Pet Shop Boys · Please, 1986
West End Girls
15 sourced items across 6 sectionsVerified15
What the sources do and do not say
Main source is a March 1986 International Musician & Recording World Track Record in which house engineer David Jacobs describes the single's recording at Advision Studio Two; the MusicRadar 2026 feature (read in full) repeats it and adds nothing independent about gear, so it is not cited. The two Trevor Horn/Pete Gleadall/It's A Sin SOS articles do not mention this song. The AMS harmoniser and a PPG Wave on TV appearances are not listed because the 1986 text ties the harmoniser only to general mix habit.
Lead vocal
2 items
Neil Tennant
Microphone
The real chain
Neumann KM 84i
Verified
Microphone for the rapped verses, chosen to capture a full low end.
Source: International Musician & Recording World, 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.
The real chain
Neumann U 87
Verified
Microphone for the sung choruses; the engineer says he would not normally use it on vocals but it suited this singer.
Source: International Musician & Recording World, 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.
Bass (three layered synths)
3 items
Instrument
The real chain
Yamaha DX7
Verified
Supplied a very low, percussive voice that added depth and attack to the layered bass.
Source: International Musician & Recording World, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Arturia DX7 V
instrument
An emulation of the Yamaha DX7.
Also worth a look 1
- Digital Suburban Dexed (A free, open-source DX7 emulation that loads original DX7 patches)
The real chain
Roland Jupiter-6
Verified
Supplied the body of the layered bass sound.
Source: International Musician & Recording World, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Cherry Audio Mercury-6
instrument
A dedicated recreation of the Jupiter-6.
The real chain
E-mu Emulator II
Verified
Played a bass drum sample, pitched from the keyboard, to add punch to the layered bass.
Source: International Musician & Recording World, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Arturia Emulator II V
instrument
An emulation of the E-mu Emulator II.
Drum machine
1 item
Instrument
The real chain
Oberheim DMX
Verified
Programmed and recorded the drum parts in about five or six hours; that first recording stayed to the final mix.
Source: International Musician & Recording World, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
GForce Software Oberheim DMX
drum instrument
An officially licensed software DMX using the original machine's sound sets.
Strings and trumpet solo
3 items
Instrument
The real chain
E-mu Emulator I
Verified
Played the standard string sound on one track of the continuous string part.
Source: International Musician & Recording World, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Close match
Arturia Emulator II V
instrument
Models the Emulator II, the successor to the sampler used here.
The real chain
E-mu Emulator II
Verified
Played the standard string sound on a second track of the string part, and a third, lower string part for depth.
Source: International Musician & Recording World, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Arturia Emulator II V
instrument
An emulation of the E-mu Emulator II.
The real chain
E-mu Emulator II
Verified
Supplied the trumpet voice for the solo that Steve played, which took about six hours to make sound genuine.
Source: International Musician & Recording World, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Arturia Emulator II V
instrument
An emulation of the E-mu Emulator II.
Congas and cowbell figure
3 items
Instrument
The real chain
E-mu Emulator II
Verified
Played the conga part by hand, using two of its outputs so the slap and the deeper note could be treated separately.
Source: International Musician & Recording World, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Arturia Emulator II V
instrument
An emulation of the E-mu Emulator II.
Input chain
The real chain
Roland MSQ-700
Verified
Sequenced the short choir-and-cowbell figure, which was started by hand without time code.
Source: International Musician & Recording World, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. A sequencer, computer or synchroniser. It controls other equipment and makes no sound of its own. Any DAW does this job.
Mix effects
The real chain
AMS Delay (model not stated)
Verified
Added a repeat to the lower conga sound.
Source: International Musician & Recording World, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Covers this kind of unit
Universal Audio AMS DMX Digital Delay & Pitch Shifter
delay
Models the AMS DMX 15-80 S, the firm's best-known digital delay. 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.
Recording chain and street ambience
3 items
Input chain
The real chain
Otari MTR-90
Verified
Multitrack analogue recorder the single was recorded on.
Source: International Musician & Recording World, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Approximate
Slate Digital Virtual Tape Machines
tape
Models two Studer machines, not this recorder. It gives the general behaviour of analogue multitrack tape.
Also worth a look 1
- Universal Audio Studer A800 Tape Recorder (Models a Studer A800, not this recorder. It gives the general behaviour of analogue multitrack tape)
The real chain
SSL Console (model not stated)
Verified
Console the single was recorded through; the engineer says he does not use its VCAs when recording.
Source: International Musician & Recording World, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Close match
Solid State Logic SSL Native Channel Strip 2
channel strip
SSL's own channel-strip plugin. It is not a model of this particular desk.
Also worth a look 1
- Waves SSL E-Channel (Models the 4000 E channel strip; the source does not make this the same desk)
The real chain
Sony Professional Walkman
Verified
Used by Steve to record the traffic noise outside the studio, with Dolby C.
Source: International Musician & Recording World, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Covers this kind of unit
Wavesfactory Cassette
tape
Recreates the sound of cassette tape, with its noise reduction and tape types, which is the medium this recorder used; it is not a model of this unit.
Sources
- Track Record: West End Girls, International Musician & Recording World, 1986-03. 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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