Portable Gadget for jotting down ideas

[Play]

A Tenori-On? That could be cool for trial and error melody making.

An Akai MPC 500 would be perfect for taking some audio with you and editing, slicing and layering for use later.

A Korg Kaoss Pad could be used to dip sounds in real time effects for use later.

I believe they all have workable MIDI options. I don't know of anything portable which is based on a keyboard. Of course, a laptop can be quite portable. My Sony i5 is tiny.

[Aiyn Zahav]

Originally Posted by Play

A Tenori-On? That could be cool for trial and error melody making.

An Akai MPC 500 would be perfect for taking some audio with you and editing, slicing and layering for use later.

A Korg Kaoss Pad could be used to dip sounds in real time effects for use later.

I believe they all have workable MIDI options. I don't know of anything portable which is based on a keyboard. Of course, a laptop can be quite portable. My Sony i5 is tiny.

Tenori-On. No it's too trial and error as you say. I mean jotting down tunes in my head before I forget them.

Akai, no midi sounds, it's just a sampler

I was thinking along the lines of this



It's got multiple sequence lines, general midi built in, a keyboard and it's about the size of a video tape.

I was just wondering if there was any alternative to this because I cannot think of any, and I don't want to go down the ipad/iphone avenue or any other mobile phone solution.

[lineofcontrol]

I know u said no phone apps but how about just using the voice recorder on your phone to hum the tune in?

I do that a lot while in the car while listening to other music which often sparks ideas. Do it properly later.

[Aiyn Zahav]

Originally Posted by lineofcontrol

I know u said no phone apps but how about just using the voice recorder on your phone to hum the tune in?

I do that a lot while in the car while listening to other music which often sparks ideas. Do it properly later.

I really thought about that. But I am so off tune I doubt I would recognize my original idea later.

It's still an idea though, ultra portable, I could do it on my phone which I already have, and faster than typing it in.

Well, what would be available on Android for this? I want to use midi and have a visual keyboard. Still would rather have a dedicated device like the QY, but I couldn't really carry that thing around with me and I don't know how fast it is to set up anyway.

[tehlord]

Originally Posted by Aiyn Zahav

I really thought about that. But I am so off tune I doubt I would recognize my original idea later.

It's still an idea though, ultra portable, I could do it on my phone which I already have, and faster than typing it in.

Well, what would be available on Android for this? I want to use midi and have a visual keyboard. Still would rather have a dedicated device like the QY, but I couldn't really carry that thing around with me and I don't know how fast it is to set up anyway.

Caustic is pretty good for the Android, and FL Studio is supposedly on it's way to the format too. I'm not an FL fan, but the way it works is ideal for jotting ideas imo.

[Grovestand]

Why don't you want to use an iPad? This is what most people seem to use for on the go midi composition.

[Aiyn Zahav]

Originally Posted by Grovestand

Why don't you want to use an iPad? This is what most people seem to use for on the go midi composition.

It's huge! Plus I just don't want one.

[kcearl]

The QY10 is around half the price of the QY100 but isnt as featured...i think its a bit smaller though...8 tracks , 8 songs as well i think

[mattg082]

Originally Posted by Aiyn Zahav

Tenori-On. No it's too trial and error as you say. I mean jotting down tunes in my head before I forget them.

Akai, no midi sounds, it's just a sampler

I was thinking along the lines of this



It's got multiple sequence lines, general midi built in, a keyboard and it's about the size of a video tape.

I was just wondering if there was any alternative to this because I cannot think of any, and I don't want to go down the ipad/iphone avenue or any other mobile phone solution.

I had a qy70(the eariier version of the 100) for around 8 years and actually really loved it. Sold it because I needed the money. But I wrote a lot of songs on it and it was so fun to use! I want to buy another

[bloodsample]

Not sure if it records MIDI, but the op-1 looks like a fun portable unit for sketching ideas.

(It costs more than an iPad, but you didn't specify a price limit )

[Guns N Dope]

A used iPod touch and a bunch of apps will cost less, be more portable, immediate and feature rich then the qy100.

Since it is not a phone you won't have to deal with changing providers or any of that.

[noisemonkey]

[golden beers]

[Grovestand]

The OP-1 looks awesome. I saw one in a synth shop 6 months ago or so.

I understand the aversion to the iPad.... I suffered from it myself. But you can return it for 30 days if you don't like it. I think you would have a hard time doing so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT-gABTC-Es&sns=em

Edit that doesn't get into the square pushing aspect of the ap, but its quite extensive.

And the sound design aspect is limited enough that it makes you focus more on composition.

Also the iPad mini should come out fairly soon if the size is a big deal.

