Gear

Here’s an up to date list of the Arcade Daydream studio.  Big shout out to Mike Winebrenner Sweetwater.com!

 

Hardware

  • Alienware Aurora R8 (2019)
    • 9th Gen Intel Core i9 9900K
    • Windows 10 Pro
    • AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
    • 64GB Ballistix Sport AT RAM
    • 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
    • 2TB HDD
    • Thunderbolt 3 PCIe
  • Presonus
    • Quantum Thunderbolt 2
  • Access Music
    • Virus Ti2
    • Indigo 2 (Virus C)
  • Moog
    • Subsequent 37
  • Akai Professional
    • MPC Live
    • MPC Renaissance
    • MPC Studio Black
    • MFC 42
    • S5000 V2
    • MPK Mini Mk2
  • Boss
    • RV-500
    • DD-500
    • SE-70 Super Effects Processor
    • Distortion DS-1
  • Clavia
    • Nord Lead
  • Korg
    • Prophecy
    • nanoKEY Studio MIDI Controller with Bluetooth
  • Roland
    • MKS-50
    • System-8 
    • JP-8080
    • JV-1080
    • SH-01a
    • JU-06
    • SP-808ex
    • SP-808
    • SP-606
    • DEP-3 Digital Effects Processor
    • A-800PRO Midi Controller
  • Novation
    • MiniNova
    • Bass Station II
  • MOTU / Mark Of The Unicorn
    • MIDI Express 128 8×8 USB (2x)
  • KRK
    • Rokit 5″ Active Monitor (2x)
  • ProCo
    • Rat
  • Behringer
    • U-Phoria UMC1820 USB
    • MDX2600 Compressor Limiter
    • ADA8200 (x2)
    • SX3242FX mixer
    • DeepMind 12D synthesizer
    • Ultrapatch Pro PX3000 (x3)
  • Warm Audio
    • WA-76 Limiting Amplifier
  • ART
    • Pro VLA II Vactrol-based Compressor
  • DigiTech
    • RP200
  • Shure
    • SRH440
  • On-Stage
    • 12-Space Rack Stand
    • MIX400 Mixer/Recorder Stand
    • KS7365EJ Folding Z-Style Keyboard Stand with 2nd Tier

Software

DAW Software

Over the years I’ve used a lot of different DAW software.  I used to use Apple exclusively and recently switched to PC.  I have to say my absolute favorite on Mac was MOTU Digital Performer but on PC hands down Cubase is the best DAW out there.  Try out some trials, find what works best with the way you think and really hunker down and learn that DAW like a tool inside and out.  DAW-hopping is for those that are silly with lots of money to burn.  Derp!

I will say that even though Avid has made good strides over the years, if you’re looking to produce electronic music I’d avoid Pro Tools.  It’s a bit of a money sink with silly arbitrary software limitations (specifically WRT channel io).  PT is great for those mixing other people and mixing alone but you’ll find a much better home with Steinberg or Ableton.

Editor/Librarian

I’m kind of surprised these aren’t more popular to be honest.  I have a lot of older synths and outboard equipment that’s MIDI capable and these tools make it a dream to work with them inside of contemporary DAWs and workflows.  I would suggest using Mystery Islands stuff if you have one or two pieces of equipment supported by their plugins (much love to Jani!), though if you have a lot of supported outboard gear then Sound Quest is worth it more for the incredible amount of device support and options for either the plugin or standalone approach.  Both developers of Mystery and SQ Pro are fantastic, worth its weight in gold to me because often times the gear I control with them are racked out of reach from my seat.

The following list of software instruments and plugins is so far from complete.  I’d really like to go through and share what I use so I promise to update it soon.

Software Instruments

Software Effects

  • AIR Music Technology
    • AIRChorus
    • AIRCompressor
    • AIRDiffuserDelay
    • AIRDistortion
    • AIRDynamicDelay
    • AIREnhancer
    • AIREnsemble
    • AIRFilterGate
    • AIRFlanger
    • AIRFrequencyShifter
    • AIRFuzz-Wah
    • AIRKillEQ
    • AIRLo-Fi
    • AIRMaximizer
    • AIRMulti-Chorus
    • AIRNon-LinearReverb
    • AIRParametricEQ
    • AIRPhaser
    • AIRPumper
    • AIRReverb
    • AIRSaturationFilter
    • AIRSpectral
    • AIRSpringReverb
    • AIRStereoWidth
    • AIRTalkBox
    • AIRTubeDrive
    • AIRVintageFilter
  • Celemony
    • Melodyne
  • D16 Group
    • Decimort 2
    • Tekturon
    • Devastor 2
    • Toraverb 2
    • Antresol
  • iZotope
    • Ozone 8 Advanced
    • Neutron 2 Advanced
  • Native Instruments
    • Komplete 11
      • Driver
      • FM8 FX
      • Replika
      • Solid Bus Comp
      • Solid Dynamics
      • Solid EQ
      • Supercharger
      • Transient Master
  • Plugin Alliance
    • bx_bassdude
    • bx_control V2
    • bx_hybrid V2
    • bx_opto
    • bx_solo
    • elysia niveau filter
  • Softube
    • Bass Amp Room 8×10
    • Drawmer S73
    • FET Compressor
    • Fix Doubler
    • Mutronics Mutator
    • Saturation Knob
    • TSAR-1R Reverb
    • Tube Delay
    • Vintage Amp Room Half-Stack
  • Soundspot
    • Kickbox
  • Waves
    • Gold
    • AudioTrack
    • SuperTap
    • LoAir
    • Trans-X
    • Vitamin
    • SSL 4000 Collection
      • G-Master Bus Compressor
      • G-Equalizer 4-band EQ
      • G-Channel
      • E-Channel
  • Xfer Records
    • DimensionExpander
    • DJMFilter
    • OTT
    • SerumFX