Guest Gladstone Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 I'm thinking about getting a dedicated music laptop. Something I can record to, download samples, create stuff etc.Not really sure what I'll do with it yet, but thinking about trying to create some "different" music for want of a better word using my bass / looping pedal / samples etc.Any recommendations for a laptop / what programmes etc?Don't really know what I'm looking for, but any ideas!!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gladstone Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 That was vague as fuck.Looking for a laptop that will do nothing but music. I can use it to DJ, record loops and riffs etc to, download samples, mix stuff - all that kind of shit. I'm a total noob though, so don't really know what I'm looking for. Also no idea how much this would cost, but the cheaper the better obviously. I already have another laptop that needs fixed up a bit, but that other laptop would be used for everyday use, so no music shit would happen with it - this new one would almost be like another "instrument" that would only be used for that side of things.What other hardware would I need? I'm imagining some sort of interface for recording direct from instruments and a midi controller, perhaps some of those nifty electronic mixing desks or something? I'm guessing this could get quite costly...?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gladstone Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 Where are all the laptop DJs / home music producers etc??Been trying to google stuff on this, but I'm struggling to get my head round it to be honest. I know there are a load of folk on here that meddle with this sort of stuff.What's your set up?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teabags Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 I don't do it but I think the general consensus will probably turn out to be use a mac rather than a windows laptop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gladstone Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 I don't do it but I think the general consensus will probably turn out to be use a mac rather than a windows laptop. Yeah - forums I've been looking at, some have said just that. For some reason, I'm a bit prejudiced against Macs. I have no reason (other than the fact they are fucking expensive, maybe) to hold that prejudice, but I do - no idea why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teabags Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 I have the same prejudice. But for media work, Macs are apparently a lot better.I play games though. Games are fucking ace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 Have you searched the forums here? This topic's been covered on more than one occasion.Anyway this thread has a lot of good suggestions:http://www.aberdeen-music.com/threads/whats-your-recording-setup-and-method.47957/There's nothing wrong with using a windows laptop. Get ASIO4ALL drivers and you should be able to get decent latency. The better the processor and memory the better the performance so expect to pay a bit more than you're spending on your wife's tablet.You'll probably also need a USB interface (i.e. http://www.gak.co.uk/en/m-audio-fast-track-usb/4109) which can cost a little or a lot depending on make, model and spec. You should be able to get by with something with 1 or 2 inputs for £50-90. This will probably come with some software (i.e. the DAW - digital audio workstation you'll need to record and mix the final tune) but it's usually not the full version. Download the free trial of Cockos Reaper (http://www.reaper.fm/). It's fairly easy to use as far as workstations go, is pretty powerful and if you like it then it only costs about £40 for the full licence.Also worth downloading Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/) for editing individual wav files. I don't know anything about loops and drum software but if you find anything good let me know 'cause I'd like something for that as well.Plus you'll need microphones etc. You might already have them though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gladstone Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 Have you searched the forums here? This topic's been covered on more than one occasion.Anyway this thread has a lot of good suggestions:http://www.aberdeen-music.com/threads/whats-your-recording-setup-and-method.47957/There's nothing wrong with using a windows laptop. Get ASIO4ALL drivers and you should be able to get decent latency. The better the processor and memory the better the performance so expect to pay a bit more than you're spending on your wife's tablet.You'll probably also need a USB interface (i.e. http://www.gak.co.uk/en/m-audio-fast-track-usb/4109) which can cost a little or a lot depending on make, model and spec. You should be able to get by with something with 1 or 2 inputs for £50-90. This will probably come with some software (i.e. the DAW - digital audio workstation you'll need to record and mix the final tune) but it's usually not the full version. Download the free trial of Cockos Reaper (http://www.reaper.fm/). It's fairly easy to use as far as workstations go, is pretty powerful and if you like it then it only costs about £40 for the full licence.Also worth downloading Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/) for editing individual wav files. I don't know anything about loops and drum software but if you find anything good let me know 'cause I'd like something for that as well.Plus you'll need microphones etc. You might already have them though. Nice one - cheers Chris.I did just read through the entirety of the "Laptop DJing" thread which includes some fine Stripey moments...Not sure if I've seen that recording setup thread before though - will have a read of that too.Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eupraxia Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 I have a shitty old Mac computer which I acquired second hand last year. The music recording application I use is Pro Logic 8. There are newer versions available I'm sure, but fuck it - version 8 was both cheap and easy to download. Ahem.Aside from that, all I use to record is a Shure SM57 microphone and a Soundcraft Spirit Notepad mixer, and the necessary cables/leads to plug the mixer into my Mac, and my microphone into the mixer.In summary, apart from instruments, then, I use:x1 Mac computer (with Pro Logic installed)x1 Microphonex1 MixerPossibly the most basic of home recording set-ups, aside from a single unit 4/6/8-track or a dictaphone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teabags Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 I have a shitty old Mac computer which I acquired second hand last year. The music recording application I use is Pro Logic 8. There are newer versions available I'm sure, but fuck it - version 8 was both cheap and easy to download. Ahem.Aside from that, all I use to record is a Shure SM57 microphone and a Soundcraft Spirit Notepad mixer, and the necessary cables/leads to plug the mixer into my Mac, and my microphone into the mixer.In summary, apart from instruments, then, I use:x1 Mac computer (with Pro Logic installed)x1 Microphonex1 MixerPossibly the most basic of home recording set-ups, aside from a single unit 4/6/8-track or a dictaphone.Aye, but you play self-indulgent egotistical acoustic pap so you would think your set up is ace, you fucking mega-lo-maniac.LOLz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gladstone Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 How would this little bastard hold up?http://h40059.www4.hp.com/uk/homelaptops/product.php?id=LT691EA&experience=directI've read in a few different places, that 2GB RAM should be a minimum - would folk agree with that? This one only has 1GB, so maybe it wouldn't be up to scratch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaaakkkeee Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 I wouldn't try using a laptop with 1gb ram live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gladstone Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 Edit to above post as I'm just out of time...I notice it doesn't have a firewire port either - is that restrictive in terms of interface/soundcard options? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gladstone Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 I wouldn't try using a laptop with 1gb ram live. I don't know much about this as you can probably gather...Is that because it could slow your system down? Ie. more RAM allows you to do more things at the same time without slowing the machine down? Is that about right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gladstone Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 What about this spec:Here is your chosen specification...Chassis & DisplayMirage: 13.3" Glossy HD LED Backlit Widescreen (1366x768)Processor (CPU)AMD® Zacate™ E350 Dual-Core Processor (1.60GHz) 1MB L2 CacheMemory (RAM)4GB SAMSUNG 1333MHz SODIMM DDR3 MEMORY (2 x 2GB)Graphics CardAMD® Mobility Radeon™ HD 6310 - DirectX® 11, Shared Memory ArchitectureMemory - Hard Disk250GB SERIAL ATA II 2.5" HARD DRIVE WITH 8MB CACHE (5,400rpm)Memory Card ReaderIntegrated 3 in 1 Memory Card Reader (SD, MMC, MS)Sound CardIntel 2 Channel High Definition Audio + MIC/Headphone JackBluetooth & WirelessENIGMA GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS 802.11N + BLUETOOTH 3.0USB Options4 PORT USB 2.0 EXTERNAL HUB + STANDARD USB PORTSBatteryMirage Series 4 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (2,200 mAh)Power Lead & Adaptor1 x UK Power Lead & 65W AC AdaptorOperating SystemGenuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence (£79)Office SoftwareFREE Microsoft® Office Starter 2010 (Limited functionality Word & Excel)Anti-VirusNORTON ANTI-VIRUS 2011 - 1 Year Licence for 1 PC (£14)Laptop Cooling StandsZalman ZM-NC1000 Ultra-Quiet Laptop Cooler, upto 15.6 inch (£29)Keyboard LanguageINTEGRATED UK KEYBOARDNotebook MouseINTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSEWebcamINTEGRATED 1.3 MEGAPIXEL WEBCAMWarranty3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)Insurance1 Month Free Laptop Insurance inc. Accidental Damage & TheftDeliverySTANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)Build TimeStandard Build - Approximately 4 to 6 working daysQuantity 1 Other Features Included As Standard... Software CD/DVD/BLURAY viewing & authoring software is included with all DVD Writers/BD Drives. Memory Our memory comes with a 100% tested lifetime warranty! Support We offer lifetime hardware technical support during normal office hours. Cables & Manuals A power cable & transformer, and all drivers & manuals are included with every order. Service Our laptops come fully assembled & thoroughly tested. We are so confident in the quality of our laptops that we offer a free collection and re-delivery service* should you ever have a problem with your laptop. Installation If you order an operating system it will come fully installed with the CD and licence key. Low Total Cost of Ownership Taking into consideration our low cost telephone support, free collection warranty service* and our strive to use energy efficient components where possible, the total cost of owning a