James Bay · Album, 2014
Chaos and the Calm
19 sourced items across 4 sectionsVerified18Reported1
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: Let It Go. We found nothing specific to this song, so this album record is the closest account we have.
What the sources do and do not say
Album record from the May 2015 SOS feature on the sessions at Blackbird, Nashville; most gear is described for the album, not for Let It Go. Only the Selmer amp and the start of the Neve 1081 vocal chain are tied to Let It Go. The article gives no bass amp or DI rows that are specific to this record (the bass passage is a general habit), and the companion SOS video page is a teaser with no usable text.
Lead vocal
2 items
James Bay
Microphone
The real chain
Sony C37A
Verified
Used on Bay's lead vocal in place of the usual SM7, to give his voice the extra top-end air it needed.
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.
Input chain
The real chain
Neve 1081
VerifiedOne song
King's own Neve 1081s were used with his C37A on Bay's vocals, starting with scratch vocals for this song on the first day of pre-production and kept for the rest of the process.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Universal Audio Neve 1081 Channel EQ
equaliser
Model of the 1081 channel EQ, made with AMS Neve.
Also worth a look 1
- Waves V-EQ4 (Waves' model of the 1081 EQ)
Electric guitar
6 items
James Bay
Amplifier
The real chain
Selmer Amplifier (model not stated)
VerifiedOne song
King's Selmer amp was used to cut the guitar on Let It Go, the first song recorded.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Covers this kind of unit
IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5
amp and cabinet simulator
An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear.
Also worth a look 1
- Native Instruments Guitar Rig 7 Pro (An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear)
The real chain
Fender Twin Reverb
Verified
Bay ended up going almost always through the silverface Twin Reverb.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Covers this kind of unit
IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5
amp and cabinet simulator
An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear.
Also worth a look 1
- Native Instruments Guitar Rig 7 Pro (An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear)
Microphone
The real chain
Shure SM57
Verified
Guitar amp tracking usually began with an SM57, blended with a ribbon.
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 SM57 is still made and inexpensive: the real thing is the practical route.
The real chain
Royer Ribbon microphone (model not stated)
Verified
A Royer ribbon was almost always added beside the SM57 on guitar amps and blended with it.
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.
Input chain
The real chain
Retro Instruments 176
Verified
Compressors used on some of the guitars.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Close match
Universal Audio UA 175B & 176 Tube Compressor Collection
compressor
Models the original Universal Audio 176 valve limiter that the Retro unit recreates and extends.
The real chain
Foot Fetish El Lowell
Verified
Custom delay pedal built on a Distortion+ circuit, used a lot on the electric guitar; it rolls off the top end of the delay.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Approximate
Native Instruments Guitar Rig 7 Pro
amp and cabinet simulator
Includes a range of modelled pedals. Whether this exact pedal is among them was not checked.
Drums
7 items
Ian Fitchuk
Microphone
The real chain
AKG D12
Verified
Kick drum mic.
- Position
- inside the kick drum
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 47
Verified
Placed directly over the kick drum and blended in to help the kit glue together.
- Position
- directly over the kick drum
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 67
Verified
Single mono overhead used as part of a split overhead arrangement.
- Position
- mono overhead directly over the drummer, four feet above the kit
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
AKG C451
Verified
A pair acted as stereo overheads that worked mostly as cymbal mics.
- Position
- much closer to the cymbals
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
AEA R88
Verified
Far room mics on the kit, used at King's request in place of Reynolds's usual R84s.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
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
Sennheiser MD 441
Verified
Snare bottom mic, used quite a bit on this album.
- Position
- snare bottom
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.
Mix effects
The real chain
Empirical Labs Distressor
Verified
Used lightly on the drums to tighten the kit together.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Universal Audio Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor
compressor
Model of the Distressor made with Empirical Labs.
Also worth a look 1
- Empirical Labs Arousor (Empirical Labs' own plugin, built on the Distressor design rather than copying one unit)
Piano
4 items
Ian Fitchuk
Microphone
The real chain
AKG C 12
Verified
Mic on the Blackbird Baldwin grand piano.
- Position
- just above the hammers
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
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
Coles 4038
Verified
Ribbon used as a crush mic on the grand piano to fill in the sound.
- Position
- down at the far end of the piano
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
RCA KU3A
Verified
Ribbon used for a roomy sound on the upright piano, leaned on heavily with the direct mics blended in.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
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
The real chain
UREI 1176
Reported
Engineer thinks a black 1176 was used to compress or crush the grand piano.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
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))
Sources
- Breaking Bay (Jacquire King, Lowell Reynolds & James Bay: Recording Chaos And The Calm), Sound On Sound, 2015-05. 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.
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.