How It Was Recorded

Chris Brown · Album, 2019

Indigo

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: No Guidance, Under the Influence. We found nothing specific to these songs, so this album record is the closest account we have.

Chris Brown lead vocalDrums (snares and hi-hats)Verified1Inferred6

What the sources do and do not say

Album record for Indigo from Sound On Sound's Secrets Of The Mix Engineers feature with Patrizio Pigliapoco, which is centred on 'Heat' and does not mention 'No Guidance'. The vocal chain is his stated habit for recording Brown, so those rows are general-practice; the Valhalla Room row is album-level. Mix plug-ins described for 'Heat' were left out as they concern another song.

Chris Brown lead vocal

Chris Brown

Microphone

Telefunken ELA M 251

InferredUsual practice

Usual practice, not stated for this record: Microphone Pigliapoco says he always uses to record Chris Brown's vocals.

A suggestion, not a documented fact: Patrizio Pigliapoco describes this as usual practice; it is not stated for this record.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

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.

Input chain

Neve 1073

InferredUsual practice

Usual practice, not stated for this record: Preamp and EQ the microphone feeds when he records Brown's vocals.

A suggestion, not a documented fact: Patrizio Pigliapoco describes this as usual practice; it is not stated for this record.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio Neve 1073 Preamp & EQ Collection

preamp and EQ

Made with AMS Neve as a model of the 1073 preamp and equaliser.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves Scheps 73 (Models the 1073's preamp and equaliser, made with Andrew Scheps).

Tube-Tech CL 1B

InferredUsual practice

Usual practice, not stated for this record: Compressor after the preamp on the way into Pro Tools when tracking Brown's vocals.

A suggestion, not a documented fact: Patrizio Pigliapoco describes this as usual practice; it is not stated for this record.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Softube Tube-Tech CL 1B Mk II

compressor

Made with Tube-Tech as a model of the CL 1B.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Antares Auto-Tune

InferredUsual practice

Usual practice, not stated for this record: Pitch correction that Brown hears while singing and that is printed with the recorded vocal.

Settings
Alto/tenor setting; Retune usually 11-12-13, sometimes 2 or 7

A suggestion, not a documented fact: Patrizio Pigliapoco describes this as usual practice; it is not stated for this record.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Valhalla DSP Vintage Verb

InferredUsual practice

Usual practice, not stated for this record: Reverb he gives Brown's vocal while recording.

A suggestion, not a documented fact: Patrizio Pigliapoco describes this as usual practice; it is not stated for this record.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Valhalla DSP ValhallaVintageVerb

reverb

The plugin named in the source.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Waves H-Delay

InferredUsual practice

Usual practice, not stated for this record: Quarter-note delay given to Brown's vocal while recording.

Settings
Quarter-note delay

A suggestion, not a documented fact: Patrizio Pigliapoco describes this as usual practice; it is not stated for this record.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Drums (snares and hi-hats)

Mix effects

Valhalla DSP Room

Verified

Reverb Pigliapoco used on snares and hi-hats; he says the whole album has Valhalla reverbs.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Sources

  1. Inside Track: Chris Brown 'Heat', Sound On Sound, 2019-09. Accessed 15 Nov 2026.
Verified

Stated by the engineer, producer or artist, or by the manufacturer.

Reported

Stated by a reputable secondary source.

Inferred

An educated suggestion, not a documented fact.

Disclosure: plugin links currently go straight to the maker and earn us nothing. If that changes, affiliate links will be marked here. Suggestions are chosen on fit, never on commission, and are kept separate from the recording facts. More.