Pretty Lights

In this Instagram pic of Pretty Lights' live setup, you can see he uses an Akai MPD32 USB/Midi MPC Pad Controller (on the left side of the photo, below one of his MacBooks).

“When Joel told me about UAD plug-ins, I was beyond blown away by his opinion. He insisted that they were actually true emulations of the [analog] gear he is so familiar with. I couldn't believe my ears. I immediately went and bought every UAD plug-in and a Thunderbolt chassis for three OCTO cards.”

Visible in this November 2013 photo of Pretty Lights with the Analog Future Band.

Logic Pro 9 can be seen on Derek's right monitor in this photo. It's possible he's using it in conjunction with Ableton Live via ReWire.

Pretty Lights using the Novation Circuit in his car with his cats.

This monitor can be seen on the left hand side of this photo of one of Pretty Lights' studio sessions.

In an article by DJ TechTools, Pretty Lights is featured using the Native Instruments Maschine Mikro MKII, highlighting its role in his touring setup.

A video posted on faceboook of him talking to the crowd after his show at Euphoria Festival in 2015. He notices someone wearing something regarding Cthulhu and says that he uses that plugin.

A custom 2000XL was used for sequencing the synths on A Color Map of the Sun, as stated by Pretty Lights in this July 1, 2013 Electronic Musician interview.

“I used a custom-made [Akai] MPC 2000XL to sequence my modular synth, but for cutting up my vinyl to sample and arrange it, I simply used the ‘Arrangement View’ in [Ableton] Live or Drum Rack; I love Drum Rack! I use other stuff now, like Sampler and all the NI [Native Instruments] stuff and UAD-2 [plug-ins], but for the album I just used good-old-fashioned slicing and warp pins straight in Arrangement mode.”

Used for A Color Map of the Sun, as stated by Pretty Lights in this July 1, 2013 Electronic Musician interview.

“I used a custom-made [Akai] MPC 2000XL to sequence my modular synth, but for cutting up my vinyl to sample and arrange it, I simply used the ‘Arrangement View’ in [Ableton] Live or Drum Rack; I love Drum Rack! I use other stuff now, like Sampler and all the NI [Native Instruments] stuff and UAD-2 [plug-ins], but for the album I just used good-old-fashioned slicing and warp pins straight in Arrangement mode.”

In this photo from their website, Pretty Lights can be seen conducting a studio session while wearing Beyerdynamic DT 880s (original source here).

In this photo from Vice's article on Pretty Lights, Derek can be seen producing using Ableton Live.

A special article explaining artists' individual setups by DJtechtools.

Started using it at the beginning of the Episodic Tour I assume to control the new modular synthesizer racks.

In a live performance, Pretty Lights utilizes the Dave Smith Instruments Prophet '08 Module 8-voice Analog Synthesizer, as seen in a user-uploaded photo on Imgur.

In the YouTube video titled "Pretty Lights - Tour Bus Studio," Pretty Lights is shown using the Thermionic Culture The Culture Vulture during the production of "A Color Map of the Sun" (ACMOTS).

Pretty Lights began using the TASCAM 234 4-Track Cassette Recorder live at the start of the Episodic Tour in 2016, likely to capture the show or parts of it on cassette. This is evidenced by a user-uploaded photo on Imgur.

Used to record the material used in A Color Map of the Sun, as seen at 0:31 in the documentary "The Making of A Color Map of the Sun". The MTR-15 is also mentioned by Pretty Lights in this July 1, 2013 Electronic Musician interview.

“Nothing had been created, no ideas had even been toyed around with,” Smith says. “I just knew I wanted to record with as many musicians as possible. So that happened first and it was all done to stereo tape. It’s funny, because when I called [Studio G] and said I wanted to do it to tape, they had their 2-inch 24-track Studer tape machine ready to go, and I was like, ‘No, I must have miscommunicated. I want to use the [Otari MTR-15] quarter-inch stereo tape machine and run it on 7.5 ips so we’re really getting into emulating a garage recording studio in the ’60s in Detroit or Cleveland or some place like that.’ They said, ‘Are you sure? You won’t be able to change it later.’ I said, ‘Yes, I want it to be very destructive,’ which in an audio sense means you can’t go back and change it.

Visible in the documentary "The Making of A Color Map of the Sun" at 0:43.

"The new set up - Tour Bus/Studio" In this picture from Pretty Lights' Twitpic, Derek can be seen wearing M50s.

The Big Knob can be seen to the right of Pretty Lights' laptop.

In this photo from Vice, Derek is seen producing music using DT-770 Pro-80s.

In this photo, the Dangerous Music Monitor ST can be seen near Pretty Light's left hand.

In this Facebook photo, Pretty Lights can be seen with three MacBook Pros at his performance setup. The width on each side of the keyboard would suggest that they are at least the 15" models.

In this photo, the upper-left-hand instrument is the 5-Octave Teak Mbira. Pretty Lights claims he "can't wait to play" it at the SnowBall Festival in Denver, CO.

Derek shows off his new modular synth in this photo: "siiiick!!! My new custom @pittsburghmodular synth is ready to hit the road with me. I'm stoked to be the 1st to try out their new DNA SYMBIOTIC WAVES modules. #newsounds"

Pretty Lights is credited with using the Wurlitzer 200A in the album "A Color Map of the Sun."

Pretty Lights used a Fender Rhodes Mark II Stage 54 in the creation of "A Color Map of the Sun," as evidenced by the album credits shown in the user-uploaded photo on Imgur.

Pretty Lights used a Resonator Mandolin during the production of "A Color Map of the Sun," as evidenced by the album credits.

Pretty Lights used Musicboxes during the production of "A Color Map of the Sun," as evidenced by the album credits.