Kelly Clarkson · Stronger, 2012
Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)
7 sourced items across 4 sectionsVerified4Inferred3
What the sources do and do not say
Source is a producer Q&A in M Music & Musicians covering Kurstin's work with several artists; one answer is about this song. Guitar-chain and drum statements are in the present tense and are marked general-practice. No vocal microphone, preamp or mix details are given; no recording-engineer or mixer source was found.
Guitars
4 items
Greg Kurstin
Instrument
The real chain
Fender Telecaster
Verified
Kurstin's own guitar for the guitar elements on this track.
Source: M Music & Musicians Magazine, 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
Vox AC30
Verified
Amplifier for the guitar elements on this track; Kurstin gives it as a 1964 example.
Source: M Music & Musicians Magazine, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Native Instruments Guitar Rig 7 Pro
amp and cabinet simulator
Its AC Box amp is modelled on the Vox AC30.
Also worth a look 1
- IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5 (Includes an AC30-style amp model)
Input chain
The real chain
Fairchild Compressor/limiter (model not stated)
InferredUsual practice
Usual practice, not stated for this record: Kurstin says he runs his guitar signal chain through it for an old-school analog sound; said in the present tense, so not tied firmly to this song.
A suggestion, not a documented fact: Kurstin speaks in the present tense about how he runs his guitar chain, in the answer about this song's guitars.
Source: M Music & Musicians Magazine, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Universal Audio Fairchild Tube Limiter Collection
compressor
Models the Fairchild 660 and 670. The source does not say which model was used.
Also worth a look 1
- Waves PuigChild 660 & 670 (Models the Fairchild 660 and 670 owned by Jack Joseph Puig)
The real chain
Altec Mixer (model not stated)
InferredUsual practice
Usual practice, not stated for this record: Kurstin says his guitar signal chain runs through an Altec mixer; stated in the present tense, so not tied firmly to this song.
A suggestion, not a documented fact: Kurstin speaks in the present tense about how he runs his guitar chain, in the answer about this song's guitars.
Source: M Music & Musicians Magazine, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. The source does not name the model, so no specific plugin can be suggested.
Drums
1 item
Greg Kurstin
Instrument
The real chain
Apple Logic Pro
InferredUsual practice
Usual practice, not stated for this record: Kurstin says all his drum sounds come from Logic's sampler, using custom sounds he has sampled over the years.
A suggestion, not a documented fact: Kurstin speaks in the present tense about all his drum sounds, in the answer about this song's guitars and drums.
Source: M Music & Musicians Magazine, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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The plugin used on the record
Apple Logic Pro
DAW
The DAW used on the record.
Synths
1 item
Greg Kurstin
Instrument
The real chain
Access Virus TI 2
Verified
Used on this song alongside a lot of soft synth plug-ins.
Source: M Music & Musicians Magazine, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Covers this kind of unit
Arturia Jup-8000 V
instrument
A model of another DSP-based virtual-analogue synth famed for supersaw dance sounds, so it works in the same way and covers similar ground; it is not a model of this unit.
Production and arrangement
1 item
Greg Kurstin
Mix effects
The real chain
Apple Logic Pro
Verified
Kurstin sped up the demo singer's a cappella vocal in Logic and built a rough version of the new arrangement around it.
Source: M Music & Musicians Magazine, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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The plugin used on the record
Apple Logic Pro
DAW
The DAW used on the record.
Sources
- Greg Kurstin, M Music & Musicians Magazine, 2013-05. 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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