Best products from r/makinghiphop
We found 128 comments on r/makinghiphop discussing the most recommended products. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 324 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.
1. Akai Professional MPK Mini MKII – 25 Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller With 8 Drum Pads, 8 Assignable Q-Link Knobs and Pro Software Suite Included
- Compact keyboard controller easily fits backpack and studio production desk (12.4" long, 1.6 lbs)
- Powered by USB connection to computer, with free virtual-instrument download packages
- Crammed full of all the features you need to play and edit musical ideas
- 25-synth-action mini-keys, 8 velocity-sensitive rubber drum pads with two banks, and eight assignable control knobs
- Dedicated buttons for Note Repeat, Full Level, and Octave Up and Down
- 1400 Sounds and Everything You Need For Pro Production: Production software package for Mac and PC included: Akai Pro MPC Essentials, SONiVOX Wobble, and Hybrid 3 by AIR Music Tech (downloads)
Features:
2. Audio-Technica AT2020 Cardioid Condenser Studio XLR Microphone, Black, Ideal for Project/Home Studio Applications
- The price/performance standard in side address studio condenser microphone technology
- Ideal for project/home studio applications; The noise level is 20 dB SPL
- High SPL handling and wide dynamic range provide unmatched versatility
- Custom engineered low mass diaphragm provides extended frequency response and superior transient response
- Cardioid polar pattern reduces pickup of sounds from the sides and rear, improving isolation of desired sound source. Output connector: integral 3 pin XLRM type
- Black speckles on the mic are part of the design. Audio-Technica case style: R7
Features:
3. Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio (Sound On Sound Presents...)
- Focal Press
Features:
4. Focusrite Scarlett Solo (2nd Gen) USB Audio Interface with Pro Tools | First
- One natural-sounding Scarlett mic preamp with plenty of even gain; one instrument input, Stereo line outputs on RCA phono for connecting to home speakers; one headphones output with gain control. You don't need a power supply, either - just connect with a USB cable and start recording.
- Class-leading conversion and sample rates up to 192kHz / 24 bit; super-low latency for using your plug-ins in real time without the need for DSP
- LIMITED TIME OFFER: FREE Venomode DeeQ, Maximal 2, and Pivot, plug-ins upon registration and download.
- Includes Pro Tools | First Focusrite Creative Pack and Ableton Live Lite, Softube Time and Tone Bundle, Focusrite’s Red Plug-in Suite, 2GB of Loopmasters samples, Choice of one free XLN Addictive Keys virtual instrument, all available via download upon purchase and registration
- Compatible with Windows 7 and higher, and Mac OS X 10.10 and higher. Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz ± 0.25dB. Supported sample rates: 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 192 kHz; Headphone Dynamic Range:104dB (A-weighted). Focusrite now offers a 3-Year Warranty on this and all other Focusrite products.
Features:
5. MXL 990, XLR Connector Condenser Microphone
- FET based design with transformer balanced output for a variety of applications.
- Vintage body style with champagne finish.
- Includes custom shock mount, mic stand adapter & carrying case.
- Provides silky sweet high end and retains tight, solid low and midrange reproduction
- Power requirements: Phantom power 48V (+- 4V)
Features:
6. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (1st GENERATION) USB Recording Audio Interface
- High quality mic preamps
- Excellent digital performance
- Rugged metal unibody case
- Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB audio interface, truly portable interface
- Includes an authorization code for Ableton Live Lite, Scarlett Plug-in Suite (RTAS/AU/VST), Red 2 & Red 3 Plug-in Suite (AAX/AU/VST), the Softube Time and Tone Bundle, Novation Bass Station, and 1GB of Loopmasters samples
Features:
7. Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones, Black, Professional Grade, Critically Acclaimed, With Detachable Cable
- Critically acclaimed sonic performance praised by top audio engineers and pro audio reviewers
- Proprietary 45 millimeter large aperture drivers with rare earth magnets and copper clad aluminum wire voice coils
- Exceptional clarity throughout an extended frequency range with deep accurate bass response
- Circumaural design contours around the ears for excellent sound isolation in loud environments
- 90 degree swiveling earcups for easy one ear monitoring and professional grade earpad and headband material delivers more durability and comfort
Features:
8. How to Rap: The Art and Science of the Hip-Hop MC
- Chicago Review Press
Features:
9. BEHRINGER Audio Interface, 1x XLR/TRS 1x 1/4" 2X RCA USB, Black, 1-Channel (UM2)
2x2 USB audio interface for recording microphones and instrumentsAudiophile 48 kHz resolution for professional audio quality.Maximum Sampling Rate: 48 kHzCompatible with popular recording software including Avid Pro Tools*, Ableton Live*, Steinberg Cubase*, etc.Streams 2 inputs / 2 outputs with ultr...
10. Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphone
- Neodymium magnets and 40 millimeter drivers for powerful, detailed sound
- Closed ear design provides comfort and outstanding reduction of external noises
- 9.8 foot cord ends in gold plated plug and it is not detachable; 1/4 inch adapter included
- Folds up for storage or travel in provided soft case
- Frequency Response: 10 Hertz to 20 kilohertz
- These large diaphragm, foldable headphones feature a rugged construction, a secure, highly effective closed ear design
- Connectivity technology : Wired
Features:
11. LyxPro HAS-10 Closed Back Over Ear Professional Studio Monitor And Mixing Headphones,Music Listening,Piano,Sound Isolation, Lightweight And Flexible
- Pro-Grade Closed Back Over-Ear Headphones for Live Monitoring & Mixing
- Truly Powerful NdFeB Magnet System Offers Instant Dynamic Response
- Telescoping Stainless Steel Arms w/Sizing Scale; 180° Rotatable Ear Cups
- Leather Headband; Aluminum Ear Shells; Comfortable Leather Ear Pads
- Single-Sided Straight Cable Duct & Screw-On Jack for Increased Durability
Features:
12. BEHRINGER MS16
Compact stereo speaker system ideally suited for home studios, multimedia applications, keyboard and vocal monitoring etc.Powerful 4 inch woofers and high-resolution tweeters powered by two 8-Watt amplifiersDedicated volume, bass and treble controls for more flexibilityStereo RCA inputs for sound ca...
