Top 5Uses
Ableton
LiveSeen in Barry Can't Swim "Still Riding" Full Ableton Session Breakdown (Tape Notes), July 2025
Photo: Raph_PH · CC BY 2.0
Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Barry Can't Swim. Every item links to its public source.
34 items · Last checked What DAW does Barry Can't Swim use?
Barry Can't Swim uses Ableton Live, shown in a 2025 Tape Notes session breakdown. The producer has said they use Spectrasonics Omnisphere and Keyscape, the Korg M1 and TAL-U-NO-LX plugins, Arturia's Prophet-5 V, Soundtoys Decapitator and EchoBoy Jr., plus Sennheiser HD 650 headphones.
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Top 5
Where to start with Barry Can't Swim's gear.
01
02
Top 5Has said they use
Spectrasonics
Omnisphere“amazing for textures and ambience”
Said in Barry Can't Swim: "Producers can often overthink" (MusicTech), October 2023
03
Top 5Has said they use
Spectrasonics
Keyscape“I recently got Spectrasonics Keyscape so have recently been starting by laying down some keys parts and building everything out from there.”
Said in Plug-ins I Actually Use: Barry Can't Swim (MusicTech), July 2022
04
Top 5Has said they use
Korg
M1“I've used the harp sound on that combined with an arpeggiator on three of the four tracks, which gives the EP a bit of consistency and it sounds amazing.”
Said in Plug-ins I Actually Use: Barry Can't Swim (MusicTech), July 2022
05
Top 5Has said they use
TAL Software
TAL-U-NO-LXSaid in Barry Can't Swim: "Producers can often overthink" (MusicTech), October 2023
What studio gear Barry Can't Swim uses: a sourced gear guide
Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.
Studio
Uses
Ableton
LiveSeen in Barry Can't Swim "Still Riding" Full Ableton Session Breakdown (Tape Notes), July 2025
Has said they use
Spectrasonics
Omnisphere“amazing for textures and ambience”
Said in Barry Can't Swim: "Producers can often overthink" (MusicTech), October 2023
Has said they use
Spectrasonics
Keyscape“I recently got Spectrasonics Keyscape so have recently been starting by laying down some keys parts and building everything out from there.”
Said in Plug-ins I Actually Use: Barry Can't Swim (MusicTech), July 2022
Has said they use
Korg
M1“I've used the harp sound on that combined with an arpeggiator on three of the four tracks, which gives the EP a bit of consistency and it sounds amazing.”
Said in Plug-ins I Actually Use: Barry Can't Swim (MusicTech), July 2022
Has said they use
TAL Software
TAL-U-NO-LXSaid in Barry Can't Swim: "Producers can often overthink" (MusicTech), October 2023
Has said they use
Arturia
Prophet-5 V“so much richness and warmth and depth to it”
Said in Barry Can't Swim: "Producers can often overthink" (MusicTech), October 2023
Has said they use
Native Instruments
Monark“I just got Native Instruments Monark for making bass patches.”
Said in Plug-ins I Actually Use: Barry Can't Swim (MusicTech), July 2022
Spitfire Audio
Strings collection
Has said they use
Spitfire Audio
Strings collection“I recently bought the Spitfire Audio strings collection and it was so worth it.”
Said in Plug-ins I Actually Use: Barry Can't Swim (MusicTech), July 2022
No store page for this one.
Has said they use
Soundtoys
Decapitator“a bit of Decapitator to add some saturation”
Said in Plug-ins I Actually Use: Barry Can't Swim (MusicTech), July 2022
Has said they use
Soundtoys
EchoBoy Jr.Said in Plug-ins I Actually Use: Barry Can't Swim (MusicTech), July 2022
Valhalla DSP
Valhalla reverb
Has said they use
Valhalla DSP
Valhalla reverbSaid in Plug-ins I Actually Use: Barry Can't Swim (MusicTech), July 2022
Has said they use
Dada Life
Endless Smile“I love Endless Smile by Dada Life”
Said in Plug-ins I Actually Use: Barry Can't Swim (MusicTech), July 2022
No store page for this one.
Has said they use
Dada Life
Sausage Fattener“even just a little bit of Sausage Fattener by Dada Life”
Said in Plug-ins I Actually Use: Barry Can't Swim (MusicTech), July 2022
Has said they use
Sennheiser
HD 650“As soon as I upgraded to these, everything leveled up.”
Said in Video Essentials With Barry Can't Swim (Hypebeast), July 2023
Festival kit
Dior
Relaxed-fit printed shirt
Seen wearing
Seen in Video Essentials With Barry Can't Swim (Hypebeast), July 2023
No store page for this one.
Kopparberg
Ice Bucket Hat
SponsoredSeen wearing
Kopparberg
Ice Bucket Hat“for like two hours, which is ideal.”
Seen in Video Essentials With Barry Can't Swim, presented by Kopparberg (Hypebeast), July 2023
No store page for this one.
What I wear
Nike
Shoes
Seen wearing
Nike
ShoesSeen in NOTION The Artists Vol. 1: Barry Can't Swim, December 2024
No store page for this one.
