Read more: gear run-down
Keep in mind that all effect settings and setups are based on pictures and video from a certain date and/or interviews and 3rd hand transcriptions that are subject to interpretation. David often make adjustments and may not even be consequent in how he’s using the equipment. This feature should therefore only be used as a guideline for your own setup and not as a gospel. It’s also wise to acknowledge that technique, place and time, studio trickery and who knows what plays a role in David’s tones in addition to the equipment.
Please note:
It should be mentioned that much of David’s sound on The Wall lies in the recording and mixing of the album. Engineer James Guthrie and David tried all sorts of things to make the guitars sound bigger and better. Some of the tracks are fed directly into the mixing desk and others are heavily processed and compressed. This is something that’s nearly impossible to re-create.
I have tried to list what I think is desk recorded, but this is not documented, apart from the Brick part 2 solo. It’s also worth mentioning that David’s live sound on the tour was very much the work of engineer James Guthrie. Together with Phil Taylor and Pete Cornish, they produced a complex guitar sound that was way ahead of its time. Most of the rhythm parts were also doubled by Snowy to fatten the sound even more.
David used both a Mesa/Boogie amp and a Cornish ST-2 booster for overdrive sounds on stage. It’s not documented which uint he used on which song. I’ve listed them both as simply “overdrive”.
Big Muff
– sustain 70%, tone 30-40%, volume 50-60%
Pete Cornish ST-2 Treble and Bass Boost
– (mild OD) treble 9:00, bass 12:00, volume 12:00 (o’clock)
– (heavy OD) treble 9:00, bass 12:00, volume 3:00 (o’clock)
Note: The settings are based on the Colorsound Power Booster.
MXR Dynacomp
– output 2:00, sensitivity 10:00 (o’clock)
MXR Phase 90
– rate 11:00, unless otherwise noted (o’clock)
Electric Mistress
– colour 10:00, range 10:00, rate 9:00 (o’clock)
MXR digital delay
– time 370ms (mains)
– time 440ms (Another Brick 1/ Last Few Brick)
– time 380ms (Run Like Hell)
Note: This seems to be the typical times for the delays, normally with 5-6 repeats and volume at 30%. I have listed below where the feedback/repeats are increased.
In the Flesh?
studio
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm/lead; Muff
– rhythm/octave; Muff
live
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– main riff; Muff, Electric Mistress and mild delay
– verse rhythms; clean signal with Electric Mistress
Note: Pink Floyd were performing behind a curtain while the Surrogate Band was on stage.
Thin Ice
studio
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm; Muff (double track)
– solo; Muff and Electric Mistress
live
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm and lead; Dynacomp, mild overdrive, Electric Mistress and delay
Another Brick in the Wall 1
studio
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm/lead (3 tracks); clean signal into mixing desk with delay (long feedback)
– rhythm/fill-ins; Muff and Electric Mistress
live
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm/lead; Dynacomp, Electric Mistress and delay (long feedback)
Note: The live version includes both Gilmour and Snowy. All fuzz parts were done on a syntheziser.
Happiest Days of Our Lives
studio
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm/lead; clean signal into mixing desk with delay (long feedback)
live
Gibson Les Paul, bridge pickup
– rhythm/lead; Dynacomp, mild overdrive, Electric Mistress and delay (long feedback)
Another Brick in the Wall 2
studio
Stratocaster
Gibson Les Paul (solo)
– rhythm (bridge pickup); clean signal into mixing desk (double track)
– rhythm/melody & fill-ins (bridge pickup);Muff and Phase 90 (rate 10%)
– solo (neck pickup); clean signal heavily gated/compressed into the mixing desk, then fed through a Mesa/Boogie amp and back into the mixing desk
Note: It’s reported that David used the 1954 #001 Stratocaster on rhythm parts.
live
Stratocaster, neck pickup
– rhythms; Dynacomp and Electric Mistress
– solo; Dynacomp, mild ovedrive and Electric Mistress
Note: Gilmour would sometimes change guitars during the last chorus and use the Les Paul on the solo (ass seen at Earl’s Court 1980).
Mother
studio
Acoustic steel string guitar
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm/verse; acoustic guitar (played by Roger Waters?)
– rhythm/chorus-section; acoustic guitar (played by David Gilmour?)
– solo; Muff and Electric Mistress
live
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– random picking (verse sections); clean signal with Electric Mistress
– solo; Muff, Electric Mistress and mild delay
Note: Although the Yamaha rotating speakers was on for most songs, it’s a dominating effect during the solo.
Goodbye Blue Sky
studio & live
Ovation acoustic nylon string guitar
Two separate acoustic guitar tracks played on a nylon string guitar
Note: Both Snowy and Gilmour played this live.
Epmty Spaces/What Shall We Do Now
studio
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– solo; Muff and Electric Mistress
– rhythm (from climax and vocals); Muff and Electric Mistress
live
Fender Telecaster with low E tuned down to D, bridge pickup
– Empty Spaces/ lead; Muff, mild overdrive, Electric Mistress and delay
– What Shall…/ rhythm; Big Muff and mild ovedrive
Note: Although the Yamaha rotating speakers was on for most songs, it’s a dominating effect during the intro solo.
Young Lust
studio
Fender 1955 Esquire/Telecaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm; Muff
– solo; Muff and Electric Mistress
live
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm/ solo; Dynacomp, mild overdrive and mild delay
Note: Although the Yamaha rotating speakers was on for most songs, it’s a dominating effect during Young Lust.
David’s rhythm/ main riff guitar is also underlined subtle fuzz synthesizer.
