LM wrote:You will also need some kind of audio mixer to hook up all this stuff together.
And it would also be nice if she could have a keyboard to play make believe pop star (until she becomes an actual pop star). At least I know I would soon tire of the little stylaphonic keyboard.
Really to get going all that is needed sound wise is some sort of percussion and a synth. If you get the Keys and Beat (or Kick), you have some dough left for a small mixer and a controller keyboard.
Going with the Keys means you get a more rounded polysynth than a FM. Yeah the FM does DX7 sounds, but that will become rather limiting as soon as you want to do a phat bass line. Add the FM and the Bass later.
I'd say the Volca Beat is the best starting point for programming drums. It's got all the usual suspects (including cowbell if you tune the Agogo right and parameter lock it to do the "mo'cowbell" signature tonk-line) and is great for learning the basics as well as getting tricky.
It's a little ridiculous that controller keyboards with MIDI din ports should cost upto twice the cost of their USB imbued cousins, but they do. A good alternative to a full-sized controller with a bunch of knobs you won't need is an Arturia Keystep. It's got minikeys, but they are very playable and not a hard jump for those used to full sized keys. Plus you get a very good step sequencer with it. It's quite a good buy considering a controller from the same company with no MIDI din ports and a few knobs is $50aud less. You won't get anything from Korg with MIDI din port for less than $50aud more than a Keystep.
There are built-in speakers for the entire Volca range, but the sound tinny. There is someone trying to croudfund a Volca specific mixer, but that is a cash grab as you can get a small Mackie/Behringer/Phonic/Samson/Yamaha mixer that does the job for around the $100-125aud mark. All in all, forgoing two modules would afford you the controller and mixer (if you are buying in Oz, but remember our $1 is worth about $0.77usd)
If you get all the bits you want from the same *PHYSICAL" store, you can ply the salesperson for free cables and adaptors and ask for a cash price too, not to mention starting a rapport with staff. Can't do that on Amazon....
I think choice also depends on a type of music she wants to create. She is into acid, tech house, disco, ambient.
