setup list for music production mac

checklist.md

New Mac Setup Checklist

Phase 1: System prep (before installing anything)

• Sign in to iCloud (or skip if you want a clean slate)
• Run all pending macOS software updates
• System Settings → General → Login Items: remove anything you don't recognize
• System Settings → Notifications: turn off for apps you don't need
• System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Edit: disable smart quotes, autocapitalize, period shortcut, autocorrect
• System Settings → Trackpad: enable tap to click, three-finger drag (Accessibility → Pointer Control → Trackpad Options)
• System Settings → Sound: enable "Show Sound in menu bar"
• System Settings → Control Center: show Bluetooth, battery percentage in menu bar
• Finder → Settings: show all filename extensions, show path bar (View menu), show status bar
• Cmd+Shift+. in Finder to confirm hidden files toggle works
• Set up Focus mode called "Recording" (allow nothing, you'll use it during OBS sessions)

Phase 2: Strip the bloat

• Delete iMovie, Numbers, Pages, Keynote (if not needed) — drag to Trash from Applications
• Delete GarageBand sound library if not using GarageBand: sudo rm -rf /Library/Application\ Support/GarageBand sudo rm -rf /Library/Audio/Apple\ Loops
• Disable Spotlight indexing on big folders later (do this after Phase 7)

Phase 3: External drive setup

• Plug in external drive
• If not already APFS: back up contents, then Disk Utility → erase as APFS
• Create folder structure on drive: Samples/ Sample Libraries/ Serato/ Projects/Ableton/ Projects/Serato Recordings/ Renders/ OBS/ Music/ (your DJ library)
• Disable Spotlight on the drive: sudo mdutil -i off /Volumes/YourDrive
• Exclude drive from Time Machine: System Settings → General → Time Machine → Options

Phase 4: Command line foundation

• Install Xcode Command Line Tools: xcode-select --install
• Install Homebrew: https://brew.sh (paste their one-liner)
• Add brew to PATH (the installer tells you the exact command)
• Install core CLI tools: brew install git gh ripgrep fd bat fzf eza zoxide starship mise neovim
• Install rustup: brew install rustup then rustup-init
• Set up SSH key for GitHub: gh auth login (handles key generation + upload)
• Configure git: git config --global user.name "Dylan Martin" and user.email
• Add starship init to your shell config: eval "$(starship init zsh)" in ~/.zshrc
• Test: open new terminal, confirm prompt looks right

Phase 5: Editor and terminal

• Install terminal: brew install --cask ghostty (or iterm2/wezterm)
• Install VS Code: brew install --cask visual-studio-code
• Install Cursor if you want it: brew install --cask cursor
• Sign in to GitHub/Settings Sync in VS Code to pull your config
• Install a coding font: brew install --cask font-jetbrains-mono-nerd-font

Phase 6: Mac quality of life

• Raycast: brew install --cask raycast (replace Spotlight in shortcuts after)
• Rectangle or Aerospace: brew install --cask rectangle (window management)
• AltTab: brew install --cask alt-tab (proper window switching)
• Karabiner-Elements: brew install --cask karabiner-elements (key remapping)
• Stats: brew install --cask stats (menu bar monitor)
• Hidden Bar: brew install --cask hiddenbar (menu bar cleanup)
• 1Password or Bitwarden: brew install --cask 1password or bitwarden
• Obsidian: brew install --cask obsidian
• Tailscale: brew install --cask tailscale
• Linearmouse if you use an external mouse: brew install --cask linearmouse
• System Settings → Keyboard → Shortcuts → Spotlight: disable Cmd+Space, assign it to Raycast

Phase 7: Backups (do this BEFORE you have anything to lose)

• Plug in a separate backup drive (NOT your music external)
• Set up Time Machine to that drive
• Sign up for Backblaze if you want offsite: brew install --cask backblaze
• In Backblaze settings, explicitly enable backup of your external music drive
• Let Time Machine complete first backup before continuing

