Thank you for putting this together.
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Question #1 - Iām wondering what peopleās Dub Techno setups are in 2021. Anybody care to share? Hardware, software, both. Make no difference to me.
Question #2 - If you could choose only one to make Dub Techno with, would you choose Digitakt or Digitone? (Iām thinking of getting a box to make simple Dub Techno jams with OTB while I wait on Apple M2 computers. My 2011 iMac is dying and Iām very frustrated at Abletonās performance right now.)
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i use a hybrid itb/otb setup, i really like the flexibility.
for hardware i have a drumbrute, a4, ms20 mini, and dfam that i run into a vestax mixer, then to the digitakt and into ableton. iāll switch up the configuration from time to time, but thatās the basic idea.
for software, pigments and diva are my main synths (although i use a few others) and i use a number of different fx plugins. for delays/reverbs, my work horses are modnetic/diffuse, echoboy, little plate, blackhole, and i use a lot of the unfiltered audio stuff for mangling and sound design.
even when iām composing ideas via hardware, i like to arrange, resample, and use ableton for adding fx, sends, fills, etc. i find that helps my ability to be more creative with delays and textures and the various ways i can change the setup keeps me interested and inspired when iām struggling to come up with ideas.
i canāt really answer your second question as i havenāt used the digitone, but i hear you with ableton performance issues. my 2012 mac mini has done well, but i think itās nearing the end of itās useful life. iām really thinking about adding a proper outboard mixer, but thatās going to require pedals and fx, which is another money pit i donāt need to dive into. 
iām curious to what others are doing for setups too, itās always cool to see different approaches.
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Thanks for sharing! I like the hybrid approach as well and Iāve tried many variations over the years. Iāve sold all my drum machines (TR-8, Vermona DRM, Rytm, Digitakt) and only use Ableton currently. I guess I was never satisfied with sync. I still have some hardware synths (NL2x rack, MS20 mini, Boog).
Software synths - Ableton stuff, Diva, TAL Sampler, OB-Xd, Synplant. These are my main synths for stabs and pads. Sometimes I sample things into TAL Sampler as well, and have a collection of stabs from synths Iāve sold.
For bass I mainly use SubLab or samples of FM synths, or those layered up with 808 kicks.
Drums - mainly samples, but sometimes Max4live drum synths and MicroTonic.
FX - This is where I go overboard. Valhalla SuperMassive and Vintage Verb, Ableton Echo, AudioThing Reels, U-he Satin, Izotope Vinyl, XLN RC-20, Spaceship Delay, Surreal Machines Diffuse and Modnetic.
I tried to go all hardware a couple years ago with a huge Mackie mixer, pedals, synths and drum machines. I found it too much of a pain to write complete songs on though and sold it all. Money pit for sure! I feel ya.
yeah i love the idea of a hardware setup with a mixer and pedals because itās so much fun to jam with, but if my goal is to finish songs, i donāt think i can do that well without ableton.
bass is something iām still figuring out. i like short notes, i use toms a lot, but i donāt really have a go to method. with dub techno, i find the dark chords eat up a lot of that space and i still have a tough time finding the balance at times.
Yeah, bass is something I struggle with also. My goal is to get close to Rhythm & Sound, but they are the masters of bass, imho. Yeah, short punchy notes and bass woven between drums and stabs is what I go for. Mainly I try and space things out on the timeline, giving each musical element room/time to breathe and shine, rather than solely relying on side-chaining and eq-ing to achieve separation.
I guess I do a high pass on most stabs and fx though, to let bass and kick exist more easily in that lower range by themselves.
Hands-on is fun, absolutely. I guess I try and get a bit of that feeling with Push 2 knobs and automation recording. Ableton is the only way I can finish stuff, for sure. Iām going to pop some champagne when I can get a new iMac and finally finish some tracks again.
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thatās the bulk of what iām trying to figure out at the moment. i really struggle with over-complicating things, making arrangements too dense, using too many sounds and not leaving room for the elements to breathe. itās a skill i find really difficult.
Same here. My stuff is usually some sort of melodic Dub Techno, if thatās even a thing. Eventually, I want to do an EP of really sparse tracks like R&S, no melodies, and almost verging on ambient Dub Techno.
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can you link your music? iād love to check it out.
Same
Are you just using Push? Or other things in the mix as well for control.
If you wanna do chords, I would go with the Digitone. With it you also can do good bass just using a sinewave. Sinewave bass with a little add of harmonics from saturation can get you close to the R & S sound.
But for the chords I think best cheap chord maschine is in my expierence the Korg volca bass. Insert a chorus full wet stereo, send it to soundtoys echo boys. Happy days 
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a few selections I enjoy. Always discovering more wondrous dub infused styles. This thread is great!
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Hey mattleaf, Iāve got a Novation Launchcontrol XL as well, for some fader action + a few sends. I sold a Livid DS1, which I sort of regret. It had 5 send knobs right on the face - great for jamming. The XL can a few sends, but only 2 at a time unless you push some buttons to change them, which is not as fun.
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Sure thing! Iāll scrounge some up soon. Iāve got some pork on the smoker and Iām running around like a madman preparing dinner right now.
Iād love to hear yours too. Iām guessing by your name you include some 303. I drop a bit of 303 in mine also, and always like to hear some acid dub. Big fan of TM404!
post it here or dm me if you want and whenever you have time is cool. i havenāt made a lot of āacid dubā recently, but my first release on insectorama was along those lines. iām a big fan of recondite and dark/chilled acid techno in that style too.
Really love this, so simple and repetitive, yet so melodic and textured, after a while I found myself hearing extra notes in my head.
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I had fun in 2016 using my MM and MD + El Capistan and Bigsky.
The MM chord machine was perfect for the job.
(sorry if I posted this here before now, I lose track)
I bought a solid Dub-Tech sample pack for my M:S, from a company who really seem to make an effort to put together decent collections at a super price.
(again, sorry if Iāve repeated this one too, I posted it on this site somewhere once, but here it is again). I havenāt done anything too creative with it yet, but had the idea to use the chords and pads outside of actually trying to do Dub Techno (though obviously it would end up sounding like a homage to the genre, no bad thing I suppose).
The M:C chord machine would be fun for home-sculpted sounds.
Trouble is, I listen to so much quality Dub Techno for pleasure that I rarely have the impetus to make my own contribution. Instead, Iām content to enjoy the creations of others within what I find to be a thoroughly absorbing style.
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