[Aiyn Zahav]

Originally Posted by golden beers

I can't write music that reliably yet. Maybe I should, but I don't know if I could hear a tune in my head and write it down.

Were not talking song writing here.

Ipod sounds like a good idea actually. I didn't know there was an Ipad Mini coming out.

Thanks for all the suggestions. The qy is still the most attractive idea, but it's big.

[tehlord]

The Google Nexus 7 is already out and is cheap.

That's sticking with the Android format obviously.

[Popbott]

iPad-1 ($200 - My local Craigslist)
iPad USB Camera Connection Kit ($2.63 - free shipping)
LPK-25 ($20 - Guitar Center used musical instruments)

Works great with Garage Band, iSequence, Animoog, etc.!!!

[Aiyn Zahav]

Originally Posted by Popbott

iPad-1 ($200 - My local Craigslist)
iPad USB Camera Connection Kit ($2.63 - free shipping)
LPK-25 ($20 - Guitar Center used musical instruments)

Works great with Garage Band, iSequence, Animoog, etc.!!!

I don't know what I was thinking. I wanted something I could literally carry in my pocket for when I am out and about and suddenly get an idea. I think a phone app is likely my only choice. But I really don't think it will run smoothly unless I get a better phone. Which I don't want to do. lol

[Barfunkel]

How about a Nintendo DS and either the DS-10 or the Korg M1-emulator? Fits in a pocket, sounds decent enough for writing down ideas and you can play games on it too, when you feel uncreative.

Edit: And it's really simple to use, with the pen and the touchpad.

[Barfunkel]

Here's a couple of decent demos I found:

[Grovestand]

iPod touch - Get the New iPod touch with Free Shipping - Apple Store (U.S.)

the 32GB iPod touch is $300, and it came out 1 month ago. It would be good for composing chords and melodies and hearing them using different synth sounds or composing drum machine rhythms. A plus is that with touchOSC or Lemur it does make a very nice DAW/performance controller addition to your setup.

The DS is cool, but I feel like it's less geared towards music making (meaning less apps).

iOS seems to be the target audience for music app developers.

I can't think of something smaller that would be too efficient aside from a voice recorder.

[bluegreengold]

Originally Posted by mattg082

I had a qy70(the eariier version of the 100) for around 8 years and actually really loved it. Sold it because I needed the money. But I wrote a lot of songs on it and it was so fun to use! I want to buy another

+1

It has a pretty great sound set for techno on the go. Looks good next to a 303 and a 606.

[Aiyn Zahav]

Originally Posted by Barfunkel

Here's a couple of decent demos I found:

Wow, you hit the nail on the head my friend, I think I've found what I was looking for!

[subhertz]

Ipod touch 4th gen 8 gb only £140 , would do so much more than Nintendo .

E.g
Beatmaker2 sequencer / multisampler/ 8 audiotracks ( now with disk streaming so @8gb of sampling )
Animoog / Sunrizer / Magellan amazing ipod version synths
DM 1 drum machine
moog filtatron fx
Loopy looper

P.s plays tunes, surf web ...play games ...

[ExtraGarlic]

If you want something real cheap and very useful, check out the old Roland pma5

Yamaha qys are awesome as well. iPads are cool and all, but there still is not ONE iPad app that can beat the power of a qy100.

[sammytaters]

michael jackson used a handheld recorder. stay away from midi.

[subhertz]

Originally Posted by ExtraGarlic

Yamaha qys are awesome as well. iPads are cool and all, but there still is not ONE iPad app that can beat the power of a qy100.

Have you checked out latest version of Beatmaker2 before you wrote that ?

Does qy100 have 8 audio tracks , multisampler with velocity layers , lush graphic audio touch editing
in addition to midi sequencer ? With 8/16 Gb of memory ? Check it out ...

Works on ipod touch , not just ipad .

(Edit p.s forgot to mention hd video camera in previous post )

[skarekroh]

just get REALLY big pants with REALLY big pockets and carry around a full sized workstation :p

[Aiyn Zahav]

Originally Posted by subhertz

Ipod touch 4th gen 8 gb only £140 , would do so much more than Nintendo .

E.g
Beatmaker2 sequencer / multisampler/ 8 audiotracks ( now with disk streaming so @8gb of sampling )
Animoog / Sunrizer / Magellan amazing ipod version synths
DM 1 drum machine
moog filtatron fx
Loopy looper

P.s plays tunes, surf web ...play games ...

Well, you make a good point there too.

At least I've got to directions I hadn't thought about before. Ipod and Nintendo. I am enthusiastic about the Nintendo because I've always found it much nicer to use than a touch screen. Otoh I would like an mp3 player.

And I don't need drum machines or anything, just a sequencer with sounds in case I want to remember a melody for later.