13. AKAI Professional MPD218 | 16-Pad USB/MIDI Controller With MPC Pads, 6 Assignable Knobs, Production Software Included
Beat Production, Anywhere - Ultra-portable, feature-packed and USB powered pad controller with 16 thick fat MPC pads for triggering drums, melodic samples, effects and moreExpandable Banks - Easily accessible dedicated controls for three pad banks provides a total of 48 assignable padsAssignable Con...
14. Blue Yeti USB Mic for Recording & Streaming on PC and Mac, 3 Condenser Capsules, 4 Pickup Patterns, Headphone Output and Volume Control, Mic Gain Control, Adjustable Stand, Plug & Play - Silver
- Custom Three-Capsule Array: Produces clear, powerful, broadcast-quality sound for YouTube, game streaming, podcasting, Zoom calls and music.
- Blue VOICE Software: Craft the perfect broadcast vocal sound and entertain your audience with enhanced effects, advanced modulation and HD audio samples. Advanced Blue VOICE is compatible with Yeti, Yeti Nano and Yeti X. To access Blue VOICE, please download Logitech’s free G HUB software.
- Four Pickup Patterns: Flexible cardioid, omni, bidirectional, and stereo pickup patterns allow you to record in ways that would normally require multiple mics.
- Onboard Audio Controls: Headphone volume, pattern selection, instant mute, and mic gain put you in charge of every level of the recording and streaming process.
- Plug 'n Play on Mac and PC: Instantly start recording and streaming on Mac or PC.
Features:
15. Shure SM58-CN Cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone with Cable
- The SM58-CN variant includes the SM58 cardioid dynamic vocal microphone, 25-foot XLR-male to XLR-female cable, A25D swivel stand adapter and storage bag
- Performance tested, industry standard
- Uniform cardioid pick-up pattern for maximum gain before feedback and excellent rejection of off-axis sound
- Tailored frequency response specifically shaped for vocals, with brightened midrange and bass roll off to control proximity effect
- Advanced pneumatic shock mount system that minimizes transmission of mechanical noise and vibration
- Steel-mesh grille and enamel-coated metal construction resist wear and abuse
- Effective built in pop-filter reduces undesirable wind and breathe noise
- Furnished with zippered storage bag and break-resistant stand adapter
- Extremely durable under the heaviest use
- Shure quality, ruggedness and reliability
Features:
16. How to Rap 2: Advanced Flow and Delivery Techniques
- The nephilim Edition contains all the loot from the Collector's Edition as well as the Limited Edition Darksiders: the forbidden land board game!
- Blast Angels and demons as the gunslinging Horseman strife, playable for the first time
- Swap between the powerful swordsman war and strife instantly in frenetic, single-player gameplay
- Explore the epic world of Darksiders and wreak havoc with a friend in two-player cooperative mode
- Experience a brand new story campaign that takes place before the original Darksiders, exploring the origin of the Seven seals
Features:
17. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (2nd Gen) USB Audio Interface with Pro Tools | First
- Two natural-sounding Scarlett mic preamps with plenty of even gain; two instrument inputs, 1/4-inch balanced jack outputs to connect professional studio monitors; one headphone output with gain control
- Class-leading conversion and sample rates up to 192kHz / 24 bit; super-low roundtrip latency for using your plug-ins in real time without the need for DSP
- LIMITED TIME OFFER: FREE Venomode DeeQ, Maximal 2, and Pivot, plug-ins upon registration and download.
- Includes Pro Tools | First Focusrite Creative Pack and Ableton Live Lite, Softube Time and Tone Bundle, Focusrite’s Red Plug-in Suite, 2GB of Loopmasters samples, Choice of one free XLN Addictive Keys virtual instrument, all available via download upon purchase and registration
- Compatible with Windows 7 and higher, and Mac OS X 10.10 and higher. Frequency response - 20 Hz - 20 kHz ± 0.1dB. Supported Sample Rates: 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 192 kHz. Focusrite now offers a 3-Year Warranty on this and all other Focusrite products.
Features:
18. Blue Microphones Icicle XLR to USB Microphone Converter/Preamp
- Built-in mic preamp with analog mic gain control
- 48V phantom power
- Fully Balanced, low noise front end
- Driverless operation
- Usb cable included
Features:
19. AKG Perception P120 Professional Studio Microphone, Sliver
Rugged all-metal body and robust design withstands tough day-to-day useSwitchable bass-cut filter eliminates rumble or footfall noiseSwitchable attenuation pad for high SPL applications up to 150 dB SPL
20. Mackie Studio Monitor, Black w/green trim, 3-inch (CR3)
Studio-quality design, sound and performance ideal for multimedia creation and entertainmentProfessional-grade components for optimized sonic performance.1/8 inches to stereo RCA cable to connect computer output to speakersUltra-wide frequency range perfect for full-range multimedia (80 Hz - 20 kHz)...
