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lead guitar from “plug in baby” by muse | ToneDB

plug in baby

muse

lead guitar

90% ai confidence

Tone Profile

A searing, high-gain fuzz tone with chaotic, oscillating overtones and immense sustain, characterized by its aggressive attack and slightly gated, almost synth-like quality.

Signal Chain

Instrument: Manson Custom Guitar (e.g., DeLorean model) with onboard Z.Vex Fuzz Factory and Fernandes Sustainer pickup

Amp: Diezel VH4 (Channel 3) or Marshall JCM2000 DSL100 (Lead 2 Channel)

Microphone: Shure SM57 (close, on-axis) blended with Royer R-121 (slight distance, off-axis)

Processing: Z.Vex Fuzz Factory (settings crucial: e.g., Gate high, Comp high, Stab ~2-3 o'clock, Drive full, Vol to taste), Digitech Whammy WH-1 (used for pitch bends and effects, though the main riff is fretted), Studio EQ (e.g., high-pass filter below 80-100Hz, potential mid-scoop or presence boost), Light Plate Reverb (e.g., EMT 140 emulation or Lexicon unit), Subtle Digital Delay (for ambience, not distinct repeats on the main riff)

Other: Sustainer pickup engaged for long notes. The Fuzz Factory is the key to the chaotic texture and is often built into Bellamy's guitars. Exact Fuzz Factory settings are highly interactive with guitar's volume/tone knobs and picking dynamics. Potential double-tracking of the main riff for width.

Recording Notes

  • The core of the sound is an aggressively set Z.Vex Fuzz Factory, known for its chaotic, oscillating, and gated fuzz tones.
  • A Fernandes Sustainer pickup (or similar sustainer system like Sustainiac) is essential for the long, sustained notes in the riff.
  • The guitar part is likely double-tracked or layered in the recording to create a wider and thicker sound in the mix.
  • Matthew Bellamy's Manson guitars frequently featured the Fuzz Factory circuit built directly into the guitar, allowing for unique interaction.
  • The amplifier (Diezel VH4 or Marshall DSL100) provides a robust high-gain platform, but the Fuzz Factory shapes the primary distortion character.
  • John Leckie produced 'Origin of Symmetry', and the album is known for its ambitious and sometimes aggressive guitar tones.

Recreation Tips

  • Place the Z.Vex Fuzz Factory pedal first in your signal chain or very early on.
  • Experiment extensively with Fuzz Factory settings. For 'Plug In Baby,' try: Gate around 3-5 o'clock, Comp around 3-5 o'clock, Stab around 2-3 o'clock (critical for oscillation control), Drive full, Volume to taste. These settings are highly interactive.
  • Use a guitar with humbucking pickups. Engage a sustainer pickup/system if available for authentic long notes.
  • Set your amplifier to a high-gain channel with moderate gain. The Fuzz Factory should provide the main character of the fuzz/distortion, not the amp.
  • Manipulate your guitar's volume and tone knobs to control the Fuzz Factory's intensity, gating, and oscillation.
  • A noise gate pedal after the Fuzz Factory might be necessary to control noise if the Fuzz Factory's own gating isn't sufficient or if using a particularly noisy setup.
  • Consider slight pitch modulation or a subtle phaser for added movement, though the core tone is primarily fuzz.

Sources