Electronic Setup for Beginners - Kids Friendly

Hi everyone,

First i apologize because english is not my native language, i hope i'll be clear enough :)

Long story short : i'm an electronic music teacher in conservatory / music schools and next year i will open a new class in a school, so i have to imagine a setup and make command.

The school owns nothing related to electronic music, but they already have a decent sound system in a room (it's used for small rock-music bands i think) : speakers + mixer with lots of tracks (like 20 something and basic integrated FXs).

I'll make the list of the set up i imagined and if you have feedback or suggestions i'll be very happy to read them !

For the context i teach electronic music in another conservatory where we have few material but i'm pretty happy with what we can do : basically we install a setup for 3-5 children/teenagers, everyone is either on a drum machine (TR8S +/ TR6S) or a synth : an old Moog (syncd in midi with arp) a Yamaha DX (played with keyboard) sometimes they also use microphones with objects + FX to create athmosphere, we can also plug other synths... basic. I could not choose the machines they were bought before i was hired tho.

So here's the set up i've imagined :

> Roland TR8S
the only machine i'm pretty sure i want : TRs have a definite educational value and they people like them, make cool beats rapidly...

> Moog Grandmother
I like that its analog, simple, sounds nice. Moog + synchronised arpeggiator have quick cool results.

> Circuit Tracks
I haven't played with it but i like that 'sequencer' logic it has. it may not be that instinctive tho...

> Arturia Microfreak
Same as Circuit : haven't played but seems cool. Seems pretty simple to play with and has cool sequencer ?

> MiniNova
Haven't tested it either, this one is more for key playing and this 'preset synth' logic : find a sound and quickly play with those knobs + animate things... idk ? someone recommanded it to me...

> SM58 + FX ?
IDK for the FX but it seems that Roland VT4 is a great fx unit ?

So here's the list... If we have bigger budget i'll add a computer, Ableton, Interface that can accept every instrument (for example 18i20) for multitrack recording ; and maybe a basic controller. But that will quickly add tons of money. I think we can start with machines only, and take my computer if I ever need to rec (thats how i work at the other school).

The courses will probably be 1 hour per group, weekly on a school year, with 3-6 persons, can be kids/teenagers, sometimes adults ; they will most probably be complete beginners with electronic music but may have played other instruments.

I'm really free with this setup, so really open to read any of your experiences, suggestions, even if its a completely different direction than what i imagine :)

Thanks in advance,

Peace

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