The Perfect DAWLess Setup: formula for a compact synth rig 

SlowHaste, most of us bedroom/amateur musos suck at playing keyboard, myself included, but I love how relaxed you are admitting it! I myself am a bit defensive about my suckyness. But sucking at playing has'nt stopped a lot of people acheiving success!

Hi Daniel! Thanks for this....Makes things a little clearer. Your content is always good.

Congrats on 4k! Your videos are a great way to start the weekend:)

Great work. I am still putting everything through Ableton and can’t quite kick the habit. But since my last gig I have found myself creating more and more music ‘live’ with the Digitone, Syntakt and Microcosm and it is very satisfying. I can see this evolving into a DAWless rig if I am brave enough to go with my instincts and ditch the laptop! Thanks as ever for being an utter inspiration

That's fun to hear you're able to dedicate more time for RU-vid content. Had no idea 4K users already generated some income. Congratulations! I'd recommend keeping it at one video per week and not increase the stress since that's why you're devoting a day week for this, to reduce the stress (?). With regards to GAS, you asked about the Minilogue XD, and, seeing now that you bought it already, I hope you're liking it. Me, I really like the sound of the Minilogue XD but I find myself rarely using it. I prefer to just autosample the great sounds into the MPC because I just don't really like having things interconnected all the time. You have embraced a more deliberately dawless workflow than me, where I'm mostly looking at hardware for inspiration and then finishing my work on the MPC (which admittedly is also hardware) so I can roam around freely and not be tethered to a particular room in our house. It's really liberating, but it does remove some of the awesome elements of dynamically changing some parameters on the Minilogue XD on the fly, unless you print an entire audio track for it. I find that workflow optimizations and GAS often gets in the way of just finishing up my tracks, and I've learned that the less I mess with midi and audio cables, the better. So, I try to autosample the best sounds from my synths and use them more as presets on the MPC so I can sit in the sofa or even in bed when jamming away and producing my tracks. It's a great compromise between the full dynamics of a hardware synthesizer, and the limitations of using only the built-in synths of the MPC itself.

I have randomly seen more people using those Elektron Digitak more than any other piece of gear... so they must be good.. I'm going to start keep count!

I had the Digitakt for a couple of years, and in April your videos convinced me to get a Digitone and Keystep, I am incredibly satisfied, and grateful to have found your channel! I dropped the entire stand the other day and freaked out thinking I killed everything, but nope, one small dent in the Digitone box and a dented top of a knob... disappointing but damn, if anyone was curious about the build quality of these machines, they are tanky!! 😵‍💫

“I’ve struck gold” mega congrats man!!

I just picked up a minilogue xd about a week ago for my little setup and honestly, its such a great synth! This and an opsix(which I'm working on getting) will be all I need to pair with my circuit tracks and rhythm. This will be my personal studio setup till I die or until something breaks. XD

Your video production quality is fine already, keep focus on the usefulness of the material.

That’s some baaaaaaaaad G.A.S. right there homie.

Congrats on the 4 day week 👍 As for more gear, you're at the sweet spot and I didn't hear you say you were limited or that there was stuff you wanted to do but couldn't. Having been down a very similar path to you, I would recommend you looking at Drambo on the iPad. It's really good since v2, it has an electron style way of working, kind of a 'roll your own octatrack'. It works great in a larger setup filling whatever gaps you have for sequencing, more voices, sample manipulation, more FX, recording, whatever you want really. Plus it works great on its own, so you can use that as your portable scratch pad/ mobile rig/couch studio. Add a midi controller like a korg nanokontrol studio and it's very hands on.

thank u!

Just started DAWLESS because of constant computer upgrades with no more support for devices. I picked the Tascam model 12 to connect JDXI and TR 8s Guitar and dynamic microphone. Now just need to practice practice practice.

Nice one! I have kind of a similar setup. My only thought on your setup is that you could separate the DN/MC signal path from the DT by routing them separately into the OT. That would let you apply different OT effects to the two sides, which makes sense to me.

