What's your favorite bedside music sketching device?

[SynthWizard]

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What's your favorite bedside music sketching device?

Context: I'm looking for the ideal music sketching device to mainly keep at my bedside table to be picked up instead of the mobile phone when bored. In theory, this would mean more music making and less GASing over stuff on YouTube which is where I tend to gravitate when feeling lazy and too far away from the studio. ?

I already have an MPC One as my primary music making device and I'm very very happy with it. About the only thing I really miss about it is the lack of true portability.

Hence this post: I'm looking for input from you all on your ideal device for the purpose of noodling on song and rhythm ideas. Some "requirements":

• After playing around with Koala and FL Studio Mobile, I'm convinced that I want a hardware device. It makes a massive difference to be able to press physical buttons/keys and it's too easy to just switch back to YouTube on the mobile phone.
• It needs to sound good enough that I'll want to sample the output and use in final productions (this rules out the PO-33 for example).
• It needs to be small and portable (as in, either battery or USB powered - no power bricks allowed).

To start things off, I'm GASing a little over the Roland TR-6S drum machine. It looks very capable with FM synthesis, drum synthesis and sample playback. I love that it's very small and can be powered with a USB power brick or AA batteries (would love it even more of it were usb-c). What it seems to miss is a rudinemtary ability to add a simple melody, so this would strictly be for drums and maybe the occasional accent tones/basslines. The intended use case would be to quickly come up with drum loops and maybe even basslines occasionally, and then sample those loops into the MPC One, chopping them up and building full songs around those loops. What I'd probably miss on the TR-6S is the ability to make a simple melody using a sample.

I'm also considering the upcoming JD-08 or JX-08, which are clearly more for melody sketches and sound design, not for making drum beats - I love sound design and playing chords so in many ways this would be an even better fit for me compared to a drum machine. What it shares with the TR-6S is the portability and immediacy with its step sequencer (just two tracks though), and I love that that it charged with usb-c, making it even more universally portable. The downside compared to the TR-6S is that it's bulkier and has a more limited sequencer - two tracks don't get you very far after all. I also don't know how essential this sound palette is. I already have versatile soft synths in the MPC One, plus I have a Korg Minilogue XD Module. Lastly, I don't know how fun it would feel to input notes using the step sequencer buttons - buying the keyboard accessory would make this thing too big for my use case.

I've also considered the Roland MC-101. On a spec by spec level, the MC-101 looks more competent than the TR-6S when it comes to producing fuller tracks (meaning drums and melodies), but on the other hand, it doesn't look as immediate and fun to use. Plus, the MC-101 feels like too much overlap with the MPC One to me. I don't need another device to produce nearly finished songs, what I "need" is something that lets me quickly sketch out ideas outside of the studio environment.

I've also considered the SP-404 MKII, but, having used a Digitakt earlier this year, I've come to really appreciate the immediacy of step sequencers and wonder how much use I'd get from a pure sampler and effects box. A (good) step sequencer is about the only thing I miss in the MPC One, aside from portability. Also, like the MC-101, the SP-404 feels like a bit too much overlap with the MPC One and it's not even that portable (about 2/3rds the bulk of the MPC One). But it's certainly an alternative to the TR-6S here.

I also tried and quickly returned a Pocket Operator (PO-133) because it just felt too much like a toy and the sound was awful to my ears. In the end, I want something that sounds good enough on its own that I'd want to use the produced work in a final mix.

I have also considered the TR-06 because it looks so darn good and has the randomization and probability features. However, I think I'm ruling that one out based on the limited sound palette - if I'm getting a drum machine, I want something that can produce a wider range of sounds that I like. While the TR-06 certainly pushes the limits of the original TR-606, I would probably want much more to work with in the end.

Lastly, I have considered and dismissed the idea of Teenage Engineering products for two reasons: 1) they are too much like complete grooveboxes, which I don't need given my MPC One, and 2) their build quality don't justify the insane price tags.

Would love to hear how you solve for your bedside music making process - or if I'm the only one with that desire. ? Thanks!

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