I dont know if you plan to be on pc or mac. If its pc then fruity loops as others said with machine is a great place to start. If your on mac, which FL is still not available in full size i dont believe, ableton is a great program. I use ableton for everything i do, plus its great for live performance to which i think it has the edge over fl for. Its really easy to learn to. I switched from FL to Ableton and it took me about 3 hours to get re- acclimated. Theres a 100 dollar basic package for ableton if you want to buy it. Otherwise just pirate the full software package tbh. Also alot of DAW have free demos you can download just to get a feel and look. Sometimes the interface is enough to turn you off (as reason which is great did for me). Other DAWs that you can look into are Reason, Cubase, bitwig (which is new and is kind of a combo between ableton and fl) and then also apple's Logic X. logic X, if you plan to but your DAW is great bc i think its only 200 bucks which is a great price and it does alot. Idk how great it is for hip hop style of music but i doubt its "bad". It definitely has its strength in production of house music though, but learn enough and the world, or the DAW rather, is your playground. As for midi, maschine is awesome, but there are some cheap and portable midi controllers that combine pads and keys. I use the akai mpk mini mkii and i love it. I can fit it in my backpack and use it for everything i need at home as well, although i do have a full size keyboard that i use sometimes. That little beauty runs at 100 bucks. Good luck with it man! Remember though, some of the most famous artists out there started out on the shitiest equipment available. So really what its about is getting your hands on whatever you can and just having fun with it. Good luck!!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_BuJ8wbT2W64GE
To be honest, It really depends on what your budget is. If you have a $10,000 budget my recommendations are going to change drastically compared to if you have say, a $400 budget.
Assuming you want to keep price pretty low but still want pretty nice quality I recommend the following.
My one tip to anybody beginning is learn to mix and experiment. You can have a shitty mic and a shitty interface, but if you can mix well, You can make 90% of things sound at least decent and that's all that really matters in music. If you make a song that's a banger but it's not mixed that great, people will still listen to it. If you have a shitty song that's mixed by a world class engineer, nobody is going to listen to it. Don't get caught up in making sure everything sounds amazing, Just work and be creative.
My suggestion assumes you already have FL Studio, a capable PC, and $100 to spend on a MIDI keyboard, specifically the Akai MPK Mini mkII because it's widely available and has a little bit of everything for you to learn with. I'm also assuming you have 4-8 hours everyday to spend on production-related things and that you'll use all of that time.
Day 1: Become familiar with the general layout of FL Studio.
Days 2-10: Get acquainted with your keyboard and drum pads.
Days 10-15: Learn about common mixer effects, and practice applying them to a variety of sounds. This includes but is not limited to:
There are stock plugins for all of those effects in FL Studio, so you'll at least be able to mess with those.
Days 15-20: Learn Automation. It is a key part of adding motion and life to your tracks.
Days 20-30: Make some beats, and try to use as much of your knowledge as you can in every beat. Don't take more than a day or two to finish each one, because at the beginning it's most important to repeat all of the aforementioned steps until you get to a point where you can sit down and work without thinking too hard about the technical process.
The day numbers are irrelevant because everyone learns at a different pace, but that's the order you should do things, in my opinion.
A few side notes:
Hope this helps, even if it's not exactly what you were hoping for.
I'm assuming you have a physical location to record & some type of computer.
Do this:
Get ahold of $100-$500. Buy a microphone & either some really nice headphones or some studio monitors (i recommend headphones if you can't do both). My first mic was a Blue Snowball. I love using my Audio Technica headphones. Probably not gonna win you any grammys but it will teach you some things until you can afford a better setup.
OBTAIN... in whichever way you see fit... some software to record on called a DAW. From the free software Audacity to something like Logic Pro X or Studio One. Just get one. There's hundreds of tutorials on youtube on how to use them. You're also going to want to get some Vsts. Google will be your friend for this section lol.
Practice making songs on here in the cypher & collab call threads. There's also a billion beats on youtube that nobody's going to know you used if you just keep it between yourself and some friends.
Do that for however long it takes for you to feel that you're good. There's plenty of forums out there like gearslutz and this one and some others that you can get info on.
When you feel like you're good start buying beats and all that stuff. Until then you're going to have to practice and learn what you sound like and what makes a good song otherwise it'll be a waste of money. It's much cheaper to collab with people though...
For networking if you make a good song and start sharing it with your friends it'll get around since you're still in high school. That's already 2k potential fans & they all have people that they know. Start with them. It's NYC and the world is much smaller than you think...
EDIT: Also never pay to do a show and stay on the lookout for scammers.
Regarding speakers for your studio, you don't need the huge hi-fi speakers that big studios have, they use those mainly to flatter artists and industry reps. For mixing, you should get a set of speakers with a relatively flat frequency response that spotlights the midrange and has low distortion. The Avatone Mix Cube is good for this. You only really need one because a lot of mixing is in mono. The Yamaha NS10s are also good (these are more expensive and are pretty standard in most studios. The thing about these speakers is not that they sound good, but that, on first listen, you'd probably think they sound bad; they highlight problems in your mix.
I imagine if you're doing hip-hop a lot of your listeners will listen on headphones so it's useful to do some mixing on headphones (you might do mono mixing on your nearfield and work out panning and stereo stuff on headphones, for example), so get two good pairs of studio headphones-one for you, and one for people you record (unless you're building this to record yourself, although if people know you have this cool studio they might want to get in on the action and it'd be good to be prepared for that if it does happen-you might also want to record a feature on your track or something).
Get a DAW and know it back and forth. I would say for your purposes, unless you're already well-versed in Pro Tools or already have a copy of it, don't get Pro Tools-there's a huge learning curve and it's by far the most expensive. Reaper has a free demo that you can use indefinitely and FL Studio and Audacity are free. Ableton is what most producers use but it's not really made for tracking or mixing, so what some people do is they produce in Ableton and bounce the track to another DAW to mix.
Microphone-wise, ideally for vocals you want a large-diaphragm condenser. A small-diaphragm will work too but LDCs are standard. You can record on a dynamic mic but they usually need a lot more gain which might mean more noise and you'll need to be handy at mixing to get the sound you want out of a dynamic mic.
