Gear

Below is the gear that I currently believe in and use to make my records. I am focused on simplifying and having the most creativity without limitations, but not having so many options that I waste time figuring out every minutiae detail, and just commit to the sound.

DAW

I use Pro Tools because I’ve been using it since the beginning of my music career and have not found a reason to seek elsewhere. This is the same logic as to why I am still using PT 10 since there are plugins that I like to use that are still only in RTAS but also get to use most AAX plugins as well.

Computer

Like the DAW I use Apple Computers because they have been the most stable for me. I don’t have any sort of brand loyalty to apple products, My (heavy) 2008 Mac Pro still lets me create great music and that’s all I need at the moment.

Plug-ins:

I mainly buy plugins that become a need to use basis. These days if I’m looking for a sound or emulation of a piece of hardware I miss using or heard someone use then I’ll try it out, but only to fill a need. I don’t like having every plugin out there because I don’t want to waste time searching and scrolling through pages of effects. Here are the main ones I use and in category form.

Drums

Having drum sample plugins are great for pre-production, songwriting, and layering on your existing drums.

BFD: I use BFD for tracking songs with drums I don't have. It gives me plenty of options with sounds, mic positions, and without extra processing so I can dial in the sound I want.

Slate Drums: I like Slate drums for layering and for adding in great room sounds that I don't have access to. But I also use their expansion packs as references of how other engineers get their sounds.

Addictive Drums: XLN Audio's Addictive Drums are great for writing and arranging music.

Guitars

Guitar amp simulators are a great way to not only increase your amp and cab options, but serve as unbiased opinion on different pieces of gear. Try new sounds out.

IK Multimedia Amplitube: I like the Amplifiers but I do bypass the cabinets. The cabs sound good, I just prefer the impulse responses from the Two Notes: Wall of Sound.

Bias Amp & FX: The Positive Grid Bias products. The Amps I like to use because I can customize and change the tubes and transistors to further dial in the sound. The FX side I like all the pedals to choose from and try out. Again I still bypass the cab in favor of the Wall of Sound III.

Wall of Sound III: I love these cabs impulse's because I allows me to move the mics around swap out different mics and try all kinds of new cabinets. You can try out new cabs and just buy the ones you want.

Keys & Synth

Toontrack EZKeys: I use EZKeys for songwriting & arranging.

Arturia: I like having all of the different keyboards to add layers and textures.

Synthogy Ivory: This is the main piano I like to use. Since I mainly use a piano as an auxiliary instrument I just need it to fit in with the other instruments.

Orchestral

EastWest: Much like the piano I'm not composing vast scores, I just need it to fit around the other instruments. EastWest gives me enough options and I like the Composer Cloud subscription.

Utility

Antares AutoTune: I never use it on "auto", I manually tune the certain notes that go out rather than an "apply all" approach. I also use it on Bass guitar because a bass is hard to tune at time.

NUGEN MasterCheck: This is the final check I like to use when mastering for various distribution. (iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, etc.)

Sound Radix Auto-Align: Great for check phase between multiple microphones on a single source.

Toontrack EZmix 2: Mainly to use as a reference to see how other producers and engineers hear. I can use a pack and give a rough mix and hear it in my studio and try to replicate the effects I like.

Waves Dorrough Meter: I use a Dorrough meter to give me a sense of perceived loudness rather than just peaks.

Waves Center: I'll use the center to adjust the mid and side levels for when I'm mixing on headphones.

Reverb

Audio Ease Altiverb
Slate Digital VerbSuite
Lexicon PCM

EQ

Maag Audio EQ4
Slate FG-N
FabFilter Pro-Q 2 EQ
Slate Custom Series
Waves API 550
Waves RS56 Passive EQ
Waves PuigTec EQP-1A & MEQ-5
Waves R-Bass
Native Instruments Passive EQ
Waves SSL Channel

Compressors

IK Multimedia Precision Comp/Limiter
SPL Transient Designer
Slate Digital VBC
Waves CLA Classic Compressors
Waves Kramer PIE Compressor
Waves L1 Ultramaximizer
Waves dbx 160
Eiosis E2 DeEsser
Slate FG-401

Delays

Slate Digital Repeater
Waves H Delay

Harmonic & Extras

Slate Digital VCC
Slate Digital VTM
Toontrack EZmix

Interface

Digidesign 002R with Black Lion Audio Signature Modification
Presonus Digimax

Mics & DI’s

Shure SM7
Rode NT1-A

Bass
CountryMan DI

Guitars
Sennheiser 421
Shure Sm57
Royer 121
Nuemann U87
Shure Beta 52

Drums
SM57
421
EV RE320
Blue Mouse
Sennheiser E604
Beyerdynamic M160
DPA 4091
Mojave MA-200

Monitors

Dynaudio BM5a
Bose Bluetooth Speaker
Macbook Pro
Sonarworks

Headphones

Beyerdynamic DT 770 80 ohm & 250 ohm

Guitars

PRS
Les Paul
Telecaster
Martin Acoustic
Taylor Koa

Bass

Warwick Jazzman
Warwick Streamer LX

Drums

SJC Drums
Meinl Cymbals

Extras

IsoAcoustics Isolation monitor stands
sE Vocal Booth
Cables
Canare L-4E6S Star Quad Mic Cables
Mogami Instrument Cables
M-Audio Oxygen Midi Controller
Seymour Duncan Pickups
DDrum Trigger
Faderport Mixer