Duran Duran Rio gear

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 (last updated: 22/08/24)

Duran Duran Rio recording gear

Musicians’ gear

Drums:

  • TAMA Imperialstar kit /w 14x8 TAMA Mastercraft Artwood snare

Keyboards, synthesizers & sequencers:

  • Roland SH-2 – e.g. “Save A Prayer” sequenced melody
  • Roland CSQ-100 sequencer
  • Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 (tentative)
  • Crumar Performer

Guitars:

  • Yamaha SG-90 /w DiMarzio pickups
  • Fender Stratocaster

Basses:

  • Aria Pro II SB-600

Amplifiers (guitars):

  • Marshall JCM-800 Series 100-watt heads (x4)
  • Mega 4x12 cabinets

Effects:

  • Boss CE-1 (or CE-2) Chorus (John Taylor)
  • Boss BF-2 Flanger (John Taylor)
  • MXR Flanger (Andy Taylor)
  • Roland RE-201 Space Echo – “Save A Prayer” sequenced melody

Recording & studio equipment

Microphones:

  • Drums:
    • Bass drum:
      • ElectroVoice RE20
    • Snare drum:
      • Shure SM57
    • Hi-hat:
      • AKG C451
    • Tom-toms:
      • Top: Shure SM57 (likely)
      • Bottom: Neumann U87
    • Overheads:
      • AKG C414, C12 or Neumann U87
  • Bass amplifiers:
    • ElectroVoice RE20
  • Guitars:
    • Shure (model unspecified) – close mike
    • AKG C414 or Neumann U47 (ambience)
  • Vocals:
    • AKG C414 – ambient mike
    • Neumann U47 – close mike

Tape recorders:

  • Studer A800 Mk. III 24-track /w Dolby M16 (and/or 361) NR
  • Studer B67 2-track
  • Studer A80 2-track

Outboard (partial list):

  • ADR SCAMP rack with assorted units
  • AMS DM2.20 Tape Phase simulator
  • AMS DMX 15-80S digital delay/harmonizer
  • AMS RMX-16 digital reverb
  • Eventide H910 Harmonizer
  • Eventide H949 Harmonizer
  • Fairchild 660 compressor/limiter
  • UREI 1176LN Silverface compressors (x2)
  • Neve 33609 compressors (x2)
  • Neve 2254/E compressor/limiter

Mixing consoles:

  • Neve A7971: AIR Studio 1, recording
  • Neve custom: mixing at AIR Studio 3?

Monitoring:

  • Auratone 5C

Sources

One Two Testing, December 1982 (Andy Taylor)

Home & Studio Recording, February 1985 (Colin Thurston interview)

Duran Duran ‘Ask Katy’ questions (synth question, guitar question, sequencer question)

John Taylor Fretlessbass.com interview

Keyboard magazine, May 1984 (Nick Rhodes feature)

Photo at AIR Studios from final recording sessions, April 1982

Photo of Simon Le Bon and Andy Taylor at AIR, April 1982

Photo of John Taylor at console, April 1982

Photos from recording, February 1982

Philsbook.com AIR Studios page (old)


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