music tools.
A non-comprehensive list of my most-favorite music production tools, many of them embodying the philosophy of do less creative tool design and more recently permacomputing.
Photo: Aug 2022
Dirtywave M8
The Dirtywave M8 has become the centerpiece of my music-creation process. I've always preferred trackers for writing, starting with Pxtone and LSDJ in the early part of the previous decade, so it makes perfect sense how the tool that has felt most comfortable and immediate in my hands since than would come from the mind of chiptune legend Trash80. The best part is that also supported is a free "headless" version that runs on an off-the-shelf Teensy 4.1 and interfaced with using virtually any PC, which for me before I got my hands on the hardware version was a 2010 Macbook Pro.
Pedals/Amp Sim
I'm a fiend for distortion and my current favorites are the Eau Claire Thunder by Dwarfcraft Devices (RIP), Hizumitas by Earthquaker Devices, and Black Hole by Coda Effects. I also adore my Kemper Profiler and its free community-made profiles especially for heavier guitar tones. I used to think software amp sims were garbage, but at some point realized by using a different approach can give you a supernatural version of an electric guitar sound when run on cleaner settings using real hardware pedals at the input. The Strymon Iridium is one of my favorites for this approach and while it isn't the most full-featured of the options out there, the three types of amps it chooses to emulate it emulates very well and even lets me upload cab IRs from my collection.
Guitars
I've been a single-coil Fender supremacist for over 15 years, but lord help me a few years ago I bought a 2019 Gibson SG Standard Tribute. It is the opposite of everything I prefer in an electric guitar in a lot of ways, especially because played clean it honestly sounds terrible. But as I've said before, I'm a distortion fiend, and although I've loved pushing single-coils to their absolute fuzzed-out limit, the dual humbucking design offers so much more flexibility in that regard. I've outfitted mine with Dunable Slugwolf pickups. I also must admit, after many years slinging some of the heaviest imaginable guitars and basses around my neck, holding something so light feels seriously great.
Outboard Gear
I worked full time in the music industry as an audio engineer and (extremely small-time) record producer from 2014 through 2020 and have been privileged to have had access to some of the most highly sought after vintage and cutting edge audio equipment there is. I honestly miss it, but my outboard rack is my little slice of curated (budget) relics from my time in that world. One day I'll get a lunchbox and 2500 in there (maybe another JoeMeek VC6Q cuz I love that thing) but as my interests have shifted and expanded I enjoy what I already have and it's more than adequate for my modest home productions.
Commodore 64
In 2024 I attended the very first VCF Socal which honestly blew my mind in a lot of ways that I can't even begin to get into here. But one such experience was getting to play with a C64 loaded with cynthcart and experiencing first hand just how thick the raw sound from the thing actually is. Of course I was already super familiar with music made using the C64 SID chip due to my chiptune past (s/o Machinae Supremacy and GOTO80) but for some reason never thought it was for me. Needless to say I was incredibly wrong and after acquiring one a few weeks after the fest it has become my favorite mono synth I own, no contest. The sound feels literally magical every time I turn it on.
Behringer TD-3-Yellow
On loan indefinitely from a friend who wasn't really vibing with it. As most people who have touched a 303 before will tell you, it's dreadful to program or even generally use as intended. That's why many of the dance music genres that made it famous use it for fairly simple and repetitive bassline patterns and the variation comes from messing with the filters. I tried to learn and it never stuck. Recently though I started sending midi to it and running the output through my Darkglass B7K Ultra which kicks ass. Probably my go-to for any synth bass from now on.
Eurorack
Eurorack systems are great in their versatility, but I have to admit I only really love them for one thing which is unpredictability. You can spend a lot of money on an amazing fully analog DAW-less system, but to me this can be a time-waster and a never-ending pursuit, though I also understand is a reason people like and get sucked into the format so much. The value for me has been creating a system where I never quite know what something's going to do or how something is going to sound, and recording the output of it to sample and use in other productions later. My favorite module that represents this mentality for me is the Akemie's Taiko by ALM Busy Circuits.
Game Boy
Artifact of a bygone chiptune era of my life that I still keep around and occasionally use, flash cart is loaded with mGB + LSDJ and hooked up to my other gear via teensyboy MIDI interface. In Feb 2022 I upgraded the screen with a drop-in IPS replacement which is quite nice, also way way easier and better than some of the backlight mods we used to do back in the day. I'm currently on the hunt for an affordable Konami Hyperboy for desktop use that I can mod with audio outputs, or maybe just drill a hole and run an aux cable out of lol.
Norns
Not gonna lie, this is one of the tools that I use that objectively does too much. Still, it is on my list as something it would be fun to write a little app for one day as I increase my understanding with audio programming and dsp. I mostly use mine as a MIDI host, meaning I don't need a laptop on my desk with a DAW open in order to hook all my USB midi gear together. It's a nice platform with a cool community though, just not really for me as a main tool. Some people love to fiddle, and platforms like this always give you something new to fiddle with, but I think fiddling is probably my least favorite part of making music if I'm being honest.
Other Synths
I like simplicity in my hardware and software synths, "one-knob-per-function"-type interfaces are usually ideal. My favorite two at the moment are the Yamaha Reface CS and Behringer Poly D.
Music Computer
My main music computer is a refurbished 2016 Macbook Pro running Pro Tools 2021 and Reason 12. A hot tip for anyone who buys Apple products is to never, ever upgrade the OS beyond the version it ships with if you want to keep it fast and functional for as long as possible. Before I purchased this computer in 2017 I was using a 2010 version running Snow Leopard. Audio tends to break often on the newest version of Apple hardware and software, so for the sake of reliability older operating systems are often preferred.