pcspecialist laptop is reduced as much as possible. And Finally If you are lucky enough to have seen a cheaper quote, click here. Microsoft® Office 2010 Starter Microsoft® Office 2010 Starter includes reduced-functionality versions of Microsoft® Word and Microsoft® Excel that include advertising. It does not include Microsoft® PowerPoint or Microsoft® Outlook. If you would like to have the full version of any Microsoft® Office 2010 product, you will need to purchase an Office 2010 product key, which will enable you to activate the full version of the software on your computer.Please note the following points about Microsoft® Office Starter 2010:Limited-functionality versions of Microsoft® Word and Microsoft® Excel.No Microsoft® PowerPoint, Microsoft® Outlook, or Microsoft® OneNote.Includes advertising.Product key required to activate full-featured Office software. You can call us at any time if you wish to purchase this.You can learn all about the different versions of Microsoft® Office 2010 available here. Price for this Laptop: Price for this Laptop:£373.33 ex VAT.£448 inc VAT and Delivery.Our computers are far cheaper than the high street prices!Click here for current delivery lead times.All for under £450 (including delivery) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaaakkkeee Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 I odn't know too much about music production, i'm still learning myself. But laptops barely function with 1gb trying to do simple things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 Firewire is pretty irrelevent especially on a windows build I think.I'd swap out that dedicated graphics card for a more powerful processor. It's a music laptop so you don't need dedicated graphic. You want at least 4GB RAM I reckon. The most important things you're looking for are RAM and the CPU. I don't know much about AMD chips but if it was intel I'd be looking for dual core i3 at least. An i5 would be better.That's not to say you can't make do with a cheaper system or an older one but if you're buying a laptop specifically for making music and using it live you should probably make sure it's up to the job. You don't want it to be struggling at an important point in a gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gladstone Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 Firewire is pretty irrelevent especially on a windows build I think.I'd swap out that dedicated graphics card for a more powerful processor. It's a music laptop so you don't need dedicated graphic. You want at least 4GB RAM I reckon. The most important things you're looking for are RAM and the CPU. I don't know much about AMD chips but if it was intel I'd be looking for dual core i3 at least. An i5 would be better.That's not to say you can't make do with a cheaper system or an older one but if you're buying a laptop specifically for making music and using it live you should probably make sure it's up to the job. You don't want it to be struggling at an important point in a gig. Thanks Chris - yeah, I was aware there were a few things on that spec that were unnecessary, but it wasn't an option to remove the graphics card (for example). I just quickly worked through the options and posted it on here to try and get a handle on what I should be looking for and that seemed to get the desired result.Any tips on where I could get a totally custom built laptop that would allow me to (for example) get rid of the graphics card in favour of a more powerful processor?? (Whilst keeping the cost down as much as possible) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkaline Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 http://www.sony.co.uk/product/vn-e-series/vpceh2n1e 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gladstone Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 Cheers Phil - that looks like a whole lotta laptop for £499! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 Looks like a good deal to me. Much better than the spec posted earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Stu Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 I have the same prejudice. But for media work, Macs are apparently a lot better.Not neccesarily. Or, specifically for music software, not if you get an ASIO driver for your PC's soundcard. then it's just about your preference and how deep your pockets are feeling.To the OP, you'll probably want Reaper for recording. It's a full featured DAW for $60. pretty win really. you get 30 days to evaluate it also.and maybe you'll want an audio interface. something like the Focusrite Saffire 6 is a good budget unit. the quality is excellent and it's much nicer having sturdy 1/4" inputs instead of those pishy stereo minijacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam 45 Posted December 23, 2011 Report Share Posted December 23, 2011 Ableton will be just grand for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Gold Posted December 23, 2011 Report Share Posted December 23, 2011 I reckon you should just go to Sam's studio tbh.<3 <3 <3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaaakkkeee Posted December 23, 2011 Report Share Posted December 23, 2011 Ableton is awfully expenisve.I'm trying to build up a little more hardware at the moment. I want a wee mixer like an alesis usbfx. Would this be suitable for playing live and tweaking stuff live?Ideally, when I get a flat again I'll have room to kit myself out with stuff. Sitting on a bad arched over a laptop with headphones on is the main reason I haven't completed a single song yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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