Zeitgeist album cover - The Smashing Pumpkins
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Bleeding the Orchid" by The Smashing Pumpkins - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Bleeding the Orchid"

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
Bass5
Mid5
Treble7
Presence7
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.

TuningC♯ Standard(C♯ F♯ B E G♯ C♯)
Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone7
Volume10
Recording notes

From Zeitgeist (2007). Zeitgeist is the seventh studio album by American rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, first released on July 9, 2007 on Martha's Music and Reprise Records. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Stratocaster through a Marshall JCM900 4100 Dual Reverb, the rig we use for The Smashing Pumpkins' other songs from Zeitgeist, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Published transcriptions put it in C♯ standard (C♯ F♯ B E G♯ C♯), three half steps below standard.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Bleeding the Orchid" Tone

  1. What guitar did The Smashing Pumpkins use on "Bleeding the Orchid"?

    The guitar on "Bleeding the Orchid" (released 2007) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. The track is in C♯ Standard (C♯ F♯ B E G♯ C♯), so retune before you dial anything in.

  2. What amp settings does "Bleeding the Orchid" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 5, Treble 7, Presence 7, 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 "Bleeding the Orchid" without the original gear?

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

Adapt to my gear