Best Gear for Beginner Beatmakers 

The perfect, "BEST GEAR FOR BEGINNER BEATMAKERS" video I've ever came across. It's phenomenally honest and transparent. Beautiful my guy. I hope this reaches many of beginners and professionals in this journey. Keep flying with that Octatrack. 💪😤

What I always tell ppl is ... don't buy anything. Before you start your beat making adventures just try any free stuff you can find for your pc , laptop or phone. Most daws, vsts etc have free tryouts... Don't start and buy an MPC Live II right off the bat just because you've seen such and such using it... Try the free stuff first and If you really like it and you get into it you can start buying shit .... like a midi controller or something... then move on to bigger things ... and always buy shit from the second hand market. There's so much stuff ppl buys and after a week they realize is not for them and it automatically goes for sell in almost brand new condition... also if you look at ppl like us ... gear freaks ... a common mistake is to think the machine has some magical powers and it does all the work for you... just because we make it look easy sometimes... when in fact is the opposite most of the time... Thinking of getting an sp1200 to auto become the new Pete Rock or getting an MPC to turn into DJ Premier... that's just a fantasy ... in many cases getting one of these vintage devices it's only going to give you frustration specially if you are an amateur at making beats. Try to enjoy making music with ease first and go from there. It supposed to be fun and not a frustration game.

Instructions unclear. Purchased an SP-404 and got frustrated when it didn't magically turn me into a producer.

you don't understand, jon. i don't want to actually MAKE music, i want to spend thousands of dollars to FEEL like i'm making music. now if you need me, i'll be taking out my digitakt, making 8 bar loops on it for an hour, then shoving it back in my closet for a month.

love cutting these kinds of eps :) thanks for watching everyone!

I used to hang out in a nearby Barnes & Noble when I was a kid. I came across a Computer Music magazine that was giving away a free DAW called 'Making Waves.' I was so elated that it was possible to make music on my computer! This was back in 2003-04. All it does is allow you to edit and sequence samples. That's it. And that was enough for me as a beginner. I made hundreds of songs in that thing over the course of a couple of years before I moved on to other DAWs and hardware workstations. I made basslines and chords from samples before I even knew what those were. I had no idea what I had or what i was doing. I didn't even care if I made a good song or not. I was just elated to be making music at all. Honestly, some of the best songs I've ever made are still those first Making Waves tunes. All this to say: If you have the passion, it doesn't matter what your first pieces of gear are. The best gear for beginners are the ones they happen to come across first and have the will and patience to learn.

The internet as a whole can benefit from this level of transparency It's so fuckin human and as empathetic as one could be to the wide array of people who will be engaging with the content The real answer comes before the actual deep dive. Beautiful format, man

the message all beginners need to hear!

Man, that intro expresses in a few minutes what others needed lifetimes to find out.

This is the only gear video everybody should watch! If I watched this 10 years ago, it would have saved a ton of time, energy, money

Very well spoken. There is so much gear out there…yet none of it is necessary, since you can make hits on free software. It's just about having the right mindset and enjoying the process.

The most honest video in this genre. NO DEVICE WILL MAKE YOU A GENIUS. Learning how to utilize that tool is the most important.

Yknow, when I was younger, I would have never imagined you would be making RU-vid vlogs. I imagined you as an extreme introvert. I’d say you still are, but seeing you make videos like this really inspires me. Thanks brother

BRO! THATS JONWAYNE!!! THE GOAT

Your 404sx analogy hit close to home man **wipes tear ... standing ovation for this video.

The most honest video I've seen on this subject, and rare to see these days on this platform. Thank you for sharing this my friend!🙏🏾✊🏾💚

Because of your videos, my first piece of gear was the polyend tracker. Seriously thank you, those tutorials helped me out a ton.

good video, inspired me to rethink what ive been considering buying

As someone who started exclusively on the 404sx, this was well said! Chase the passion and compatibility to your flavor, not the latest and greatest gear. Buying the top of the line stuff is not going to automatically make a great producer, only your dedication will💎

You're a really fucking solid dude. Love that.

It's crazy to think that the guy who got me into getting my mk2 and music production went through the same exact thing with it being put away for a couple of months and staring at it for a while lmao. Honestly inspiring and give me a bit of a push to learn my machine more rather than look for the "easiest" or "best" gear so thank you Jon!

