what I have to add is I use quite a lot of techniques learned on my modular and elektrons in ableton now.
Like some generative techniques or the way I use the max for live lfo‘s etc
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over the last year got into elektron stuff been trying to make complete tracks just with it, I’ve just started going full overbridge and sequence everything from ableton instead of on the hardware and will be doing that now…with overbridge elektron gear it is just like hardware vsts
especially now I’ve learnt about total recall, it’s really best of both worlds…
so it’s ITB completely arrange tweak etc but still get to use hardware too 
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I like to go hybrid. Create loops, phrases on DT/DN + other external gear and hook it up via OB / MIDI. Add VSTs ITB. This way I control transport through DAW, iterate on the boxes and twist stuff until I’m happy record. Repeat.
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This is basically what I do, works well for me
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Started doing this sort of thing with Reason - and damn it comes up with some beautiful sounds /sequences I would never get otherwise! Still learning how to tame the machine though.
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I’m more productive in a daw and more creative on my outboard. I generatealmost all sound sources otb and then at some point commit and record it. The rest then happens itb, as there are so many good plugins out there. Plugin alliance being the big player for me atm.
Committing has really been a great workflow, as you have to make choices and stick to them. I often don’t even save a preset on the synths.
I would hate mixing otb and would hate working completely itb. A nice hybrid for me please.
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I don’t understand this fetishization of “DAWless” setups these days…
I work primarily with hardware because whenever I try to sequence something with a mouse and keyboard it doesn’t feel natural to me. I enjoy playing something with knobs and the tactile feedback. And honestly I work on a computer all day, I just want to get away from it sometimes.
That being said, actually recording and mixing music in some other way just sounds like way more work than it’s worth. I’d rather have my fun with my gear, record stuff, and then edit it in a DAW.
I don’t get why people feel they need to go one way or another, or that going “DAWless” is a badge of honor or something.
For me, my happy place is a smallish office space, a few pieces of versatile gear I really love, and a DAW to record and edit it in.
If you have gear and you want to try to slim down, selling right now is probably going to be rough, so maybe just put some things away in storage and try it out.
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this was my main-goal … it it worked very well
but i also have a DAW, two to be precisely and recently i tried out the OB-software and it worked very well
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I do, It starts with people wanting actual things in their studio that make them feel more like a legitimate musician, it then grows into a quest for the perfect setup. Then there’s always one more feature or a new piece of gear that could make your life easier. This is where most people flip a bunch of stuff. Then a lot of people realise what they’re doing, settle down and make a post about GAS. A number of other people become gear dragons and for them it becomes a dick measuring contest, having a computer that could do the same shit, probably easier is the complete antithesis of that plus now they have to mentally justify the sheer amount of money they’ve spent to achieve this, so they have to entirely reject the opposite. It becomes an echo chamber of dudes with tons of gear writing about tactility and digital not sounding the same.
There’s arguments for both sides but I think everyone knows deep down the only way is to use both. If you sit on a computer you feel like you’re missing out and if you use only hardware you need a million things to do what you want without hitting walls. On the other hand you have the minimalist movement. I think that mostly comes from people who’ve done the opposite and cut down their setups. This can be matched by people just jumping in who can afford one piece. Together they make a new niche
even if you use a DAW as a glorified tape recorder you’d be a fool not to at this point. Hardware can feel magic and if something makes you feel like a musician then more power to you, most the time though it’s not because it’s hardware, it’s because it’s new. In my opinion anyway
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pretty spot on
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the minimalist approach seems like a scratchpad with sometimes awesome results. one synth - one reverb - you can see tons of videos on YT - that’s our world today
anyway here is an example from the DJ side, more in a baroque way … the same discussion about vinyl vs. cd vs. laptop
just awesome
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This is true, and is a fact that I accept on an intellectual level, but there’s some horrible combination of consumerist thinking and 21st century absolutism that causes me to veer with some regularity between “I am a computer musician” and “I am a hardcore hardware tinkerer” with resulting waves of gear binges and purges.
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I love hardware but I also love my itb setup
Ableton with max for live, reaktor, softube modular, serato sample and a number f vsts from plugin alliance and waves for mixing and mastering. One hand there is endless possibilities for experimenting but on the other if I have an idea in my head I can get it down pretty close to how I I want it quickly. It’s productive but also fun and experimental when I want it to be. Add in vdmx, serato DJ and video and it’s all my music and visuals needs in one place.
Love hardware also
I love whatever works
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I see that in a lot of YT “jams”. What’s funny is that (for me at least) watching someone perform a track with a room full of gear is SO much less interesting than someone doing something equally complex on just one or twp pieces of gear.
Like when you see a desk full of Elektron machines and the guy ends up using a Machinedrum just for one dinky hihat. Cringy.
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Everyone knows that the only legit way to make music is to bang on logs with rocks and sticks. And the only legit way to record is through a bird, by keeping them around long enough until they can literally mimic the sounds you’re making.
That’s analog. Anything else is NOT REAL
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I like it when someone (YouTube look at me video) uses a ROOM full of gear to do a track that coulda been done all in one box 
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Talk about a portable recording solution…
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Yeah man minimal is the way. I finish more tracks sat on my iPad than in my studio with all my gear. Obviously goes through the DAW eventually but that’s the easy part. It truly does reach a point where it becomes a ball ache to use your gear when there’s too much going on. for me that’s after about two units most the time realistically and that’s in the studio
Exactly, I’m not enamoured by the live performance aspect of having all your synths parameters available cause what am I realistically gonna need to tweak that I can’t do in a sampler most the time? The end goal is to get everything into one sampler for me by the time I’m done and that’s plenty
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I’m really feeling this thread. I’ve downsized substantially over the years and I’m tempted to go even farther in the coming months. I never got into Live, although I probably should have, but I’ve been diving into Logic over the past month or so and man, it’s amazing what you can do with it. I’m constantly blown away.
I’m struggling to find a reason to keep my Digitakt at the moment.
I’ve been sort of jonesing for an MPC One (reminiscing about my old MPC1000), but I picked up Serato Sample and damn it’s amazing. It’s a dream for anyone into chopping up and rearranging samples MPC style and so much faster than anything I’ve ever used. Plus I’ve seen loads of YouTube videos with people with MPC Live and Maschine using it because it’s better than what those machines can do.
This is not my style of music, but it shows how you could make a track with that one plugin and I thought it was a cool video.
For people going from hardware to ITB, what midi devices are you using to give it more of a hardware feel, with knobs and stuff? Preferably not Ableton specific.
Also, for what it’s worth. I get the love of hardware, so I see why a lot of people sort of swing back and forth.
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I think your last question is the main concern why we gathered here in this forum. I haven’t done much work in DAWs my entire life (besides mixing/automating) because it always felt so cumbersome to map and more important remember the mappings. Recently I bought a Midi Fighter Twister but only because it has some nice templates for ableton where I don’t have to memorize too much. But … well … it’s not perfect. Guess I am waiting for a Push 3 to be released.