The Ballad of Darren album cover - Blur
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Far Away Island" by Blur - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Far Away Island"

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.

Gain5.5
Bass5
Mid6
Treble6.5
Presence6
Volume6

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.

Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone8
Volume9
Recording notes

From The Ballad of Darren (2023). The Ballad of Darren is the ninth studio album by English rock band Blur. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender American Vintage II 1975 Telecaster Deluxe through a Marshall 1959SLP Plexi Super Lead Reissue, the rig we use for Blur's other songs from The Ballad of Darren, stands in. Set the amp to a medium-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Far Away Island" Tone

  1. What guitar did Blur use on "Far Away Island"?

    The guitar on "Far Away Island" (released 2023) isn't documented; the Fender American Vintage II 1975 Telecaster Deluxe above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.

  2. What amp settings does "Far Away Island" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 5.5, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, Presence 6, Volume 6. 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 "Far Away Island" without the original gear?

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

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