Black Messiah album cover - D'Angelo
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Really Love" by D'Angelo - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Really Love"

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.

Gain2
Bass5
Mid5.5
Treble6
Presence5
Volume4

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.

TuningStandard(E A D G B E)
Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone6
Volume6
Recording notes

From Black Messiah (2014). Black Messiah is the third studio album by the American musician D'Angelo, credited to D'Angelo and the Vanguard. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Telecaster through a Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue, the rig we use for D'Angelo's other songs from Black Messiah, stands in. Keep the amp clean, just at the edge of breakup, and use the neck pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Really Love" Tone

  1. What guitar did D'Angelo use on "Really Love"?

    The guitar on "Really Love" (released 2014) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Telecaster above gets the sound. Pickup selector: neck pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).

  2. What amp settings does "Really Love" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 2, Bass 5, Mid 5.5, Treble 6, Presence 5, Volume 4. 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 "Really Love" without the original gear?

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

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