You'd Prefer an Astronaut album cover - Hum
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Songs of Farewell and Departure" by Hum - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Songs of Farewell and Departure"

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.

Gain7.5
Bass6.5
Mid6.5
Treble6
Presence5.5
Volume8

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.

Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone7
Volume10
Recording notes

From You'd Prefer an Astronaut (1995). You'd Prefer an Astronaut is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Hum, released on 11 April 1995 by RCA Records. The album's personnel list credits Matt Talbott and Tim Lash with guitar. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s through a Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100, the rig we use for Hum's other songs from You'd Prefer an Astronaut, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Songs of Farewell and Departure" Tone

  1. What guitar did Hum use on "Songs of Farewell and Departure"?

    The guitar on "Songs of Farewell and Departure" (released 1995) isn't documented; the Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.

  2. What amp settings does "Songs of Farewell and Departure" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 7.5, Bass 6.5, Mid 6.5, Treble 6, Presence 5.5, Volume 8. 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 "Songs of Farewell and Departure" without the original gear?

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

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