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lead guitar from “paranoid android” by radiohead | ToneDB

paranoid android

radiohead

lead guitar

90% ai confidence

Tone Profile

A groundbreaking and aggressive lead tone, characterized by searing high-gain distortion, almost chaotic pitch-shifting from a Whammy pedal, and a surprisingly articulate attack. It's futuristic, raw, and highly expressive.

Signal Chain

Instrument: Fender Telecaster Plus (bridge Lace Sensor Red pickup)

Amp: Fender Eighty-Five (Solid State Combo Amp)

Microphone: Shure SM57

Processing: DigiTech Whammy WH-1, ProCo RAT Distortion, Boss RV-3 Digital Reverb/Delay

Other: Whammy pedal often used for +1 Octave or +2 Octaves harmony and expressive pitch bends. ProCo RAT set to high gain. Typical signal chain order: Guitar -> Whammy -> RAT -> RV-3 -> Amp. The Boss RV-3 would be set to a subtle hall reverb or short delay. Jonny Greenwood also heavily used a Marshall ShredMaster, which could be an alternative distortion for this sound or used for other distorted parts in the song.

Recording Notes

  • Recorded during the OK Computer sessions at St. Catherine's Court, produced by Nigel Godrich.
  • Jonny Greenwood performed the lead guitar parts.
  • The solo is known for its aggressive performance and innovative use of the DigiTech Whammy pedal.
  • The tone has a very 'in-your-face' compressed quality, likely from a combination of pedal compression (inherent in the RAT), tape saturation, and/or studio compression during mixing.
  • Experimentation with pedal order and extreme settings was key to achieving this unique sound.

Recreation Tips

  • Use a Telecaster-style guitar, preferably with a hotter bridge pickup like the Lace Sensor Red.
  • A DigiTech Whammy (original WH-1, or modern reissues like Whammy V/DT/Ricochet) is absolutely crucial. Practice the specific pitch bends and octave shifts from the song.
  • Place the Whammy pedal *before* your main distortion pedal for the most articulate and defined pitch-shifted sound.
  • Use a high-gain distortion pedal like a ProCo RAT (or a versatile clone). Don't be afraid to push the gain and experiment with the filter/tone knob.
  • A solid-state amp with a tight distortion character (like the Fender Eighty-Five) or a good modeler can replicate the aggressive, slightly 'fizzy' yet focused quality. If using a tube amp, ensure it can provide tight high-gain without becoming too muddy.
  • Add subtle reverb or short delay using a pedal like the Boss RV-3 or similar for a touch of space without washing out the sound.
  • A noise gate might be helpful to manage noise and create tight stops, especially with such high gain settings.
  • Pay attention to picking dynamics; despite the heavy saturation, the original performance has expressive variations in attack.

Sources