Rock for Light album cover - Bad Brains
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "At the Movies" by Bad Brains - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "At the Movies"

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.

Gain7
Bass5.5
Mid6
Treble6.5
Presence6
Volume7

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

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Guitar setup

How the artist had their guitar configured for this take.

TuningStandard(E A D G B E)
Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone9
Volume10
Recording notes

From Rock for Light (1983). Rock for Light is the second full-length studio album by American rock band Bad Brains, released in 1983. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Gibson SG Standard through a Marshall JCM800 2203, the rig we use for Bad Brains' other songs from Rock for Light, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "At the Movies" Tone

  1. What guitar did Bad Brains use on "At the Movies"?

    The guitar on "At the Movies" (released 1983) isn't documented; the Gibson SG Standard above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).

  2. What amp settings does "At the Movies" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 7, Bass 5.5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, Presence 6, 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 "At the Movies" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "At the Movies" 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 "At the Movies" by Bad Brains are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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