Have you ever dreamed of starting an electro band, creating dance music, or becoming a remixer? It's a common dream, but most people never bother pursuing it. It's hard to blame them when you consider the overwhelming array of electronic musical gear that's available and the steep learning curve involved. But actually, there's never been a better time to explore electronic music making. Whether you're looking for a one-box solution that does everything or simply an inspiring solo instrument, the following pieces of gear are all great ways to get your feet wet.


MOOG ETHERWAVE
PRO THEREMIN
$1580
Sometimes you just want to jam on a cool sounding solo instrument, and it doesn't get any simpler or more retro than a Theremin. It's one of the oldest electronic instruments and has been featured on countless soundtracks to 1950s B-movies about alien invaders and haunted houses. It's one of the few electronic instruments you can play without touching — just by moving your hands in the air around its antenna. This limited edition Theremin in tiger maple and walnut is designed especially for live gigs and it’s the finest one you can buy.


MANIKIN ELECTRONIC
MEMOTRON
$2700
The Memotron is a precise recreation of a classic Mellotron, right down to its control knobs. It gives you an easy way to work with the authentic 1960s and 1970s sounds of Pink Floyd, the Beatles, Procul Harum, Genesis, and Tangerine Dream using sound libraries of vintage instruments that can be loaded using the built-in CD drive or a compact flash card.


ROLAND MV-880
PRODUCTION STUDIO
$2300
If you're looking for one box that can take you from first inspiration to final mix, this is it. In addition to a hard drive full of first-class Roland instruments, effects models, and drum kits, this revolutionary dance tool handles sampling, sequencing, recording, 24-channel stereo mixing, and final mastering. You can even output a demo with the built-in CD-R/RW drive. A bright color LCD handles menus and visual editing, but the optional VGA monitor and mouse are the best way to realize the MV-880's true potential.


KORG KAOSSILATOR DYNAMIC PHRASE SYNTHESIZER
$200
The Korg Kaossilator offers a new way to make music that liberates musicians from the keyboard. This pocket-sized electronic instrument lets you play musical phrases as soon as you pick it up, simply by tapping or sliding your finger across its touch pad. The Kaossilator runs on batteries, making it ultra-portable. It’s a powerful musical sketchpad featuring a gate arpeggiator, stackable looped recording, and an impressive arsenal of synth sounds, sound effects, and drum kits. You can watch a YouTube demo at www.tinyurl.com/2z8vwa


GENOQS OCTOPUS MIDI
CONTROL SEQUENCER
$3550
If you're looking for an intuitive new way to create electronic music, the Octopus is ideal. Recalling old skool, hardware sequencers, the Octopus is a hardware midi sequencer that lets you control your synthesizers using a beautiful mosaic of 258 push-buttons, 21 endless encoders, and an amazing panel of tri-color LEDs — all housed in finely lacquered beech. What looks simple is actually an incredibly advanced and flexible tool that can manage up to 90 simultaneous tracks. The Octopus is an open framework device that will keep its owners inspired for years.

The Ones

Interview By: Tom Terranova

What do you get when you take three downtown NYC club icons and put them together with the same producers who launched the Scissor Sisters? You get something absolutely flawless: The Ones. JoJo Americo, Paul Alexander, and Nashom are the three divas in charge of these infectious, eclectic house anthems that have been remixed by ATOC, The Rapture, Scissor Sisters, Phunk Investigation, Mantronix, Dimitri, Automagic and more. Their music draws from disco, house, punk, electro, synth-pop, funk and rock — blending them all seamlessly. Their self-titled debut album ships on March 4.

We recently caught up with the Ones and asked them a few questions about songwriting and their unique sense of style.

What process do you go through when writing music? What comes first?
Sometimes we like to develop the subject matter first. After that, it depends on how the track makes us feel. It can happen in different ways. Sometimes the melody comes first, and sometimes everything happens at once.

Who does the programming and production?
We usually work with talented producers who bring their own brand of magic. We mostly write melodies and lyrics, but we like to work closely with producers who have a vast knowledge of music and who understand what we’re trying to create. It’s nice to have different visions in the mix.
Which of your contemporaries would you like to work with?
We would love to work with Daft Punk, Missy Elliot, Scissor Sisters (again), and LCD Soundsystem.

JoJo - you seem to enjoy playing with androgyny. Do you consider it drag?
It's not like we're trying to be women. It's about being a glamorous boy. There are no tits or tucking.

How do you feel when people label you as a gay band?
It's not about being gay or straight. It's about individuality and looking fierce. We are all The One.