Portable Noodle Box

[Arddhu]

In attempting to resist buying an iPad for travelling I'm wondering if there's other portable music making devices people could recommend.

The main two springing to mind are the QY70 and the MPC500.

Is the MPC500 really that bad? The advantage over the QY I thought could be the ability to do field recordings and a few more odd things than the QY might allow.

Any thoughts?

[Hugo76]

What about a Korg Kaossilator? Maybe you could team it up with the MPC500, that could be cool

[Stab Frenzy]

Why the ipad resistance? Personally I think it's the best thing out there for a portable, flexible music device.

[Arddhu]

You're probably right. I guess I'm just wary of the prospect of obsolescence with the iPad. I'm not confident that it's still going to be useable in a couple to a few years. etc etc.

Though, the inability of the QY or MPCs to also check emails is definitely a downer!

[sequentialsoftshock]

Yeah, go for the iPad. I had a 500 and it was less than inspiring. I'd also say skip iMPC, and go right for beatmaker. There are a lot of great apps which interface with tabletop (in which instance, I would say go for the iMPC), and you practically have a little studio. iPads rule.

[sequentialsoftshock]

Oh, and obsolescence ? Didn't you just ask about buying an MPC500 or QY70 ? Just sayin'...

[silikon]

Some things I can recommend:

Teenage OP-1 (it's portable, battery operated and great for sketching up ideas; if you're looking for deep programming this won't satiate you)

(resisting suggesting the iPad because many have already done so)

For more "noodling":

Pittsburgh Modular Foundation
Analogue Systems Tereshkova or Vostok
FR-777

(and I fully understand that they don't have battery power, but batteries weren't a strict necessity called out in your OP, and are quite portable and well featured)

Why the ipad resistance? Personally I think it's the best thing out there for a portable, flexible music device.

+1, especially for having something on an airplane with a handful of good music apps to play with

Before the advent of the iPad, I used to carry my SH-101 everywhere I went, so I had some analogue fun anywhere I went.

[Arddhu]

Oh, and obsolescence ? Didn't you just ask about buying an MPC500 or QY70 ? Just sayin'...

Another good point! I think in my Apple naivety, I wasn't entirely sure if Apple were prone to releasing OS updates that would render old apps un-usable. Are you able to not update the OS to avoid that happening if that is the case? Once again, please have pity on my lack of knowledge in this area.

Before the advent of the iPad, I used to carry my SH-101 everywhere I went, so I had some analogue fun anywhere I went.

That's awesome. I'd love to have a Vostok-to-go but yeah, definitely leaning more towards battery power. I'm sure I could frankenstein a car battery to power a Vostok but I don't know how well that would get through airport security.