This is a list of the hardware, software, and instruments that I use to make music and podcasts. It’s current as of February 2025.
Zero paid endorsements or anything on here; this is all just stuff that works well enough for now. Except for the Native Instruments software, which is honestly pretty unstable and annoying despite sounding ok, and I keep using it because I feel locked in at this point lol.
Interface & Desk
- Macbook Pro M1 Max
- DAW: Logic Pro
- UAD Apollo x8, Twin X, Satellite
- Presonus OctoPre ADAT
- SSL UF1 Control Surface
- Elgato Stream Deck w/ UAD MIDI Control
- Line 6 Helix Floor Guitar MFX
- Nektar Pacer MIDI Controller
- Desk: Fully Standing Desk w/ Custom Keyboard Tray
- Chairs: Steelcase Gesture, Stealth Pro Engineer’s Chair
- Main Screen: Samsung Odyssey G9 49″
- Touchscreen: ViewSonic TD1656-2K
Monitors & Headphones
- Yamaha HS7 Mains
- nEar05 Alts
- AKG K702 Open-Back
- AKG K240 Semi-Open
- Beyerdynamic DT770 M Closed
- 64 Audio A12t IEMs
- Shure PSM300 Wireless System
Microphones
- ElectroVoice RE20 (main podcast mic, toms)
- EV RE320 (kick drum in)
- Studio Projects C1 (kick out, misc.)
- Shure SM57 (all day)
- Shure Beta87 (live vox)
- AKG C414 (guitar, woodwinds)
- Warm Audio WA-87 (Vocals, drum room)
- Coles 4038 (horns, strings, idk everything)
- Shure SM81 (Drum OH, guitar)
- Sennheiser mkh-416 (video shotgun)
Plugins
- Various UAD compressor and EQ plugins (1176, Pultec EQ, Manley Massive Passive)
- Reverb: UAD Pure Plate, Lexicon 480L, Ocean Way Studios, Capitol Chambers, Korg SDD-3000
- FabFilter Pro-Q 3
- Oeksound Soothe2
- See below for Vox and mastering chains
Stem Splitting & Cleanup
- Logic built-in stem splitter (mostly)
- SpectraLayers 10 (sometimes)
- Izotope RX9 (De-Click, De-Verb, De-Noise)
Sample Libraries
- Native Komplete 12 – Specific Strong Songs instruments:
- Studio Drummer (most drum parts)
- Rickenbacker Bass (most bass parts)
- The Grandeur (default show piano)
- Arturia Collection X for vintage synths
Wind Instruments
- Selmer Mark VI Tenor
- Mpc: Otto Link 7 HR, Theo Wanne Reface
- Rico Jazz Select Reeds
- Yamaha Clarinet, Alto & Soprano Sax
- Kessler Bass Clarinet
- Eastman Flute
- Sweetone Pennywhistles
- Hohner Melodica
Stringed Instruments
- Fender: American Ultra Tele & Vintage ’60s Strat
- Squier: Jazzmaster & Baritone Tele
- Gibson: ES-335 Custom ’64 Reissue, SG Standard ’61
- Novo Miris-J
- Fender Early 2000s Highway One J-Bass
- Eastman MD515v Mandolin
- Taylor 414ce Acoustic
- Deering Goodtime Banjo
- Diamond Head Ukulele
Digital Instruments
- Roland Aerophone Pro Wind Synth
- Native Komplete Kontrol S61 Mk II
- Korg Minilogue xd
- Novation Circuit
Drums & Percussion
- Kit: 1962 Ludwig Super Classic
- Snare: 1962 Ludwig Supraphonic
- Cymbals: Istanbul Agop & Zildjian
- Ludwig Xylophone
Amps
- 2022 Matt Dawson Custom Princeton Reverb
- Fender ’57 Tweed Champ Reissue
- Traynor YCV40 Combo
Pedals (Partial)
- Strymon Deco
- JHS Morning Glory
- JRockett Archer (Klone)
- SansAmp Paradriver DI
- Keeley Compressor
- TC Electronic Pipeline Vib
- EHX Good Vibes
- Boss Super Chorus
- Boss GE-7 EQ
- Q-Tron Mini
Podcast Vocal Chain
This works great with an RE20 + UAD Neve Preamp. Signal flow left to right, then top to bottom
Podcast Mastering Chain
I don’t really think you need all this to make a podcast sound good but it’s what I use lol. Signal flow top to bottom, left to right. Not quite sold on the SSL bus compressor but it works ok.
Kirk Hamilton 