Mike, what do you use to program/create your beautiful music?

What brand of keyboards and why?

What effects processors?

What music software?

My boyfriend introduced me to FruityLoops and it's a blast. I was using Cakewalk before (blah!). I have a Korg X5D (the cheapest and smallest one) and love it.

Just wondering.

My main sequencer is Logic (now called "Logic Pro" for some reason), though I've been known to use ProTools at times for remixes and audio editing. I use Ableton Live a fair bit in tandem with Logic, though more for effects than for complex sequencing (I did, however, use Ableton Live exclusively for the ARF live show on the recent tour). When I'm doing remixes I often use Celemony's Melodyne to edit vocals and create new vocal lines and harmonies.

I generally prefer "real" analog synths over soft-synths, but I do use some soft synths, primarily Absynth and Reason. I have quite a few others like Access Virus and NI's Pro-52, but they don't get as much love, mostly because they don't do much of anything that I can't do with a real synth.

For effects, I use about a gazillion plug-ins, but most often I end up using Waves plug-ins for "bread and butter" processing (compressors, EQs and so forth), and Audio Damage and Cycling 74 plug-ins for effects like distortion, modulation, and so forth. I also use some hardware effects - a couple of Roland space echo boxes, and some outboard amplifiers, EQs and compressors.

On the hardware side, I'm an analog synth junkie so I've used almost all the "classic" analog synths at one time or another. Currently the ones that get the most use are Yamaha CS-80, EMS Synthi-A, Univox K3 (also known as Korg DV800), Juno-60, Prophet VS, and Waldorf Microwave. I also use a modular setup that includes Wiard, MOTM, Blacet, and Doepfer modules. There's also the occasional guitar and bass in the mix, but I'm not enough of a guitarist or bassist for the gear to really matter much.

At times, I use a custom controller with Ableton Live. I built it about a year ago, and I've been meaning to write up a page or two on its construction ever since. You can see a photo of it on the Doepfer website, since it uses some of their parts.

I've used Fruity Loops a few times and I do like its pattern sequencing interface, but since I do most of my work on Macs, FL has never made it into the category of "gets used regularly" for me.

I'd go into the "why" of all this, but I'd be typing for the next 10 weeks. But, if you have a question about "why this in particular instead of that" I'll see if I can address it...

Also checked out the other designs...The gun midi controller is novelty, but interesting, and the organ controller is sweet. I love the idea of mixing old stuff with new technology :)

My favorite quote is on the gallery page: " Even girls love the A-100 / 1
(Anna Sitko and Stacey van Buskirk www.echolocation.fm)" Haha. I suppose there are more male audiophiles than female.

Thanks for the reply. :)

I go back and forth a lot on gear issues. There've been times when I couldn't stop searching for new synths, software, etc. and other times when I've wanted to jettison all but a few things to simplify the setup.

Lately I've been on a "less is more" kick, but then I'll start working with a synth I haven't used in a while (like the Juno-60) and realize that it occupies a unique part of the sound spectrum and I wouldn't want to do without it.