What Equipment to Start With?

[dxavier]

My first questions to you would be....

1. What would you like to achieve with your current set up that you cannot achieve right now?

2. What exists in your current set up that you feel is poor quality or lacking?

The first question is about something you need that you do not have and the second question is about something you have, but that could be better.

You mention a midi controller. Is this something you NEED or can you work fine the way you are and this is just something you THINK you should have? Also, your headphones are pretty cheap, but when you use them for mixing, do your mixes turn out well and translate well on other systems? My thoughts are, if your mixes do not translate well, then this is something that is lacking in your current set up and needs upgrading. If your mixes translate very well, then why change a good thing?

I think if you can answer the two top questions and provide the why's, we can all give advice on what you can get. DON'T listen to anyone, who just jumps on here and says get better headphones, get better this and better that, without asking you why you want better headphones. If your current headphones are providing you with the information you need, then you do not need new ones, no matter how cheap and consumer they may be. Lots of people like to drop big names of things they know or own as a recommendation, but I want to know what you are not happy about with your sound first, before recommending upgrades / solutions. Like any one starting out new, you must compare your results with the results of commercial releases and you must identify certain elements that you think do not work. You must also have an opinion on why you think they do not work. This can give an indication of what you need and what you should leave well alone.

[Spud334]

First off, thanks so much for the reply. I thought about it, and I really have to outstanding reason to want a MIDI controller.

As for headphones, I think my mixes come out at least decent on the headphones I currently have. The song in my signature, for example, sounds pretty good to me. But mixing for me is an extremely arduent, trial-and-error process that takes days for every song. And I feel that I could probably get a set of high-quality headphones for around the $100 price range that would satisfy my needs, and I possibly help me make my mixes sound even better.

[Kierkes]

Unacceptable! Mixing should never take time!!!

I'm really impressed by what you were able to do with nothing! You accomplish so much more than many people on this forum with thousands of dollars worth of gear!

You're not going to be doing any tracking, are you? If you aren't, then your options for headphones explodes, because the requirement of sound-isolation is much lower than if you were!

But...dxavier has a point. I don't like to gush, but you're quite good, and I'm impressed by your signature. What do you hope to gain by buying equipment? Without a clear set of goals, you're throwing yourself into the gear-spiral, because unless you have oodles of cash (which you don't), there's ALWAYS something "objectively" better!

Don't listen to anyone who tries to tell you what you want.

Of course, I'm going to be a minor hypocrite and say that as far as headphones go, you should upgrade. :P As long as you know what you're looking for. If you're not tracking, I recommend sticking your nose in some semi-open or open cans; unlike closed headphones, people somehow make an argument for them when it comes to mixing.