Thanks, love this video! I think it’s wise to have a basic “philosophy” behind your setup. I’ve been thinking a lot about mine lately. My setup is also DAWless, but completely different from yours, except also taking up relatively little space (no big key synths or modular). I have an old iPad with AUM for mixing and effects. The rest is all more or less “dedicated” devices; controllers, sequencers, synths. The 8 channels on my interface each have a specific “role” (drums/bass/lead/chords/etc.) configured in AUM, each with specific (MIDI mapped) effect parameters fitting that role. Because I have more synths than inputs, I use a patch bay to assign a synth to each role/channel per project. I removed my grooveboxes (OP-Z and Circuit Tracks) from my permanent setup. Because of their all-in-one nature, they made my routing overly complex. I now use them as mobile musical “sketchpads”, just like I did when my GAS journey started…

Very interesting video. I think getting the Analog Heat is a great option. I find myself always applying the softer saturation but it gives the track a very warm sound. Whether you apply it to the mix or to any sound. I might get (GAS) the SP404 mk2 only for the effects. It offers 37 and some must be really fun to play with like Vinyl simulator, Lofi, Cassette, Warm saturation, Filters, Scatter, Tape, Chorus… You could check it if you want multi effects. Keep up this videos!

I have a very similar setup to yours as you know (almost identical). I was considering getting a second HX Stomp for my effects, that does stereo and everything else you could ever need, it even responds to midi. Got one on my gigging rig that I used as an amp for years before I got my Fender Duo Sonic 22. I’m also considering getting rid of the DT for a Syntakt and just use the OT for samples as I don’t do samples very much. But I will never ever ever ever ever part with my Digitone. I love it so much. Also, as for the Minilogue, good choice! Also consider the Hydrasynth lineup, they are incredible. Edit: “how much debt are you in” listen I just bought a Gibson SG

Good presentation of ideas. I like the idea of the Analog Heat, but I watched a comparison video and to my ears Erica Synths Acid Box is better for the kind of thing I'd use it for. I see you got the Minilogue. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with it. I just got the Black Friday Hydrasynth Explorer deal. It's really nice. It has all the subtractive stuff plus a lot more.

Adding a synth…personally I really like the old Waldorf Blofeld. It’s really good with the Digitakt, with the multitimbral part integrating well with the 8 midi channels. The desktop unit is pretty small, ideal for a portable rig. My 2c anyway :-)

Congrats on 4K! Similar setup more or less, but using a Torso T-1 in place of the Keystep. On the sketchpad front you may want to consider the Dirtywave M8... I tend to have that as my goto sketchpad these days over the Deluge.

does bluebox have a master "insert" or can you set it up to have that? i think using an OT with a mixer i would want to use it as master efx on an "insert" not return, and not the master, so you can punch it in/out.

I think Novation Peak would be more advanced version of Minilogue perhaps? Personally I’m into granular effects and processing loops /drones, but for now ipad must suffice and fill my flex spot because my budget is exhausted for now :p Also, for some reason I was researching the MI Rings ^^

I love my Digitone, Digitakt and Typhon Dreadbox oh and Keystep. My final piece of gear will be the Microcosm.

HELP or plain old advice on how the best way to set up this little rig, Circuit Tracks, circuit mono station, Microfreak and Drumbrute Impact....appreciate all ideas my friends on routing best effects etc i am new and after saving for ages help is required as i just want to get the best out of it, i could set it up but if i have got it wrong or maybe its not as efficient you all know better than me!

I was about to ask you about the minilogue when you just mentioned it on yout vid haha. I really like the looks of the older one, not the xd. I could use the Model:Cycles as my synth, but it’s a bit limited. Also! So looking forward to seeing that generation loss mkii !!! It really caught my attention. I’m supper happy with my m:c+digitakt combo, especially if you want to keep it minimal, I don’t have much space rn, and you don’t need an audio interface with them!!!

Yes the deluge is wonderful a specially after the 4.0. update…. Buy one a be amazed……. For outdoors music sessions I use my deluge with an iPad ….. Nice vid….. lovely greetings from Germany

I recently got the Heat. I now run everything through it when im recording into my daw. My minilogue xd has been relegated to cupboard tho. It's a great synth but ive found the digi does everything i need

Can I recommend the Poly Digit/Bebo for Effects? You are able to customise effects by using the touch screen to patch different effects together. You also get multiple inputs and outputs that you can assign different effects to, or even route sound out of the box, through other pedals and back in to the Poly Digit/Bebo. I think it is incredibly versatile and could be a good addition to your dawless rig.

Within this type of setup..Where would I place effect boxes like microcosm or Gen Loss, etc... ? I assume between both DIGs but are there other places? Love this setup... I dont want to spend any more time in front a computer!

I’ve owned the minilogue xd and didn’t really gel with it, a bit thin sounding to my ears. I have an Analog4 now and would recommend checking it out.

