Little Creatures album cover - Talking Heads
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Creatures of Love" by Talking Heads - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Creatures of 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.

Gain2.5
Bass5
Mid5.5
Treble7
Presence6
Volume5.5

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.

Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone9
Volume9
Recording notes

From Little Creatures (1985). Little Creatures is the sixth studio album by the American rock band Talking Heads, released on June 10, 1985, by Sire Records. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender American Vintage '52 Telecaster through a Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue, the rig we use for Talking Heads' other songs from Little Creatures, stands in. Keep the amp clean, just at the edge of breakup, and use the bridge pickup.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Creatures of Love" Tone

  1. What guitar did Talking Heads use on "Creatures of Love"?

    The guitar on "Creatures of Love" (released 1985) isn't documented; the Fender American Vintage '52 Telecaster (AVRI Reissue) above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.

  2. What amp settings does "Creatures of Love" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 2.5, Bass 5, Mid 5.5, Treble 7, Presence 6, Volume 5.5. 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 "Creatures of 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 "Creatures of 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 "Creatures of Love" by Talking Heads are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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