Metro Boomin, the Weeknd and 21 Savage · Heroes & Villains, 2022
Creepin'
16 sourced items across 8 sectionsVerified15Reported1
What the sources do and do not say
Single Sound On Sound Secrets of the Mix Engineers piece with mixer Ethan Stevens, covering the Creepin' mix session in detail. It is mostly about mixing and plug-ins; tracking gear is limited to the strings, piano and Travis Scott harmonies. The article gives the album year as 2022 although the catalogue lists 2023. The Kirchoff EQ spelling and its maker are as in the article (maker not stated).
Travis Scott background vocals
3 items
Travis Scott
Microphone
The real chain
Sony C800G
Verified
Microphone on Travis Scott's background harmonies, chosen because it is the one he likes using.
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 at the start of Travis Scott's vocal chain.
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 following the preamp in Travis Scott's vocal 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.
21 Savage vocal
2 items
21 Savage
Mix effects
The real chain
Universal Audio UAD 1176 (Spark Native)
Verified
Main source of gain on the aux that carries 21 Savage's verse vocals.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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The plugin used on the record
Universal Audio 1176 Classic Limiter Collection
compressor
The plugin named in the source.
The real chain
FabFilter Pro-Q 3
Verified
Rolls off some low end on 21 Savage's vocal aux to remove mud, and later takes out some mids.
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 Weeknd vocal
3 items
The Weeknd
Mix effects
The real chain
Eventide H9 Blackhole
Verified
Long reverb for the Weeknd's vocal, side-chained to his lead so the decay rings out when he is not singing.
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
Lexicon 224
Verified
Reverb on an aux shared with 21 Savage's vocal, so the Weeknd sits in a similar space.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Universal Audio Lexicon 224 Digital Reverb
reverb
Made with Lexicon as a model of the 224.
The real chain
Waves RComp
Verified
Compressor after the reverb, triggered by the lead vocal so it ducks the reverb while he sings.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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The plugin used on the record
Waves Renaissance Compressor
compressor
The plugin named in the source.
Bass
2 items
Mix effects
The real chain
Unidentified Kirchoff EQ
Verified
Equaliser on the bass stem in the final mix session.
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
Oeksound Soothe 2
Verified
Side-chained to the kick so the kick comes through without the bass overpowering it.
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.
Drums
1 item
Mix effects
The real chain
Dramastic Audio Obsidian
Reported
Hardware insert on the drum aux that the drum stems are sent to.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Covers this kind of unit
Solid State Logic SSL Native Bus Compressor 2
compressor
A VCA mix-bus compressor doing the same glue job; it is not a model of this unit.
Piano
1 item
Mario Winans
Microphone
The real chain
Coles 4038
Verified
Microphone on the piano, which was played by Mario.
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.
Live strings
1 item
Peter Lee Johnson
Microphone
The real chain
Royer R-121
Verified
Microphone on the live strings recorded by Peter Lee Johnson.
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.
Mix bus and master
3 items
Mix effects
The real chain
Rupert Neve Designs 5059
Verified
Summing mixer taking the four group auxes (vocals, music, drums, bass) to add some analogue colour.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Covers this kind of unit
Waves NLS Non-Linear Summer
console emulation
Emulates the summing of analogue consoles, adding the same sort of subtle colour when groups are combined; it is not a model of this unit.
The real chain
Lavry Savitr
Verified
Follows the summing mixer in the final chain; Stevens likes how his loud mixes clip it, particularly with its MX function.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. A converter between analogue and digital. Your audio interface does this job, so no plugin is needed.
The real chain
Brainworx Knif Soma
Verified
Passive tube-style mastering EQ on the master bus adding a bit of low and top end.
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: Metro Boomin 'Heroes & Villains', Sound On Sound, 2023-04. 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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