What Mic Does Drake Use? (2026)

Vocal Chains · Meshplugins.com

Drake's vocals are clean, close and warm — present without sounding processed. A big part of that is a Sony C800G and a simple, vibe-first chain.

Reported to track on a Sony C800G with Noah '40' Shebib, kept intimate and dry. The chain is surprisingly simple; the tone is in the source and the mood.

Related: how to sound like Drake, how to mix vocals like a pro and the vocal chain explained.

The mic — a Sony C800G

Reported Sony C800G tracked close and dry — a bright, expensive condenser that keeps his tone intimate and detailed. Cheap swap: a good condenser tracked close.

The preamp — warm, simple

Into a Neve 1073 style pre. Capture it clean; the mood comes later.

Light tuning — natural

Subtle correction, not the hard effect — medium retune with Antares Auto-Tune. Free: Graillon 2.

Gentle compression — consistency

An Teletronix LA-2A plus a fast 1176 for peaks keeps every word even and upfront. Free: MJUC jr.

Controlled space — depth

Short plate and a subtle slap sit behind the vocal — never washing over the words.

The chain at a glance

Starting settings (dial these in)

• The mic: High-pass 80–100 Hz, dip mud around 250–450 Hz, lift presence 3–5 kHz and add air with a high shelf at 10–14 kHz.
• The preamp: High-pass 80–100 Hz, dip mud around 250–450 Hz, lift presence 3–5 kHz and add air with a high shelf at 10–14 kHz.
• Light tuning: Set the song's key/scale first. Retune speed fast (0–20 ms) for the obvious effect, slower (40–90 ms) for a natural feel.
• Gentle compression: Start around 3–5 dB of gain reduction. Fast attack, medium release; if it pumps, ease the ratio or release.
• Controlled space: Plate or hall, 1.0–1.8 s decay, 20–40 ms pre-delay; roll off lows and extreme highs so it sits behind the vocal.

Putting it together

1. The mic
2. The preamp
3. Light tuning
4. Gentle compression
5. Controlled space

Work top to bottom, commit as you go, and A/B against a reference. The order matters more than owning the exact gear.

Do it for $0

You can get most of the way with free plugins: Graillon 2, MJUC jr. Start there, get the performance and the moves right, then upgrade only the one piece that matters most.

Want the exact chains — 88 in one place?

The Vocal Chain Bible has 88 reported vocal chains from 70+ artists — every plugin, the exact order, free + paid alternatives, and the source clip. 5+ years and 100+ Grammy interviews in one 187-page PDF.

Get the Vocal Chain Bible →

FAQ

What microphone does Drake use?

Reported a Sony C800G with engineer Noah '40' Shebib, kept clean and close. Full reported chain in the Vocal Chain Bible.

Do I need a C800 to sound like Drake?

No — a good condenser tracked close and dry, light tuning and gentle compression get the intimate, warm tone. Keep it simple.

Who's behind this

Ivan Meshcheriakov · IvanFromRnD

5+ years ago I moved to LA with zero connections and started building from nothing — 14-hour days, and every night I'd hit my block, meet people and intern at studios. It took me 5+ years to meet and interview 100+ Grammy-winning engineers — then I sorted every interview and pulled the original vocal chains behind Drake, Beyoncé, Travis Scott & many more into one book.

Read my full story →