Prince Purple Rain
(last updated: 20/8/24)
Instruments
(Prince, except where noted)
Drums, drum machines & percussion:
- Linn Electronics LM-1
- Linn Electronics LinnDrum: “Take Me With You” tom-toms and/or crashes
- Simmons SDS-V electronic drum system: Bobby Z, Prince – also for triggering LM-1 live
- Zildjian cymbals (Bobby Z, possibly Prince): 14” hi-hat, 16" & 18" crashes, 20" ride
Keyboards & synthesizers:
- ARP Omni-2: Prince (e.g. “When Doves Cry”), Matt Fink
- Oberheim OB-X
- Oberheim OB-Xa: Prince, Lisa Coleman & Matt Fink
- Oberheim OB-SX: Lisa Coleman
- Oberheim OB-8
Pianos:
- 1907 Steinway & Sons B 7’ acoustic grand: Sunset Sound’s, e.g. “The Beautiful Ones”
- Yamaha CP-70: Matt Fink’s, played on songs like “Let’s Go Crazy” (solo on extended version), “Purple Rain”
Guitar rig (Prince):
- Hohner HG490 “MadCat”
- Mesa Boogie Mk. IIC+ heads /w Bag End D-12M cabinets
- Mesa Boogie 500
- Pedalboard:
- Boss BF-2 Flanger
- Boss OC-2 Octaver
- Boss SD-1 SuperOverdrive
- Boss DS-2 Distortion
- Boss VB-2 Vibrato
- Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Guitar rig (Wendy Melvoin):
- Rickenbacker 360/12 /w Seymour Duncan pickups: Wendy Melvoin’s
- Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ amp heads
- JBL speakers
- Effects:
- Boss CE-1 Chorus (e.g. “Purple Rain”)
- Boss CS-1 Compressor
- TC Electronics Vintage Dual Distortion pedal
- MXR MX401 boost
- Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Basses:
- Fender Jazz (various, hired in for Prince sessions)
- Fender Jazz (refinished purple): Brown Mark’s, through Ampeg SVT and occasionally a Boss DS-1 Distortion (“Let’s Go Crazy”, “Computer Blue”)
- Fender Precision (various, hired in for Prince sessions)
Recording equipment (studio/live)
Microphones:
- Sunset Sound Studio 3:
- AKG C414 EB (“The Beautiful Ones” piano)
- Neumann U47 (vocals, cello)
- Neumann U87 (overheads)
- Sennheiser MD421 (tom-toms)
- Telefunken 251 (violins)
- The Warehouse:
- Sennheiser MD421 (guitars)
- Sennheiser SKM-4031 (vocals)
- Shure SM57 (various instruments)
- First Avenue concert:
- 6 x AKG 451 (four for audience and ambience tracks, two for overheads)
- Neumann KM84 (hi-hat)
- Shure SM57 (Prince & Wendy guitar amps, snare)
- Sennheiser SKM-4031 (live vocals, as kept on "Purple Rain")
Tape recorders:
- Ampex MM1200 24-track: First Avenue, Warehouse, Kiowa Trail & Sunset Sound. Two of these were synced via Q-lock at Sunset Sound for overdubs to 48-track on the First Avenue tracks.
- Ampex ATR-100 ½-inch 2-track
- Ampex ATR-100 ¼-inch 2-track
Outboard (partial list):
- Eventide H910 Harmonizer
- Eventide H949 Harmonizer
- Lexicon T-102 Delta T
digital delay
- Lexicon 224X
digital reverb
- Teletronix LA-2A
compressor: vocal chain at Sunset Sound
- UREI 1176LN
peak limiter
- Valley People Kepex II
noise gates: Sunset Sound
Mixing consoles:
- API Custom 44/24: First Avenue concert recordings from Record Plant ‘Black’ mobile truck
- API/JBL Sunset Industries custom 32-in/24-out: Sunset Sound Studio 3
- API: St. Louis Park Warehouse, tracking of “Let’s Go Crazy” and “Computer Blue”
- Soundcraft 3B: Kiowa Trail Home Studio
Other:
- Ampex 456 tape
- Scotch 250 tape
- Auratone 5C monitors
- Yamaha NS-10 monitors
Sources
https://prince.org/msg/5/343143
https://www.housequake.com/2004/02/02/dr-fink-interview/
Prince In The Studio
1975-1995 by Jake Brown
Prince and the Purple Rain era studio sessions
1983 and 1984 by Duane Tudahl
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpAMiFkwK0w
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o6BeTB1n64M
https://www.guitarworld.com/amp/features/the-secrets-behind-princes-tone-on-lets-go-crazy
Musician October 1984
Peggy McCreary Sunset Sound interview
Guitar Cloud
Various
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