GuitarDistortedRiff
Breathe (In the Air) Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Stratocaster (early 1970s, likely 1969 black Stratocaster with rosewood neck for studio recording)
Pickups
Fender single-coil pickups (original vintage spec, likely stock 1969 Strat pickups)
Amp
Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100 (with WEM Super Starfinder 200 4x12 cabinet, Fane Crescendo speakers)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Studio recording, 1972-1973, The Dark Side of the Moon sessions. Gilmour used his black Stratocaster for the main riff, plugged into a Hiwatt DR103 head and WEM cab. No evidence of fuzz or overdrive pedals for the riff section; mild amp breakup only. Effects are primarily reverb (likely plate, possibly from EMT 140 in studio).
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6.5
Gain3.5
Reverb5.5
Treble6
Presence5.5
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Tone Character
- warm and smooth
- airy and open
- slightly compressed
- lush reverb tail
- rounded attack
- touch-sensitive
- not heavily distorted
- classic British amp breakup
- dynamic and expressive
- full-bodied neck pickup sound