Nine Inch Nails – The Fragile

In the following SOS article, Trent Reznor's engineer said: "The music just flows out of Trent like no one else I've ever known, even though he'll burn brilliantly and then have to play video games for the next eight hours. As with any great artist, there's a lot of procrastination, but while he's playing one of those games his brain is still working and at any moment he could come up with something fantastic. That's why we'd always have to be ready to roll. If he suddenly said, 'I want to sing,' I'd hand him a [Shure] Beta 58 and run it through a Neve and [Universal Audio] LA2A. I had it set up so he could grab a mic, I'd hit two buttons and off we'd go. Most of the time he'd hand-hold a 58, but every once in a while we'd record his vocal with [an AKG] 414 because it captured the natural sound of him in a room, which he really liked. "He recorded 'Closer' with a Beta 58, and for some tracks he'd have it on a mic stand and perform right there in front of the console. In fact, when he did the vocal for 'Ruiner', he was lifting the mic stand, slamming its base into the wood floor and chipping it, while on another occasion he got so carried away that he sheared the knobs off some [Lexicon] PCM42s. There were three PCM42s in a row and he took the feedback and modulation knobs off every one of them. I was thinking, 'Fuck!' However, when he performed, the emotion came out, and in the case of 'Piggy' he was under the console singing into the Beta 58.”

Trent is seen using this controller at 2:22 during The Fragile

Trent Reznor utilizes the Yamaha SPX-1000 effects processor, as confirmed by his explanation of a recording technique for 'The Fragile,' where he describes tuning all guitar strings to the same pitch and strumming rapidly while running the sound through the SPX-1000 with early reflection reverb. This information is sourced from an article by Reinholder on Guitar FX Depot titled "Trent Reznor On Recording 'The Fragile'."

Trent Reznor uses the Waldorf Pulse+ Rackmount Synthesizer, as evidenced by its inclusion in the partial equipment list found in The Fragility Tour program for the album "The Fragile," as documented on the nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor's use of the E-Mu 6400 is confirmed by the Fragility Tour program, which lists it among the equipment used to record The Fragile. This information is sourced from nin.wiki, specifically from the page detailing equipment associated with the album.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to have used the Roland MC-505 Groovebox, as documented in the Fragility Tour program, which includes a partial list of equipment used to record "The Fragile." This information is sourced from nin.wiki.

According to the Fragility Tour program, Trent Reznor used the DigiTech 2112 Studio Guitar System as part of the equipment for recording "The Fragile," as documented on nin.wiki.

"...We don't really have many sample-based workstation-type keyboards in the studio, except for the Kurzweil K2500."

The K2xxx series was also used a lot on the downward spiral. The guitar for "Hurt" is the acoustic guitar patch on the on the orchestral rom. The drums for "The Becoming" were also programed on a K2xxx series.

In reference to The Fragile: Trent used "a Nord Lead on almost every song," says Keith. And not just for leads or synth bass. "He used it for... it was pretty much all over the map. There wasn't any real definitive synth bass. I mean, we used the Minimoog, we used the Nord, we used the [Novation] Bass Station on 'The Wretched.' There wasn't anything that we always went back to for a specific sound, but if he had a melody in his head, the Nord was always the first synth he'd walk over to. He'd basically flip through sounds until he found something in the ballpark, then we'd record in the synth line, and then tweak the sounds as the sequence looped around.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to use the Novation SuperNova synthesizer, as evidenced by the Fragility Tour program, which includes it in the partial list of equipment used to record "The Fragile." This information is supported by the source nin.wiki.

The Yamaha AN1x synthesizer is confirmed to have been used by Trent Reznor during the recording of Nine Inch Nails' album "The Fragile," as evidenced by its inclusion in the partial equipment list featured in The Fragility Tour program, as documented by nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to use the Yamaha VL1-m Version 2 Rack Module as part of a list of equipment used to record "The Fragile," as documented in the Fragility Tour program. This information is sourced from nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to have used the Roland SP-808 GrooveSampler in the recording of "The Fragile," as indicated by the Fragility Tour program, which includes a partial list of equipment utilized during the album's production. This information is sourced from nin.wiki.

