How It Was Recorded

Santana featuring Rob Thomas · Album, 1999

Supernatural

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: Maria Maria, Smooth. We found nothing specific to these songs, so this album record is the closest account we have.

Lead vocalLead guitarBassDrumsRecording and mix chainVerified12Inferred8

What the sources do and do not say

The Mix interview with David Thoener, who recorded and mixed Smooth, has a section on the session: guitar mics, Pro Tools, converters and the mix chain. His drum and bass mic list is introduced as his usual setup, so those rows are general-practice, and he does not name the lead vocal microphone. The 1999 Guitar Player interview is album-level only. The guitar mic answer is in the present tense, so check it refers to this session. A Sound On Sound interview with Glen Kolotkin was also read; it covers other tracks and was not used.

Lead vocal

Rob Thomas

Mix effects

Line 6 Amp Farm

VerifiedOne song

Plug-in setting used by the producer to process the verse lead vocal during the mix.

Source: Mix, 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.

Lead guitar

Carlos Santana

Instrument

PRS Guitar (model not stated)

Verified

Santana says he was still playing his PRS, though he and Eric both played Strats.

Source: Guitar Player, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. A guitar is the source of the sound, not a process applied to it. No plugin stands in for it.

Amplifier

Marshall Marshall amplifier (model not stated)

Verified

One of the amplifier types Santana says he used across the Supernatural sessions, chosen for consistency.

Source: Guitar Player, accessed 15 Nov 2026

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.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: 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).

Mesa/Boogie Mesa/Boogie amplifier (model not stated)

Verified

One of the amplifier types Santana says he used across the Supernatural sessions.

Source: Guitar Player, accessed 15 Nov 2026

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.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: 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).

Fender Twin Reverb (model not stated)

Verified

One of the amplifier types Santana says he used across the Supernatural sessions.

Source: Guitar Player, accessed 15 Nov 2026

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.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: 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

Sennheiser MD 421

VerifiedOne song

One of three microphones on each of Santana's two guitar amps at the Smooth tracking session.

Position
about three feet back, on both amps

Source: Mix, 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. The MD 421 is still made.

Neumann U 87

VerifiedOne song

One of three microphones on each of Santana's two guitar amps at the Smooth tracking session.

Position
about three feet back, on both amps

Source: Mix, 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

UREI 1176

VerifiedOne song

Light compression on the guitar amp microphones while recording.

Settings
light compression

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

compressor

Models several revisions of the 1176, including the blackface units.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves CLA-76 Compressor / Limiter (Models two 1176 revisions (blacky and bluey)).

Ibanez Tube Screamer

Verified

Overdrive pedal Santana says he used for the first time on the album, on engineer René Martinez's advice, to help sustain.

Source: Guitar Player, accessed 15 Nov 2026

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.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Bass

Microphone

Electro-Voice RE20

InferredUsual practice

Microphone on the bass amp in Thoener's usual setup.

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

Source: Mix, 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

Demeter DI

InferredUsual practice

Direct box on the bass in Thoener's usual setup.

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

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. A DI box passes the signal on cleanly. Plug the instrument straight into your interface's instrument input.

dbx 160

InferredUsual practice

Light compression on the bass in Thoener's usual setup.

Settings
about 1 dB of gain reduction at 2:1

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

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio dbx 160 Compressor / Limiter

compressor

Made with dbx as a model of the original 160.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves dbx 160 Compressor / Limiter (Made with dbx as a model of the original 160).

Drums

Microphone

AKG D112

InferredUsual practice

Outside kick drum microphone in the usual drum setup Thoener says he used for the session.

Position
outside the kick, with a tunnel of stands and blankets

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

Source: Mix, 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. The D112 is still made.

Neumann U 47 fet

InferredUsual practice

Inside kick drum microphone in Thoener's usual drum setup.

Position
inside the kick

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

Source: Mix, 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.

Sennheiser MD 421

InferredUsual practice

Tom microphones in Thoener's usual setup.

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

Source: Mix, 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. The MD 421 is still made.

Neumann KM 84

InferredUsual practice

Hi-hat microphone in Thoener's usual setup.

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

Source: Mix, 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.

Recording and mix chain

Input chain

Avid Pro Tools

VerifiedOne song

The system the session was recorded to; Thoener names Mark Dobson as their Pro Tools expert and says the producer owns his own setup.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Avid Pro Tools

DAW

The DAW used on the record.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Apogee Special Edition 8000

VerifiedOne song

Converters used with Pro Tools at the Smooth session.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. A converter between analogue and digital. Your audio interface does this job, so no plugin is needed.

Mix effects

SSL 9000

VerifiedOne song

Console the Smooth mix was run through, with Pro Tools locked to a Sony 3348 HR.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Close match

Solid State Logic SSL Native Channel Strip 2

channel strip

SSL's own channel-strip plugin. It is not a model of this particular desk.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves SSL E-Channel (Models the 4000 E channel strip; the source does not make this the same desk).

Neve 33609

InferredUsual practice

Usual practice, not stated for this record: Thoener says he likes this as a light overall mix compressor.

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

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio Neve Dynamics Collection (33609)

compressor

The collection includes a model of the 33609 stereo compressor.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Sources

  1. David Thoener, Mix, 2001-01. Accessed 15 Nov 2026.
  2. Carlos Santana on the making of the Supernatural album, Guitar Player, 1999-08. 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.