Top 5Uses
Ableton
Live 12“I don't really mess with any other DAWs because I feel like there's not much else I need to be able to say.”
Said in MusicRadar: Flying Lotus on early musical adventures and BIG MAMA, April 2026
f
Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Flying Lotus. Every item links to its public source.
20 items · Last checked What's in Flying Lotus' studio?
Flying Lotus makes music in Ableton Live and uses Ableton Push as the brain of his DAW-less room, with Sonic Charge Microtonic, Reason's soft synths and Koala Sampler on his phone. His go-to synths include a Yamaha CS-80, the Moog One and a Black Corporation Deckard's Dream, and for the Big Mama EP he built FM sounds on an Elektron Machinedrum.
truerecs may earn from links on this page.
In stores now
Shop Flying Lotus's setup.
Top 5
Where to start with Flying Lotus's gear.
01
02
Top 5Uses
Ableton
Granulator III“I started recording noises with those and I just built up a bank of noises and sounds and started messing with Ableton's Granulator III”
Said in MusicRadar: Flying Lotus on early musical adventures and BIG MAMA, April 2026
03
Top 5Uses
Reason Studios
Reason“Eventually I stopped using Reason for the most part, but I still use its soft synths from time to time.”
Said in MusicRadar: Flying Lotus on early musical adventures and BIG MAMA, April 2026
04
Top 5Uses
Sonic Charge
Microtonic“I used this one drum synth, Sonic Charge Microtonic, it's really cool.”
Said in MusicRadar: Flying Lotus on early musical adventures and BIG MAMA, April 2026
05
Top 5Uses
Cherry Audio
GX-80“I feel like I probably used the [Cherry Audio] GX-80 for that, the VST of the Yamaha CS-80.”
Said in MusicRadar: Flying Lotus on early musical adventures and BIG MAMA, April 2026
What gear Flying Lotus uses: a sourced gear guide
Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.
Studio
Uses
Ableton
Live 12“I don't really mess with any other DAWs because I feel like there's not much else I need to be able to say.”
Said in MusicRadar: Flying Lotus on early musical adventures and BIG MAMA, April 2026
Uses
Ableton
Granulator III“I started recording noises with those and I just built up a bank of noises and sounds and started messing with Ableton's Granulator III”
Said in MusicRadar: Flying Lotus on early musical adventures and BIG MAMA, April 2026
Uses
Reason Studios
Reason“Eventually I stopped using Reason for the most part, but I still use its soft synths from time to time.”
Said in MusicRadar: Flying Lotus on early musical adventures and BIG MAMA, April 2026
Uses
Sonic Charge
Microtonic“I used this one drum synth, Sonic Charge Microtonic, it's really cool.”
Said in MusicRadar: Flying Lotus on early musical adventures and BIG MAMA, April 2026
Uses
Cherry Audio
GX-80“I feel like I probably used the [Cherry Audio] GX-80 for that, the VST of the Yamaha CS-80.”
Said in MusicRadar: Flying Lotus on early musical adventures and BIG MAMA, April 2026
Uses
Koala
Koala Sampler (iOS)“Sometimes I use the phone, I use Koala Sampler.”
Said in MusicRadar: Flying Lotus on early musical adventures and BIG MAMA, April 2026
Synths and drum machines
Uses
Yamaha
CS-80“I'm gonna take my Yamaha CS-80, my Boss RC-505 Loop Station, and then my Ableton Push”
Said in MusicRadar: Flying Lotus on early musical adventures and BIG MAMA, April 2026
Uses
Black Corporation
Deckard's Dream“I love the Deckard's Dream”
Said in MusicRadar: Flying Lotus on early musical adventures and BIG MAMA, April 2026
Uses
Elektron
Machinedrum“I did buy the Elektron Machinedrum. I really wanted that, and I recorded a bunch of sounds with that”
Said in MusicRadar: Flying Lotus on early musical adventures and BIG MAMA, April 2026
Uses
Moog
Moog One“I love the Moog One, though. It's still on my go-to list.”
Said in Synth History: Interview With Flying Lotus (2026), March 2026
Has said they use
Sequential
Prophet-6“my essentials are The Prophet 6 and Yamaha CS-60/Deckard's Dream.”
Said in Synth History: Interview With Flying Lotus, April 2021
Has said they use
Oberheim
OB-6“Honorable mentions are the Moog One and Ob-6.”
