How It Was Recorded

Supertramp · Even in the Quietest Moments..., 1977

Give a Little Bit

Lead vocal12-string guitarsBass guitarDrum kitKeyboardsTracking and mix toolsReported19

What the sources do and do not say

One Mix Classic Tracks article (Matt Hurwitz, first printed April 2018) covers the Caribou Ranch tracking and Record Plant overdubs and mix for this song. Most rows are the journalist's narrative and so reported; only the Anderson EQ statement and Henderson's hedged piano microphone recollection are in a speaker's own words. The article does not name the vocal preamp, the mix compressors on the 12-strings, or reverb.

Lead vocal

Roger Hodgson

Microphone

Neumann U 47 fet

Reported

Microphone Henderson used for Hodgson's lead vocal at Caribou.

Source: Mix, 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.

12-string guitars

Roger Hodgson

Instrument

Guild 12-string acoustic guitar

Reported

Hodgson's acoustic 12-string played live on the basic track, then built up with further passes.

Source: Mix, 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.

Unidentified Frap pickup

Reported

Pickup used on the Martin 12-string overdub, taken direct and recorded in two passes for a stereo spread.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

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

Rickenbacker Electric 12-string guitar

Reported

Electric 12-string added in two passes, taken direct, for its sustain over the acoustics.

Source: Mix, 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.

Microphone

Neumann U 87

Reported

Microphone on Hodgson's acoustic in the lift shaft, chosen to catch the resonance of the wooden hoistway.

Position
In the cab-less freight elevator between floors, lowered halfway to increase the effect.

Source: Mix, 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.

Bass guitar

Dougie Thomson

Instrument

Fender Jazz Bass

Reported

Thomson's bass, strung with semi-flatwound strings, played live on the basic track.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

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

Amplifier

Recorded direct (DI), no amplifier

Reported

Bass recorded direct, with no amp in the studio, as was usual then.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Recorded direct, so there is no amp to model. Leave the amp simulator off.

Drum kit

Bob Siebenberg

Instrument

Ludwig Drum kit with Supraphonic snare

ReportedAlbum sessions

Album sessions, not stated for this song: Siebenberg's kit, with four toms and a 14x6.5-inch snare, set up for the tracking session.

Position
On the parquet floor facing south into the room, to use the reflection from the control room glass.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Approximate

Toontrack Superior Drummer 3

drum instrument

A sampled drum instrument. It does not claim to be this kit or drum.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Microphone

AKG D19

Reported

Microphone on the top of the snare drum for the basic track.

Position
Top of the snare only

Source: Mix, 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.

Coles 4038

Reported

Overhead microphones on the drum kit for the basic track.

Source: Mix, 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.

Sennheiser MD 421

Reported

Microphones on the four toms for the basic track.

Source: Mix, 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. The MD 421 is still made.

Unidentified Kick drum microphone (AKG D20 or Electro-Voice RE20)

Reported

Kick drum microphone; the article gives it as either a D20 or an RE20 without choosing. (recalled with uncertainty)

Source: Mix, 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.

Neumann U 87

Reported

Condenser used for the overdubbed ride-snare pattern, recorded onto the two tom tracks, instead of the D19.

Source: Mix, 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.

Keyboards

Rick Davies

Instrument

Hohner Clavinet

Reported

Clavinet part added by Davies as an overdub, recorded in the control room.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Arturia Clavinet V

instrument

A physical model of the Hohner Clavinet.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Amplifier

Leslie 122

Reported

Speaker system the Clavinet was played through, miked in stereo, via a Leslie interface box.

Source: Mix, 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

AKG D19

Reported

Engineer's recollection of the microphone on the heavily compressed piano crashes after the sax solo. (recalled with uncertainty)

Source: Mix, 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.

Tracking and mix tools

Input chain

Neve Melbourne console

Reported

Caribou's original console, on which the song was recorded.

Source: Mix, 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

Ampex 24-track tape machines

ReportedAlbum sessions

Album sessions, not stated for this song: Two 24-track machines recording to Ampex 406 tape for these sessions.

Settings
30 ips

Source: Mix, 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.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

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).

Mix effects

Fairchild Compressor/limiter (model not stated)

Reported

Compressor the mono radio-edit mix was run through to survive radio limiting.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio Fairchild Tube Limiter Collection

compressor

Models the Fairchild 660 and 670. The source does not say which model was used.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves PuigChild 660 & 670 (Models the Fairchild 660 and 670 owned by Jack Joseph Puig).

Sources

  1. Classic Tracks: Supertramp's "Give a Little Bit", Mix, 2018-04. 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.