How It Was Recorded

Michael Jackson · Dangerous, 1991

Black or White

Lead and backing vocals (scratch vocal kept for the release)Main riff and acoustic guitarHeavy metal guitarsBassDrum machine, samples and percussionSequencer runs and sampled guitar riffsTracking machines at Westlake (Dangerous sessions)MixVerified14Reported4

What the sources do and do not say

Based on one Sound On Sound Classic Tracks article (Richard Buskin, 2004) in which co-producer and engineer Bill Bottrell describes the song in detail. The tape machines are album-level; the rest is song-specific. Bruce Swedien's work on other Dangerous songs and the final mastering are not covered.

Lead and backing vocals (scratch vocal kept for the release)

Michael Jackson

Microphone

Neumann U 47

Verified

Microphone Bottrell chose for Jackson's scratch lead vocal and backing vocals, the vocal that stayed on the finished song.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

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

Sontec Limiter (model not stated)

Verified

Compressed the vocal after Bottrell had removed most of the low end.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. The source does not name the model, so no specific plugin can be suggested.

Main riff and acoustic guitar

Bill Bottrell

Instrument

Kramer American

Verified

Guitar for the main riff Jackson hummed, and later for a funky part in the rap section.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. A guitar is the source of the sound, not a process applied to it. No plugin stands in for it.

Gibson LG-2

Verified

Acoustic guitar Bottrell hit hard for a big, rock and roll open-chord part added after the first couple of days.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. A guitar is the source of the sound, not a process applied to it. No plugin stands in for it.

Amplifier

Mesa/Boogie Amplifier (model not stated)

Verified

Amplifier for the Kramer guitar on the opening riff, giving the gritty sound.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

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.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: 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).

Microphone

Beyer M160

Verified

Microphone on the Mesa Boogie amp for the riff guitar.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

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.

Heavy metal guitars

Tim Pierce

Instrument

Gibson Les Paul (model not stated)

Verified

Guitar Tim Pierce played for the heavy metal middle section, playing the chords Jackson hummed.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. A guitar is the source of the sound, not a process applied to it. No plugin stands in for it.

Amplifier

Marshall Amplifier (model not stated)

Verified

Large amplifier Pierce used for the heavy metal guitar tracks.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

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.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: 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).

Bass

Bryan Loren and Terry Jackson

Input chain

Unidentified Preamp (built by Bill Bottrell, model not stated)

Verified

Preamp Bottrell built, which the five-string electric bass of Terry Jackson went through.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. The source does not name the model, so no specific plugin can be suggested.

Drum machine, samples and percussion

Bill Bottrell

Instrument

E-mu Emulator (model not stated)

Verified

Supplied the simple drum-machine pattern Bottrell put down on the first day.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Covers this kind of unit

Arturia Emulator II V

instrument

Models E-mu's Emulator II, an 8-bit sampler of the same line. 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

Akai Sampler (model not stated)

Verified

Held live drum samples that replaced the simple Emulator drum machine part.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. The source does not name the model, so no specific plugin can be suggested.

Hybrid Arts Sequencer (model not stated)

Verified

Stored the MIDI data and was used to build and heavily shift the percussion (cowbells, shakers) into a swinging, non-linear groove.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. The source does not name the model, so no specific plugin can be suggested.

Sequencer runs and sampled guitar riffs

Michael Boddicker and Jasun Martz

Instrument

Roland Sequencer (model not stated)

Reported

Michael Boddicker played a stand-alone sequencer part meant to sound like fast guitar leading into and out of the heavy metal section.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. The source does not name the model, so no specific plugin can be suggested.

Akai Sampler (model not stated)

Verified

Held a guitar sample used with Boddicker's recorded sequencer notes; later also held sampled distorted guitar riffs played in by Jasun Martz.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. The source does not name the model, so no specific plugin can be suggested.

Amplifier

Mesa/Boogie Amplifier (model not stated)

Verified

Amplifier the sampled guitar was run through so it sounded more like a real guitar.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

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.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: 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).

Tracking machines at Westlake (Dangerous sessions)

Input chain

Studer 24-track tape machine (model not stated)

ReportedAlbum sessions

Album sessions, not stated for this song: A pair of them recorded the initial tracks in Bottrell's Westlake room.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Close match

Universal Audio Studer A800 Tape Recorder

tape

Models a Studer 24-track. The source does not give the model used.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Slate Digital Virtual Tape Machines (Includes a model of a two-inch Studer multitrack).

Mitsubishi 32-track tape machine (model not stated)

ReportedAlbum sessions

Album sessions, not stated for this song: Used to compile material after initial tracks were recorded on the Studer machines.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. A digital recorder. Your DAW does this job, so no plugin is needed to stand in for it.

Mix

Bill Bottrell

Mix effects

Neve 8078

Reported

Console used for the mix at Record One; Bottrell found it rang too much on the heavy metal section, and the final edit used it for the main parts.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Approximate

Waves NLS Non-Linear Summer

console emulation

A console-summing plugin that includes one Neve desk. It gives a Neve flavour, not this console's channels.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Sources

  1. Classic Tracks: Michael Jackson 'Black Or White', Sound On Sound, 2004-08. 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.