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Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Ólafur Arnalds. Every item links to its public source.
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What DAW does Ólafur Arnalds use?

Ólafur Arnalds has said they record in Avid Pro Tools and sketch ideas in Ableton Live, with a Korg PS-3100, Roland Juno-60, Nonlinear Labs C15 and a custom Kawai felt grand. Arnalds has named Neumann KM84 and AKG C12 mics, a Roland Space Echo, FabFilter Pro-Q 3 and Spitfire's Stratus.

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What studio gear Ólafur Arnalds uses: a sourced gear guide

Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.

Studio

11 items

Stage

1 item

Keys

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Synths

8 items

Recording

11 items

Records that shaped me

13 items
Questions

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What DAW does Ólafur Arnalds use?

Ólafur Arnalds has said Pro Tools is the main recording program, with Ableton Live for fast new ideas. Kiasmos tracks often start in Ableton and move to Pro Tools for detailed sound design (MusicRadar, 2024).

What plugins does Ólafur Arnalds use?

Arnalds has named FabFilter Pro-Q 3 for corrective EQ, the UAD EMT 250 reverb and Moog Multimode Filter, Soundtoys Decapitator, Slate + Ash Choreographs and Softube Model 84, plus the Stratus and Chamber Evolutions libraries made with Spitfire Audio.

What synth does Ólafur Arnalds use?

Arnalds has said a Korg PS-3100, patched with a Korg SQ-10 and MS-50, carries most Kiasmos synth parts, alongside a Roland Juno-60 and Juno-106, a Korg MS-10, a Jen SM-2007 string machine and a Nonlinear Labs C15.

What microphones does Ólafur Arnalds use?

Arnalds has named a pair of Neumann KM84s for strings, Coles 4038 ribbons on piano, AKG C12A mics on the Kawai grand and a Telefunken AK47 Mk II for vocals.

What studio monitors does Ólafur Arnalds use?

Sound On Sound reported in 2013 that the Arnalds room at E7 Studios in Reykjavik ran Barefoot MicroMain35 monitors.

What audio interface does Ólafur Arnalds use?

Sound On Sound reported a Pro Tools HD 10 rig with Mytek 192 converters. Arnalds has also said a Studer console and API 512 preamps sit in the recording chain.

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Ólafur Arnalds
About this guide · Last checked

Ólafur Arnalds is an Icelandic composer and producer who blends piano, strings and analog synths, solo and as half of Kiasmos. This guide covers the DAWs, synths, pianos, mics and outboard Arnalds has named in interviews, plus 13 records that shaped the music.

truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Ólafur Arnalds didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.

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