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lead guitar from “the tracks of my tears” by smokey robinson & the miracles | ToneDB

the tracks of my tears

smokey robinson & the miracles

lead guitar

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

Classic Motown guitar tone: clean, slightly compressed, and warm, providing a melodic counterpoint to the vocals. It's a subtle but crucial element of the song's emotional impact.

Gear

Gibson ES-335instrument
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Fender Tweed Deluxeamp
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Neumann U67microphone
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The Story

The lead guitar on "The Tracks of My Tears" was recorded at Hitsville U.S.A. Studio A as part of Motown's signature production approach. The tone represents the classic Motown guitar sound: clean, warm, and sitting perfectly in the mix without competing with Smokey Robinson's vocals. This subtle but melodically important guitar part exemplifies the restrained, musical approach of Motown's session players.

Production Credits

Producer: Smokey Robinson

Engineer: Lawrence Horn

Recorded at: Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A)

Signal Chain

Instrument: Gibson ES-335

Amp: Fender Tweed Deluxe

Microphone: Neumann U67

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a semi-hollow guitar like a Gibson ES-335 for its warm and resonant tone.
  • Use a Fender Tweed Deluxe or a similar low-wattage tube amp for a clean and slightly overdriven sound.
  • Experiment with microphone placement to find the sweet spot that captures the warmth and clarity of the amp.
  • Apply gentle compression to the guitar track during mixing to smooth out the dynamics and make it sit well in the mix.
  • Use a touch of reverb to add some space and depth to the guitar sound.

Original Gear

  • Gibson ES-335(guitar)
  • Fender Tweed Deluxe(amp)
  • Neumann U67(mic)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Epiphone Dot$400-$500

Alternative to: Gibson ES-335

Semi-hollow construction delivers the warm, resonant tone characteristic of this Motown sound at a budget-friendly price

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Fender '57 Custom Deluxe$1800-$2000

Alternative to: Fender Tweed Deluxe

Hand-wired reissue of the classic tweed circuit that provides the clean, slightly compressed tube warmth heard on the original

ReverbSweetwater
Boss Blues Breaker BB-2$100-$130

Alternative to: Fender Tweed Deluxe

Provides the gentle tube-style compression and warmth when used with a clean amp, perfect for recreating vintage clean tones

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Warm Audio WA-67$900-$1000

Alternative to: Neumann U67

Tube condenser microphone that captures the same warm, detailed sound as the original U67 used in classic Motown recordings

ReverbSweetwater
Universal Audio 1176 Collection$300-$350

Alternative to: Studio compression chain

Emulates the classic FET compression used to smooth dynamics and help guitar sit perfectly in Motown-style mixes

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

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