Gear
Studio Equipment
I compose on my 2012 Mac Mini (2.6 Ghz i7, 16GB RAM) using an Axiom 61 midi keyboard, Alesis M1Active monitors and Audio-Technica M40x headphones,
Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)
Having started composing with Garage Band on my Mac, transitioning to Logic Pro seemed like the natural choice. At the time, the main impetus for me to get Logic Pro was so I could compose in irregular time signatures (something which GarageBand does not support). I know Cubase and FL Studio are two other common choices among composers working with samples, but when Apple halved the price of their sequencer in 2012, Logic Pro seemed the best way to go.
Sample Libraries
Over the years my sample library collection has grown more quickly than I might have initially predicted. When starting out, I often approached purchasing sample libraries from the perspective of finding the one library that would meet all my orchestral needs. Unfortunately, as I've discovered, I doubt that library will ever exist. Different libraries do different things, so it's important when purchasing libraries to consider what kind of music you are trying to create.
I started out as an East West user primarily, falling into the naive assumption that East West (and Vienna) were the only developers out there producing orchestral sample libraries. But I've discovered other developers since then, and now my collection includes the following:
8Dio
CAGE, Agitato, Adagietto, Claire Alto Flute Virtuoso, The Bazantar
CineSamples
CinePerc (Core, Pro, Epic, Auxillary)
East West
Hollywood Strings, Hollywood Brass, Hollywood Orchestral Woodwinds, Symphonic Orchestra, Symphonic Choirs, Voices of Passion, Stormdrum 2, QL Pianos, Ra, Silk, Gypsy, Goliath, The Dark Side, Solo Violin
Orchestral Tools
Metropolis Ark I, Metropolis Ark II, Berlin Brass
Spitfire Audio
Spitfire Symphonic Strings, Spitfire Chamber Strings, Evo Grid 1 Scary Strings, Evo Grid 2 Subtle Strings, Evo Grid 3 Strings in Motion, Evo Grid 4 Woodwinds, Spitfire Symphonic Strings Evolutions, Albion 5 Tundra, Albion 4 Uist, Harpsichord, Euphone, Glass and Steel