Please - be grateful if you could put a link to explain how you connect everything up in this set up thanks

I just wanted to say that the xd is a 4 voice polyfony and for the price you could do a lot better..i recently bought a deepmind 6, and i do not regret that. 6 voice polyfony, a nice mod matrix and loads of effects. I was looking for a good synth in that price range, and looking at the Korg Xd, modal electronics argon 8 and cobalt 8, hydrasynth explorer and the deepmind 6. In my opinion the deepmind 6 sounds so great and i went for that..i was actually so impressed with the hydrasynth explorer but i had to make a decision. The way the deepmind sounds and how versatile it is... Perhaps in the future a hydrasynth...

2:54 Welp that was too real. Also glad I could contribute to that dopamine hit. Interestingly enough my setup mirrors yours so heavily that I've actually got a Microcosm arriving in like a day. Bluebox is on the horizon though. I'm curious what makes the Octotrack an arranger? I've seen people beaming about that hardware but it really does seem like a bigger Digitakt on the surface to me.

Near 5k now

Roomm to grow: get a patchbay ans then you can mix and match effects in a more flexible way.

Why not using the OTs in- and outputs? Both Digis to the input, an effect (Mercury as great recerb) as send on the main/cue out, hit me up if you want to know how to set up a OT scene as real outboard fx send!

Interesting hearing you work through your setup! It's no different than a RPG...the Digitakt is the rogue, Digitone is the mage, Octatrack is the tank... 🤣

Digitakt and Deluge doesn’t make a lot of sense for me. I would rather combine the Deluge with the Digiton. Actually I combine Deluge with Syntakt and add some boutique synth such as SH01 & SE02 and a Monologue as masterkeyboard. The Onyx 820i sends signals via aux to a Bastl Thymes and an Oto BAM. The mute buttons send signals to the input of the Deluge. The Deluge is also my master recording device.

DAWless and MUSICIANless. Making music without the discipline and dedication to become highly skilled and expressive with an instrument seems illogical. I listen intently to thousands of jams and original compositions here on RU-vid each year. I am full of anticipation when searching for new jams, improvisations and original music from our communities. But more and more, these jams are the same bleeps and bloops of sequenced machine music without a single expressive passion filled phrase. I am willing to accept the perfection of backing tracks sequenced and 100% quantized to the grid, absolute perfection, and absolutely sterile as they are. But an entire song made this way is emotionally draining instead of uplifting. It is the same as going to a basketball game anticipating the skilled athletic articulations of dedicated athletes, and instead watching robots struggle to imitate humanity. 4 on the floor with bleeps and bloops are now called finished "songs" devoid of all humanity, passion, emotion, compassion. Where did the heart and soul of music go... Difficult today in 2022 to find jams/improvs/compositions in my RU-vid searches that move me anymore. Maybe this is a good thing, because when I do find a highly skilled musician who knows how to speak passion to me through their instrument, I wake up and listen, and then thank them for their valuable contribution. It is a rare today, but the musician still exists, still expressing wonderful conversations of their deepest hopes and dreams. A treasure to be mined in a RU-vid successful dig. My "DAWless" studio is in its 100th or so rebuild since I began performing on keyboards in 1967...since there were no computers available to us in 1967, all we knew was DAWless. I have been through the entire history from analog to digital in instruments and as a recording engineer. Beginning with organ, then adding piano, then guitar, then synths up into the 1980s. For the remainder of the last 32 years involved in sound design, effects design, recording engineering, and searching for the innovative sound I have not found yet, but enjoy looking for. Music can move us physically (EDM) or emotionally (both physically and emotionally). All music has a purpose, but music composed in love and truth has lasting benefit and becomes timeless. So my studio today is 100% hardware including the 24 track recorder. 3 main keyboards with full sized 61 keys, and supporting smaller keyboards, modules, groove boxes, sampler, and pattern sequencers. I record Vangelis style with one take performing with both hands and feet. A floor full of pedal switches, sustains and expression pedals, synths all with my own sound design, sample clips played in with my acoustic guitar, groove sequences and pattern sequences to back up my free play of the keys. Sub-mixed with a 32-channel analog mixer and input into 8 tracks of my ZoomR24 hardware recorder. All levels, EQ, compression, effects, panning, stereo field, prepared ahead of the performance/recording and fine-tuned. Then all is printed wet to the tracks while performing live in full immersion of the music. The final mixdown to stereo master now holds all the passion of the performance, tiny flaws, timing variances, all kept in for humanity's sake.

"... How much debt are you in?" - real GAS questions here

Microfreak 😳😳

At least for now.... LOL