Non Profit Upstart

[Max]

Alright so I'm starting a nonprofit corporation. We're in the process of registering with the state and federal governments. I'm also starting a student organization on campus to get extra funding and support. We're applying for somewhere between $5000 and $10,000 in grant money and putting together a mobile recording studio that we'll use to teach audio production in inner city schools as a sort of after-school program.

 

Here's the setup I'm considering. I'd like some input from you guys.

We'll have several "stations," which will consist of a rack with all the production stuff in or on top of it. Each "Station" will have:

 

1 Laptop (no input needed here...we're not buying the laptops, they're being donated)

1 Midi Keyboard

1 Mic

1 MPD16

1 Multi-input sound card

1 Mixer (mixing board, not DJ mixer)

1 Headphone amp

2 Powered Monitors

 

The head of the music lab at my school reccommended running a combination of Reason and Ableton Live, though I'm considering other software.

 

I'll take any suggestions you can give on anything pertaining to the organization, because it's still in development. Mind you we're on a budget, and the software has to be easy enough to teach to a group of students who might not even be very computer literate.

 

Thanks

[snuff]

Reason provides a great stepping stone to use a professional product. I personally dont like Abelton too much so I'm biased. I suppose if our running to a budget, licencing costs will be a major major factor, especially if you only have 10k!

 

Do educational establishments get any pricing breaks for software licences in states? they do here in the UK, something to look in to certainly...

[Mixologist]

I'm assuming you would use a cracked version of Reason or whatever music software you used? It cuts cost but, just hope no one finds out.

[Max]

No...we would purchase educational licenses. I'm looking at using Cubase SX instead of the Reason/Ableton combo to cut licensing costs.

[Max]

bump...if anybody has any hardware suggestions or anything they'd be much appreciated

[snuff]

No...we would purchase educational licenses. I'm looking at using Cubase SX instead of the Reason/Ableton combo to cut licensing costs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

you know thats the way!

[milk]

I use albeton on its own.

Hated Reason and hated Cuebase and I really hate Fruity Loops.

Though they all have strong points, im sure SX will cut the costs.

[Max]

Live it pretty full featured but is kinda like a fucking toy at times. For christ's sake it looks like a Flash applet. I dunno though...i've never used cubase, though the scaled down version looks interesting and cheap.

[dextrous]

I wouldn't just invest in one setup. If you've got a group of as few as 6 or 7, it's gonna be crowded and full on recording is going to go straight over the heads of those that have never done this sort of thing before.

I'd have a few small setups of maybe a laptop + Midi module (or soundcard) + Keyboard + Sampler

Alternatively a few laptops with reason and a keyboard. Reason is dope for learning as everything is laid out as real hardware as it would be in a studio.

 

This way the kids could pair up or work individually rather than having everyone crowding into one space.

 

You could still have a bigger set up but that could be used for ccertain projects only.

Edited February 22, 2005 by dextrous

[Jahli]

for easy to learn i'd go reason + acid 5, and teach rewire technics. that way students could cross over to logic, cubase, protools, etc much easier in the future.

 

Reason should be a staple, as it also teaches real world routing and signal chain, something abelton doesn't even come close to.

 

 

BUT, the most important part is, YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW THE SOFTWARE BACKWARDS AND FOWARDS BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN THINK OF TEACHING IT TO SOMEONE ELSE.

[Max]

I wouldn't just invest in one setup. If you've got a group of as few as 6 or 7, it's gonna be crowded and full on recording is going to go straight over the heads of those that have never done this sort of thing before.

I'd have a few small setups of maybe a laptop + Midi module (or soundcard) + Keyboard + Sampler

Alternatively a few laptops with reason and a keyboard. Reason is dope for learning as everything is laid out as real hardware as it would be in a studio.

 

This way the kids could pair up or work individually rather than having everyone crowding into one space.

 

You could still have a bigger set up but that could be used for ccertain projects only.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I wrote in the original post that we were going to have multiple stations...between three and ten of them

[Max]

for easy to learn i'd go reason + acid 5, and teach rewire technics. that way students could cross over to logic, cubase, protools, etc much easier in the future.

 

Reason should be a staple, as it also teaches real world routing and signal chain, something abelton doesn't even come close to.

 

 

BUT, the most important part is, YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW THE SOFTWARE BACKWARDS AND FOWARDS BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN THINK OF TEACHING IT TO SOMEONE ELSE.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yeah i really dont like Live much...I like your suggestion but its more to learn, more to teach, and more money. I'm strongly considering an educational license of Cubase because 1) it's self-contained. 2) It's relatively cheap. and 3) It's less to learn and less to teach.

 

The pricing on educational/site licenses for popular pro-audio software is as follows:

 

Cubase SE: $73.50

 

ACID Pro 5: $159.00

 

Ableton Live: $189.00

 

Reason 2.5: $229.99

 

FL Studio: Single User/$69.99 Lab Pack (5)/$209.99

[milk]

Lives skins are wack yes and the design is lame, but the features are unbeatable IMO.

 

Why not get a MicroKontrol midi keyboard, the velocity pads can be assigned to create drum patterns the same as the MPD 16 etc?

Might save some cash jus a thought.

 

Oh an Tapco S8 monitors are great for the price if you were looking at a cheaper pair.

[Max]

Thanks for the suggestion on the monitors. I just really hate the layout of Live. It's radically different from most multitrackers in a non necessarily better way. I just don't think that using Live will give people an accurate understanding of pro audio software. I want something that you can graduate from, which is why im considering ACID or Cubase. You can't really learn live and then try to move onto Logic or PT or DP because the mechanics and layout are so different.

[milk]

So true, I had to re learn everything I learned on Cuebase as Ableton is so different. Though I love it each to their own huh hehe.

 

Also look at ESI Near 06 Monitors, pretty much the same as M Audio BX8s but cheaper. I use two of these next to Genelecs, I use them for a different purpose but they are very effective. Give a very nice sound for the price.