Top 5Has said they use
Yamaha
CS-80“The CS80 was an expensive thing for me to buy.”
Said in Sound On Sound: Hot Chip: Recording Why Make Sense?, June 2015
Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Hot Chip. Every item links to its public source.
25 items · Last checked What gear does Hot Chip use?
Joe Goddard has talked about his Yamaha CS-80, Doepfer A-100 modular and Arturia's Moog Modular V, with Cubase at the centre of his studio. Felix Martin is known for the Elektron Machinedrum and the Dave Smith Poly Evolver, Owen Clarke has named the Roland SH-101 as his synth, and early songs like Boy From School were built on a Casio MT-70.
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Top 5
Where to start with Hot Chip's gear.
01
02
Top 5Has said they use
Doepfer
A-100 Analog Modular System“My little modular is really, really fun because it's quite new and we're all just discovering how to make it do things”
Said in Sound On Sound: Hot Chip: Recording Why Make Sense?, June 2015
03
Top 5Seen using
ARP
ARP 2600“Among the vintage synths populating Goddard's studio is this ARP 2600.”
Seen in Sound On Sound: Hot Chip: Recording Why Make Sense?, June 2015
04
Top 5Seen using
Roland
System-100“A rare example of a complete Roland System 100 semi-modular synth.”
Seen in Sound On Sound: Hot Chip: Recording Why Make Sense?, June 2015
05
Top 5Has said they love
Arturia
Moog Modular V“I particularly love this [Arturia] Moog Modular VST instrument; it's on almost every track”
Said in XLR8R: In the Studio: Hot Chip, November 2008
What gear Hot Chip uses: a sourced gear guide
Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.
Joe Goddard's studio
Has said they use
Yamaha
CS-80“The CS80 was an expensive thing for me to buy.”
Said in Sound On Sound: Hot Chip: Recording Why Make Sense?, June 2015
Has said they use
Doepfer
A-100 Analog Modular System“My little modular is really, really fun because it's quite new and we're all just discovering how to make it do things”
Said in Sound On Sound: Hot Chip: Recording Why Make Sense?, June 2015
Seen using
ARP
ARP 2600“Among the vintage synths populating Goddard's studio is this ARP 2600.”
Seen in Sound On Sound: Hot Chip: Recording Why Make Sense?, June 2015
Seen using
Roland
System-100“A rare example of a complete Roland System 100 semi-modular synth.”
Seen in Sound On Sound: Hot Chip: Recording Why Make Sense?, June 2015
Has said they love
Arturia
Moog Modular V“I particularly love this [Arturia] Moog Modular VST instrument; it's on almost every track”
Said in XLR8R: In the Studio: Hot Chip, November 2008
Alexis Taylor's home setup
Has said they use
Al Doyle's rig
Has said they use
Korg
MS2000“There was a point where Al had a Korg MS2000,”
Said in Sound On Sound: Hot Chip: Recording Why Make Sense?, June 2015
Also at
Has said they use
Yamaha
CS-70M“The day after our phone call, Doyle lends Hot Chip frontman Alexis Taylor a Yamaha CS-70 to play with”
Said in Mixdown: Hot Chip: Wiring and Grief, February 2020
Early Hot Chip recordings
Has said they use
Shure
SM58“We just had a [Shure] SM58 mic and a bunch of synthesizers and keyboards that we got from synth shops or charity shops.”
Said in Sound On Sound: Hot Chip: Recording Why Make Sense?, June 2015
Has said they use
Casio
MT-70“That original, like, sort of version, it was on this Casio, the MT-70.”
Said in Song Exploder: Hot Chip, Boy From School (Episode 314), May 2026
Felix Martin's rig
Has said they use
Has said they love
Dave Smith Instruments
Poly Evolver“My synthesizer, the Dave Smith Poly Evolver. It's the best, I love it very much.”
Said in Bandwagon: Chiptunes: An interview with Felix Martin of Hot Chip, June 2012
Owen Clarke's rig
Has said they use
Roland
SH-101“For years it's been the Roland SH-101. It's a very simple, versatile synthesiser with great arpeggios and melodies.”