If you're investing in a big project like this, read a lot and know what you're doing. This book will get you started on mixing techniques and the basics. This one is a must, it starts out with some chapters on how to acoustically treat the room you're working in which even though it isn't glamorous or fun is totally vital to a good studio.
I'm going to be a little bit different from these other comments. I think there are some pros and cons to this bundle. I clicked on your thread out of curiosity but ended up realizing this was the bundle me and my friend bought during college when we first started rapping. While this bundle is a good starter kit, we had a lot of issues with monitoring. Monitoring is the ability to hear yourself while recording. Its not super necessary but I prefer to hear myself within the headphones while I am recording. There is something called latency, which is the time you speak to the time you hear yourself in the headphones. With this bundle sometimes we couldn't monitor ourselves at all, and other times we could but the latency was so large that it sounded like we were rapping over our own echoes.
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I would recommend purchasing audio technica M50 as headphones. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR86?aaxitk=cVQsljyy61ps.jPMCOqbVQ&pd_rd_i=B00HVLUR86&pf_rd_p=44fc3e0f-4b9e-4ed8-b33b-363a7257163d&hsa_cr_id=9643844680501&sb-ci-n=asinImage&sb-ci-v=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F81Hajq6vPiL.jpg&sb-ci-a=B00HVLUR86
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AKG perception microphone. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00160PRBU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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and this behringer audio interface. https://www.amazon.com/BEHRINGER-Audio-Interface-1-Channel-UM2/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=audio+interface&qid=1571236325&refinements=p_72%3A1248939011&rnid=1248937011&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-5
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It comes out to the same price kind of. I have the M-audio M - track audio interface. I dont think they make it anymore but I really like it so if you find it on ebay or something it might be worth it.
If you are looking at a DAW to start recording. I suggest reaper. Its literally free and insanely robust software considering its free. Theres a 60 day limit on the software but you can really use the software past that date. I used it for like 1000 days before i ended up paying like the 60 bucks for it.
I'm always recommending this book here: Mixing Secrets For The Small Studio. By far the most helpful resource I've come across for mixing. Great layout, written by a guy who knows his shit and includes relevant quotes from other top professionals, and funny at times. It basically covers everything starting from room acoustics and treatment, and then on to mixing from the ground up. A little textbooky but I enjoy the technical drivel.
SOS magazine is another great resource and for more than just mixing. I think their archives are down atm because they're building a new site, but once that's back up they have a ridiculous amount of pro tips and reviews for free. Mike Senior who wrote Mixing Secrets is also a frequent contributor to this site/mag.
None of that above is hip-hop focused, but applies to all genres. I used to always look for any videos or interviews with Da Beatminerz since they were one of my favorite production crews growing up. Same thing with El-P, Pete Rock, DJ Shadow, Dan The Automator, etc. Sometimes at shows they'd have cool trinkets for sale; I remember picking up this video on CD of Qbert that showed a glimpse into the life of a touring DJ which was pretty inspirational to me.
There used to be a $60 Audiotechnica USB mic on Amazon, but it's not around any more. Seemed decent at the time, but looking back it wasn't a very good mic tbh. Once I bought an interface and moved up to the AT2020 my sound got 10x better. The difference between a $50 and $100 mic isn't that the $100 is two times better, it's more like five to ten times better. It's definitely worth saving, unless you know you're not going to do that. Moving to an audio interface and getting an XLR mic was the best move I ever made for getting better sounding vocals.
I've personally never used that interface, so you'll have to rely on the Amazon reviews (or hopefully someone here has had experience with it). The preamp (what you plug the mic into), and the mic you use, determines the sound you're going to get. Again, you're gonna have to read the reviews. You're just starting off, so I wouldn't stress it too much. You'll get a better sound than just plugging a USB mic into your computer.
If I were in your position, with a small budget, I'd save up a bit more and buy this:
http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Solo-Compact-Interface/dp/B00MTXU2DG/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1452061607&sr=1-1&keywords=scarlett+solo
The Scarlett series, in my opinion, is the best in terms of budget audio interfaces. Their preamps, and the system, overall, is of great quality.
When you're ready for that mic - put enough together to buy sayyyy this:
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0006H92QK/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1452061954&sr=1-1&keywords=Audio+Technica+AT2020
...and you got a good little startup.
The mic stand should fit pretty much any mic. It has both the clip, and a part to screw in the mic's shock mount (look up "shock mount").
I always recommend that you get warranty with your equipment, cause, you know...shit happens, so you should check if there're any music stores around that sell whatever you're interested in, and offer the warranty, as well.
I highly recommend Apple Logic out of the box. It has a decent set of sounds, powerful synths (ES2, Alchemy..), and a great sampler (ESX24). Stock mixing plugins are great to learn and grow with before you start investing in the big dollar ones. Youtube tutorials exist for every aspect of the DAW with some really helpful tips on everything from beatmaking to sound design to mixing/mastering using stock Logic sounds and plugs.
Next grab a midi keyboard for starters that you can grow with. I recommend the Akai MPK Mini MKII as it's cheap, light, and portable. The drum pads are MPC-style sensitive and what you would expect from an Akai product.
https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPK-Ultra-Portable-Controller/dp/B00IJ6QAO2
Lastly - grab a decent audio interface and some monitor headphones so you can hear your mix accurately.
You don't need to break the bank for this either especially since your just starting out. The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is a great interface and should last you awhile before you grow out of it as your studio expands. Audio Technica makes amazing studio monitor headphones. I use the ATH-50X and couldnt be happier. But don't take my word for it - check the reviews and comparisons on SoundonSound and you'll see what I mean
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-GENERATION-USB-Recording/dp/B005OZE9SA/ref=sr_1_5?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1503990027&sr=1-5&keywords=focusrite+audio+interface
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1503990263&sr=1-3&keywords=audio+technica+ath-m50x
What are people's opinions on the Mackie CR3 and CR4 reference monitors? I'm on a very tight budget ( I don't want to spend more than $150 on a pair of monitors) and they seem to be a fairly decent pair for my first monitors. I have read that they lack low end (bass), but I'm not too worried about that. I would be using them in a small room for production, and also for my turntable.
