Song Rig

Given to Fly

Mike McCready · Yield · 1998

Tone Overview

What Makes This Sound Unique

The Yield era McCready tone — cleaner, more open, and less compressed than the Ten productions. The song is built on a Neil Young-influenced open chord riff with a soaring lead solo that uses the Strat's natural sustain rather than heavy distortion for the high notes.

Signal Chain

1Fender Stratocaster (neck pickup)
2Fender Twin Reverb (clean, high volume)
3Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress Flanger (subtle)

Amp Settings

Gain / Volume4

Bass6

Mid7

Treble7

Reverb3

Very clean for the verse, pushed slightly for the solo — the Twin Reverb clean headroom means the amp stays mostly clean even at high volume. Mike relies on the guitar volume knob for dynamic control.

Technique

How to Play It

Open chord rhythm playing combined with high-register lead fills — Given to Fly uses suspended and open-voiced chords for the rhythm part, allowing strings to ring freely. The solo uses position-shifted pentatonic licks that ascend into the upper register.

Budget Alternative

Achievable With

Stratocaster → Fender Twin Reverb or Blues Deluxe at high volume → subtle flanger → the Neil Young influence means open chord voicings (Dsus2, Asus4) are integral to the rhythm tone character.

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