Aerials (System of a Down) guitar tone and amp settings
Aerials guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3: Brown amp type, medium gain (Gain 6.5), even mids (Middle 6), smooth top (Treble 6), bridge pickup.
Settings for your amp
Aerials settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3
BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3 settings for every songAmpBOSS Katana 50 Gen 3
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Variation
- Off
- Amp Type
- Brown
- Gain
- 6.5
- Volume
- 5
- Bass
- 5
- Middle
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Booster
- 0
- Mod
- 0
- FX
- 0
- Delay
- 0
- Reverb
- 0
- Master
- Set to your room
- Power Control
- Set to your room
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 7
Aerials settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40
Positive Grid Spark 40 settings for every songAmpPositive Grid Spark 40
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Amp Type
- Metal
- Gain
- 6.5
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Master
- Set to your room
- Mod
- 0
- Delay
- 0
- Reverb
- 0
- Output
- Set to your room
- App Amp Model
- Treadplate
- App Drive
- Off
- App Comp/Wah
- Off
- App Mod/EQ
- Off
- App Delay
- Off
- App Reverb
- Off
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 7
Aerials settings on a Fender Mustang LT25
Fender Mustang LT25 settings for every songAmpFender Mustang LT25
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Amp Model
- 90S ROCK
- Gain
- 6.5
- Volume
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Bass
- 5
- Middle
- 6
- Master
- Set to your room
- Stomp
- None
- Mod
- None
- Delay
- None
- Reverb
- None
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 7
For closer studio fidelity, layer separate Marshall- and Mesa-style amp tones.
Aerials settings on any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble
Amp
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 5.5
- Treble
- 6
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 7
A blended Marshall- and Mesa-voiced amp setup would better match the recorded layers.
Why it sounds like that
The sound described here is the Toxicity album recording, which Aerials is part of. Daron Malakian’s signal ran through a combination of Marshall and Mesa Boogie cabinets and heads. The Mesa gave the teeth and the Marshall gave the body, and together they made a big, full sound. He layered a muddy guitar over a rock guitar over a real heavy metal guitar, and he did not like to play through effects pedals.
- Layer a muddy guitar over a rock guitar over a real heavy metal guitar.
- Play each layer again and again until it is right.
What amp did Daron Malakian use on Aerials?
Daron Malakian
- Amp
- Marshall and Mesa Boogie cabinets and heads[2]
- Malakian said he wrote all of the Toxicity record while he was still living with his parents. (on the album Toxicity)[1]
- Guitar World names Aerials as one of the career-defining hits from Toxicity. (on the album Toxicity)[1]
- Mix reports Malakian’s signal went through a combination of Marshall and Mesa Boogie cabinets and heads. (on the album Toxicity)[2]
- Schiffman said the Mesa gave the guitar sound its teeth and the Marshall its body. (on the album Toxicity)[2]
- Malakian said he would layer a muddy guitar over a rock guitar over a real heavy metal guitar. (on the album Toxicity)[2]
- Malakian said he would play the song about 50 times until each layer was right. (on the album Toxicity)[2]
- The cabinets were miked with a 57 and an 87, phased correctly. (on the album Toxicity)[2]
- The signal path was simple, but Malakian layered the parts extensively. (on the album Toxicity)[2]
- Malakian did not like to play through effects pedals, so his guitar tracking was relatively straight-ahead. (on the album Toxicity)[2]
Questions
What amp did Daron Malakian use on Aerials?
The sources on this page document Daron Malakian's gear on Aerials by System of a Down: amp, Marshall and Mesa Boogie cabinets and heads [2]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.
What are the Aerials settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3?
For the Aerials guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3, set Amp Type Brown, Gain 6.5, Volume 5, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 6, Booster 0, Mod 0, FX 0, Delay 0, Reverb 0; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master and Power Control to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
What are the Aerials settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40?
For the Aerials guitar tone on a Positive Grid Spark 40, set Amp Type Metal, Gain 6.5, Bass 5.5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Mod 0, Delay 0, Reverb 0, App Amp Model Treadplate; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master and Output to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
What are the Aerials settings on a Fender Mustang LT25?
For the Aerials guitar tone on a Fender Mustang LT25, set Amp Model 90S ROCK, Gain 6.5, Volume 6, Treble 6, Bass 5, Middle 6, Stomp None, Mod None, Delay None, Reverb None; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
Can I get the Aerials tone on my own amp?
Yes. The settings above cover 3 reference amps and any amp with the basic controls. For your exact rig, KnobMaster, an iPhone app, sets every knob of your own amp, guitar and pedals for Aerials, using only the controls your gear has.
Get it for your exact rig
KnobMaster sets every knob of your own amp, guitar and pedals for this song.
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