Mackie CR Series CR3 - 3" Creative Reference Multimedia Monitors (Pair) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KVEIY4E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ahRyybK966713
Edit: New question, since the Mackie CR3's are clearly not a good pair of cheap reference monitors.
Thanks for the input, I know nothing about monitors/speakers/headphones so all advice is greatly appreciated!
Hi Audio_Byte,
I posted this in the "I cringe at my own lyrics" thread, but it seems like you might benefit from it as well:
I'm actually working on a web app to help people with this very problem: Rhymecraft. It isn't ready yet but in the meantime my #1 tip for you is to read How to Rap Volume 1 and Volume 2. If you want me to email you when my app is done, send me a private message with your email address or just let me know you want me to send you a PM on Reddit.
What I've learned from studying lyrics is that usually there isn't one thing that makes lyrics good or bad; it's a collection of lots of different things, and your job as a lyricist is to understand what all of those factors are and make sure they're all working in your favor. Reading "How to Rap" will give you a good intro to what some of those factors are.
It comes with a power supply.
This one:
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/aplusautomation/vendorimages/4e50f9f3-c6f5-4f79-9b3c-c49413136a54.jpg._CB304903745_.jpg
Also it includes every XLR cable you need. I deliver the output into Scarlett solo.
https://focusrite.com/usb-audio-interface/scarlett/scarlett-solo
The quality is superb. The mic was the winner of Pro Audio Review's Excellence Award. But I had only three mics in my life so I lack of some comparison of other mics in the same price range.
My first mic was a yeti blue (for a only USB mic this is the best one you can get)
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Yeti-USB-Microphone-Silver/dp/B002VA464S
then rode nta-1A
http://www.rode.com/microphones/nt1-a
TL:DR Help me choose my first setup. Dynamic vs Condenser.
I’m looking for my first microphone, to start recording over free trap beats I find on the internet.
Both of these are in my price range. I’d like to point out that the Shure SM58 is a dynamic and the AT2020 is a condenser.
I’m struggling to decide because I’ve read that a condenser picks up more details which is good, however my bedroom isn’t sound treated. You can hear the very gentle buzzing of electrical appliances, the faint rumbling of the hot water pipes, and the wind against the side of the house.
I’ll be picking up the XLR versions, and will be buying either the Behringer UMC202HD or the Focusrite Scarlett Solo . If you have experience with either of these, feel free to comment.
Edit: I should mention that I’ll probably buy a sound shield as well. Are my sound treatment issues solvable without breaking the bank?
Awesome man! Never too late to start using your creativity.
Regarding equipment, I would suggest looking into a cheaper, but decent quality Condenser Microphone such as Audio Technica's AT2020: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AT2020--audio-technica-at2020-cardioid-condenser-microphone
Or an MXL 990: https://www.amazon.com/MXL-990-Condenser-Microphone-Shockmount/dp/B0002GIRP2
I've heard great things about both, and I've personally used the AT2020 and haven't heard any complaints from artists I've worked with.
With that being said you'll also need an audio interface since a Condenser Microphone will not be able to work on it's own and needs Phantom Power (48V) to work. You can also get the AT2020 as a USB and avoid an audio interface, but my personal recommendation if you really want to get into this is to go ahead and buy an audio interface if it's within your budget so that when you upgrade microphones you'll have an interface ready.
Presonus Audiobox: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AudioBoxUSB96--presonus-audiobox-usb-96
Focusrite Scarlett: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ScarlettSoloG3--focusrite-scarlett-solo-3rd-gen-usb-audio-interface
Behringer U-Phoria: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UMC202HD--behringer-u-phoria-umc202hd-usb-audio-interface
Hope this helps! Peace
It's kind of hard trying to fit into that budget. I'd suggest saving till you can get a somewhat okay setup. A decent audio interface would be the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 but it's $150.
Might try looking into this:
Interface:
http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-2-Channel-Portable-Audio-Interface/dp/B00BQ6KSN6/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1425251263&sr=1-1&keywords=m+audio+usb+interface
Mic:
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0006H92QK/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1425251333&sr=1-3&keywords=xlr+condenser
Sorry for the long links. I personally have the AT2020 and I love it as a beginner mic. Just learn to mix okay and you'll be set.
Also if you can't/don't want to buy a pop filter (assuming you have a stand or desktop tripod thing) you can make one out of an old wire coat hanger and some pantyhose (yeah it's kinda weird, but it works okay as well)
Hope I could help.
This guy knows. I love my Sony MDRs.
Sony MDR-7506
They're under 100 even.. but best you can find for the lower budget (in my opinion).
My advice is to just buy them because you'll be happy about saving the money and absolutely blown away by the quality of response. Save yourself the headache of researching forever and just try them. 10/10
I'd highly recommend a synth if you want the sounds of it. If you want a midi controller on the really cheap, get a cheap casio keyboard or something that has midi out, then get a midi to usb adapter, plug it in, and go. If you want a better midi controller that's dedicated for midi and probably has better keys, yadadada get an MPK Mini MKII.
Lastly, if you want a synth, get a MicroBrute. Great sounding portable analog synth for around $300.