Amiri
Cardigan, shirt and vest
Seen wearing
Seen in NOTION The Artists Vol. 1: Barry Can't Swim, December 2024
No store page for this one.
G.H. Bass
Shoes
Seen wearing
G.H. Bass
ShoesSeen in NOTION The Artists Vol. 1: Barry Can't Swim, December 2024
No store page for this one.
Diemme
Shoes
Seen wearing
Diemme
ShoesSeen in NOTION The Artists Vol. 1: Barry Can't Swim, December 2024
No store page for this one.
886 by The Royal Mint
Necklace and rings
Seen wearing
886 by The Royal Mint
Necklace and ringsSeen in NOTION The Artists Vol. 1: Barry Can't Swim, December 2024
No store page for this one.
SAVOIA
Necklace and rings
Seen wearing
SAVOIA
Necklace and ringsSeen in NOTION The Artists Vol. 1: Barry Can't Swim, December 2024
No store page for this one.
C.P. Company
Robyn Lynch x C.P. Company jacket
Seen wearing
C.P. Company
Robyn Lynch x C.P. Company jacketSeen in NOTION The Artists Vol. 1: Barry Can't Swim, December 2024
No store page for this one.
Aries
Jumper
Seen wearing
Aries
JumperSeen in NOTION The Artists Vol. 1: Barry Can't Swim, December 2024
No store page for this one.
Sage Nation
Trousers
Seen wearing
Sage Nation
TrousersSeen in NOTION The Artists Vol. 1: Barry Can't Swim, December 2024
No store page for this one.
Records that shaped me
Has said they love
Jai Paul
Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones)“The production is just wild.”
Said in The Records That Made Me: Barry Can't Swim (The Vinyl Factory), September 2023
Buy
Has said they love
Khruangbin
The Universe Smiles Upon You“I love this album so much, it's been such an influence on my writing.”
Said in The Records That Made Me: Barry Can't Swim (The Vinyl Factory), September 2023
Has said they love
Van Morrison
Astral Weeks“Lyrics have never been that important to me in songs but the lyrics in this album are so vivid.”
Said in The Records That Made Me: Barry Can't Swim (The Vinyl Factory), September 2023
Buy
Has said they love
O'Flynn
Aletheia“This album is so underrated, it should be a lot bigger than it is.”
Said in The Records That Made Me: Barry Can't Swim (The Vinyl Factory), September 2023
Buy
Has said they love
The Avalanches
We Will Always Love You“There's so much going on and it really is a journey to listen to.”
Said in The Records That Made Me: Barry Can't Swim (The Vinyl Factory), September 2023
Buy
Has said they love
Arctic Monkeys
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not“That was an absolute gamechanger for me growing up.”
Said in The Skinny On... Barry Can't Swim, July 2021
Buy
Has said they love
Frank Ocean
Channel Orange“Astral Weeks and Channel Orange are up there too.”
Said in The Skinny On... Barry Can't Swim, July 2021
Buy
Has said they love
Oneohtrix Point Never
Chrome CountrySaid in 10 Questions With Barry Can't Swim (10 Magazine), July 2022
On my nightstand
Marcus Aurelius
Meditations
Has said they love
Marcus Aurelius
Meditations“Meditations by Marcus Aurelius would keep me stoic and sane.”
Said in The Skinny On... Barry Can't Swim, July 2021
Also at
Questions
About Barry Can't Swim's gear.
What DAW does Barry Can't Swim use?
Barry Can't Swim uses Ableton Live. A July 2025 Tape Notes episode walks through the full Ableton session for "Still Riding" from the album Loner.
What plugins does Barry Can't Swim use?
Barry Can't Swim has said they use Spectrasonics Omnisphere and Keyscape, the Korg M1 and TAL-U-NO-LX, Native Instruments Monark, Soundtoys Decapitator and EchoBoy Jr., Valhalla reverb and Dada Life's Endless Smile and Sausage Fattener.
What synth does Barry Can't Swim use?
Barry Can't Swim works almost entirely in software and has said they use Arturia's Prophet emulation for pads and stabs, Omnisphere for textures, the TAL-U-NO-LX Juno-60 emulation and Native Instruments Monark for bass patches.
What headphones does Barry Can't Swim use?
Barry Can't Swim has said they use Sennheiser HD 650 headphones, an upgrade from a cheap pair: "As soon as I upgraded to these, everything leveled up."
What jewelry does Barry Can't Swim wear?
Barry Can't Swim has been seen wearing 886 by The Royal Mint necklaces and rings, plus a SAVOIA necklace and rings, in a December 2024 NOTION shoot.
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BC
Barry Can't Swim
About this guide · Last checked
Barry Can't Swim is the Edinburgh-born, London-based producer and DJ Joshua Mainnie, known for jazzy, piano-led house on Ninja Tune. This guide covers the software studio, headphones, stage and shoot outfits, and the records and book named in interviews.
truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Barry Can't Swim didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.
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