Song Rig
On Impulse
Tosin Abasi · Animals as Leaders · 2009
Tone Overview
What Makes This Sound Unique
The debut album's most atmospheric track — Tosin uses clean and lightly effected tones rather than full distortion, demonstrating the 8-string guitar's ability to create ambient textures. The Axe-Fx's clean models provide a wide, spacious tone for the chord voicings that would be impossible on a standard 6-string.
Signal Chain
- 1Ibanez RG2228 8-string
- 2Axe-Fx Ultra (clean amp simulation)
- 3TC Electronic hall reverb
Amp Settings
Clean with hall reverb — On Impulse shows that the 8-string can produce delicate, ambient music rather than purely aggressive metal. The wide voicing of 8-string chords through a clean amp creates a sound more like a piano than a guitar.
Technique
How to Play It
Wide chord voicings on extended range guitar — using all 8 strings simultaneously allows Tosin to voice chords with 3–4 octave spans that would be impossible on a 6-string. The wide voicings create the characteristic wide-open, orchestral quality of ambient 8-string playing.
Budget Alternative
Achievable With
8-string guitar → Axe-Fx clean preset or any clean amp → large hall reverb → experiment with chord voicings that span the full range of all 8 strings simultaneously.
Your Gear
Adapt to My Amp
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