How I Got That Sound - Top Engineers/Producers Reveal Their Favourite Sonic Moment

Famed English producer and engineer John Leckie gives details about one of his most influential works, the mini‑album 25 O’Clock, a pastiche of ’60s psychedelia.

David Bottrill’s vast credit list includes Peter Gabriel, Smashing Pumpkins and Tool to Muse, Silverchair, Rush and many others. When asked to pick a favourite sound from that catalogue, he chose the drone that underpins ‘Passion’ by Peter Gabriel.

American music producer, songwriter and multi‑instrumentalist Doug Showalter breaks down how he crafted the guitar sound on Harry Styles’ mega‑hit ‘As It Was’ in his Nashville studio.

From his Sheffield recording studio Yellow Arch, producer, musician, arranger and programmer Colin Elliot has worked with an illustrious list of musical artists.

Howard Jones burst onto the scene in the early 1980s with a collection of era‑defining synth‑pop hits such as ‘What Is Love’, ‘No One Is To Blame’ and ‘Things Can Only Get Better’. Asked to select a favourite sound, he circles back to the first of these.

Canadian Davey Badiuk is a composer, producer, mixing engineer and remixer, known for his unique ability to modernise organic music.

Record producer/mix engineer Luke Smith details how he got his favourite sound on ‘Spanish Sahara’ from Foals...

Asked to pick a favourite sound to dissect, American mix master Michael Brauer chooses the vocal sound on Elle King’s ‘Ex’s & Oh’s’.

Stephen Street has worked with the Smiths, Blur, the Cranberries, the Pretenders, Babyshambles and Kaiser Chiefs, and here he details his favourite sound from Blur's 'Song 2'.

Canadian mixer and recording engineer George Seara chooses the vocal on ‘Treat You Better’, by Shawn Mendes, as a favourite sound from his catalogue.

Three‑time Grammy Award‑winner Tom Lord‑Alge has an extensive list of multi‑platinum landmark albums and singles to his credit...

Grammy-winning Samuel Dixon picks his favourite sound from the records he’s made, focusing on Australian singer‑songwriter Meg Washington’s track ‘Switches’.

Asked to choose a favourite sound to dissect, Leo nominated the track ‘Harm Organ’ from his 2021 solo album, Scene Memory 2.

American producer, engineer and mixer Ed Stasium nominates the drum sound on Living Colour’s ‘Love Rears Its Ugly Head’ as a particular favourite.

American record producer, engineer and mixer Bob Clearmountain unpacks Neil Finn’s vocal from the Crowded House track ‘I Feel Possessed’.

Producer and mix engineer John Feldman details how he got his favourite vocal sound on the Used’s 2002 debut single.

London‑based record producer, programmer and session musician Andy Wright chooses the drum sound from ‘Dirty Mind’, on Jeff Beck’s 2000 album You Had It Coming.

Multi‑platinum mixer and engineer Richard Chycki details how he got Geddy Lee’s bass sound on ‘Caravan’.

American musician and producer Tyler Bates reveals how he created his favourite recorded sound.

Four‑time Grammy Award‑winning producer, engineer and mixer Chris Shaw has worked with some of the biggest and most...

Asked to pick a favourite sound from his huge discography, Matt Squire nominates the track ‘On My Teeth’ from Underøath’s 2018 album, Erase Me.

Asked to pick a favourite from the innumerable sounds he’s committed to tape, Alan nominates the unique keyboard sound on ‘The Eagle Will Rise Again’, from the third APP album Pyramid.

Asked to pick a favourite sound from the band’s influential catalogue, Walter Flakus dives into the track ‘Drugstore’, from 1998 album Darkest Days.

Poo Bear, the American two‑time Grammy Award‑nominated songwriter, producer and principal collaborator of pop megastar Justin Bieber, chooses his own favourite vocal on a track from Bieber’s Changes album.

How they recorded the solo on ‘Solace’ from Fuel’s second album, Something Like Human (2000).

Asked to nominate his favourite sounds he’s created on record, the Tangerine Dream leader picks a track composed for the soundtrack of the video game Grand Theft Auto V in 2013.

Grammy Award‑winning American producer Howard Benson discusses how he achieved the drum sound on POD’s 2001 hit ‘Youth Of The Nation’.

Recalling his favourite sound, LA‑based producer and mixing engineer Tom Syrowski chose the vocal on Incubus’ 2011 track, ‘In The Company Of Wolves’.

Elfman recently released his latest solo album, Big Mess, and chose a track from the album as his favourite sonic achievement.

New York‑based engineer and producer Andrew Maury, when asked to pick a favourite sound that he’s worked on, nominates the drum mix he created for Lewis Del Mar's ‘Loud(y)’.

Landquist reveals how he got his favourite sound on A‑ha’s ‘Lifelines’, the 2002 title track to the Norwegian synth‑popsters’ seventh studio album.

When asked to pick a favourite sound that he’s worked on, English producer and mixing engineer Tim Palmer nominates the radio speaker guitar intro from Pearl Jam's ‘Black’.

English producer and mixer Chris Sheldon, when asked to pick a favourite sound that he’s worked on, nominates the drum sound he got with rock band Oceansize.

In the first episode of a new column, we asked Steve Albini to choose a favourite sound from his huge back catalogue and explain how it was created.