According to the Fragility Tour program, Trent Reznor used the Boss Dr. Groove DR-202 (Incorrectly labeled as Roland) as part of the equipment for recording "The Fragile." This information is corroborated by a partial list of the gear employed during the album's production, as documented on nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to have used the Quasimidi Rave-o-Lution 309 during the recording of "The Fragile," as it is listed in the equipment section of the Fragility Tour program, according to the source nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to use the Studio Electronics Midimini synthesizer, as listed in the Fragility Tour program, which includes a partial list of equipment used to record "The Fragile." This information is sourced from nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to have used the Akai MPC 2000, as detailed in the Fragility Tour program, which lists the equipment employed during the recording of "The Fragile." This information is sourced from nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to use the Akai MPC 3000 as part of the equipment list for recording "The Fragile," as documented in the Fragility Tour program. This information is sourced from nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to use the Oberheim SEM-1 Synthesizer Expander Module, as it is listed among the equipment used to record The Fragile in the Fragility Tour program. This information is supported by the source provided by nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor used a Gibson Les Paul Standard during the 1994 Downward Spiral era, as detailed in Collectionzz's documentation of his smashed guitar.

Trent Reznor is noted for using the ESP Eclipse "The Fragile" electric guitar, as documented by I Heart Guitar.

In this picture from a booklet included in the Definitive Edition release of The Fragile, an image can be found of Trent Reznor holding a Gibson ES-335 Gothic in his arms and resting.

It can be told that this is an ES-335 Gothic due to the single Crescent Moon Inlay on the neck.

The Fragility Tour program contains a partial list of equipment used to record The Fragile.

Included in this list is the Danelectro Fab Tone

The Fragility Tour program contains a partial list of equipment used to record The Fragile.

Included in this list is the Danelectro Daddy O

The Fragility Tour program contains a partial list of equipment used to record The Fragile.

Included in this list is the Danelectro Cool Cat

Trent Reznor's use of the Mu-Tron Bi-Phase pedal is confirmed by the Fragility Tour program, which lists it among the equipment used during the recording of "The Fragile." This information is sourced from nin.wiki, which provides a detailed account of the gear used for this project.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to have used the Lovetone Big Cheese pedal during the recording of "The Fragile," as evidenced by its inclusion in the partial list of equipment detailed in the Fragility Tour program, as documented by nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to use the Lovetone Meatball pedal as listed in the Fragility Tour program, which details the equipment used for recording "The Fragile," according to the source from nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to use the Lovetone Doppelganger pedal, as listed in the Fragility Tour program, which provides a partial inventory of the equipment utilized during the recording of "The Fragile." This information is verified by the source nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor uses the Prescription Electronics Experience Octave Swell Fuzz Effects Pedal, as indicated in the Fragility Tour program, which lists the equipment used to record "The Fragile." This information is sourced from the Nine Inch Nails Wiki.

According to the Fragility Tour program, Trent Reznor utilized a Moog Moogerfooger MF-101 Lowpass Filter among other equipment during the recording of "The Fragile." This information is supported by a partial list of gear included in the tour documentation, as cited on nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to use the fOXX Tone Machine Octave-Fuzz pedal, as listed in the Fragility Tour program, which provides a partial inventory of equipment utilized in the recording of "The Fragile." This information is sourced from nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to use the Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver Direct Input, as listed in the Fragility Tour program, which details the equipment utilized during the recording of "The Fragile." This information is substantiated by nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to use the Electro-Harmonix EH-7900 Micro Synthesizer, as evidenced by its inclusion in the partial list of equipment used to record "The Fragile," as detailed in the Fragility Tour program. This information is corroborated by the source, nin.wiki, under the section for Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile (halo).

Trent Reznor is confirmed to use the Electro-Harmonix EH-7959 Bass Micro Synthesizer, as documented in the Fragility Tour program, which lists the equipment used in recording "The Fragile" according to nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor uses the Electro-Harmonix Q-Tron pedal, as evidenced by its inclusion in the partial list of equipment used to record "The Fragile," as detailed in the Fragility Tour program. This information is sourced from nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to use the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi, as evidenced by its inclusion in the Fragility Tour program's partial list of equipment used to record "The Fragile," according to nin.wiki.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to have used the Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress Flanger/Filter Matrix during the recording of "The Fragile," as listed in the equipment section of the Fragility Tour program. This information is sourced from nin.wiki, specifically from the page detailing Nine Inch Nails' work on "The Fragile."

