Best Music Production Gear 2023

A huge chunk of dance music today is made on computers with digital audio workstations, and that’s not likely to change in 2023. Sure, there are producers who create dance music using just analogue hardware (eg pricey modular synths) but laptops and software have just got so powerful and economical that tracks are often produced entirely “in the box”. Some professionals even use a smartphone or tablet to produce.

With so much gear out there and so many software and plugin options to choose from, it’s easy to get lost. That’s why we’ve picked out six of the best things that you can add to your home studio set-up in this piece. If stepping up your production game is one of your resolutions this year, this list is a great place to get started.

Best Music Production Gear 2023

1. Universal Audio Apollo Solo

There are dozens of high-quality interfaces aimed at bedroom producers, but none combine great sound, functionality, and extended plugin access like the Universal Audio Apollo Solo. It’s a two-channel interface that’s got two clean preamps onboard for connecting microphones (or you can bypass them and connect line input devices), a guitar input, plus monitor and headphone outputs.

Sure, it’s pricier compared to other two-in, two-out audio interfaces, but none of them give you entry to the acclaimed UAD library of hardware emulation plugins. If you’re looking for an interface and want access to some of the best plugins in the industry, look no further.

Price: $428

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2. AIAIAI TMA-2 Studio Wireless+

AIAIAI keeps coming out with new configurations of its modular TMA-2 headphones. We’ve reviewed a few of them in the past and absolutely love their sound, durability and sleek, muted elegance. The Danish company released a wireless model in conjunction with Richie Hawtin that offers near-zero latency to “free you up” from wires as you monitor your work in the studio. We think they’re a fantastic addition to your home studio monitoring set-up, doing what Bluetooth could never do.

Price: $350
Read our review: AIAIAI TMA-2 Studio Wireless+

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3. Fabfilter Pro-Q 3 EQ plugin

Fabfilter is known for its slick plugins that sound good and look great. The Pro-Q EQ is a favourite among music producers and recording engineers because it gives you a detailed look at how your track sounds thanks to its gorgeous frequency analyser, and its simple graphic interface makes using a potentially complicated tool easy. Version 3.0 was released in December 2018, bringing even more features and tweaks to an already awesome plugin.

If you’re an intermediate producer who has outgrown your DAW’s stock plugin (eg Live’s EQ Eight), this is the one to get – you’ll even see our very own James Hype using it in his James Hype’s Club Banger Method course.

Price: $169

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4. Native Instruments Komplete 14 suite

Native Instruments updated its soft synth and samples bundle to add even more sounds and plugins to an already impressive package, that includes industry standards like Kontakt, Drumlab, and Massive. It now comes in four different versions at different price points, including the humungous (and expensive) Komplete 14 Collector’s Edition that ships with its own external hard drive.

Pair it with any Komplete Kontrol or Komplete A-Series keyboard for a powerful turnkey soft synth solution that will serve you well as you go about producing.

Price: From $199

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5. Novation SL MKIII keyboard

If you’ve got a few pieces of hardware in your bedroom studio set-up, you’ll love Novation’s flagship controller keyboard: apart from being a Midi controller for your DAW, it’s also got inputs and outputs for hooking up your synthesisers, drum machines, and modular gear.

That means you can sync everything to a single Midi clock to ensure that everything plays in time, effectively becoming the heart of your hybrid software / hardware production studio. One for those who want to experiment with both digital and analogue worlds.

Price: From $600

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6. Adam Audio A4V monitors

Adam Audio is a company known for its superb and accurate studio monitors used in commercial facilities and project studios. In 2022 the company debuted its brand new A-Series monitor line with some incredible modern options for fine-tuning them to your studio space – and they blew us away.

We can’t recommend these enough as a small studio speaker (there are bigger versions too). If you’re looking to trade up from cheap computer or desktop speakers, and you can justify the price, skip lesser monitors and look at these – especially if you’re prepared to go the extra mile and custom-tune them using a Sonarworks measurement mic, and take advantage of their built-in ability to “hold” a Sonarworks profile. You will not be disappointed.

Price: $499
Read our review: Adam Audio A4V

Finally…

These are just some of our favourites among the wide range of high-quality options for musicians and producers looking to take their craft to the next level. With the latest technology and innovative designs, these tools provide users with the power and versatility to create professional-level tracks in any genre.

Read this next: 5 Tips For A Great-Sounding DJ/Producer Home Studio

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, there’s something here that can help you elevate your sound and take your music to new heights. And once you’re all set up, make sure to grab your copy of Dance Music Formula, the best course for DJs who want to learn to produce their own music.

What other DJ/producer gear do you think should be added to this list? What’s your favourite piece of production gear from the last year? Let us know below.