Great vid Jon and thanks for including me in the screenshots! I agree it is really difficult answering this question for people. I started on MPCs and struggled, then I got an SX and it was a huge learning curve at the time but all the artists I was inspired by were using them so I kept grinding and managed to get relatively ok with it in the end. I personally think the SX is quite a difficult machine to learn on asa lot of the things you need to make beats are done through hacks or workarounds which isn't intuitive to new users, and its very limiting. The MK2 is a huge step up but I still think the learning curve is quite steep, but maybe thats the same with all gear. I think you just need to try and find a bit of gear that really resonates with you when you check it out online or if you see it in a shop. That feeling is what's going to push you through those dark days of hardcore learning!

My first machine is the BOSS BR1600CD. Then i went for the Korg MS20. Then the YPG235. Then even the Yamaha 32 channel mixer for No input Mixing. All of that veing said. The best thing thats worked for me is like the man said. The flow of the charts on the Korg helped me understand the most.

beautiful message from mr. beats :)

One amazing thing to mention is that ableton for full time college students has a 60% discount and saves literally hundreds of dollars!

bought and learned the octatrack in a weekend.

Wow! it’s exactly what I say to people but said in a better way. I will often reference this video in the future. This will always be true. It was true 30 years ago when I began and it will be as true 30 years from now. Thanks to make a complex answer simple. Thanks alot! 🎉

This man is the actual GOAT ! Holly what a great take on music creation ! I do think I found my way with the gear I use today and funny enough i started with an SP mk2. But for anyone how is still going though the process of finding the adequate tools to realize their vision, this video is a must. !

bangers left and right

I fall into the category of bought it and it’s collecting dust in a box. I bought a digitakt from instagram and it was too complicated for the limited time I tried to put into it. It makes me want to get back into it, inspiring work Jon. I need to learn the patience to be excited.

Well said Jon. It's mostly trial and error when it comes to what your looking for...... And even then, there will be always be something else that peak's your interest when it comes to hardware.

Saw you commenting on StlnDrms' stream yesterday, you are a busy dude, love the content

Appreciate you using your platform to impart wisdom that needs to be heard. Hopefully it will be taken to heart for patience is severely lacking. Respect sir.

I love your intro fam! Well said. Even as someone who’s done music for decades that was touching.

The best video on this topic ever. Thanks so so so so much for spreading this message!

I love king jon

Saving this video to forward to anybody who asks me what they should get as initial gear.

Great advice! I spent years bouncing off Ableton. Decided to try Bitwig and it clicked perfectly. Bought used synths on Reverb, fell in love with a couple, sold off a couple that I didn't. It takes time & effort to figure out what works for you.

These words are everything. JW you the man!

The “feel” and tactility of the creative platform and it’s interface seems to be such an impetus builder for igniting that path to actually MAKING. So much tech just stretches the launch runway and drains the creative fuel before take off. P.S. that “How to Use Your 4 Track” book was such an incredible quick-learn for demystifying recording to me in my 20s...your tutorial-ish vids remind me of that engaging tone

Thank you Jon, I had a similar experience starting out with the Maschine 2 when I was 16 years old. Put it down after it was too complicated for me. The passion never left tho. I ended up learning the fundamentals of beat making a few years later using ableton & the po-33. But after picking up the MPC 500 I was hooked. 10 years later I’m still using an MPC (the Live II for the most part) and have loved the journey so far. To anyone who is starting out, if the passion is there don’t give up!

My first hardware was the octatrack, for 4 years it is my only hardware. I was looking at this machine for years and after finishing university I know I was going to get one. It took a long time the control on a manner that let me making track and to this day I still learning new things BUT the infinite depth of it was what made my put in the hours of my time into it. For ME it was the perfect first hardware

this is the greatest beginners guide for anything in general thank you for being like this

Thoughtful and well rounded video as always. Thanks jon ❤

Got my digitakt ~3 years ago? Still was on the fence about it a year after that and I picked up a bass. After that, it was all just me grinding on it. Recently bought myself an octatrack after buying/selling returning a couple synths. this week it all clicked. i love samples and have a OT mk2 in the mail. Thanks jon. been with you since the rap game and i hope to stick around. the fact we all still messin around w this stuff speakes volumes.

one of my favorite rappers /beat makers, teaching me things. thanks so much!

Beautiful point. Very well made. Much love

the essential video on the topic right here

man i love you jon

Absolutely phenomenal answer. I haven't had a lot of money to spend on gear, but I've bought a couple things, and found that I only really clicked with one or two of those things. Everyone thinks that a good piece of gear is an objective truth, and while in some ways it is, it's also very subjective, just like as an artist, what art program you use, and what brushes you use inside that program, is all going to depend on the artist. It ain't the brush, it's the artist.

