TOOLS I USE
A list of all of the many tools and services I use to create music and art. From instruments to software and plugins to art supplies and beyond.
This is purely a list, not reviews. For reviews or general discussions about gear you might want to check out the blog on this site under WRITING.
All products listed here I actually use and fully recommend. This list will be updated as things change. Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links. This means I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you decide to make a purchase.
DAWs / Recording Platforms
Apple Logic Pro
Logic Pro Remote (to control Logic Pro from my iPad Pro or iPhone)
GarageBand (note taking on both iPad and iPhone)
MainStage (not a DAW but for writing and performance)
Guitars
Fender Elite Stratocaster HSS, white w/maple fretboard (now the Ultra Series)
Fender Elite Telecaster, blonde w/maple fretboard (now the Ultra 2 Series)
Gibson MIII w/Floyd Rose, black w/maple fretboard and Seymour Duncan Pickups: B / M / N
Gibson Gospel Steel String Acoustic w/James May UltraTonic Pickup
Amplifiers
Fender Limited-Edition ’65 Princeton Bordeaux Reserve 112 12W Jensen P12Q Tube Guitar Combo Amp (find similar)
Effects Pedals
Voodoo Lab Dingbat Pedalboard with PX-8 PLUS Pedal Switcher
BK Butler Tube Driver Custom 5 Knob Bias Model or try the 4 Knob Version
Tube Works 910 Tube Driver (3-Knob)
BOSS TU-3W Waza Craft Chromatic Tuner
BOSS – PQ4 Parametric EQ (Discontinued, unfortunately ‘cuz it’s awesome)
Keyboards & Synthesizers
Roland RD-2000 88-Key Weighted Keyboard
Mostly “in the box”/computer based, so I have an extensive library of plugins. See “Plugins” section below. I've owned many hardware synths over the years but I feel sound-wise that plugins have caught up and often exceeded the originals. I'm not a collector I'm a user, so why maintain, carry, and insure many physical objects? I love'em, but I no longer feel the need to own them.
Drums & Percussion
Vintage Ludwig Drums
Various Kit Pieces
Handmade Darbuka
LP Tambourine
Shakers
World Instruments
Fife
Recorders (various sizes)
Castenets
Software
Affinity Suite:
Adobe Creative Cloud Subscription
Most commonly used programs are:
- Photoshop
- Illustrator
- AffterEffects
- Premiere Pro
- Dreamweaver
- Lightroom
- Dimension
Maxon One Suite (Cinema4D, RedShift, etc.)
Plugins
Universal Audio Ultimate (almost the Complete Bundle with how many additional plugins I’ve purchased)
FabFilter (contact me and I can send you an email with a 10% off discount code)
Native Instruments Komplete Collector’s Edition
IK Multimedia – AmpliTube 5 Max
SoundMorph – Much of their catalog but get a lot of use out of DUST, their binaural granular synthesizer
Microphones
Townsend Modeling Microphone (now called the Universal Audio Sphere DLX Modeling Microphone)
Neumann U-87 – circa 1970 (now called the Neumann U 87 Ai Switchable Studio Microphone with improved treble response)
Camera Equipment
GoPro Hero (several, various versions)
Lighting Equipment
Coming Soon
Business Tools/Services
Shopify
Google Workspace – This link saves you 10% off the first year
WP Engine – Using this link will typically provide significant discount on first year of plan.
Express VPN – Get 30 Days for free, easy to use and for most people it’s an easy recommend, but I have now switched to:
SurfShark VPN – Because I needed split tunneling for Mac (which is hard to find in 2025). It also has a lot of other built in features that are extra with other platforms.
