How It Was Recorded

The Knack · Album, 1979

Get the Knack

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: My Sharona. We found nothing specific to this song, so this album record is the closest account we have.

Lead vocalGuitarsBassDrum kitVerified10Reported5

What the sources do and do not say

One Sound On Sound Classic Tracks article read in full. It is about the song but gives the Get the Knack album sessions at MCA Whitney, so rows are album-level. Tickle recalls the setup; the guitar and bass amp details are Buskin's narrative.

Lead vocal

Doug Fieger

Microphone

Neumann U47 (variant not stated)

Verified

Microphone on Doug Fieger's lead vocal, recorded separately from the band to avoid spill.

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.

Mix effects

EMT 250

Verified

Very short reverb added at the mix on the vocals, just enough to lift the voice; the band wanted no other effects.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio EMT 250 Classic Electronic Reverb

reverb

Model of the EMT 250 digital reverb, made with EMT.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Guitars

Berton Averre and Doug Fieger

Amplifier

Vox Amplifier (model not stated)

Reported

Guitar amplifiers used by both guitarists, in keeping with the band's Beatles influence.

Source: Sound On Sound, 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

Neumann U 67

Reported

Microphone on each guitar amp, preferred for its tubey quality and bite.

Position
About a foot from the amp

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.

Shure SM57

Reported

Close microphone on each guitar amp, giving a more direct punch.

Position
Up close

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. The SM57 is still made and inexpensive: the real thing is the practical route.

Bass

Prescott Niles

Amplifier

Ampeg BA115

Reported

Bass amp combo used by Prescott Niles.

Source: Sound On Sound, 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

Neumann U47 (variant not stated)

Reported

Tube 47 microphone on the bass amp.

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.

Drum kit

Bruce Gary

Instrument

Gretsch Maple drum kit (model not stated)

Verified

The drum kit, described as a thick-sounding maple Gretsch kit.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Approximate

Toontrack Superior Drummer 3

drum instrument

A sampled drum instrument. It does not claim to be this kit or drum.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Microphone

Neumann KM 84

Verified

Pair of room microphones, left and right of the kit, feeding compressors.

Position
About 25 feet away on each side of the kit and about 12 feet high

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.

Neumann KM 84

Verified

Close microphone on the snare drum.

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.

Neumann U 47 fet

Verified

Microphones on the kick drum and tom-toms.

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.

Neumann KM 84

Verified

Microphones on the cymbals.

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.

Unidentified Microphone (model not stated)

Verified

Extra heavily compressed microphone above the drummer, suggested by Pete Coleman, that contributed a lot to the drum sound.

Position
About 10 feet above the drummer's head, directly above the snare drum

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

UREI 1176

Verified

Compressors on the room microphones, keyed from the snare so the room sound was pulled in on each hit.

Source: Sound On Sound, 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)).

Mix effects

EMT 250

Verified

Very short reverb used on the snare drum at the mix.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio EMT 250 Classic Electronic Reverb

reverb

Model of the EMT 250 digital reverb, made with EMT.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Sources

  1. Classic Tracks: The Knack 'My Sharona', Sound On Sound, 2006-08. 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.