Song Rig

Pyramid Song

Jonny Greenwood · Amnesiac · 2001

Tone Overview

What Makes This Sound Unique

Primarily a piano track but Greenwood's guitar contribution is a sustained, heavily reverbed texture that floats above the piano and orchestra. The tone is purely ambient — individual notes are barely distinguishable, more sonic colour than melody.

Signal Chain

1Fender Telecaster (volume rolled back, neck pickup)
2Eventide harmonizer
3Heavy hall reverb and long delay (decaying into the mix)

Amp Settings

Gain / Volume1

Bass4

Mid5

Treble5

Reverb10

Near-zero gain — the guitar is barely audible as a distinct element, acting as a high-frequency sustain pad beneath the piano. Guitar volume rolled back to 3 on the instrument to reduce pick attack and allow the notes to swell naturally. Maximum reverb to push the guitar into the back of the mix.

Technique

How to Play It

Volume swell technique — pick the note while the guitar volume is at zero, then slowly roll up the volume with the little finger while the note sustains. This eliminates the percussive pick attack entirely, creating a bowed, cello-like onset.

Budget Alternative

Achievable With

Any guitar (vol knob essential) → clean amp → Strymon BigSky (Cloud or Bloom setting) → long delay at low mix → practice the volume swell until there is zero audible pick transient.

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