Supercharger album cover - Machine Head
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Deafening Silence" by Machine Head - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Deafening Silence"

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.

Gain8
Bass6.5
Mid5
Treble6.5
Presence6
Volume7

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.

TuningDrop B(B F♯ B E G♯ C♯)
Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone10
Volume10
Recording notes

From Supercharger (2001). Supercharger is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Machine Head. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so an ESP E-II Eclipse through a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier, the rig we use for Machine Head's other songs from Supercharger, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Published transcriptions put it in drop B (B F♯ B E G♯ C♯).

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Deafening Silence" Tone

  1. What guitar did Machine Head use on "Deafening Silence"?

    The guitar on "Deafening Silence" (released 2001) isn't documented; the ESP E-II Eclipse above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. The track is in Drop B (B F♯ B E G♯ C♯), so retune before you dial anything in.

  2. What amp settings does "Deafening Silence" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 8, Bass 6.5, Mid 5, 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 "Deafening Silence" without the original gear?

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

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