I would get this midi keyboard
https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPK-Ultra-Portable-Controller/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1536448710&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=mpk+mini+mk2&dpPl=1&dpID=416Tlwn7yzL&ref=plSrch
This thing is really affordable and is the best bang for your buck. It's portable, feels great, and convenient. The drum pads feel amazing and the keys are kinda small, but still velocity sensitive so it's great for laying down synth leads or chords. It's a great intro piece to your production. Its so much better than a computer or laptop keyboard. You'll find out even early on how limited just a laptop keyboard is.
So idk ask for this for Christmas, mow some lawns. It'll be one of your greatest investments in early production.
Read this or anything else you can get your hands on that explains the creative process some professional rappers use to write lyrics. It would probably be especially helpful for you to find interviews of your favorite artists where they discuss their inspirations.
Also, you don't have to write with a beat in mind or while listening to an instrumental. The lyrics can come first and then you'll find or make a beat that fits them.
Lastly, don't let your dreams be dreams. Stay focused and work hard for what you want and don't let anyone discourage you with their negativity. At the same time, don't let compliments get to your head and tell you you're the greatest and then get complacent with your work. Always be your own worst critic.
Lastly lastly... Enjoy yourself! If you're not enjoying it, it'll show in your lyrics and delivery and then nobody else will enjoy it either
You could drop all of that on Pro Tools or Ableton, but without some peripheral gear I'd say start with Logic. It's one of the more affordable industry DAWs and will leave you quite a bit of cash to grab some other essentials.
Namely, I would suggest monitors (over headphones) with isolation pads. The M-Audio BX5 D3 are a decent and affordable introductory set of monitors.
Besides that, I'd get an audio interface, a humble MIDI keyboard, and a decent microphone. Respectively the Focusrite Scarlett Audio Interface, the Akai MPK Mini, and the AT2020 Microphone are my personal favs.
All of this should run you less than $1000, and is a great rudimentary setup to start making some tunes. Have fun! :)
For the price, the Blue Yeti is pretty awesome. I got one recently and was blown away! And the best part is, it's a USB condenser microphone. Literally all you have to do is plug it in and start recording. Here's a good review of the Blue Yeti
I use this mic for any vocals I do and I get pretty decent results for a bedroom. You can find cheaper mics than that, but make sure you get a large diaphragm condenser mic and make sure its XLR, not USB. It doesn't come with a mic stand. I learned that the hard way
You'll need an audio interface as well. That's probably the cheapest interface that's worth getting as well from what I hear.
About $250 or so for a cheaper setup, but it's a one-time purchase and the added quality is worth it I think.
Just looked up this Icicle. That's a perfect fit for me. Small, plug and play, cheap. Awesome, thanks for telling me about this. Headed to Guitar Center right now.
Also, in case anyone else sees this. If Guitar Center will price match, it's on Amazon for $31. I'm heading over there right now, I'll update here if they did price match it.
Thanks a ton bro! When I was making the beat I was wondering wether the drums were to punchy and I guess now I know! Yeah I'm using a 10 pound mic at the moment lmao so thats what that is. Im thinking of picking up this mic probably on my next pay day. I was simply going for flow cos the whole thing was completely off my dome in one take. I'm an out an out producer so im trying to practice rapping at the moment lol.
Imma be honest, when I started listening to your track I was like wtf is this but that flow is kinda hypnotizing. I guess your influenced by MF DOOM? Cos the way you were rhyming on that was insane. Did you punch in each 4 bar? Cos it sounded like you never stopped for air lmao. Really dope shit. Only criticism would be your accent seems to change throughout and I cant grasp where your from lmao, and it sounds like your recording it in a hallway but if thats what your going for thats fair enough!
Keep it up dude, hmu if you want any beats. I make allot of soulful ones to if thats what you like.
This is dependent on what type of beats you'll be making, but consider doing some research and getting a three piece mic set for your drums (kick, snare, hats/cymbal) as well as an interface with enough mic inputs. Based on a couple reviews of those monitor speakers, I might go for something wired and a little more conventional amongst home producers. Apparently the low end on those struggle a little bit, which means you'll be overcompensating your low end and probably fucking up your mix. If it's what you want, though, after awhile you'll learn the speakers and know what to adjust in terms of mixing. To be honest, with your headphones you can wait a little bit on the monitors unless you really want them.
Edit: I just noticed the types of beats you'd be making in your initial post. If you can swing the money I think you would enjoy getting some mics on your drums. Also, I owned the MPK Mini II for awhile when I first started and always wanted the extra 8 pads. I drummed for about a decade before I started making beats, and I think you, as a drummer with the sampled based music you want to make, would agree.
​
If I were you I'd get the MPD218: https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPD218-Controller-Software/dp/B0116X17JW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3QREITWBNB2P3&keywords=mpd218&qid=1574714057&s=musical-instruments&sprefix=mpd%2Cmi%2C156&sr=1-1
​
and the LPK25: https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-LPK25-Ultra-Portable-Controller/dp/B002M8GBDI
​
It would essentially be the same thing with 8 extra pads, without the thumbstick modulator (which I don't think you'd be using a ton), at ~$40 more. You'd also be able to separate the pads and keys which is nice if you don't have a ton of extra desk space.
Thanks for the feedback man.
My feedback for you:
So are you just using a mic that has a usb cable at the end? That's probably the first problem. Ideally you'd want some kind of audio interface you could plug a better mic into. This one is a good starter - https://smile.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM?sa-no-redirect=1 or this one if you think you'd want to record two things at once (like a mic and guitar) https://smile.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56EA?sa-no-redirect=1
Then you'd want to get a mic with the standard XLR cord type. This one is good if you're just rapping - https://smile.amazon.com/Shure-SM58-LC-Cardioid-Dynamic-Microphone/dp/B00015H0X4?sa-no-redirect=1&th=1. Or if you want to spend more money you can get one of these - https://ehomerecordingstudio.com/best-vocal-mics/. If you get one of those make sure you use a pop filter.