This is so good what the hell Jon

Merry Christmas mr wayne

Octatrack was the first sampler I ever bought. I remember buying the MK1 second hand from a guy, and telling him it was my first sampler, and he was like “you sure want this thing?” I was so determined to learn the instrument, but didn’t realize that learning it was basically akin to learning a whole new language. It would take me YEARS to really get an understanding of the instrument to the point where I felt comfortable using it live. Needless to say, that octa still frustrates me sometimes, with its quirks but the journey and time spent with it, I wouldn’t trade for any experience with any other machine.

When I was first interested in making beats at 14 (2008) I really really wanted an MPC but my parents couldn’t afford it. I ended up downloading the FL Studio demo which had all the functions of the paid version, except the ability to save projects. You could still export your song. I ended up using that for about a year until my parents got me the $200 FL signature bundle for Christmas. Year after that I got a job and saved up for an MPD 18 and a Numark TTUSB. That combo was my “budget MPC” lol. 15 years later and I’m still using it thanks to their lifetime free updates. I’m so grateful I stuck with it because today it’s one of the most capable DAWs available (stem separation anyone?) This is getting long winded but I guess I’m trying to say is that if you’re reading this and you’re a beginner, accessibility is key, so consider giving FL a shot. It can be as simple or deep as you want it to be :) Good luck!

One of the first pieces of gear I bought when I started making music a few years ago was a microlooper called the Red Panda tensor. I only recently figured out how to use it a few months ago after fiddling around with it off and on and now I'm so glad I never sold it. But it was a situation where I bought something that was too complicated for me to understand when I first started producing.

Love to hear your candid opinions, keep rocking man

Love this take Jon, so rad to hear man. Truth!

this is what needs to come up before every gear review

Great video as usual my man 🔥🤙

Messing around with a DAW before buying your first beatmaking hardware is very important because you will better understand what limitations you are OK with and not feel regret that the machine you bought is missing something important to you. The main reasons I went with the Novation Circuit Rhythm were: 1. It could sample 2. It has 8 tracks 3. It has sidechaining 4. No menu diving This is not a push for anyone to get the Circuit. This is what was best for ME... Also... Watch a shi7load of videos before buying

Really cool that you got into the philosophy of it! Luv it

Great advice and thank you for making a dope video! One of the issues I had in the past was Gear Acquisition Syndrome. I would ended up buying all this equipment that I didn't need or bought because I thought having cool gear would make me a better musician. Looking back, it made me think a lot on how much money I could of save and how I should of focus more on learning the fundamental and driving my passion that made me get into music.

Love a Jon talking vid. Ever considered doing a podcast? Would love to hear you talk more in depth about so many things.

great video, I honestly wish I had this when I first started shopping around for gear.

The way you explain everything is so amazing, concise and clear!

Always great !!

Love this macro look on stuff. Your Bowser album was fire

This is an awesome video dude

Great video man, I saw that you showed the Koala app, could you make a video making a beat in that app? See, I make music with Koala and sometimes I get frustrated because I don't know how to do certain things, so i think a video of you trying it will help me a lot!

I used to hang out and freestyle with buddies at that same Guitar Center around that same era. All I wanted was beats to rap on and ended up enjoying beat making so much, that’s what I still do

I'm 42 seconds in. Was looking for a recommendation, got a summary of my purpose in life. Thank you

It is a very good overview of how the selection process should be. I had tried a few machines, and found in the end Polyend Tracker Mini works the best for me. I like its rather methodical approach, the overview you have of the tracks, and how it invites to return to your patterns to further polish them. And I didn’t even have tracker experience, but FOR ME I found this workflow working better than more immediate devices

Man, i remember hearing "Words are everything" back in the day, i had no idea Jon was making youtube videos now. Amazing work on this video, couldn't have laid out a better opinion on this topic. Trust the process! Thanks Jon~

Old school underground started on the 404 too, not just AKAI. When you mention or make beats with the MKII, personally there's a stronger connection because it's like, "wow, Jon made THAT kind of beat on the same machine as I have?" That's neat as hell and highly motivational to make more of my own music.

I know its weird but i fucking love splice ,take the sounds and just smash them .feel blessed with this platform

Ive been tryna find these words. dayum. thank you. Ima share this video to all those who asked me about how I started. I started on Fruity loops 5. and didnt know how to arrange so I just exported my seperate patterns and arranged in Cool Edit Pro.

The great piece of advice that I picked up on, pick the equipment that excites and motivates you. Great video

way to be a real person and not a influencer my friend. this video is the direct opposite of a lot of the recent gear tube vids. it makes me happy as a old 42 year old head who been making beats since that 404 you mentioned

The intro was tough 🔥

So well articulated, appreciate you Jon.

