Small living room "music zone"? (bonus points for hideaway!)

[JACink]

I am in the process of working out how to fit my music stuff in the living room, as I need to donate the "music room/office" back to the bedroom count.

Our apartment is sort of modern minimalistic in decor, something that both my SO an I like, so I don't want to stick a huge desk in a corner and call it a day.

I am looking for ideas for a set up that would sort of blend in to the decor, hideaway would be even better.

I have more or less come up with an idea for my basses (first step being cut the count a little), but I need to come up with a solution for the "work" area.

I don't have a huge ammount of equipment that I need to put in there, as I will have a rack hidden in a closet, so it will basically be a largish pc screen, an audio interface, keyboard and mouse, 25 key midi keyboard and a launchpad style DAW controller (maybe add a faderport due to losing the mixing console from the side of me). My amp is a Fender Rumble 500C so I will probably end up getting something smaller to keep in the living room.

Does anybody have anything that is similar?

Any ideas?

 

[JACink]

I just realized that the title says "small living room", I was actually meaning a small space in the living room, not that it would be in a small living room (although it's not huge either).

 

[silky smoove]

I don't have a huge ammount of equipment that I need to put in there, as I will have a rack hidden in a closet, so it will basically be a largish pc screen, an audio interface, keyboard and mouse, 25 key midi keyboard and a launchpad style DAW controller (maybe add a faderport due to losing the mixing console from the side of me). My amp is a Fender Rumble 500C so I will probably end up getting something smaller to keep in the living room.

Launchpad style DAW controller? Which model are you describing?

Don't bother with a Faderport for mixing duties, just stick with a mouse. The Faderport has two functions where it actually provides a benefit: Limited transport controls, and manually drawing automation. Anything beyond that is not its forte.

You didn't list monitors in all of this. Are you using monitors, or just doing it via headphones? If headphones, why are you bothering to factor in the amplifier at all? Stick it in a closet since it won't provide any benefit. If you are using monitors; which model are they, where will you be locating them, and what are you doing for room treatments?

 

[JACink]

Launchpad style DAW controller? Which model are you describing?

I use an Akai APC mini on the desktop and a foot controller pedal that I made for using ableton while playing.

Don't bother with a Faderport for mixing duties, just stick with a mouse. The Faderport has two functions where it actually provides a benefit: Limited transport controls, and manually drawing automation. Anything beyond that is not its forte.

Thanks for the heads up, I have never had chance to try one out, but a lot of Presonus stuff I have tried has been pretty decent and thought it would come in handy (seeing that I will no longer have a mixer at the side of me). Anything similar but better that you know of?

You didn't list monitors in all of this. Are you using monitors, or just doing it via headphones? If headphones, why are you bothering to factor in the amplifier at all? Stick it in a closet since it won't provide any benefit. If you are using monitors; which model are they, where will you be locating them, and what are you doing for room treatments?

For this there is a short and a long explanation...

Long: Most of my musical activities happen in the evening, so I do most of my stuff with headphones. For checking mixes I find that the best option is variety, which I have a variation of systems available. In my home I have Meyer Sound in the Kitchen, JBL in the bathrooms, Bose (yes, Bose, which I just cannot get to like any of their speakers) in the bedroom, a Sony hifi system in another bedroom and Tannoy in my living room (which I will probably upgrade to Genelec some time in the near future) which will be 2 or 3m away from my new music space. At work I have access to Meyer Sound, Genelec, EAW, Clair Bros and JBL systems. I also have a gaming 2.1 system that is hooked up to my pc just for youtube videos etc.

This gives me plenty of variation to mix on, and as I only use laptops, it's quite easy for me to move around for final mixes, tests etc. I found that I was only switching on my monitors as another test source, and when I sold them, I never got around to replacing them.

Short: I dont use monitors.

The reason for wanting a small amp in the living room is for the weekend "relax" moments when I just like to chill and play bass (without using headphones).

 

[silky smoove]

Anything similar but better that you know of?

Mackie MCU Pro is still a standard. A little clunky with the overlays for different DAWs, but it gets the job done. Avid Artist stuff is really cool, but spendy. Behringer X-Touch stuff feels like a cheaper version of Avid's products, but could be okay. The scribble strips are a joke if memory serves. Slate Raven MTI is a cool way to go if you don't mind your monitor being on a desktop at an angle.

Short: I dont use monitors.

Then ignore my previous comments about room treatment, etc.

The reason for wanting a small amp in the living room is for the weekend "relax" moments when I just like to chill and play bass (without using headphones).

Makes sense. If that's all it's being used for I'd still likely stick it in a closet and only pull it out on an as-needed basis. It seems like keeping things aesthetically minimal is important to you, and there's nothing more minimal than invisible, haha.

 

[J Posega]

Get some kind of IKEA wardrobe that you can fit all your stuff in.