According to the Fragility Tour program, which provides a partial list of the equipment used to record "The Fragile," Trent Reznor used the DigiTech XP-300 Space Station. This information is documented on the nin.wiki page dedicated to the album.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to use the DigiTech XP-100 Whammy-Wah, as it is listed among the pedals in the Fragility Tour program, which details the equipment used to record "The Fragile." This information is sourced from nin.wiki’s page on "The Fragile (halo)."

Trent Reznor is confirmed to use the Electro-Harmonix XO Deluxe Memory Man pedal, as listed in the partial equipment inventory for Nine Inch Nails' "The Fragility Tour" program, which includes gear utilized during the recording of "The Fragile." This information is corroborated by nin.wiki.

Note - I submitted the modern deluxe memory man as a general item as there are several different versions of the pedal, the exact model is not stated.

According to a compiled list of stringed instruments used on "The Fragile" as detailed by NinWiki, Trent Reznor utilized a Fender Bass VI.

Trent Reznor is confirmed to use an Epiphone Mandolin, as listed in the gear used for "The Fragile," though the specific model is not identified. This information is sourced from NinWiki's documentation on the album.

Robin Finck is confirmed to use the Marshall JMP-1 Tube MIDI Guitar Preamp as part of his gear setup. This information is supported by an article authored by Reinholder on Guitar FX Depot, titled "Trent Reznor On Recording 'The Fragile'," which details Finck's equipment, including a Les Paul guitar, a Bradshaw switching system, a TC Electronic G-Force, and a Voodoo Valve for effects.

Robin Finck is confirmed to use the Rocktron Voodu Valve, as detailed in a quote from Guitar FX Depot by Reinholder. The quote states: "For meatier stuff, Finck plays a Les Paul. He’s using a Marshall JMP-1 preamp and a Bradshaw switching system with a TC Electronic G-Force and a Voodoo Valve as featured effects." It should be noted that the spelling variation in "Voodoo" appears to be a typographical error.

Robin Finck uses the TC Electronic G-Force Multi Effects Processor as part of his setup, incorporating it alongside a Marshall JMP-1 preamp and a Bradshaw switching system. This information is confirmed by the source "Trent Reznor On Recording 'The Fragile'" from Guitar FX Depot, authored by Reinholder.

Aaron North about the Ehx Holy Grail pedal, admist a post made December 07, 2009....

"Again... I used this pedal on more NIN songs than I didn't... So I'm not gonna sit here all day listing every song we played. This exact pedal even goes back to the "Penance Soiree" Icarus Line album, on which it was used a ton. Best and simplest reverb pedal available. Period."

Visible as the label "FREQ. ANL." on Belew's effects rack in Adrian Belew: Electronic Guitar at 2:36, with an explicit mention at 2:23. It was also used on Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral, as mentioned in this April 1993 Guitar Player interview.

Adrian Belew: Electronic Guitar (1984)

I have several guitar synthesizers, a harmonizer and frequency analyzer, which is a sort of ring modulator...

Guitar Player, April 1993, "Adrian Belew & Trent Reznor: Nine Inch Nails Meets The Lone Rhino"

For his self-described "rambling" solos, Belew dusted off several vintage effects. "I used some sounds that I don't normally put on records for anybody else," he notes. "I also ended up climbing around in the back of my rack and connecting things together in ways I'd never done before. The two things they liked the most were the Foxxtone - an old '60s fuzz box - and an Electro-Harmonix Frequency Analyzer, an old version of a ring modulator. One of them suggested, What if you put those sounds together? So I did for the first time, and we got some really nice things."

James Woolley, a keyboardist known for his work with Nine Inch Nails, uses the Kurzweil MicroPiano as part of his setup. According to an interview in the February 1995 issue of Keyboard Magazine, Woolley stated: "My rig is pretty simple: All I do is trigger an Emax II, a Roland JV-880, and a Kurzweil MicroPiano module from a Yamaha DX7." This information confirms his use of the Kurzweil MicroPiano during the Downward Spiral tour.