Fred Schneider

Used for vocals on the songs Don Was produced for Cosmic Thing, as stated by mix engineer Dave Cook in this July 2012 Mix Online interview.

All of the Was-produced tracks were recorded analog, to a Studer A80 machine, using the studio’s early ’70s vintage API console. “I used Neumann U 87s on all of the vocals,” Cook recalls. “All the preamps were on board, in the console. I used a couple of Pultecs on drums, and probably dbx 160s on their vocals; [Shure SM] 57s on guitar amps and a Neumann U 47 fet on the bass amp, as well as a DI. The biggest challenge was to get the vocals isolated so we could get all the punches we needed. Later we would do doubles and fixes, and add the horns. I remember we listened very quietly on Auratones while doing vocals. Don was very focused on the vocals, and he heard pitch best when he listened quietly on small speakers. It is a method I’ve used myself ever since.”

Used for the vocals on Funplex, as state by producer Steve Osborne in this April 2008 Mix Online interview.

What would you say were the key pieces of gear to the sound of this album?

One of the big things was the RCA 44BX on Fred Schneider’s vocal. That was stunning. As far as mixing, we had a Trident desk, so that was a big part of mixing the drum sounds.