Software:

Emagic Logic Audio Platinum: I've used Opcode Vision and Studio Vision since I first started doing music on computers in 1990. When Opcode was acquired by Gibson, and, in the summer of 1999, essentially shut down, I was very angry for quite a while. I'd invested hundreds of dollars into upgrades over the years, and literally thousands of hours learning to use the program. Plus, the most recent versions of Vision DSP and Studio Vision Pro had been incredibly unstable on my system. In December 1999, I got a cross-grade to Logic Audio, and, frankly, I wish I'd changed years ago. Logic has a rather legendary learning curve, this was one thing that made me hesitate to move to it, but, for me at least, it really hasn't been all that bad. Logic is very stable, I get great performance even on my relatively ancient computer, and, best of all,it is actively supported by Emagic. Plus, there's a large user base and an incredibly busy mail list for users. I still don't feel completely up to speed with Logic, but since I made the switch, I've written and recorded music than any other period in my life. That must say something about Logic.

Bias Deck: Deck was the first audio application I ever used. The first Minus CD was edited and mixed in Deck. It's gone through 3 different companies in the time I've used it, from the anarchic original developers OSC, to multimedia giant Macromedia, where it languished ignored for several years, and finally to BIAS. Throughout it all, Deck outperformed any newer application I tried, and I developed a familiarity with its interface that I have yet to match in any other audio software. The 2nd Minus CD will be completed in Deck. That said, after this, I will probably move completely to Logic Audio. In addition to Logic's elegant way of handling MIDI and audio recording, which in Deck is clumsy at best, Logic offers a flexible mixing/bussing system, and real-time VST plug-ins. BIAS promises a new version of Deck soon, and I will investigate it when it is available.

BIAS Peak is a powerful and flexible stereo audio editor. Most of my mastering work is done within Peak.

Cycling '74 MAX/MSP, M and Pluggo: MAX is a powerful object-oriented MIDI programming language, and MSP is a set of audio processing extensions that turns it into a state-of-the-art audio mangling environment. MAX/MSP occupies a middle ground between simple audio recording/editing programs like Logic or Peak, and academic audio programming languages like CSound, it's much more flexible than the former, and way less difficult to learn than the latter. MAX is also a survivor of the above-mentioned Opcode disaster, when Cycling '74, headed by original MAX developer David Ziccarelli, obtained the rights to distribute and support MAX, I was very cheered. Pluggo is a set of 74 VST plug-ins developed in MSP that will work in any VST-compatible application. Pluggo features some of the coolest audio processing tools, at a price that is simply unbelievable ($74 for 74 plug-ins, free with MSP). M is an interactive algorithmic MIDI composition and conducting tool, also written by Ziccarelli.

Waves NPP Plug-ins: I couldn't do the CD mastering work I do without the Waves plugs. For the essentials of audio processing (EQ, Compression, etc.), nothing I've used beats the Waves plugs.

I also use a range of audio freeware and shareware, including Argeïphontes Lyre, the MDA VST Plug-ins, MacPod, etc. There's an incredible range of cool cheap software out there, even for the Macintosh.