Records Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard love
Has said they love
The Beach Boys
Pet Sounds“if you've grown up listening to Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys, you're kind of fascinated with the idea that they put together different instruments that don't normally get put together.”
Said in Song Exploder: Hot Chip, Boy From School (Episode 314), May 2026
Records Joe Goddard loves
Has said they love
James Holden
The Inheritors“I also feel like that last James Holden album The Inheritors was very inspiring in the way he used synthesisers.”
Said in The Line of Best Fit: Joe Goddard on Electric Lines, April 2017
Alexis Taylor's favourite albums
Has said they love
Palace Music
Arise ThereforeSaid in The Quietus: Funk Soul Brother: Alexis Taylor Of Hot Chip's Favourite Albums, July 2014
Buy
Has said they love
Prince
ParadeSaid in The Quietus: Funk Soul Brother: Alexis Taylor Of Hot Chip's Favourite Albums, July 2014
Has said they love
Alex Chilton
Like Flies On SherbertSaid in The Quietus: Funk Soul Brother: Alexis Taylor Of Hot Chip's Favourite Albums, July 2014
Has said they love
Neil Young
On the BeachSaid in The Quietus: Funk Soul Brother: Alexis Taylor Of Hot Chip's Favourite Albums, July 2014
Buy
Has said they love
Sly & The Family Stone
There's A Riot Goin' OnSaid in The Quietus: Funk Soul Brother: Alexis Taylor Of Hot Chip's Favourite Albums, July 2014
Has said they love
Moodymann
Picture ThisSaid in The Quietus: Funk Soul Brother: Alexis Taylor Of Hot Chip's Favourite Albums, July 2014
Buy
Has said they love
Stevie Wonder
Music Of My MindSaid in The Quietus: Funk Soul Brother: Alexis Taylor Of Hot Chip's Favourite Albums, July 2014
Has said they love
Bruce Springsteen
NebraskaSaid in The Quietus: Funk Soul Brother: Alexis Taylor Of Hot Chip's Favourite Albums, July 2014
Has said they love
Royal Trux
AcceleratorSaid in The Quietus: Funk Soul Brother: Alexis Taylor Of Hot Chip's Favourite Albums, July 2014
Has said they love
Said in The Quietus: Funk Soul Brother: Alexis Taylor Of Hot Chip's Favourite Albums, July 2014
Questions
About Hot Chip's gear.
What synths does Joe Goddard use?
Sound On Sound found a Doepfer A-100 modular, a Yamaha CS-80, an ARP 2600 and a Roland System-100 in his studio, and he praised the Roland SH-101. He told XLR8R the Arturia Moog Modular V plugin was on almost every track.
What DAW does Hot Chip use?
Sound On Sound described Joe Goddard's studio as Cubase-centred, said Alexis Taylor has a Logic-based setup at home, and said Al Doyle, Felix Martin and Owen Clarke use Ableton Live.
What drum machine does Felix Martin use?
The Georgia Straight called the Elektron Machinedrum his weapon of choice and said it made the beat for Shake a Fist. He has also said he loves his Dave Smith Poly Evolver and has used the Lemur app on the iPad.
What keyboard was Boy From School made on?
On Song Exploder, Alexis Taylor said the original version was on a Casio MT-70, and Joe Goddard said it was used for almost all of the sounds on the song.
What synth does Owen Clarke play?
He told Headliner that for years it has been the Roland SH-101, which he drives over MIDI from its smaller boutique version, with a Dave Smith synth beside him for polyphonic parts.
What are Alexis Taylor's favourite albums?
For The Quietus he picked records including Prince's Parade, Neil Young's On The Beach, Sly and the Family Stone's There's A Riot Goin' On, Moodymann's Picture This, Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska and Robert Wyatt's Mid-Eighties.
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Named in this guide
HC
Hot Chip
About this guide · Last checked
Hot Chip are the London band of Alexis Taylor, Joe Goddard, Al Doyle, Owen Clarke and Felix Martin, behind The Warning, Made in the Dark, Why Make Sense? and Freakout/Release. This guide covers the synths, drum machines, keyboards, software and mics the members have named in Sound On Sound, XLR8R, Song Exploder and other interviews, plus the records Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard have called favourites.
truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Hot Chip didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.
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