r/dawless

I’m going to be spending quite a long time between Japan and Bali, and I want to build a genuinely portable studio that I can travel with.
I make electronic music, mostly electro/techno-ish stuff. I’m not really a sample/chop-heavy producer. I usually prefer starting from scratch with drum machines and synths and building tracks that way.
Here’s the slightly unusual part: my laptop got stolen recently, and I’m leaving for Japan soon, so I don’t really have time to replace it before I go. I could spend the money on another laptop, but honestly I’d rather put that money toward a few pieces of hardware and try doing a completely laptop free setup for a while 😂.
I’m thinking about getting a **Yamaha SEQTRAK** in Japan as the centerpiece. I also recently got **Koss Porta Pro** headphones because they’re tiny and easy to travel with.
I also have a **DrumBrute Impact**, which I really enjoy using, so I’m debating whether I should bring it with me or leave it at home. It’s obviously much bigger/heavier than something like a SEQTRAK, but I really like the hands on workflow.
I might also add a small synth such as a **Roland S-1**, and I’m considering a tiny mixer like **Mackie MIX5** so I can run multiple pieces of gear together.
The biggest limitation is that **I won’t have a laptop with me at all.** I want to be able to make complete tracks, save different projects, and ideally export/save finished tracks so I can eventually release them without needing a computer while I’m traveling.

So what would you do in my situation?
• Is SEQTRAK a good centerpiece for a completely laptop-free setup?
• Would you bring the DrumBrute, or is it redundant enough that you’d leave it behind?
• Would adding something like an S-1 actually add much, or would you just stick with the SEQTRAK?
• Is a small mixer useful here, or unnecessary?
• How would you handle saving/exporting finished tracks without a laptop?
• Is there another standalone device you’d recommend instead of SEQTRAK?
• If you were spending roughly the same money you might otherwise spend on a laptop, what hardware would you build around?
I’m not trying to build the most powerful setup possible. I mainly want something **small, affordable, fun, and actually realistic to carry around while traveling for months.**
Would love to hear what setup you’d build in this situation.

I just ordered my very first Elektron setup, the Tonverk alongside the BOSS VE-22 for vocals. I also have an Arturia MiniBrute for analog basslines. My goal is to build a live performance centered around hypnotic/dub techno with live vocal sampling and processing.
I come from a music production background in Ableton, but this is my first time getting into the Elektron workflow, so I’m starting from scratch.
A friend told me I should have gotten the Digitakt II instead because drums are the most crucial part of the techno I want to make, and honestly, now I have a bit of anxiety and FOMO. I definitely want to add the Digitakt II later to keep everything in the Elektron family, but I'm trying to be smart about my budget right now.
I’d love to get your advice on a few specific questions:

- For those using the Tonverk standalone for drums: How is your experience handling percussions on it without any external drum machines? Can it deliver that solid, driving groove for techno on its own?
- Sample loading workflow: I’ve heard mixed things about loading samples. Since I own several drum machine VSTs in Ableton, is it better to design and sample my own drum sounds directly into the Tonverk, or should I just invest in pre-made sample packs?
- Learning curve: As a first-time Elektron user, is it better to fully master the Tonverk (and integrate it with my MiniBrute and vocals) first, or should I just stretch my budget and grab the Digitakt II from day one?

Would love to hear your thoughts and tips! Thanks so much

Hey there!

So, for a bit of context - my current setup is two samplers, an MPC 1000 and an SP-303. I've already been looking into JJOS and am pretty happy with these two instruments, though I'm wondering if there's anything I can add. Budget is probably gonna be around £400 at the absolute max, though I'm hoping there's something I can do with that cash that would be a good investment into what I'm currently doing.

I was think the Chroma Console, but I wanted to field some other answers, see if anyone else had a recommendation! :)

Just curious. I was wondering if I'm the only one here using a less common OS on my computer.

Even if your music setup is mostly or entirely DAWless, what operating system do you use on your main computer?

- Windows

- macOS

- Linux

- ChromeOS

- I rarely / never use a computer

- Other