Lucky you! Are you going to have a lot of downtime for messing with music gear, or are there other plans (sightseeing, camping, hiking, etc.)? I’d say the best bet is to bring as minimal a setup as makes sense. I’ve learned about being realistic from various trips where I brought gear that ends up sitting in the bag the entire time. Whatever you decide, enjoy the trip!
I might do some hiking and kayaking as I do love nature. But I’m actually more interested in visiting different cities and towns, seeing live music and art exhibits, and meeting people. It’s a given that I’ll get inspired and need to record ideas and I’ll probably want them to be of decent quality. I just dove into the manual for this 4-track recorder I have (DR-40), and realized that that and a synth should technically be all I need to get decent recordings of song ideas down quick. I should probably limit myself to a groovebox and some keys, the question is should it be a controller and the laptop, or a self-contained synth.
I forgot to mention I also have a Korg X5 which has quite a crap keybed but it’s compact and has 61 keys, the most of all my keyboards.
I’ve travelled with pricey gear and wouldn’t do it again… A weight on my mind at a time when I should’ve been open and carefree. If it is super important to you, I’d suggest something that’s cheap and let’s you get ideas down quickly when inspiration hits. These days I take a well-loaded iPad with me, but mainly just do sketches or voice memos and come back to them post-travels. Just my 2c
Well, worry wort that I am, a month ago I actually bought business insurance so all my gear is covered for theft or accident.
God I wish I had a guitar, and the ability to play one! XD It would be a no-brainer.
I jammed with some friends with my Lead on my lap recently, and that felt surprisingly good. I think chilling in front of a lake in my folding chair with my big red synth on my lap sounds like a good time. Also bringing a folding table so I can have an outdoor setup.
MC, Lead, and Tascam is the trio I’ve zeroed in on. Talking about this made me realize that convenience and flexibility are the most important factors.
And, who knows maybe I’ll get invited to a jam, I’d have the perfect gear with me.
However it does still feel a bit strange bringing the Lead. It’s not like a guitar, though guitars can get just as expensive. I mean … I have no idea how easy it will be to find a private place to write and practice. I guess even if I don’t actually use it, it might still be a good idea to just bring it along and see.
Maybe I should get an old casiotone from a thrift store just to have something to play chords on and sing …
All right. Take the Cycles only to scratch any itch you might have while away. Just make a shit load of patterns for later use without any distractions. Forget anything that needs to be connected to anything else or is too precious. Too much hassle. Maybe add a field recorder for some sound memories from your trip.
This isn’t a bad idea. That’s the perfect scenario for picking up something that’s half in the grave, but still plays. If it gets lost/stolen or dies, then it’s not a huge deal.
A field recorder and a small camera, nothing else. On a road trip I would immerse totally into the experience, shoot pictures, film scenes, tape environment soundscapes, and bring that home with you to do an album with that material.
Actually I am going on a road trip next month too. I am gonna do it exact this way. Thank you for the inspiration!
I’d go a step further and bring 2-3 thrift stores keyboards and hit up thrift shops along the way. That way, when you inevitable run in to some beatboxers and other traveling musicians, you can hand off a cheap synth instead of carefully guarding your precious.
