Tools

I decided instead of just a raw, bulleted list, I’d mimic the format of usesthis.com to describe the tools that I use frequently.

What hardware do i use?

I use a MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015) - 2.2 Quad Core Processor, 16GB memory, 250GB SSD.

My 2015 G&L Legacy Special guitar is my daily driver these days. I play it through a Marshall Origin 20, but lately I’ve been experimenting with using only a HX Stomp. I plug the stomp directly into a pair of iLoud Micro Monitors. When I want to record things, I go through a Scarlett Solo interface.

What software do I use?

Since I am on a Mac, I use Homebrew as much as I can to install software, that way I can let Homebrew handle updating and removing. I use Doom Emacs for text editing. Emacs has a few terminal emulators, but I still find myself going back to iTerm2 for most terminal interaction. To keep track of the changes in my projects, I use git and Github. I use Slack, Discord, and Gmail (for now) for communication.

Speaking of git and Github, when I am on a system that is not my own, and I need to access things in my private repositories, it is good to use a proper .gitconfig that would support multiple accounts. More on this here

I keep all of the software that I install via Homebrew in a Brewfile in Github, so it is easy for me to just run this command on new systems.

brew bundle --file=~/.path/to/Brewfile

My Brewfile is a bit too lengthy to post here, so you can see it here

I few highlights from my Brewfile are:

cask "spectacle"  # Get my windows in order via hotkeys
cask "flux"       # Don't burn my eyes at night
cask "macpass"    # Keep my passwords safe
brew "ripgrep"    # a really fast search written in Rust

I use Dropbox for keeping things I need synced immediately between other systems (other computers, phones, etc).

For recording music, my current DAW of choice is Logic Pro X (you can’t beat that $200 price tag).

What would be my dream setup?

To have only one “thing” that handles everything. I don’t like having to switch between a work computer and a personal computer. And I don’t like all the cables needed to create a KVM experience. So, one fast thing for computing, one dock, everything plugs into that.