Song Rig
Icarus (Ode to Every Mother)
Steve Howe · Going for the One · 1977
Tone Overview
What Makes This Sound Unique
Acoustic steel-string with pedal steel-like lyricism — Howe plays a slide or lap steel section that blends country and classical influences. The tone is open, sustaining and deeply melodic.
Signal Chain
- 1Pedal steel guitar or lap steel
- 2Studio amplifier (clean, reverberant)
Amp Settings
Generous reverb on the pedal steel/lap steel — the instrument needs room to breathe. Volume pedal rides the sustain dynamically, creating swells.
Technique
How to Play It
Volume swell technique with bar slide — the notes are played, then swelled up from silence using a volume pedal, creating a violin-like envelope.
Budget Alternative
Achievable With
Any lap steel (Rogue or Gretsch G9201) → clean amp → Boss RV-6 reverb → volume pedal before the amp. Alternatively a Stratocaster with E-Bow simulates the continuous bow.
Your Gear
Adapt to My Amp
More from Steve Howe
Other Song Rigs
Roundabout
Fragile · 1971
Yes's signature track and one of the most important guitar tones in prog rock — …
View rig →Heart of the Sunrise
Fragile · 1971
The Fragile album's epic closer — the most technically demanding Steve Howe perf…
View rig →Clap
The Yes Album · 1971
Steve Howe's solo acoustic showcase — a live performance (recorded at the Lyceum…
View rig →Mood for a Day
Fragile · 1971
Classical guitar — pure nylon-string acoustic, no amplification. Howe studied cl…
View rig →And You and I
Close to the Edge · 1972
Acoustic 12-string opening gives way to electric Gibson — Howe's tonal range acr…
View rig →