Gear I Use | CTRL+Strum Creator Toolkit
🎸 CTRL+Strum – Gear I Use
Welcome to the core of my setup — these are the tools, toys, and tone machines I actually use (or highly recommend) for recording, streaming, coding, and creating chaos. Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you snag something. Appreciate the support!
🎧 Audio / Music Gear
Apollo Twin X Interface
My go-to interface for pro-level recording and low latency.
👉 Buy on Amazon
JBL Professional Studio Monitors
Tight sound, great stereo image. Perfect for mixing.
👉 Buy on Amazon
Bluebird SL Condenser Mic
Clean top end with a little vintage soul. I use this for vocals and guitar tracking.
👉 Buy on Amazon
Shure SE215 PRO In-Ears
Excellent isolation and clarity. Studio-approved.
👉 Buy on Amazon
Shokz OpenRun Pro
Bone-conduction headphones that let me hear my surroundings.
👉 Buy on Amazon
Behringer XR16 Digital Mixer
My control center for live mixes and routing.
👉 Buy on Amazon
Behringer Powerplay P2
Reliable and simple in-ear monitor amp.
👉 Buy on Amazon
Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar
Classic grunge tone. This is my go-to for chaos.
👉 Buy on Amazon
Gretsch G5422TG Electromatic
Warm, vintage tone. Great for rhythm and clean leads.
👉 Buy on Amazon
Fender Player Series P-Bass
Punchy, reliable, and affordable for low-end support.
👉 Buy on Amazon
Fractal FM9 (Alt: Line 6 Helix)
I use the FM9 (not available on Amazon). Here's a great alternative.
👉 Buy Line 6 Helix on Amazon
Matrix Elements GM100-D1 (Alt: JBL EON ONE)
Not on Amazon — the JBL EON ONE Compact is a great speaker alternative.
👉 Buy JBL EON ONE Compact
🎮 Clone Hero / Gaming
Guitar Controller (Xbox 360 Les Paul alt)
Solid controller with great compatibility for PC/Mac.
👉 Buy on Amazon
What You'll Need:
- USB cable (usually included)
- A USB power adapter or powered USB port to charge the controller
👉 Buy USB Power Adapter
Electronic Drum Kit (Clone Hero compatible)
Alesis Nitro Max — affordable, responsive, and great for hybrid use. Works on both Mac and PC with MIDI-to-Clone Hero mapping tools.
👉 Buy on Amazon
What You'll Need:
- USB connection to your computer (included)
- A free MIDI mapping tool like MIDI2CH or REAPER with a plugin
- A bit of initial configuration — but once it’s set up, it rocks
💼 Tech & Coding Tools
MacBook Pro M2 (2023, 14", 16GB RAM)
My main machine for literally everything. Fast, quiet, reliable.
Keychron K6
Compact, hot-swappable mechanical keyboard. Tactile, aesthetic.
👉 Buy on Amazon
Akko 3068B
A dope 65% mechanical keyboard with silent tactile switches.
👉 Buy on Amazon
Logitech MX Master 3S
Ergonomic design meets smooth programmable controls.
👉 Buy on Amazon
Razer Viper Mini
Great for quick work and gaming sessions.
👉 Buy on Amazon
Autonomous SmartDesk
Minimal sit/stand desk with good weight support and clean cable management.
👉 Buy on Amazon
LG UltraWide Monitor
Perfect for coding, editing, and side-by-side workflows.
👉 Buy on Amazon
💽 Software & Plugins
Logic Pro
Where I build, record, mix, and master all my music.
👉 Download from Apple
VS Code
My daily IDE of choice. Simple, clean, powerful — and 100% free.
👉 Download VS Code
OBS Studio
100% free and open source. I use this to stream Clone Hero on my Mac.
👉 Download OBS for Mac
🛠️ Creator Essentials
iPhone Camera + OBS
Yes, you can stream and record content with just your phone and a vision.
Neewer Ring Light Kit
Solid lighting for YouTube, streaming, or content in general.
👉 Buy on Amazon
Daily Software Stack
GarageBand, Logic, EZDrummer, VSCode, ChatGPT, YouTube.
Want help building your own rig? Hit me up on YouTube or Contact Me.