The Staple Singers · Album, 1972
Be Altitude: Respect Yourself
22 sourced items across 6 sectionsVerified19Reported3
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: I'll Take You There. 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
Single Sound On Sound Classic Tracks article, read in full, with Terry Manning as the speaker. Most gear statements describe the Be Altitude sessions (Muscle Shoals rhythm tracks, Ardent overdubs and horns) rather than this song alone, so this is an album record; only Eddie Hinton's amp and Manning's Telecaster overdub are tied to the song. Drum overheads and snare/tom mics are Manning's hedged recollection.
Lead and backing vocals
4 items
Mavis Staples and the Staple Singers
Microphone
The real chain
Neumann U 87
Verified
Mavis Staples's guide vocal at the Muscle Shoals tracking sessions was recorded through this microphone.
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 87
Verified
Mavis's overdubbed lead vocal at Ardent was recorded on this microphone.
- Position
- Mavis stood in the middle of the floor with tall baffles behind her.
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 87
Verified
The Staples' response and harmony vocals were grouped around a single microphone of this type.
- Settings
- Cardioid for a small group standing in front; figure-eight with the singers facing each other on other occasions.
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
Universal Audio 176
Verified
Mavis's overdubbed lead vocal was recorded through this unit, after the microphone.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Universal Audio UA 175B & 176 Tube Compressor Collection
compressor
Universal Audio's own plugin model of the 176 valve limiter.
Guitars
6 items
Eddie Hinton; Terry Manning
Instrument
The real chain
Fender Telecaster
VerifiedOne song
Manning's Telecaster, fitted with a humbucking pickup, was used for his simulated lead part near the end of the song.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. A guitar is the source of the sound, not a process applied to it. No plugin stands in for it.
Amplifier
The real chain
Fender Amplifier (model not stated)
VerifiedOne song
Eddie Hinton played through a small amp of this make on the song at Muscle Shoals.
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
Gibson Fuzz-Tone
VerifiedOne song
An early example of this fuzz box was used on Manning's Telecaster overdub.
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.
The real chain
Fender Bassman
VerifiedOne song
Manning played from the control room through a long speaker lead to this amp for the Telecaster overdub.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Emulation of this unit
Native Instruments Guitar Rig 7 Pro
amp and cabinet simulator
Its Tweedman amp is modelled on the Fender Bassman.
Also worth a look 1
- IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5 (Includes Fender-style tweed amp models; an official Bassman model is sold as an add-on collection)
Microphone
The real chain
Neumann U 87
VerifiedOne song
Recorded Hinton's small Fender amp.
- Position
- Directly on the 12-inch speaker.
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
VerifiedOne song
Recorded Manning's Telecaster overdub.
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.
Bass
1 item
David Hood
Amplifier
The real chain
Recorded direct (DI), no amplifier
Verified
Hood's bass was taken through a passive direct box at Muscle Shoals rather than an amp.
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.
Drum kit
5 items
Roger Hawkins
Microphone
The real chain
Neumann U 87
Reported
Manning believes this microphone was used as the drum overheads at Muscle Shoals.
- Position
- On either side of the cymbals.
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
Electro-Voice RE15
Reported
Manning believes the snare and toms had dynamic mics, either this model or the Shure 545S.
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 545S
Reported
Manning believes the snare and toms had dynamic mics, either this model or the Electro-Voice RE15.
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
Electro-Voice RE20
Verified
Placed on the bass 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 KM 84
Verified
Placed on the hi-hat.
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.
Electric piano and synthesiser
3 items
Barry Beckett; Terry Manning (overdubs)
Instrument
The real chain
Wurlitzer Electric piano (model not stated)
Verified
Barry Beckett's electric piano at the Muscle Shoals sessions.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Arturia Wurli V
instrument
Physical model of the Wurlitzer 200A electric piano. The source does not give the model used.
The real chain
Moog IIIC
Verified
Used by Manning in his overnight overdub experiments to create synth sounds for the album.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Arturia Modular V
instrument
An emulation of Moog's large modular systems.
Microphone
The real chain
Electro-Voice RE15
Verified
Recorded Beckett's electric piano.
- Position
- Aimed at the instrument's speaker.
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.
Memphis Horns
3 items
Wayne Jackson, Andrew Love and others
Microphone
The real chain
Neumann KM 84
Verified
Shared microphone on the trumpets in the main room at Ardent.
- Position
- The two trumpets were miked together on 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 real chain
Neumann U 87
Verified
Used on the saxes and separately on the baritone sax in the horn session.
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
Neumann KM 86
Verified
Used on the trombone in the horn session.
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.
Sources
- Classic Tracks: The Staple Singers 'I'll Take You There', Sound On Sound, 2006-01. 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.
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