The Police Ghost In The Machine (1981)

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(last updated: 17/08/24)

Recorded and mixed at AIR Studios, Montserrat except "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" at AIR Studios (piano, bass & vocals)

Musical equipment

Drums and percussion:

  • TAMA Imperialstar 5-ply drums /w Remo heads (Dark Blue – two kits):
    • 14” x 22” Bass Drum
    • 8” x 10” Rack Tom
    • 8” x 12” Rack Tom
    • 9” x 13” Rack Tom
    • 16” x 16” Floor Tom
    • Pearl 5” x 14” Snare (Chrome-Over-Brass or Chrome-Over-Steel)
  • Cymbals:
    • Paiste Formula 2002, 602 & Rude series
    • Zildjian A - shipped to Montserrat as backup, 22" ride visible in photos
  • Additional drums:
    • TAMA Octobans (70’s Model Royalstar lugs)
    • TAMA 14” x 22” Gong Drum
    • 5” LP Black Beauty Cowbell
  • Other:
    • Simmons Clap trap (“Darkness”)

Basses/bass rig:

  • 1963 Fender Precision Sunburst (1963): loaned from Andy Summers, Sting's main bass
  • 1978 Fender Precision fretless
  • Henk Van Zalinge Z-bass
  • Boss CE-2 Chorus
Guitars:
  • Fender Stratocaster (1961, red): Andy Summers' main, e.g. "Demolition Man"
  • Fender Telecaster (1961/63, sunburst custom) /w Gibson Humbucker
  • Gibson Les Paul Gold Top (1957)
  • Gibson ES-335 (1958, sunburst)

Guitar rig:

  • Amplification:
    • Roland Cube-60
    • Roland Bolt-60
    • Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus combo
    • Roland JC-60 Jazz Chorus combo
    • Marshall 100-watt /w 4x12 cabinets: typically used for GR-300 (see below
  • Effects:
    • Pete Cornish custom pedalboard. Includes:
      • MXR Phase 90
      • MXR Analog Delay
      • MXR Distortion+
      • MXR Dyna-Comp compressor
      • Musitronics Mutron III
      • Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress Flanger
    • Volume Pedals:
      • DeArmond 610 Volume Tone
      • Roland FV-2 Minimum Vol.
  • Roland GR-100 guitar unit: possibly used someplace
  • Roland GR-300 guitar synthesizer /w G-303 controller: swell effects on “Secret Journey”, “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” and “Omegaman” guitar solo

Keyboards & Synthesizers:

  • Moog Minimoog Model D: played by Jean Roussel on “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”, Sting and Andy Summers (tentative)
  • Oberheim OB-Xa: Sting’s main synth, pads on “Invisible Sun” and probably “Spirits In The Material World”
  • Roland RS-505 Paraphonic: Stewart Copeland’s, played on “Darkness”, “Rehumanize Yourself” and for various synth strings
  • Sequential Circuits Prophet-10: played by Sting and Andy Summers on “Spirits In The Material World” (main riff and countermelody in third verse, respectively)

Other:

  • Bosendorfer 225 Imperial acoustic grand: AIR Montserrat, possibly played on “Darkness”
  • Yamaha 9’ grand: Le Studio Morin Heights, played on “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”
  • Yamaha tenor saxophone: Sting's
  • Yamaha (or Selmer) alto saxophone: Sting's

Recording & Studio equipment

Outboard gear:

  • AMS dm2.20 tape phase (x2)
  • AMS DMX 15-80 digital delay (x3)
  • EMT 140 plate reverb
  • EMT 240 gold foil plate reverb
  • Marshall Time Modulator
  • UREI 1176 compressors (x4)
  • UREI 545 Parametric Equalizer (x2)
  • UREI Graphic Equalizer model 527-A (x2)
  • Neve compressors/limiters

Tape machines (/w Dolby NR):

  • MCI JH24 24-track
  • MCI JH114 24-track
  • Studer A80 or A800 24-track: Le Studio, Morin Heights
  • Ampex ATR-102 ¼-inch 2-track

Microphones:

  • Drums:
    • AKG C451 or Neumann KM84 (hi-hat)
    • Neumann U47 FET (bass drum)
    • Neumann U87 (overheads & ambience)
    • Sennheiser MD421 (toms)
    • Shure SM57 (snare, octobans)
  • Guitars:
    • Sennheiser MD421
    • Shure SM57
  • Vocals & saxophone:
    • AKG C414 EB and/or Neumann U67: vocals on "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" from Le Studio demo
    • Neumann U47 FET: main mic for vocals on Montserrat
    • Neumann U87: occasional vocals

Console(s):

  • Neve A4792 52-channel: AIR Studios, Montserrat
  • Solid State Logic SL-4000E 40-channel, Serial #11: Le Studio Morin Heights, “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” demo recording

Studio monitors:

  • Auratone 5C Super Sound Cubes /w walnut finish (x2)
  • JBL 4350

Sources:

Modern Drummer, October 1982

Music U.K., October 1981

Musician, December 1981

Guitar World, September 1982

Jeff Seitz

William Le Galee Mann (Le Studio former assistant engineer)

Various Hugh Padgham interviews

Various studio photos by Lynn Goldsmith, Andy Summers, Didi Zill & Danny Quatrochi

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9y78QT_VNS0

Music videos for "Spirits In The Material World" and "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" (Neumann KM84 microphone on Stewart's hi-hat, other pieces of studio gear)

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