Said in Synth History: Interview With Flying Lotus, April 2021
Live room
Uses
Ableton
Push“Yeah, Push is like the brain.”
Said in Ableton: Flying Lotus, from the sketchbook to the stage, March 2026
Uses
“I'll mess with the LoopStation a lot”
Said in MusicRadar: Flying Lotus on early musical adventures and BIG MAMA, April 2026
Has said they use
Serato
Serato DJ“I've been getting really deep into Serato DJ”
Said in Synth History: Interview With Flying Lotus, April 2021
Where he started
Has said they use
Roland
MC-505 GrooveboxSaid in MusicRadar: Flying Lotus on early musical adventures and BIG MAMA, April 2026
Records that shaped him
Has said they love
Vangelis
Blade Runner (score)“Blade Runner Blues specifically was a big inspiration for the whole Yasuke soundtrack.”
Said in MusicTech: Flying Lotus shares production process of Yasuke, May 2021
No store page for this one.
Has said they love
Alice Coltrane
Lord of Lords“For me, Lord of Lords is the story of John Coltrane's ascension”
Said in The FADER: Flying Lotus, You're Dead! cover story, October 2014
Has said they love
Charles Mingus
The Black Saint and the Sinner LadySaid in FACT: Flying Lotus hints at prog-influenced new album, January 2014
Books
Has said they love
Stephen King
Doctor Sleep“Right now I'm inspired by Stephen King, reading some of his stuff.”
Said in Synth History: Interview With Flying Lotus (2026), March 2026
Also at
Questions
About Flying Lotus's gear.
What DAW does Flying Lotus use?
Ableton Live. He started on Reason, moved to Ableton around Cosmogramma, first for his live shows, and told MusicRadar in 2026 that he doesn't really mess with any other DAWs. He still opens Reason's soft synths from time to time.
What synths does Flying Lotus use?
He told Synth History in 2026 that the CS-80 replaced his Prophet-6 as a go-to and that the Moog One is still on his list; in 2021 he named the Prophet-6, Deckard's Dream, Moog One and OB-6. For BIG MAMA he built FM sounds on an Elektron Machinedrum and Monomachine.
What hardware does Flying Lotus use without a computer?
His computerless live room has a baby grand piano, an Ableton Push, a CS-50 and his Boss RC-505 Loop Station. He has also said he plays the MPC, the SP-404 and Koala Sampler on his phone.
What was Flying Lotus's first gear?
MusicRadar notes that his cousin bought him a Roland MC-505 as a teenager. He said that before that he made drum patterns on his grandmother's Roland TR-626, and that his early records were made in Reason, ReCycle and Adobe Audition.
What records inspired Flying Lotus?
He has called Vangelis's Blade Runner Blues a big inspiration for the Yasuke soundtrack, said his great aunt Alice Coltrane's Lord of Lords is the story of John Coltrane's ascension, and named The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady as his favorite Charles Mingus record.
Related gear guides
Setups that share gear with Flying Lotus.
Lasgo
Trance
71 itemsSee Lasgo's gear →
RAC
Indie dance
59 itemsSee RAC's gear →
Calvin Harris
EDM and big room
54 itemsSee Calvin Harris's gear →
Overmono
Breakbeat and UK bass
54 itemsSee Overmono's gear →
Trent Reznor
47 itemsSee Trent Reznor's gear →
Hans Zimmer
40 itemsSee Hans Zimmer's gear →
Named in this guide
FL
Flying Lotus
About this guide · Last checked
Flying Lotus (Steven Ellison) is the Los Angeles producer, filmmaker and Brainfeeder founder behind Los Angeles, Cosmogramma, You're Dead!, Flamagra and the Yasuke score. This guide covers the software, synths, drum machines and loopers he has talked about in interviews, plus the records he has named as inspirations.
truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Flying Lotus didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.
Report an error or ask for removal. We fix or remove within 72 hours. You don't need to sign up.
Are you Flying Lotus?
Claim this page to make it yours: verify with your Instagram, TikTok or YouTube, keep what's right, drop what isn't, and add your own.
Claim this pagetruerecs gear guides are independent research from public sources, not made or approved by the artist. Store buttons on this page may be affiliate links: truerecs may earn a commission when you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Flying Lotus isn't paid for them. Report an error or ask for removal. Full disclosure.