Oone of My Turns
studio
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm; clean signal
– rhythm/scat; mild overdrive and wah wah (played by Lee Ritenour)
– solo (2 tracks); Muff
live
Gibson Les Paul, bridge pickup
– rhythm/solo; Dynacomp, mild overdrive and Electric Mistress
Note: Although the Yamaha rotating speakers was on for most songs, it’s a dominating effect during One of My Turns.
Don’t Leave Me Now
studio
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– echo effect; clean signal with Phase 90 and delay (long feedback)
– rhythm (chord strum); Muff
– fill-in strum on Am; clean signal through a Yamaha rotating speaker
– solo; Muff and Electric Mistress
live
Gibson Les Paul, bridge pickup
– echo effect; clean signal with Electric Mistress and delay (long feedback)
– solo; Big Muff, mild overdrive, Electric Mistress and delay
Note: Although the Yamaha rotating speakers was on for most songs, it’s a dominating effect during the solo.
Another Brick in the Wall 3
studio
Gibson Les Paul, bridge pickup
– ryhthm/delay guitar; clean signal with Electric Mistress and delay
– rhythm/lead and fill-ins; Muff and Electric Mistress
– delay loop; clean signal and delay (played by Waters) mixed with Hammond organ
live
Fender Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm/loop guitar; Dynacomp, Electric Mistress and delay
Note: Snowy did all fuzz leads/fill-ins.
Last Few Bricks (medley)/ only played live
Gibson Les Paul, bridge pickup
(happiest days of our lives)
– rhythm/delay guitar; Dynacomp, Electric Mistress and delay
(don’t leave me now)
– rhythm/wall guitar; Dynacomp, Electric Mistress and delay
Note: Snowy playing echo effect guitar.
(young lust)
– rhythm/lead; Dynacomp, mild overdrive and Electric Mistress
Note: David’s guitar is emphasized with a fuzz syntheziser.
(what shall we do now)
– lead/melody; Dynacomp, Electric Mistress and delay
– solo; Dynacomp, Big Muff, Electric Mistress and delay
Note: Snowy playing Wall echo guitar.
Goodbye Cruel World
– delay loop; clean signal and delay (played and recorded by Waters) mixed with Hammond organ
Hey You
studio
Ovation acoustic steel string guitar, high strung Nashville tuning
Martin D-12 12 string acoustic guitar
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm 1; high strung acoustic guitar fed through a harmonizer
– rhythm 2; acoustic guitar
– rhythm/lead; Muff (double tracked)
– solo; Muff (double tracked octave)
The acoustic guitar has this tuning:
E same as high e string
A high A from a 12-string set
D high D from a 12-string set
G high G from a 12-string set
B normal b string
E normal e string
live
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– lead/solo; Big Muff, Electric Mistress and mild delay
Note: Although the Yamaha rotating speakers was on for most songs, it’s a dominating effect during the solo.
Snowy played acoustic guitar.
Is There Anybody Out There?
studio
Stratocaster
Acoustic nylon string guitar
– seagull/Echoes effect; guitar through a reversed wah wah
Note: Rhythms/lead played by Ron de Blasi.
live
Ovation Legend acoustic nylon string guitar (Gilmour and Snowy) Seagull/Echoes guitar was playback
Nobody Home
– no guitar
Vera
studio & live (playback)
Ovation acoustic nylon string guitar
Bring the Boys Back Home
– no guitar
Comfortably Numb
studio
Ovation acoustic steel string guitar, high strung
Ovation acoustic steel string guitar
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm 1; acoustic guitar (high strung)
– rhythm 2; acoustic guitar (played by Lee Ritenour)
– solo; Muff through a HiWatt and a Yamaha rotating speaker
– rhythm/solo; Muff
The acoustic guitar has this tuning:
E same as high e string
A high A from a 12-string set
D high D from a 12-string set
G high G from a 12-string set
B normal b string
E normal e string
live
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– solo; Big Muff, Electric Mistress and delay
Note: Although the Yamaha rotating speakers was on for most songs, it’s a dominating effect during the solo.
The Show Must Go On
studio
Acoustic steel string guitar
live
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm and picking; clean signal with Electric Mistress
Note: Although the Yamaha rotating speakers was on for most songs, it’s a dominating effect on Show Must Go On.
In the Flesh
studio
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm/lead; Muff
– rhythm/octave; Muff
– rhythm; clean signal through a Yamaha rotating speaker
live
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm/lead; Big Muff
– rhythm/verse; clean signal with Electric Mistress and delay
Run Like Hell
studio
Fender 1955 Esquire (Telecaster), bridge pickup, drop D tuning
Fender VI Baritone
– rhythm/lead & fill-ins (4 tracks); Booster (mild OD), Electric Mistress and delay
Note: David had two MXR DDLs set in time with each other, one in 3/4 and the other in 4/4.
live
Fender 1955 Esquire (Telecaster), bridge pickup, drop D tuning
– rhythm/lead & fill-ins; Electric Mistress and delay (380ms)
Waiting for the Worms
studio
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm/lead; Muff and Electric Mistress (double tracked)
– picking and fade-in strum; clean signal with Electric Mistress
live
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm/lead; Big Muff, Electric Mistress and mild delay
Stop
– no guitars
The Trial
studio
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm/lead; Muff and Electric Mistress (double tracked)
live
Stratocaster, bridge pickup
– rhythm/lead; Big Muff, Electric Mistress and mild delay
Outside the Wall
studio
– no guitars
live
Mandolin