I Don't Live Here Anymore album cover - The War on Drugs
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Occasional Rain" by The War on Drugs - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Occasional Rain"

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.

Gain4
Bass5.5
Mid5
Treble6
Presence5.5
Volume6

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
Tone6
Volume7
Recording notes

From I Don't Live Here Anymore (2021). A warm I Don't Live Here Anymore track with jangling, chorused guitars. No source available here confirms the exact guitar and amp on this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster through a Vox AC30HW2X Hand-Wired stands in. Set the amp on the edge of breakup and use the bridge pickup. Tuning isn't documented here.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Occasional Rain" Tone

  1. What guitar did The War on Drugs use on "Occasional Rain"?

    The guitar on "Occasional Rain" (released 2021) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.

  2. What amp settings does "Occasional Rain" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 4, Bass 5.5, Mid 5, Treble 6, Presence 5.5, Volume 6. 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 "Occasional Rain" without the original gear?

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

Adapt to my gear