It's also worth getting a mic stand - you don't want to be holding these as you record.
I thought this one was pretty good. Talks in depth about various mixing techniques, EQing certain instruments, and where instruments should sit in mixes. It’s honestly not anything you won’t find online but as one consolidated book it’s pretty good.
Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio (Sound On Sound Presents...) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0240815807/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XiQIAbC62CP9N
hey man
first thing is, practice. Start small and build up. use single syllable rhymes and try to get a feel for what a "bar is". then from there get more complex.
 
Start with a simple flow and rhyme scheme
 
just walked in the crib 1
look at my Asian chick 2
she hella thick, do a split, 3
she don't take no shit" 4
 
this is a simple rhyme scheme with all single syllable rhymes. You will notice. the rhyme does not always end on the end of the line. If we were to continue this. my rule is to change the flow every four bars but I tend to change it up a lot more than other people. My first indication would be to change the flow right after
 
I ain't seen her in a min-ute 1
I miss her...this love 2
really ain't a gimmick 3
..I fall to pieces when i'm in-it* 4
 
This is an example where the rhyme scheme becomes more complex and the rhymes can increase to more than one syllable.
There are plenty of resources online about how to rap. there's even a book! [How to Rap!] (https://www.amazon.com/How-Rap-Art-Science-Hip-Hop/dp/1556528167/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480085264&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+rap)
Best of luck to you little homie. holler if you got any questions
No problem. You also may want some acoustic foam around your recording area, like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00TP7C9YY/ref=pd_aw_lpo_267_bs_img_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=DKFBYPREFAA84ZEKF401 , or this works really good as well https://www.kaoticaeyeball.com/ . If you want a more expensive set up, you can get these professional Studio standard speakers https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HHZUTQQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1500445723&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=krk+rokit&dpPl=1&dpID=41i5K-Wru6L&ref=plSrch and these monitor headphones https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HVLUR86/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1500445753&sr=8-12&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=monitor+headphones . Good luck with the recording man, hope this helps!
Mixing in headphones is almost always gunna be a bit off. Sony mdr 7506 is pretty solid, and around your price point. I’ve had a great experience with them, though if you get a chance monitors are a better bet (though significantly more expensive)
Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AJIF4E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_OPG.zbN15RW4C
Thanks!
That's great advice and always something I forget about. I went to a broadcast school for video, so I have many audiophile friends who can probably hook me up with some, or at least advice me while shopping.
After my move, I'll be sure to get some.
I'm going to edit my post to include the headphones I'm using right now, Sony MDR-7506:
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR7506-Professional-Diaphragm-Headphone/dp/B000AJIF4E
I just got a new mic yesterday, the Audio-Technica AT2035 and a new interface, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. I was super hyped leading up to it and it's one of the best purchases I've made in my opinion, and I'm still fine tuning things.
I'm also looking at <$150 controllers, but I've been checking out the AKAI MPK mini. Doesn't look like there's too much difference in quality but I've heard that AKAI drum pads are always good.
You absolutely can learn piano on 25 keys, dont limit yourself. Once you know your way around the 13 keys in an octave, it's just repeated up and down the keys.
Would love to hear from someone who had experience with some of these controllers
we're using a audio technica at2020 https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0006H92QK, Thanks though man, solid feedback, we recorded this in the closet with blankets and towels and a foam matress as "treatment" haha and have no backgound noise in there, so i didn't think a gate was neccessary but I'm basically teaching myself here haha like most of us.
There's no reason you need to be blasting your monitors really high when you mix.
Rapping also does travel through the walls and wake people up. Hearing someone rap a take over and over and over in the other room can get pretty nervewracking.
IF you have good monitors/headphones you won't need to turn them up loud to get your work done. A good pair of headphones with a FLAT sound like the Sony 7506 are used for mixing in a lot of professional studios. You don't need $300 headphones at all and a lot of those higher end sennheisers aren't meant for mixing at all.
Schedule a time of day to record that wont bother any one. Some apartments are more sound-proofed than others. My old apartment had soundproofed walls, in my current one I can hear my neighbors phone vibrating upstairs.
Just be mindful of what time of the day it is. When people might be awake/sleep. Learn when your neighbors are away/at home. Etc.
Which of these would be more useful to some one who enjoys playing around with this as a hobby, not trying for a professional level. All I have right now if fl studio and am thinking about buying my first bit of equipment . I'm a fan of hip hop and sampling
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Numark-MixTrack-Platinum-Controller-Capacitive/dp/B01J3S8MUO
Or
https://www.amazon.co.uk/AKAI-Professional-Performance-ready-4-Way-Thumbstick/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=akai+mpk+mini+mk2&amp;qid=1567268323&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=akai&amp;sr=8-3
Ya that sounds good, dope song by the way. I can't really spend 75 bucks but I'm hoping the BLUE icicle will do the job too since it's cheaper. Does it look like it would work? I'm new to all this.
Aye man its not about what you got but what you can do with what you got. I would recommend some Mackie cr3's They are a bit price ($99 on amazon) but I think its definitely worth it for starter monitors.
Here's a link
https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-CR-CR3-Reference-Multimedia/dp/B00KVEIY4E/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1521568837&amp;sr=8-1-spons&amp;keywords=mackie+cr3&amp;psc=1
Right now just get a better microphone. You need an audio interface for a better microphone.
