How It Was Recorded

Justin Bieber · Purpose, 2015

What Do You Mean?

Lead vocalBacking vocalsBassKickPiano and synthsClock soundVerified19

What the sources do and do not say

The Sound On Sound Secrets of the Mix Engineers piece has a section on this song in which Josh Gudwin goes through his rough mix session. All rows are mix-stage plug-ins; none of it states the recording chain for this song. The same article and a Mix interview give the album's vocal microphones and preamps only as Gudwin's general habits, so they are left out. Plug-in names are as written in the article; the Manley EQ and SPL Vitalizer maker/model detail is as stated or the single well-known maker.

Lead vocal

Justin Bieber

Mix effects

Waves SSL Channel (E or G version not stated)

Verified

Used as part of Gudwin's usual three-plug-in treatment on most of the lead vocal tracks in the mix session.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Close match

Waves SSL E-Channel

channel strip

Kinelski names only the Waves SSL channel strip. Waves sells an E-Channel and a G-Channel; the source does not say which he used.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves SSL G-Channel (The other Waves SSL channel strip. The source does not say which version was used).

Teletronix LA-2A

Verified

Used as part of Gudwin's usual three-plug-in treatment on most of the lead vocal tracks in the mix session.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

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.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves CLA-2A Compressor / Limiter (Models an LA-2A from Chris Lord-Alge's collection. Cheaper and runs without UA hardware).

Waves C6

Verified

Used as part of Gudwin's regular trio of plug-ins on most of the lead vocal tracks in the mix session.

Source: Sound On Sound, 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.

FabFilter DS de-esser

Verified

De-esser on the lead vocal bus that all the vocals are sent to.

Source: Sound On Sound, 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.

Manley EQ (model not stated)

Verified

Equaliser on the lead vocal bus, making light cuts.

Settings
Light cuts at 330Hz, 560Hz and 3kHz

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Covers this kind of unit

Universal Audio Manley Massive Passive EQ

equaliser

Models Manley's Massive Passive, a valve passive equaliser and the firm's best-known EQ. The source does not name the model, so this stands for the maker's family of units: it is not a model of the one on the record.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Universal Audio Cooper Time Cube

Verified

Used with Auto-Tune on a flutter delay track made from the lead vocal.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio Cooper Time Cube Mk II Delay

delay

Universal Audio's model of the Cooper Time Cube, which its founder's company built.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Waves H-Delay

Verified

Quarter-note delay on one of two further vocal delay tracks.

Settings
Quarter-note delay

Source: Sound On Sound, 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.

Soundtoys Echoboy

Verified

Quarter-note delay on one of two further vocal delay tracks.

Settings
Quarter-note delay

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Soundtoys EchoBoy

delay

The plugin named in the source.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

SoundToys AlterBoy

Verified

Changed the formant of the pitched-up vocal on the two Radio tracks.

Source: Sound On Sound, 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.

SPL Vitalizer

Verified

Spatial expansion on the JG FX vocal effect track.

Source: Sound On Sound, 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.

Universal Audio Fatso

Verified

Used to thicken the JG FX vocal effect track.

Source: Sound On Sound, 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.

Backing vocals

Justin Bieber

Mix effects

Neve 33609

Verified

UAD compressor on the bus for the four backing vocal tracks.

Source: Sound On Sound, 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

Waves Enigma

Verified

Phaser/flanger on the backing vocal bus, set to a Mutron setting for sweeping sounds.

Settings
Mutron setting

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Waves Enigma

modulation

The plugin named in the source.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Bass

Mix effects

Teletronix LA-2A

Verified

Evened out the bass a little.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

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.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves CLA-2A Compressor / Limiter (Models an LA-2A from Chris Lord-Alge's collection. Cheaper and runs without UA hardware).

Kick

Mix effects

Neve 1081

Verified

UAD plug-in version of the Neve 1081 placed on the kick in the mix.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio Neve 1081 Channel EQ

equaliser

Model of the 1081 channel EQ, made with AMS Neve.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves V-EQ4 (Waves' model of the 1081 EQ).

Piano and synths

Mix effects

Waves C6

Verified

Boosted low mids and compressed the highs on the piano.

Source: Sound On Sound, 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.

UREI 1176

Verified

Compressor on the flute sample, pushed hard.

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)).

Waves SSL Channel (E or G version not stated)

Verified

Boosted high mids and low mids on the main synth to give a bigger cushion.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Close match

Waves SSL E-Channel

channel strip

Kinelski names only the Waves SSL channel strip. Waves sells an E-Channel and a G-Channel; the source does not say which he used.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves SSL G-Channel (The other Waves SSL channel strip. The source does not say which version was used).

Clock sound

Mix effects

Waves SSL Channel (E or G version not stated)

Verified

Cut some mid-range from the clock sound to leave room for the vocal.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Close match

Waves SSL E-Channel

channel strip

Kinelski names only the Waves SSL channel strip. Waves sells an E-Channel and a G-Channel; the source does not say which he used.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves SSL G-Channel (The other Waves SSL channel strip. The source does not say which version was used).

Sources

  1. Inside Track: Justin Bieber ‘Purpose’, Sound On Sound, 2016-05. 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.