Tour Butch Walker’s Hit-Making Studio

Learn how the Green Day and Weezer producer crafts killer rock with Apollo, OX Amp Top Box, LUNA, and UAD plug-ins.

In this episode of UA Live, Grammy-winning producer, engineer, songwriter, and solo artist Butch Walker shows you how he creates banging rock tracks using Apollo interfaces, OX Amp Top Box, LUNA, and UAD plug-ins.

From dialing in guitar mics to getting the perfect drum “smack,” Walker shows you how a true A‑lister crafts his sounds.

(32:09) Tracking with OX Amp Top Box

Here, Walker explains how he uses OX Amp Top Box as part of a multi-amp signal chain, and how he finds the perfect blend of direct, amp, and room sounds.

(35:59) Using Multiple Apollo Interfaces

Learn how Walker integrates an Apollo x8p, two Apollo x16s, and three Apollo UAD OCTO Satellites in his Grammy-winning setup.

(56:59) Plug-In Chain to Make Drums “Smack and Breathe”

Using the Thermionic Culture Vulture, Pultec EQP-1, Empirical Labs Distressor, AMS RMX16 Reverb, and Ocean Way Studio plug-ins, Walker shows you how to add thickness, heft, and air to kicks, snares, and overheads.

(1:04:55) How to Use Neve Summing in LUNA

Find out how Walker adds tone and complexity using Neve Summing in LUNA, tweaking high- or low-impedance, Level, Gain, and Trim controls to get results previously only available with expensive analog consoles.

(1:18:43) Crafting Killer Guitars

Find out why the Neve 1073 Preamp & EQ plug-in is Walker’s go-to for electric guitars. Then, learn how to use the Neve 1073 to remove rumble using the hi-pass filter, carve out spaces between 50Hz and 300Hz, and add extra midrange and “hot top.”

(1:31:07) Compress the Sh#t Out of It!

Here, Walker shows how he uses the Fairchild Tube Limiter and UA 1176 plug-ins together, and balances their individual tones for maximum spank appeal.

Get more articles to read delivered to your inbox

Thanks for subscribing
Share Tweet

Read More

See All Articles

Inside Daniel Nigro’s Hit-Making Process for Olivia Rodrigo & Chappell Roan

Learn how the 2025 Grammy "Producer of the Year" approaches songwriting and recording using Apollo interfaces and UAD plug-ins.

The Secrets Behind UAFX Guitar Amp Emulators

Learn how Universal Audio goes beyond all other amp modelers and delivers the authentic tones of the world’s greatest tube guitar amps, in a stompbox.

Introducing Apollo E Series with Dante®

Learn about the new Apollo E Series and how Dante® networked audio with Apollo x16D lets you bring studio sound to the stage.

See All Articles