Even though I'm a previous professional producer. When getting back into making music. Without knowing it, I went along the complexity graph in my head. From Cirtcuit tracks to Digitakt to Octotrack. I ended up, going for the Circuit, as i wanted to just get a device i could get into straight away. Now i just fire it up, headphones on and play.....Perfect decision for my situation, with limited time due a young family.

i think ppl should start with a cheap MIDI controller and a DAW just to learn the basic mechanics of music making and figure out how to find your own sound. i think if i bought a bunch of expensive gear and went thru the process of making trash ass beats (just about everybody has to go thru the growing pains of making bad beats before they start making good ones lol), i would’ve gotten discouraged like Jonwayne said. after making and releasing a couple albums in Ableton with cheap/free gear, i finally went to a Digitakt and i’m loving it despite still learning it. but i also don’t really get overwhelmed with an abundance of options in a DAW like other ppl do. i only had the $100 version of ableton so if anything i had to learn how to work around limitations (no sampler, EQ 3, etc) similar to how a lot of hardware samplers also limit you. but that’s just me, hope that helps someone that reads this

Just picked up a PO KO and I’ve already had more success than 8 years of cello lessons

Respect 🙏

I still look at the octatrack like "shit, this was too pricey just to look at."

This video should be required reading for entry into any online music forum haha

Fantastic video mate! ❤

Word, man ❤️

Amazing video As always Jon . So much love ;)

I will never not subscribe to genuine, grounded creators such as yourself.

I can relate to this on so many levels. Although my first gear was native instruments mikro (which is the best beginner gear imo), my 2nd was the sp404sx because I saw madlib produce on it and boy was I stressed. Dropping $400+ and not knowing what to do with the limited sample space made me use it as a prop for my studio for the longest.

This was a great video. When I first started, I was so caught up in getting certain hardware that I didn't even think about the fact I had no idea how to use it. I coluld have definitely used a video like this back then.

just get the KO II and anything you had before as well as anything you might get afterwards will make complete sense. it sparks great ideas and works very well with others. a truly revolutionary piece of machine art.

lol nice man. You went and made a whole ass video about this to point people who keep asking you this on stream. Honestly really well said. Ill probably even use this next time someone asks me this question.

Nice video a lot of us can relate to. 😁

I've heard you name drop la habra ofc and remember your low end residency with fond memories, but to hear your guitar center was also my local, was mind blowing. An artist of your caliber, from down the street and of my time, goes way beyond hometown hero. Forever a fan

Very smart. Most folks need a pc, midi keyboard, and headphones. 😊

Great video Jon, appreciate you sharing your journey with us.

Hey guys. I’ve honestly had such a deep love for music in general for as long as I can remember. I’m a white kid raised in the suburbs of a college town and I’m in love with hip hop, R&B, jazz and swing. I started putting out freestyles on a SoundCloud when I was like 16 and every one of my friends made me feel silly about it so I allowed the fire inside me to fizzle out. Recently I’ve had a HUGE revitalization of my absolute NEED to create music again because my roommate bought a SeqTrak and watching him learn how to use it has literally brought me to tears more than once. Whether I get the same instrument or not, I need something to get started with to create instrumentals!!! Ideally a sampler of some kind because I’ve always loved not only the creativity of choosing a song to sample (it says a lot about a producer’s influences), but also the infinite ways to flip any given sample. It’s beyond fascinating, it’s my fucking purpose. Can somebody PLEASE point me in the right direction?

Anything that you commit to, is what you get out of it. If you go into martial arts, don't expect to become bruce lee over night. It takes years of practice. But that is what makes it an art. It's anything you do, and make better over time. Constant refinement. That is what makes it worth it. Eventually you will become better, and you will be able to fully express yourself the way you wanted. But just like skateboarding, you need to master your basics, and get good at that, then move on, etc. You will fall hard, it will hurt bad, and it will keep happening for the rest of your existence, but you will reduce the amounts you fall the more you learn and refine. Why do you think so many modern painters were bat shit crazy? They had to deal with so much shit in their lives, plus learning how to paint and get better at it. It's brutal being an artist. But being human is brutal, so fuck it, make the most of it while you can. That being said, I would say, to make life easier, always get hands on training if possible, and be with people who are better at what you want than you are. If you can get paid lessons, and the teacher is really good, go for it. Because you tube is very limiting in my opinion. I mean, its gotten light years better than it was in 2008-2012. But still. If you want the best, you got to either be with the best, or learn from the best. I love my sp404mk2, I will keep it as long as I have a working brain, or buy a new one if it breaks. It's so much fun and truly a swiss army knife of an instrument. For the price, absolute steal.