How It Was Recorded

Selena Gomez · Rare, 2020

Rare

What the sources do and do not say

Sound On Sound Inside Track (two pages) with producer Sir Nolan and mixer Tony Maserati, read in full; it covers the production and the mix session of this song. Tracking of Selena Gomez's vocal is not described apart from the studio's general microphone list, which is not tied to this song and was left out. Maserati's plug-in settings are taken from his Pro Tools mix session as described in the article.

Lead vocal

Selena Gomez

Mix effects

Compressed the vocal tracks in the shared insert chain to make her voice bigger and more exciting, with heavy squashing.

Settings
Ratio of nearly 7; around 5 dB of gain where the vocal does not reach the threshold

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Waves Renaissance Compressor

compressor

The plugin used on the record.

Waves Q10

Verified

Equalised the verse vocals in the insert chain, rolling off the low end and adding small lifts.

Position
First plug-in in the vocal insert chain, on the verse vocals
Settings
Roll-off below 100 Hz, slight push at 400 Hz and at 4 kHz

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Waves Q10 Equalizer

equaliser

The plugin named in the source.

De-essed the vocal tracks; Maserati swapped it in for the Massey de-esser that Sir Nolan favours.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Used on the verse vocal group aux, with the Revival module adding thickness and the Virtual Channel set to a US A console with some drive.

Position
On the 'Verse SG' aux group
Settings
Virtual Channel set to the US A console, with a bit of drive

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack

channel strip

The plugin used on the record.

Pushed some high frequencies on the lead vocal group and on the backing vocal group.

Position
On the 'Vocal Group' and 'Backing Vocal Group' auxes

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Softube Tube-Tech Equalizers Mk II

equaliser

The PE 1C is one of the equalisers in this Softube collection.

Gave the vocals a doubling effect that added some slapback and width, in the producer's rough mix.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Soundtoys Crystallizer

delay

The plugin named in the source.

Drums

Mix effects

Tape simulator on the Live Drums aux that adds some width; Maserati thinks this is because it imitates wow and flutter.

Position
On the 'Live Drums' aux, after the Waves NS1

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

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: Universal Audio Studer A800 Tape Recorder (Models a Studer A800, not this recorder. It gives the general behaviour of analogue multitrack tape).

Used as an effect on the 'Drum Slap' aux that Sir Nolan set up.

Position
On the 'Drum Slap' aux

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio Ampex ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder

tape

Model of the ATR-102 mastering deck, made with Ampex.

Added a bit of room noise to the Live Drums aux.

Position
On the 'Live Drums' aux

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Soundtoys Radiator

saturation

The plugin named in the source.

Waves L1

Verified

Limiter on the 'Drums Group' aux that catches peaks so nothing overloads.

Position
On the 'Drums Group' aux, which receives all drums and drum effects

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Waves L1 Ultramaximizer

limiter

The plugin named in the source.

Mellotron and synths

Sir Nolan

Instrument

Its sampled guitar sound became the main bass of the song, and with the pitch knob it also made a part that sounds like slide guitar.

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.

Phone synth app used by co-producer Simon Says for the bridge synth sounds.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Mix effects

Plug-in on a Mellotron organ track, the only plug-in on the piano, keys, strings and horns tracks in the mix session.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Waves Doubler

modulation

The plugin named in the source.

Mix bus

Mix effects

Pendulum ES8

Verified

Maserati's hardware tube limiter, used on the main mix bus.

Position
Inserts 3 and 4 on the 'Mix Buss' track

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Covers this kind of unit

Waves PuigChild 660 & 670

compressor

A variable-mu valve limiter in the Fairchild tradition this unit borrows from; it is not a model of this unit.

A pair of hardware compressors fed from the parallel mix bus.

Position
Fed from inserts 7 and 8 on the 'Parallel Mix Buss'

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Close match

Waves Abbey Road RS124 Compressor

compressor

Models Abbey Road's original RS124 compressors, which the Chandler unit recreates.

Equaliser on the mix bus adding a push at the top and some low end.

Position
On the 'Mix Buss' track
Settings
Push at 10 kHz and some 50 Hz added

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Universal Audio Chandler Limited Curve Bender Mastering EQ

equaliser

The plugin named in the source.

Sources

  1. Inside Track: Selena Gomez 'Rare' (page 2), Sound On Sound, 2020-04. Accessed 15 Nov 2026.
  2. Inside Track: Selena Gomez 'Rare', Sound On Sound, 2020-04. 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.