ToneMirror
Back to the Light album cover - Brian May
Album · 9 tones

Back to the Light Guitar Tone - Amp Settings for Every Track

Brian May·1992·Guitar tone settings
Adapt to my gear

Translate any Back to the Light track to your gear

The Back to the Light amp settings window

Median knob positions across the 9 guitar tracks we've broken down from this record, on the amps they were tracked with. A starting point for the album's sound; pick a track below for its exact recipe.

Gain
7
6–7 · n=9
Bass
5.5
5.5–5.5 · n=9
Mid
6.5
6.5–6.5 · n=9
Treble
6.5
6.5–6.5 · n=9
Presence
6
6–6 · n=9
Volume
8
7.5–8 · n=9
The rig behind the record

The Gear Behind Back to the Light

Tracklist

Every Back to the Light Tone You Can Dial In

  1. Back to the LightAC30
  2. Driven by YouAC30
  3. Last HorizonAC30
  4. I'm Scared
  5. Just One Life
  6. Love Token
  7. ResurrectionAC30
  8. Too Much Love Will Kill You
  9. Nothin' but BlueAC30

9 of this record's tracks are broken down so far. Most popular first.

FAQ

Common Questions About the Back to the Light Tone

  1. What amp was Back to the Light recorded with?

    Every one of the Back to the Light tracks in our catalog was tracked on an AC30 (modern equivalent: Vox AC30HW2 Hand-Wired (Greenback)). ToneMirror rewrites those settings for whatever amp you own - a different EQ curve and gain structure landing on the same recorded sound.

  2. What guitar was used on Back to the Light?

    The Brian May Guitars Red Special (a modern equivalent) appears on the most Back to the Light tracks in our catalog. You don't need one - the settings are calibrated to the recorded tone, so they translate to the guitar you already have.

  3. What amp settings do I need for the Back to the Light sound?

    Across the 9 guitar tracks from Back to the Light we've catalogued, the median is gain 7 (range 6–7), with bass 5.5, mid 6.5, treble 6.5 on a 0–10 scale. That's the record's window rather than any one song's recipe - pick a track above for the exact knob positions it was recorded with.

  4. What pedals are on Back to the Light?

    The Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster shows up on the most tracks here. Every track breakdown lists that song's full signal chain in order, and the match engine substitutes what you own for what you don't.

  5. How many Back to the Light songs can I dial in here?

    ToneMirror has 9 tracks from Back to the Light broken down, including "Back to the Light" and "Driven by You". Each carries the original amp settings, pickup position, tuning, and pedal chain, plus a per-rig adaptation for your own gear.

Adapt to my gear