How to Dial In "Keep Talking" by Pink Floyd - Guitar Tone Settings
The Gear Behind "Keep Talking"
Original Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning
Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.
These numbers are for a Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100. On your amp, they won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
Two things here are devices rather than settings. The speaking voice is Stephen Hawking's synthesiser, sampled from a British Telecom television advert that Gilmour has said was the most powerful piece of advertising he had ever seen. And the vocal-sounding guitar in the verses is a talk box — an amp driving a compression driver, a tube into the mouth, vowels shaped into a vocal mic — so no pedal setting reproduces it. Standard tuning. Recorded 1993-94 at Astoria with Bob Ezrin. The lead breaks either side are ordinary Gilmour: neck-and-bridge sustain, slow bends, Big Muff for thickness. Feed the talk box a mid-forward, moderately driven signal or the formants blur.
Common Questions About the "Keep Talking" Tone
What guitar did Pink Floyd use on "Keep Talking"?
Pink Floyd tracked "Keep Talking" on a Stratocaster (released 1994). The Fender David Gilmour Signature Stratocaster named above is a modern equivalent, not the guitar on the record. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).
What amp settings does "Keep Talking" need?
On Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100: Gain 5.5, Bass 5, Mid 6.5, 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.
Can I play "Keep Talking" without a Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the original recipe above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Keep Talking" 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.
What pedals are on "Keep Talking"?
The original signal chain for "Keep Talking" runs through a Big Muff. The MXR M222 Talk Box and Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi (NYC) named above are modern equivalents - each came out after the record. Whether you own those exact units or close substitutes, ToneMirror maps the pedal voicings onto the pedalboard you actually have.
More Tones You Can Dial In
Tone references for "Keep Talking" by Pink Floyd are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.