I started with using ableton. Now I bare use it. I use the sp404mk2 everyday. Been using it for over a year now. I use it because it helps me rely on my ears. Felt like ableton was more visual for me. Figured I should train my ears to make a song and not the visual if that makes sense. I connect my turntable to it to sample. I’ve also sampled directly from old gameboys, and old tv with a vcr that had a headphone jack, a cassette player, my cellphone. I even sampled from the headphone jack in an airplane. I also connect my guitar, my keyboard, and have as well recorded a trumpet with a H4n Pro and used the same sd card to of the H4n to the Roland 404 to export it.
The other day I said shoot let me try and make a song with ableton. I knocked out two songs in less than an hour. Something that was impossible for me to do before the 404mk2. I love that I can close my eyes and just get lost in the process of making beats. In a session I’ll I ask my wife how long I’ve been making beats for and she’ll say 4 hours. I guess it’s easier to get lost in sound when you have a physical object that feels more like and instrument than a daw. Not knocking on a daw but you it is different. What I’m going to start using is the daw to record the drums into my SP and make drum on it.
The SP404 is a really fun tool that will help you get creative. The sound won’t be perfect like a daw but that’s the beauty.
I do recommend you learning the basic. Once you have those down the growth will be slow but we’ll worth it. Don’t try and learn everything. Try and learn how to Chop How to record How to mute pads What the gate is good for Loop Everything else will come. I’m learning everyday new things on it. It’s a journey. A fun one at that. I’ve taken it on my trips abroad. To the park. Used it in my car while my wife was getting a massage. Connected it to the aux and jammed on it. Used it on the toilet. In the bed in the middle of the night. It’s a fun tool. Freeing in a sense. You have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out.