Pick one of these audio interfaces:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=sxts_kp_bs_lp_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=8778bc68-27e7-403f-8460-de48b6e788fb&pd_rd_wg=Pp8US&pf_rd_r=2CXEYH49RHP8A00H6TAJ&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B00EK1OTZC&pd_rd_w=nP9xh&pf_rd_i=behringer&pd_rd_r=c437f235-49ed-4bbe-8ba4-a229a80d0410&ie=UTF8&qid=1538287182&sr=1
&#x200B;
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-GENERATION-USB-Recording/dp/B005OZE9SA
&#x200B;
https://www.amazon.com/Audient-2-out-Performance-Audio-Interface/dp/B0107YJU8Q/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1538287237&sr=1-3&keywords=audient+id4
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As far as a "pre amp", the interface will act as the pre amp, (for your cost range).
Choose one of these mics:
https://www.amazon.com/SE-Electronics-Diaphragm-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B007W294X8
https://www.amazon.com/MXL-990-Condenser-Microphone-Shockmount/dp/B0002GIRP2
&#x200B;
After that It's just about mic placement and etiquette. Proper acoustic treatment will run you atleast 2 grand no matter what, so I wouldn't bother
Yeah I totally agree, excet he's mentioned a new interface in the past and I have that in my shopping cart right now: [Focusrite Scarlett 2i2] (http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-USB-Recording-Interface/dp/B005OZE9SA/)
I know he uses Logic and Reason to make his beats and if anything I want to help add something to his pool of equipment that he could capitalize on later.
If you want something really cheap in which you can control the gain then I recommend the BLUE icicle. You can probably get it for around 31 bucks on amazon.
I will jump in and sayi f you want to get into producing I would highly recommend getting a 25 key midi keyboard. AKAI MPK Mini is a solid choice. If you want to used pads AKAI MPD218 is a good choice as pads on most midi keyboards are not ideal. Other than that, a DAW and some monitors is really all you need to start.
Wow ok, thanks for the info
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005OZE9SA/ref=gno_cart_title_0?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Would that be a good option? It says it has "High quality mic preamps" but since this goes for 150 while many others go for higher, would I be skimping out if I purchased this?
Youtube. Here's a starting point but just search for your specific DAW to start, but eventually it doesn't matter as much once you learn the fundamentals. This book is good too. Search in the sidebar and just google. Tons of resources out there you just have to put the work in. I've spent like, the last year trying to learn about it and I'm still ass, but I'm improving.
I'd recommend (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1483920756&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;keywords=mk+ii+mini+keyboard&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41xJRcojBJL&amp;ref=plSrch)[this] if you have access to Amazon. It's never steered me wrong! Yes, the license is 60 days, but they believe in the power of their brand, so you can keep the full version for as long as you'd like. I personally used without a license for a good 2 years, and finally paid it when I had the means
The akai mpd 218 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0116X17JW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_nnfQzb9XHH9DW
Bought it a little over a year ago. If you have a daw already, it's a really great drum pad
buy a cheap 2 channel interface i recommend the focusrite scarlett 2i2 as well as two XLRM to TRS cables.
How To Rap has a lot of interviews with different rappers on their takes. I'm only part way through it but it has been interesting so far.
Yo I actually just found out about this mic the other day and I think Blue just came out with it as well. I'm thinking of getting this setup myself for my next paycheck!
Mic: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Condenser-recording-streaming-instruments/dp/B07MBFBQ3F/ref=sr_1_9?crid=37KRGBANFT9JP&keywords=blue+condenser+microphone&qid=1554152125&s=gateway&sprefix=blue+conden%2Caps%2C237&sr=8-9
DAC: https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=dac&qid=1554152211&s=gateway&sr=8-6
so is an interface required for pretty much every mic that isn't USB? Such as this one: http://www.amazon.com/AKG-PERCEPTION-120-Professional-Microphone/dp/B00160PRBU
if you get the XLR you have to get a interface with phantom power such as the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB Interface generally speaking its better to have analog recording than digital with an USB mic
Mackie CR Series CR3 - 3" Creative Reference Multimedia Monitors (Pair) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KVEIY4E/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_lc05xb09XF4EX
Check out my home studio. Gotta' keep the list building!
List:
Let me know what ya think or if there are any questions!
EDIT: Links for gear added/formatting.
I'm using these Sony ones.
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR7506-Professional-Diaphragm-Headphone/dp/B000AJIF4E
Oh well.
Blue Yeti For $89 @ Amazon
for $200 you could get this interface and this microphone
and you'd have money left over for a stand if you didn't have one before.
if you want the sm7b then you're looking at a vocal recording setup of $500+
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0006H92QK
Quite cheaper than the USB version, don't let that fool you though.
Check this out: https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPK-Mini-Controller/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1481935039&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=akai+mini
This and a DAW is all you would need to do what you want.
Too many focus on plugins or hardware, and not enough learning and knowledge. Get a book or two. This one is on my wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0240815807
Is this a good interface? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005OZE9SA?psc=1&amp;redirect=true&amp;ref_=ox_sc_act_title_2&amp;smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B005OZE9SA/ref=sr_1_4_olp?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1501543130&amp;sr=1-4&amp;keywords=scarlett-2i2
Either this power supply:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KAPGLQC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_HDNFybXP32WJY
Or this interface:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_OENFyb8GZ7EQD
Currently using these https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=at+m50x&qid=1562361429&s=electronics&sr=1-3
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86
I would skip the monitors for now and buy these and be done with it.
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86
This the one I use.
25 keys and 8 drum pads to get you started.
I recently purchased this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=ya_st_dp_summary
Here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KVEIY4E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
arturia minilab mk2
if you want full size keys try this or this
stay away from the launchkey it has terrible keys that feel like ass, it's only good if you want the clip launching features for ableton
the akai mpk mini is okay while it lasts but eventually the keys will break off. not might, will. Akai also just released an updated version of this controller, no idea if the keys are any more reliable on it though.
$200 is a bad amount of money to spend. either go cheap ($100) or go expensive with midi controllers and get something like this or this, everything "mid range" feels like ass for the price you pay & you will be disappointed with it.