It’s been just over a year since I switched from a DAW to almost exclusively making music with the Circuit Tracks and SP404. Today I want to talk about my experience with creating music like this, but before I get into what I learned and whether it’s worth it, let’s define what exactly “Going Dawless'' means and some common questions when you’re starting out or looking to get into the Dawless world
What is Dawless?
The simplest definition is: making electronic music without the aid of a computer. Instead of using a computer and a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), you use grooveboxes, sequencers, samplers and synths to compose, arrange and perform music.
Why Go Dawless when a computer is so much “better” and “easier”?
Going Dawless doesn’t have to be an either or, My own studio is very much a hybrid setup. I have a DAW and midi controller for my commissioned soundtrack work, mastering and more, then have my DAWless section for brainstorming, sound design and beatmaking. I personally have gone down the dawless path because I find the tactile nature of real gear, the immediacy and each piece's limitations incredibly inspiring. It also helps me break through my own comfort zones.
If you’re feeling stuck or like everything is sounding a bit same-y in your current workflow, it’s a great idea to check out some dawless gear, but with so many choices, where do you begin…..
What Gear Should I Start With?
This is a pretty open ended question, and it can vary depending on your preferred genres, sound needs and more. A great starting point is some sort of groovebox or “brain” that can sequence internal and external sounds through midi, such as a Circuit Tracks, Octatrack or Roland MC707. From there, you can add synths, samplers and so on based on your personal wants and needs.
These are my personal choices for a small, relatively affordable and powerful setup:
Novation Circuit Tracks: https://amzn.to/41kgtmD
An intuitive groovebox with 4 drum/sample tracks, 2 internal synths and 2 midi channels for programming external hardware. This is a great "brain" or central hub of a DAWless setup as it can work by itself or connect and send midi/tempo to other gear.
Roland SP404 MKII: https://amzn.to/3SrqlqC
Quite possibly my favorite piece of gear. It's a sampler, sequencer and even synth (if you use one shots and the polyphonic chromatic mode). The reason I chose this sampler is portability and long sample playback times per pad. You get a lot of flexibility in terms of how you can use this machine standalone or with other gear.
Behringer MS-1: https://amzn.to/3KsYjsS
A powerful mono synth that gives instant Boards of Canada vibes. This is a clone of the Roland SH-101 and has an easy workflow with great sound.
Korg Minilogue: https://amzn.to/3Zf9adV
A 4 voice polyphonic synth that is affordable, sounds great and easy to use... it's a dream to play! Pair this with a Circuit and you've got pretty much all you need to start making music or playing live.
My Personal Journey through Dawless
My setup started with the Circuit Tracks, which is an incredibly powerful machine for the price. You get two external midi channels so you can sequence stuff like synths or even a sampler to have near limitless sound possibilities. The lack of a screen is actually a perk to it’s workflow as it’s very intuitive and “what you see is what you get”.
Adding Synths Once I added the Dreadbox Erebus, I was able to have some analog goodness mixed in the harsh digital synths of the Circuit. The only thing I was lacking was a sampler to add in more sounds from the tracks I made with a DAW for my album… Enter the SP404MKII
Adding a Sampler... Or Opening Pandora’s Box
A sampler opens the door to near limitless possibilities within a single box. For the SP, with 32 voice polyphony, sampling, resampling, sequencing and the insane fx, this box can suit *almost* all my needs in one. There are of course limitation, and so I created my first full dawless setup.
Putting it all together
A groovebox, sampler and two synths... This was my first setup combining all of the puzzle pieces into a cohesive unit. Circuit for sequencing analog gear and internal sounds and the SP to add effects, mastering and additional samples when needed. My only issue was the excessive real estate it occupied and I was trying to move towards a more portable setup
Creating live sets with the setup/downsizing:
In my quest for a portable setup, I put together a minimal setup of just the SP and Circuit. My goal was to recreate tracks I made with the near limitless resources of a DAW on just these two machines. The Circuit handled the drums and main synth parts then the SP would add additional loops taken from the tracks I made in a DAW and sequenced with the Circuit using the pattern sequencer. It certainly worked, but over time I’ve grown a bit tired of the Circuit and have had some issues with the play button not working. While it’s an awesome piece of gear, especially considering the price, the nova synth engine is, for me, very digital/cold sounding. In the short term, I’ve actually been using a second sampler, Koala sampler on iOS for playback with the SP and it works pretty well. In the long run, I think something like the MPC or Digitakt may work more for what I need.
Lessons Learned After a Year of DAWless Music Making
That was my year of dawless music making. This setup depends highly on the gear you're using, which also brings up the biggest drawback: the cost. When compared to a 200-400 dollar DAW and what it gives you in comparison, a DAWless setup can add up quite quickly in cost. For me, nothing beats the inspiration and fun factor that comes with creating tracks from real hardware, but if I were just starting out, I’d start small and build from there.
Having a more hybrid setup with a DAW and adding hardware per your needs is a great way to mitigate the potential costs and grow a setup over time. An example of this kind of setup is using a DAW to send midi to multiple pieces of external gear. From there you can use a sampler to create samples from these jams, then you can send the midi or program similar vibes into a groovebox to have a detachable/portable option. Essentially you have the DAW as a hub, and the hardware works with it and can be separated for portable work.
Was it Worth It? So after a year of making music this way, was it worth it? Well that’s quite subjective, but for me, definitely; although there's a caveat. Dawless is a fun, intuitive and unique way of creating music; however, it can be quite limiting and price can quickly become a factor. For me, a hybrid setup is the way to go. Having the ability to use hardware with a DAW, and when I’m bored or need inspiration being able to quickly pare it down to just a sampler and groovebox is the ideal workflow for me. It’s all up to personal tastes and I’d be curious to hear what your experiences in the DAWless world has been. If you work with it, why? If not, is there anything that would persuade you to give it a try?
Thanks for joining me on this retrospective look at the last year in my musical journey. I hope you take something away from it and if you’re considering going DAWless I definitely recommend giving it a shot.
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