

I love Trovarsi but I also blame her for me getting sucked into the Eurorack world. Mostly because of your last summer of Synths video with her. Her video was so clear and showed an actual use case that didn't consist of electronic experimental fart noises but straightup danceable music.

[@gibbonjoyeux]

♥

[@daneguitarist1]

Calsynth is awesome!

[@Trovarsi]

Yes! Nice dude and super reliable builds.

[@daneguitarist1]

@@Trovarsi you are so cool Tro

[@fasterdetail]

..volca sampler and another Volca sampler run through dj mixer!buy them used should be under four!

[@Trovarsi]

That sounds like fun too!!

[@fasterdetail]

@@Trovarsi right on !ya even used broken stuff seems to be what a lot of homies in the ug do..sampler is rad cuz then u can inject anyting..thx for the jamz..dig the alx trovarsi set new upload from ya!

[@SekretSkwirral]

How you record hardware jams with audio /video

[@ministry__of__truth]

Which groovebox/sampler is the best choice to pair with access virus ti2 polar for dawless usage on gigs and for home studio work with daw? Probably Octatrack mk1 or Digitakt? Mk2 is too expensive in my country, it costs twice more then mk1 but i’m not shure it’s twice more better. For styles like ambient-dub-melodic techno, intelligent d’n’b, organic house, psybient, e.t.c. Also i’m thinking to add arturia beatstep pro to extend my midi channels to sequence my virus ti

[@noahsiekmann4275]

The digitakt is an awesome choice. 8 midi tracks and 8 sample tracks. IMO the digitakt does program changes much better than octatrack. I've used octatrack mk1 and digitakt with my virus ti2 desktop and my ti keyboard. I prefer the digitakt for it though.

[@krostudios]

How do you havevthe tr8 clocked to the eurorack? Have one but thought ot could only send or recieve clock through midi

[@vertigev]

Hi Bo, what do you use to mix all your synths? I'm currently using a Model 12 but only having 2 stereo inputs and no effect returns is starting to be a deal breaker. Thanks!

[@PocketUnv]

Perhaps I'm not clever enough, but how was the Metropolix synched to the TR-8? I know that Metropolix speaks USB MIDI, but neither of them seemed to be connected apart from audio.

[@zzkjbry]

use a drum as a click out to synch with the euro rack, I guess that red cable is the clue :)

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

Hey Bo as a an as well as KZbinr myself - I would love the opportunity to be allowed to get in on these videos. If you ever want to include a "Younger KZbinr" who has over 35 years of experience in electronic music (yep you heard me correctly) hit me up!!! I might do a video that mentions and links to this one with my $1000 techno concept studio. ;) (If you are cool with that...)

[@entertaintech4374]

It’s a sponsorship arrangement with the store, essentially he’s on vacation and giving them a platform to promote their store while helping him keep his channel from going idle.

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

@@entertaintech4374 oh I see thank you

[@Visionism]

Is the Eurorack stipulation there because otherwise the answer would just be "Get a Digitakt"?

[@BoBeats]

I dont think a Digitakt would be ”a setup” but yeah, its a good choice

[@hadrien5697]

lmao exactly the option for literally every style of music except maybe hip-hop would be "get a used digitakt" . so much versatility on this box :)

[@cksample]

No. The stipulation is because eurorack is AWESOME WTFBBQ?!:!:!:!

[@Jpetersson]

Bosses jädra beats!

[@BoBeats]

BosseBeats!

[@WINTERMUTE_AI]

Let me guess, no teenage engineering parts... Do they even sell anything under $1000 for a single device?

[@Trovarsi]

Yeah, they do. The pocket operators. They are actually pretty beefy too. :)

[@moralrevulsion_live]

That's not really techno that's heavt percussive based thin af sounding electronic experimental .but hey fuck genres anw. The first setup is decent for a live tho but tr8 sounds like a fart. What you need is a duopre amps mixer...

[@marc.lepage]

Buy gear. Got it.