Master of the Rings album cover - Helloween
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Secret Alibi" by Helloween - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Secret Alibi"

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
Bass6
Mid6
Treble6.5
Presence6
Volume6.5

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.

TuningE♭ Standard(E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭)
Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone8
Volume10
Recording notes

From Master of the Rings (1994). Master of the Rings is the sixth studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1994. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so an ESP E-II Eclipse through a Marshall JCM800 2203, the rig we use for Helloween's other songs from Master of the Rings, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Published transcriptions put it in E♭ standard (E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭), a half step below standard.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Secret Alibi" Tone

  1. What guitar did Helloween use on "Secret Alibi"?

    The guitar on "Secret Alibi" (released 1994) isn't documented; the ESP E-II Eclipse above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. The track is in E♭ Standard (E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭), so retune before you dial anything in.

  2. What amp settings does "Secret Alibi" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 7, Bass 6, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, Presence 6, Volume 6.5. 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 "Secret Alibi" without the original gear?

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

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