Metal album cover - Annihilator
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Clown Parade" by Annihilator - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Clown Parade"

Suggested rig · the original isn't documented.

The settings

Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning

Amp settings

Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.

Gain8
Bass6
Mid6
Treble7
Presence6.5
Volume7

On your amp, these numbers won't sound the same.

Get the settings for my amp
Guitar setup

How the artist had their guitar configured for this take.

TuningDrop D(D A D G B E)
Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone10
Volume10
Recording notes

From Metal (2007). Metal is the twelfth album by Canadian heavy metal band Annihilator, released on April 16, 2007, by SPV/Steamhammer. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK2 through a Marshall JCM800 2203, the rig we use for Annihilator's other songs from Metal, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Published transcriptions put it in drop D.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Clown Parade" Tone

  1. What guitar did Annihilator use on "Clown Parade"?

    The guitar on "Clown Parade" (released 2007) isn't documented; the Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK2 above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. The track is in Drop D (D A D G B E), so retune before you dial anything in.

  2. What amp settings does "Clown Parade" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 8, Bass 6, Mid 6, Treble 7, Presence 6.5, Volume 7. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale; match them on your amp first, then nudge to taste. ToneMirror can translate these positions for whatever amp you actually own.

  3. Can I play "Clown Parade" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Clown Parade" tone on a Katana, a Helix, a tube combo, or anything else. The translation accounts for EQ curve, gain structure, and pickup type so the result actually sounds like the record, not just the same knob numbers on different gear.

Related tones

Tone references for "Clown Parade" by Annihilator are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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