Red Hot Chili Peppers · Album, 1999
Californication
18 sourced items across 5 sectionsVerified17Reported1
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: Around the World, Californication, Otherside, Parallel Universe, Road Trippin', Scar Tissue. 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
One Sound On Sound interview with engineer Jim Scott, read in full, covering the Californication sessions at Cello Recording and the mix. It names 'Scar Tissue' only for the overdubbed slide guitar, with no gear stated, so this is an album record and every row is album-level. Scott's second-kit microphones for 'Porcelain' and his acoustic guitar and piano miking are omitted as they relate to other tracks.
Lead and backing vocals
3 items
Anthony Kiedis
Microphone
The real chain
Shure SM57
Verified
Scott says Kiedis always used this microphone for his lead vocals across the album sessions.
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 SM57 is still made and inexpensive: the real thing is the practical route.
The real chain
Neumann U 87
Verified
Scott says he mostly used this microphone for the backing vocals sung by Frusciante and Flea.
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
Verified
Scott used this compressor on Kiedis's lead vocal to control his dynamics, and the compression was printed to tape.
- Settings
- 4:1 ratio, fast attack, slow release, with just enough compression to do the job
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))
Electric guitar
3 items
John Frusciante
Microphone
The real chain
Shure SM57
Verified
Scott used SM57s on the guitar cabinets, one per cabinet, all four guitar microphones going to one track.
- Position
- One SM57 and one U87 on each cabinet
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 SM57 is still made and inexpensive: the real thing is the practical route.
The real chain
Neumann U 87
Verified
Scott used U87s on the guitar cabinets, one per cabinet, paired with the SM57s as a good-mic/bad-mic combination.
- Position
- One SM57 and one U87 on each cabinet
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
Verified
Scott compressed Frusciante's guitar with this unit as it was recorded.
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))
Bass
3 items
Flea
Amplifier
The real chain
Recorded direct (DI), no amplifier
Verified
Scott says the bass was taken direct into the desk, and he blended it with the miked amp speakers.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
No plugin suggested. Recorded direct, so there is no amp to model. Leave the amp simulator off.
Microphone
The real chain
Neumann U 47
Reported
Scott recorded the bass amp speakers with this tube microphone, and says he usually blends it about half and half with the DI on one track. (recalled with uncertainty)
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
Teletronix LA-2A
Verified
Scott compressed both the bass DI and the bass amp sound with LA-2A tube compressors.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Emulation of this unit
Universal Audio Teletronix LA-2A Leveler Collection
compressor
Universal Audio owns the Teletronix name; this is its own model of the LA-2A.
Also worth a look 1
- Waves CLA-2A Compressor / Limiter (Models an LA-2A from Chris Lord-Alge's collection. Cheaper and runs without UA hardware)
Drum kit
6 items
Chad Smith
Microphone
The real chain
Neumann U 47
Verified
Scott used this microphone on the kick drum, placed inside the drum.
- Position
- Inside the kick drum
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 421
Verified
Scott used two of these microphones on the toms.
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 MD 421 is still made.
The real chain
Neumann U 87
Verified
Scott used two of these microphones as drum overheads.
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
Shure SM57
Verified
Scott used this microphone on the hi-hat.
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 SM57 is still made and inexpensive: the real thing is the practical route.
The real chain
Shure SM57
Verified
Scott used two of these on the snare, one above and one underneath, as part of a three-microphone snare setup recorded to one track.
- Position
- One above the snare and one underneath it
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 SM57 is still made and inexpensive: the real thing is the practical route.
The real chain
Neumann KM 84
Verified
Scott used this microphone on top of the snare alongside the two SM57s, as a good-mic/bad-mic pairing.
- Position
- On top of the snare
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.
Tracking and mix chain
3 items
Input chain
The real chain
Neve 8038
Verified
Scott says the album was recorded through this 1970s Neve desk, and he used its mic preamps and 1073-type EQs while tracking.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Approximate
Waves NLS Non-Linear Summer
console emulation
A console-summing plugin that includes one Neve desk. It gives a Neve flavour, not this console's channels.
The real chain
Ampex 124
Verified
Scott says the album was recorded to this 24-track tape machine, with a second synchronised one added as a vocal slave.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Approximate
Slate Digital Virtual Tape Machines
tape
Models two Studer machines, not this recorder. It gives the general behaviour of analogue multitrack tape.
Also worth a look 1
- Universal Audio Studer A800 Tape Recorder (Models a Studer A800, not this recorder. It gives the general behaviour of analogue multitrack tape)
Mix effects
The real chain
Neve 33609
Verified
Scott used a good deal of this compressor on the stereo mix to add punch.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Emulation of this unit
Universal Audio Neve Dynamics Collection (33609)
compressor
The collection includes a model of the 33609 stereo compressor.
Sources
- Jim Scott: Recording Red Hot Chili Peppers' Californication, Sound On Sound, 1999-12. 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.