How It Was Recorded

Staind · Album, 2001

Break the Cycle

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: It's Been Awhile. We found nothing specific to this song, so this album record is the closest account we have.

Lead vocalGuitarsBassDrumsMixVerified11Reported1

What the sources do and do not say

Mix profile of the album's sessions with producer-engineer Josh Abraham and mixer Andy Wallace. It does not tie any gear to It's Been Awhile specifically, so every row is album-level. The 2006 Mix tour profile is about live sound and was not used.

Lead vocal

Aaron Lewis

Microphone

Neumann U 47

Verified

Producer-engineer's vocal chain started with a tube U47 microphone on the album's vocals.

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

Verified

First of two compression stages in the vocal chain, which the producer describes as double-compressed.

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)).

Empirical Labs Distressor

Verified

Distressor EL8 was the second compressor in the vocal chain, ahead of the Neve module.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor

compressor

Model of the Distressor made with Empirical Labs.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Empirical Labs Arousor (Empirical Labs' own plugin, built on the Distressor design rather than copying one unit).

Neve 1073

Verified

Neve 1073 module that the vocal chain went through.

Source: Mix, 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).

Avid Pro Tools

Verified

Vocals were recorded into Pro Tools, with drives moved between the studios used.

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

Guitars

Mike Mushok

Input chain

API 312

Verified

Mic preamp cards that the guitar cabinet microphones went through.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Close match

Universal Audio API Vision Channel Strip Collection

channel strip

Models the channel strip of API's Vision console, whose preamp comes from the same family.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Neve 1073

Verified

Neve 1073s also in the guitar cabinet microphone path.

Source: Mix, 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).

Bass

Johnny April

Microphone

Neumann U 47 fet

Reported

Named alongside a 421 as a microphone for some of the bass; the passage does not say which of the two went on the cabinet. (recalled with uncertainty)

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

Verified

Microphone used on the bass cabinet for some of the bass.

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.

Drums

Jon Wysocki

Input chain

Neve 1073 side console (model not stated)

Verified

Console used to cut the drums in Studio B at NRG.

Source: Mix, 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).

Mix

Mix effects

Solid State Logic G-series console

Verified

Console the mix was done on at Studio G, with Ultimation automation.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Waves SSL G-Channel

channel strip

Models the SSL 4000 G-series channel strip.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Solid State Logic SSL Native Channel Strip 2 (SSL's own channel strip plugin, based on its later 9000-series desks).

Studer half-inch 2-track (model not stated)

Verified

Mixes were run down to this analogue machine, the main source for mastering.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Approximate

Slate Digital Virtual Tape Machines

tape

Models two Studer machines, not this recorder. It gives the general behaviour of analogue multitrack tape.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Universal Audio Studer A800 Tape Recorder (Models a Studer A800, not this recorder. It gives the general behaviour of analogue multitrack tape).

Sources

  1. STAIND, Mix, 2001-09. 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.