Bob Marley & The Wailers · Album, 1973
Burnin'
9 sourced items across 4 sectionsVerified3Reported4Inferred2
This is an album-level record: the sources describe how the album as a whole was recorded, not one song. Where a detail belongs to a single song, the row says so.
Songs this record stands for: Get Up, Stand Up, I Shot the Sheriff. We found nothing specific to these songs, so this album record is the closest account we have.
What the sources do and do not say
Sound On Sound Classic Tracks (Phill Brown interview) covers the Burnin' sessions at Basing Street Studio Two; most gear statements are about the album or the studio's habits, so this is an album record. Only the keyboard overdub is tied to this song, and it is hedged. The Tape Op excerpt (Brown) covers the I Shot The Sheriff tape edit but names no gear, and the Mix article is about live tape archiving, so neither supplies rows.
Lead and backing vocals
2 items
Bob Marley
Microphone
The real chain
Neumann U 67
Reported
Brown says a Neumann 67 or 87 was the usual vocal microphone and that this is what he used for Bob's new lead vocal; he does not say which of the two. (recalled with uncertainty)
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.
The real chain
Neumann U 87
Verified
Brown says everyone other than Marley sang through an 87 on these sessions.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.
Guitar amps
1 item
Microphone
The real chain
AKG D20
InferredUsual practice
Usual practice, not stated for this record: Brown says his habit is to put AKG D20s on guitar amps.
A suggestion, not a documented fact: Brown describes his own usual practice, not a statement about this song.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.
Keyboard overdub
2 items
John 'Rabbit' Bundrick
Instrument
The real chain
Wurlitzer Electric piano (model not stated)
ReportedOne song
Brown recalls that Rabbit overdubbed an electric piano or Wurlitzer part on this song, and is not sure which of the two it was.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Arturia Wurli V
instrument
Physical model of the Wurlitzer 200A electric piano. The source does not give the model used.
Amplifier
The real chain
Recorded direct (DI), no amplifier
ReportedOne song
Brown recalls the keyboard overdub part on this song being taken direct rather than through an amp.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. Recorded direct, so there is no amp to model. Leave the amp simulator off.
Studio Two desk, compression and effects
4 items
Input chain
The real chain
Helios Console (model not stated)
Verified
Brown says the 24-input Helios desk in Studio Two was the console used for the Burnin' album.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Close match
Universal Audio Helios Type 69 Preamp and EQ Collection
preamp and EQ
Models the Helios Type 69 channel, with its transformer microphone preamp and three-band equaliser. The source does not say which Helios desk was used.
The real chain
UREI 1176
InferredUsual practice
Usual practice, not stated for this record: Brown says he used the UREI 1176 to compress vocals and other recordings made in that studio at the time.
A suggestion, not a documented fact: Brown describes the studio's usual setup for that era rather than this song.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Universal Audio 1176 Classic Limiter Collection
compressor
Models several revisions of the 1176, including the blackface units.
Also worth a look 1
- Waves CLA-76 Compressor / Limiter (Models two 1176 revisions (blacky and bluey))
Mix effects
The real chain
EMT Plate reverb (model not stated)
Verified
Brown says an EMT echo plate was among the very limited effects used when mixing these records.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Close match
Universal Audio EMT 140 Classic Plate Reverberator
reverb
The 140 is the EMT plate most studios have; the source does not name the model.
Also worth a look 1
- Waves Abbey Road Reverb Plates (Models the EMT 140 plates at Abbey Road)
The real chain
Unidentified Spring reverb
Reported
Brown says there was perhaps a little spring reverb among the limited effects used at the mix. (recalled with uncertainty)
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Approximate
Waves Magma Springs
reverb
A set of spring reverb models. The unit used is not identified, so pick by ear.
Sources
- Classic Tracks: Bob Marley & The Wailers 'I Shot The Sheriff', Sound On Sound, 2006-03. Accessed 15 Nov 2026.
What the ratings mean
Stated by the engineer, producer or artist, or by the manufacturer.
Stated by a reputable secondary source.
An educated suggestion, not a documented fact.
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