King Of Pain by The Police: studio, gear and credits

King Of Pain by The Police: recorded at Le Studio, Morin-Heights, Quebec, Canada, produced by Hugh Padgham, The Police, engineered by Hugh Padgham, through a Solid State Logic SL 4000E 48-Channel. See the credits and gear, then recreate the sound in your DAW.

Details

Song: King of Pain
Artist: The Police
Genre / Style: New Wave / Pop Rock / Post-Punk
Date(s) Recorded: December 1982 – February 1983
Original Record Company & Catalog #: A&M Records – AM 176 / SP-3735
Release Date: 1983
YouTube Search: Listen on YouTube

Personnel and session credits

Producer(s): Hugh Padgham, The Police
Chief Recording Engineer(s): Hugh Padgham
Mixing Engineer(s): Hugh Padgham
Musicians & Session Performers:

Sting - Lead Vocals, Electric Bass, Acoustic Piano
Stewart Copeland - Drums (drum set), Percussion, Xylophone
Andy Summers - Electric Guitar

Studio and recording technology

Tracking Studio & Room: Le Studio, Morin-Heights, Quebec, Canada
Mixing / Overdub Studio: AIR Studios, Hampstead, London, England
Mixing Console / Desk: Solid State Logic SL 4000E 48-Channel
Multitrack Tape Machine & Format: Studer A800 24-Track (2-inch @ 30 IPS)
Key Outboard Processors & Hardware Units:

SSL E-Series Channel Dynamics (VCA Dynamics): Fast-acting VCA compression and downward expansion applied across drum and vocal stems during tracking
UREI 1176LN (FET Compressor): Ultra-fast peak limiting utilized for direct electric bass tracking and dynamic lead vocal stabilization

Reported gear and setup (not independently verified)

Studio Monitors: Tannoy Dual Concentric Gold 15" (Custom Enclosures) / Yamaha NS-10M
Key Outboard Processors & Hardware Units:

AMS DMX 15-80S (Digital Pitch Shifter / Delay): Micro-pitch detuning and stereo spatial widening for lead vocal and guitar tracks
EMT 140 (Plate Reverb): Dense electro-mechanical reverberation applied to acoustic piano, xylophone, and vocal auxiliary sends

Synthesizers, Drum Machines & Electronic Instruments:

Oberheim OB-Xa (Analog Polyphonic Synthesizer): Lush atmospheric pad swells layered beneath chorus arrangements, tracked via direct injection into the console

Signal chains covered in the full track sheet

Instrument-by-instrument recording pathways, including: Sting Lead Vocal, Sting Backing Vocals, Sting Acoustic Piano, Sting Electric Bass, Andy Summers Electric Guitar, Stewart Copeland Kick Drum, Stewart Copeland Snare Drum, Stewart Copeland Hi-Hat, Stewart Copeland Tom-Toms & Octobans, Stewart Copeland Overhead Cymbals, Stewart Copeland Xylophone & Auxiliary Percussion, Oberheim OB-Xa Synthesizer.

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