Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus · Old Town Road, 2019
Old Town Road (Billy Ray Cyrus version)
19 sourced items across 3 sectionsVerified15Reported4
What the sources do and do not say
Sound On Sound Inside Track with vocal producer and mixer Andrew Bolooki, read in full over both pages. It covers the Billy Ray Cyrus version only (the Pro Tools vocal production and mix); YoungKio's beat stayed a stereo stem and no beat or instrument gear is stated. Bolooki's studio gear (Chandler REDD mic, UREI 1176, Apollo) is listed without a stated role and left out. The album is null in the batch file, so the single's title is used.
Billy Ray Cyrus vocals
13 items
Billy Ray Cyrus
Microphone
The real chain
AKG C24
Verified
Recording microphone for Billy Ray Cyrus's vocals at The Record Plant; one side of the stereo mic was used because the studio had no Telefunken 251.
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
Neve 1073
Verified
Preamp and EQ that the C24 fed; Bolooki rode its output knob by hand while recording and says he engages its EQ to remove rumble.
- Settings
- EQ engaged to cut below 80 Hz
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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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.
Also worth a look 1
- Waves Scheps 73 (Models the 1073's preamp and equaliser, made with Andrew Scheps)
The real chain
Tube-Tech CL 1B
Verified
Compressor after the preamp in the vocal recording chain.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Softube Tube-Tech CL 1B Mk II
compressor
Made with Tube-Tech as a model of the CL 1B.
The real chain
Avid Pro Tools
Verified
Recording and comping environment: every take was collected on a single vocal track and comped into one long lead.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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The plugin used on the record
Avid Pro Tools
DAW
The DAW used on the record.
Mix effects
The real chain
Celemony Melodyne
Verified
Sat first in the insert chain on the verse vocal tracks, where Bolooki leaned on it chiefly to line up the timing of the doubles, which were each recorded on their own.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.
The real chain
FabFilter Pro-Q 3
Reported
Equaliser inserted on four of the five audio tracks carrying Cyrus's verse lead vocal.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Close match
FabFilter Pro-Q 4
equaliser
Pro-Q 4 is the current version of the same equaliser.
The real chain
FabFilter Pro-DS
Reported
De-esser on the verse vocal tracks, placed ahead of the compressor so problems are fixed before the track is boosted.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.
The real chain
Waves CLA-76
Reported
Compressor in the insert chain of the Cyrus verse vocal tracks.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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The plugin used on the record
Waves CLA-76 Compressor / Limiter
compressor
The plugin named in the source.
The real chain
Universal Audio UAD Distressor
Verified
Two used on Cyrus's vocals: one on the main vocal aux and a harder-set parallel one blended back in, to add punch and clarity.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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The plugin used on the record
Universal Audio Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor
compressor
The plugin named in the source.
The real chain
Waves SSL Channel (E or G version not stated)
Verified
Copied from Lil Nas X's vocal tracks onto some of Cyrus's tracks to give tonal continuity between the two singers.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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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.
Also worth a look 1
- Waves SSL G-Channel (The other Waves SSL channel strip. The source does not say which version was used)
The real chain
Waves C6
Verified
Multiband compressor on almost every vocal bus, used to clean up muddiness by soloing side-chain bands and cutting problem frequencies.
- Settings
- 'Pooch Vocal' preset
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.
The real chain
Waves Greg Wells VoiceCentric
Verified
Used on an aux called 'VoxDoubler', blended in parallel for a more finished feel.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.
The real chain
Antares Auto-Tune
Verified
Applied subtly on some of Cyrus's chorus tracks with slow, automated retune speeds; not used on his verse.
- Settings
- Slow retune speed, automated bypasses
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.
Lil Nas X vocals (original session by Cinco)
5 items
Lil Nas X
Mix effects
The real chain
Antares Auto-Tune EFX
Verified
One of the inserts on Lil Nas X's vocal tracks from the original session; Bolooki automated bypasses on certain notes because the song's key left some notes out of scale.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.
The real chain
Avid EQ3 7-Band
Verified
Equaliser in Lil Nas X's vocal insert chain.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.
The real chain
Waves SSL Channel (E or G version not stated)
Verified
Channel strip in Lil Nas X's vocal insert chain.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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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.
Also worth a look 1
- Waves SSL G-Channel (The other Waves SSL channel strip. The source does not say which version was used)
The real chain
Waves Renaissance DeEsser
Verified
De-esser in Lil Nas X's vocal insert chain.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.
The real chain
Waves L2
Verified
Limiter at the end of every Lil Nas X vocal chain, driven hard by the original engineer; Bolooki realised it gave a saturation effect that was part of Nas's sound.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.
Master bus
1 item
Mix effects
The real chain
Waves L2
Reported
Only plug-in on the master bus, used just for listening and sending out bounces.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.
Sources
- Inside Track: Lil Nas X ft Billy Ray Cyrus 'Old Town Road', Sound On Sound, 2019-08. 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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