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Snow (Hey Oh) (Red Hot Chili Peppers) guitar tone and amp settings

Snow (Hey Oh) guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3: Crunch amp type, low gain (Gain 2.8), bright top (Treble 6.5), balanced lows (Bass 4), bridge pickup.

Settings for your amp

Pick a reference amp

The song has distinct sounds: Distorted outro. Each rig below lists what to change for them.

Snow (Hey Oh) settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3

BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3 settings for every song

AmpBOSS Katana 50 Gen 3

VariationOff
Amp TypeCrunch
Gain2.8
Volume5.5Set for a responsive amp level before adjusting Master.
Bass4
Middle5.5
Treble6.5
Booster0
Mod0
FX0
Delay0
Reverb ColorGreen
Reverb1.5
Set to your roomMaster
Set to your roomPower Control

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output keeps the riff clear and articulate.
Tone7
The same settings in text

Amp

Variation
Off
Amp Type
Crunch
Gain
2.8
Volume
5.5
Bass
4
Middle
5.5
Treble
6.5
Booster
0
Mod
0
FX
0
Delay
0
Reverb Color
Green
Reverb
1.5
Master
Set to your room
Power Control
Set to your room

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
7

Snow (Hey Oh) settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40

Positive Grid Spark 40 settings for every song

AmpPositive Grid Spark 40

Amp TypeCrunch
Gain2.5
Bass4
Mid6.5
Treble6.5
Set to your roomMaster
Mod0
Delay0
Reverb0
Set to your roomOutput
App Amp ModelPlexiglasin the app, optional
App DriveOffin the app, optional
App Comp/WahOffin the app, optional
App Mod/EQOffin the app, optional
App DelayOffin the app, optional
App ReverbOffin the app, optional

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output keeps the clean riff clear and responsive.
Tone7
The same settings in text

Amp

Amp Type
Crunch
Gain
2.5
Bass
4
Mid
6.5
Treble
6.5
Master
Set to your room
Mod
0
Delay
0
Reverb
0
Output
Set to your room
App Amp Model
Plexiglas
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

An octave pedal is needed for the outro’s organ-like POG sound.

Snow (Hey Oh) settings on a Fender Mustang LT25

Fender Mustang LT25 settings for every song

AmpFender Mustang LT25

Amp Model80S ROCKin the menu
Gain2.5
Volume7Set preset level to balance with other presets.
Treble6.5
Bass4.5
Middle5.5in the menu
Set to your roomMaster
StompNonein the menu
ModNonein the menu
DelayNonein the menu
ReverbNonein the menu

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output preserves the riff's attack and clarity.
Tone7.5
The same settings in text

Amp

Amp Model
80S ROCK
Gain
2.5
Volume
7
Treble
6.5
Bass
4.5
Middle
5.5
Master
Set to your room
Stomp
None
Mod
None
Delay
None
Reverb
None

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
7.5

Snow (Hey Oh) settings on any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble

Amp

Gain2.5
Bass4
Mid6
Treble7

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume8.5Backed off slightly to keep the humbuckers clean.
Tone8.5
The same settings in text

Amp

Gain
2.5
Bass
4
Mid
6
Treble
7

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
8.5
Tone
8.5

Add an octave pedal such as an EHX POG for the outro.

Song parts

BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3

  1. Distorted outro:

    Gain 5.2

    .

    Play and record the arpeggio as separate single-note parts.

Song parts

Positive Grid Spark 40

  1. Distorted outro:

    Gain 5.8, App Drive Over Drive

    .

    Layer separate single-note parts to keep the arpeggio clear.

Song parts

Fender Mustang LT25

  1. Distorted outro:

    Gain 6.5

    .

    Layer separate single-note takes for a clearer arpeggio.

Song parts

Any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble

  1. Distorted outro:

    Gain 5.5

    .

    Separate arpeggio notes to preserve clarity.

The control panel of a vintage guitar amplifier, close up

Why it sounds like that

Guitar strings over the frets, close up

Snow's outro has an organ-like tone made with an Electro-Harmonix POG. Its arpeggio is built from three distorted guitar parts, each playing one note on its own track, so every note stays clear. Across Stadium Arcadium, Frusciante used pretty much only Strats, a Marshall Silver Jubilee in place of the Marshall Super Bass, and an Ibanez WH-10 wah that no other wah he tried came close to.

  • Pick a note, hammer onto and pull off to the note two frets higher, then land on the next pentatonic note down.
  • Play the same fill over every chord in the progression.

What amp did John Frusciante use on Snow (Hey Oh)?

A guitarist’s pedalboard, a dozen pedals cabled together

John Frusciante

Guitar
Strats[2]
Amp
Marshall Silver Jubilee 25/50[1]
Effects
Ibanez WH-10[2]

John Frusciante · Distorted outro

Effects
Electro-Harmonix POG[1]
  • Guitar World says the Snow riff is built around a Hendrix-style flick: pick a note, hammer onto and pull off two frets higher, then land on the next pentatonic note down. (on this song)[1]
  • Guitar World says John Frusciante plays that fill over every chord in Snow's progression. (on this song)[1]
  • Guitar World says Frusciante replaced the Marshall Super Bass in his Stadium Arcadium recording rig with a Marshall Silver Jubilee 25/50. (on the album Stadium Arcadium)[1]
  • Frusciante said he used pretty much only Strats for Stadium Arcadium and The Empyrean. (on the album Stadium Arcadium)[2]
  • Frusciante said no other wah he tried came close to his Ibanez WH-10 while making Stadium Arcadium. (on the album Stadium Arcadium)[2]
  • Distorted outro: Guitar World says the organ-like tone on the Snow outro is made with an Electro-Harmonix POG. (on this song)[1]
  • Distorted outro: Frusciante said he built the outro's arpeggio from three distorted guitar parts, each playing one note on its own track. (on this song)[1]
  • Distorted outro: Frusciante said playing that line through a distortion pedal would leave the notes indistinct, while separate tracks keep each note clear. (on this song)[1]
  • Frusciante said the Ibanez WH-10 has been his standard wah since Blood Sugar Sex Magik. (on the album Stadium Arcadium)[2]

Questions

What amp did John Frusciante use on Snow (Hey Oh)?

The sources on this page document John Frusciante's gear on Snow (Hey Oh) by Red Hot Chili Peppers: guitar, Strats [2]; amp, Marshall Silver Jubilee 25/50 [1]; effects, Ibanez WH-10 [2]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.

What are the Snow (Hey Oh) settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3?

For the Snow (Hey Oh) guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3, set Amp Type Crunch, Gain 2.8, Volume 5.5, Bass 4, Middle 5.5, Treble 6.5, Booster 0, Mod 0, FX 0, Delay 0, Reverb Color Green, Reverb 1.5; 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 Snow (Hey Oh) settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40?

For the Snow (Hey Oh) guitar tone on a Positive Grid Spark 40, set Amp Type Crunch, Gain 2.5, Bass 4, Mid 6.5, Treble 6.5, Mod 0, Delay 0, Reverb 0, App Amp Model Plexiglas; 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 Snow (Hey Oh) settings on a Fender Mustang LT25?

For the Snow (Hey Oh) guitar tone on a Fender Mustang LT25, set Amp Model 80S ROCK, Gain 2.5, Volume 7, Treble 6.5, Bass 4.5, Middle 5.5, Stomp None, Mod None, Delay None, Reverb None; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7.5. Set Master to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

Can I get the Snow (Hey Oh) 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 Snow (Hey Oh), 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.

Download KnobMaster on the App Store