After working with the setup from my previous post, I ran into issues with the dawless abilities. I’ve created a new setup that involves keeping the computer in the loop, so I can add VSTs and other benefits. I decided to connect the Scarlett 18i8 to the computer so I can still have sound coming from the computer. I then plugged the Mixer and MPC into it so I could record in my DAW.

I have been working diligently to find the perfect hardware setup that will allow me to just sit down and jam out, recording the “performance” in case something good comes out of it. My “eureka” moment was when I was sitting there with two separate clocks running thinking, “How do I synchronize all of this and make it all work together?” That’s when I remembered that the MPC and Bitwig Studio both support Ableton Link.

About seven or eight years ago, I started down a path to create my own synthesizer using discrete electronic parts like CMOS chips, resistors, capacitors, and the like. Early on, I discovered the “Lunetta” synthesizer, made from 40106 CMOS chips. By hooking them up a certain way, you can achieve a square wave. This was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I got distracted by more capable machines like the Arduino and various FPGAs along the way, so my adventures were short-lived.