Phase 8: Audio interface

• Plug in your external audio interface
• Download/install its driver if it needs one (most modern ones are class-compliant)
• Open Audio MIDI Setup (it's an app in Utilities)
• Confirm interface shows up, set sample rate to 48kHz (or 44.1 if you prefer)
• Test playback: System Settings → Sound → Output → select interface, play something

Phase 9: DAW

• Pick one: Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Bitwig, or Reaper
• Download installer from vendor site (NOT Homebrew for DAWs — get direct)
• Install, authorize
• Set project default save location to external drive: Projects/Ableton/
• Set sample library location to external drive: Sample Libraries/
• In Ableton: Preferences → Library → set Browser sources to your external Samples/ folder
• Applications → right-click DAW → Get Info → check "Prevent App Nap"
• Run a test project: record something, confirm audio in and out work

Phase 10: Plugins (after DAW is working)

• Vital: https://vital.audio (free synth)
• Surge XT: https://surge-synthesizer.github.io (free synth)
• Valhalla Supermassive: https://valhalladsp.com (free reverb)
• TDR Nova: https://tokyodawn.net (free dynamic EQ)
• Spitfire LABS: https://labs.spitfireaudio.com (free sample instruments — needs their app)
• In DAW: rescan plugins, confirm all show up

Phase 11: Serato + DJ controller

• Pioneer DJ Support Tool: https://www.pioneerdj.com → download Mac version
• Plug in DDJ-FLX4 directly to Mac (no hub)
• Run Support Tool, update firmware to latest
• Download Serato DJ Pro: https://serato.com/dj/pro/downloads
• Install Serato DJ Pro
• Launch WITH controller plugged in (so it sees the hardware)
• In Serato: SETUP → Library + Display → set Library location to /Volumes/YourDrive/Serato/
• Subscribe to / activate Serato DJ Pro (you'll see Lite by default)
• Applications → right-click Serato → Get Info → check "Prevent App Nap"
• Optionally install Rekordbox too: https://rekordbox.com
• Drag a test track into Serato, confirm it analyzes and plays through the controller

Phase 12: OBS and recording

• Install OBS: brew install --cask obs
• Install BlackHole (free) or Loopback (paid): brew install --cask blackhole-2ch for free option
• Open Audio MIDI Setup → create Multi-Output Device: include BlackHole + your audio interface (so you hear AND record)
• In OBS: Settings → Output → Recording → set path to /Volumes/YourDrive/OBS/
• OBS recording format: MOV, encoder: Apple VT H.264 Hardware (or ProRes for editing)
• OBS Settings → Output → enable separate audio tracks (1: mic, 2: DAW, 3: system)
• Create OBS Scenes: "Just DAW", "DAW + Cam", "Talking Head", "DJ Set"
• Add Display Capture, Video Capture (webcam), Audio Input Capture sources
• Test recording: 60 seconds, confirm audio tracks separate correctly

Phase 13: Creative coding

• Processing: brew install --cask processing
• TouchDesigner (free non-commercial): https://derivative.ca
• Sonic Pi: brew install --cask sonic-pi
• SuperCollider (for TidalCycles): brew install --cask supercollider
• Hydra: nothing to install, runs in browser at https://hydra.ojack.xyz
• p5.js: nothing to install, runs in browser at https://editor.p5js.org

Phase 14: Final cleanup

• System Settings → Siri & Spotlight → Search Privacy: add external drive folders to exclude
• System Settings → Battery → Options → disable "Wake for network access" (avoids waking during sessions)
• System Settings → Lock Screen → set screen off timer high (DJ sets last longer than 5min)
• Dock: drag out apps you won't launch from dock, keep it sparse
• Take a Time Machine backup snapshot now that everything's installed
• Write down your Serato Pro / Ableton / 1Password auth info somewhere safe

Optional: dotfiles

• Create dotfiles repo on GitHub
• Move ~/.zshrc, ~/.gitconfig, starship config, etc. into the repo with symlinks
• This way next time you set up a Mac, it's mostly automated