Tina Turner · Private Dancer, 1984
What's Love Got to Do with It
21 sourced items across 6 sectionsVerified8Reported13
What the sources do and do not say
Single source: Sound On Sound Classic Tracks (Richard Buskin, May 2004), read in full, with John Hudson's recollections. It covers the vocal mic pair, guitar and bass tracking, the Linn 2, the keyboard rig and the console and tape machines; it gives no drum kit mics, no mix EQ or reverb units and no mic preamps. Rows from Buskin's narrative are reported, not verified.
Lead vocal
4 items
Tina Turner
Microphone
The real chain
Neumann U 67
Verified
Close microphone on Tina Turner's lead vocal, a valve model.
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.
The real chain
AKG C12A
Verified
Distant second vocal microphone meant for the loud passages; it overloaded on her loudest singing.
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.
The real chain
Unidentified PZM microphone (model not stated)
Verified
Added as the distant vocal microphone after the C12A distorted; it sounded thin but coped with the loud parts and was blended with the U67.
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
Teletronix LA-2A
Verified
Gave a little compression to the close U67 vocal mic; the distant mic was not compressed.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Universal Audio Teletronix LA-2A Leveler Collection
compressor
Universal Audio owns the Teletronix name; this is its own model of the LA-2A.
Also worth a look 1
- Waves CLA-2A Compressor / Limiter (Models an LA-2A from Chris Lord-Alge's collection. Cheaper and runs without UA hardware)
Guitar
6 items
Terry Britten
Instrument
The real chain
Fender Telecaster
Reported
Terry Britten's guitar for the guitar parts, recorded either direct or through an amplifier.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. A guitar is the source of the sound, not a process applied to it. No plugin stands in for it.
Amplifier
The real chain
Vox Amplifier (model not stated)
Reported
One of the amplifiers the Telecaster was sometimes fed through.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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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.
Also worth a look 1
- 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)
The real chain
Fender Champ
Reported
Second amplifier used for the Telecaster, miked up.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
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.
Also worth a look 1
- 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
The real chain
Shure SM57
Reported
One of the microphones on the guitar amplifiers, in combination with the SM58 and C12A.
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. The SM57 is still made and inexpensive: the real thing is the practical route.
The real chain
Shure SM58
Reported
One of the microphones on the guitar amplifiers, in combination with the SM57 and C12A.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
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
AKG C12A
Reported
One of the microphones on the guitar amplifiers, in combination with the SM57 and SM58.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
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.
Guide bass
2 items
Terry Britten
Instrument
The real chain
Fender Jazz Bass
Verified
Britten's untuned guide bass part, which Hudson recommended and which was kept for the mix.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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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
The real chain
Recorded direct (DI), no amplifier
Verified
The guide bass was recorded direct rather than through an amplifier.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. Recorded direct, so there is no amp to model. Leave the amp simulator off.
Drum machine
2 items
Terry Britten
Instrument
The real chain
Linn Linn 2
Verified
Set to a tempo of 95 as a click to build the track on, recorded to three tape tracks: kick, snare and the rest.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Aly James Lab VProm
drum instrument
An emulation of Linn's LM-1 and LinnDrum, built around their sound chips.
Mix effects
The real chain
Linn Linn 2
Verified
Its recorded kick, snare and fills were synced back up and bounced across at the mix, replacing the real drummer.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Aly James Lab VProm
drum instrument
An emulation of Linn's LM-1 and LinnDrum, built around their sound chips.
Keyboards and strings
5 items
Nick Glennie-Smith
Instrument
The real chain
E-mu Emulator II
Reported
Part of the keyboard rig Nick Glennie-Smith used for the keyboard parts.
Source: Sound On Sound, 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
Roland MKS-80 Super Jupiter
Reported
Part of the keyboard rig used for the keyboard parts.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Close match
Arturia Jup-8 V
instrument
A model of the Jupiter-8, the keyboard synth the MKS-80 was based on.
The real chain
Yamaha DX7
Reported
Part of the keyboard rig; its harmonica patch, tweaked towards a flute-like sound, was later used by Billy Livsey for the harmonica-style part.
Source: Sound On Sound, 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
Oberheim OB-8
Reported
Terry Britten's synth, part of the keyboard rig for the keyboard parts.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Close match
Arturia OP-Xa V
instrument
Models the OB-Xa, the model that sits between the OB-X and the OB-8.
The real chain
Fairlight Fairlight (model not stated)
Reported
Provided the string parts, added after the drums were recorded.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. The source does not name the model, so no specific plugin can be suggested.
Studio and recording chain
2 items
Input chain
The real chain
SSL 6000E
Reported
The 48-channel console at Mayfair Studios used for the three Tina Turner sessions.
Source: Sound On Sound, 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
Studer A80 MkIV
Reported
A pair of 24-track machines used for the sessions.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Emulation of this unit
Slate Digital Virtual Tape Machines
tape
Models a Studer A827 multitrack and an A80 mastering machine.
Also worth a look 1
- Universal Audio Studer A800 Tape Recorder (Models the related Studer A800)
Sources
- Classic Tracks: Tina Turner 'What's Love Got To Do With It?', Sound On Sound, 2004-05. 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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