I tend to use an all mannor of hardware to run shit through: compressors, distorions, mixers, filters/EQs, valves, transistors, speakers, microphones, fucked up lo-fi samplers, and blasting stuff through my audio interface so it distorts on the way in. (cue digital distortion tirade by someone

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I tend to create a sound using the hardware approach, and then sample it to use in a track. When I actually make the music, it tends to be all software. When I finish a tune I experiment with running the tracks through hardware again.
I found trying to use hardware in the songwriting process is not so good for me (except synths) becuase I rather have the instant recall etc of software.
"Once it has penetrated, a paralyzing saliva subdues the prey and the snail feeds at leisure, often beginning with the softest parts such as the gonads and gut."