Nail the ToneOasis

Wonderwall

Oasis · (What's the Story) Morning Glory? · 1995

The rhythm part is an acoustic, not an electric: Owen Morris had Noel overdub three separate acoustic guitar tracks over the drums and bass at Rockfield in May 1995, which is where the size of that strum comes from. Noel himself called the Takamine FP-460SC — now owned by engineer Nick Brine — "the Wonderwall guitar," though session footage also shows his Epiphone Frontier. Capo on 2, standard tuning, bright and dry, with the mids left alone so the strum drives the track.

Where these numbers come from: worked out from the documented rig and the sound of the record

Tuning

Standard tuning, no capo · Capo at fret 2

Standard tuning with a capo at the 2nd fret; the third and fourth fingers stay anchored on the 3rd fret of the B and high E strings through every chord, and Noel stacked three separate acoustic takes rather than one performance.

Part: Rhythm

Guitar

  • Takamine FP-460SC · None used — miked acoustically
  • Epiphone Frontier FT110 · None used — miked acoustically

Amp

No amp — close-miked acoustic into Neve console

There is no guitar amp on this track: the acoustics were miked at Rockfield (a Neumann U87 plus a second mic was the setup for the guide take cut outdoors on the wall) and Owen Morris had Noel overdub three acoustic parts. Bonehead played Mellotron cello instead of his usual barre chords.

Amp

Acoustic combo / DI or PA channel (modern substitute)

GAIN
4.0
BASS
4.0
MID
6.0
TREBLE
6.5
REVERB
1.5

Inferred starting point for playing the part amplified: trim the boom around 200 Hz, keep mids forward so the strum stays percussive, and stay nearly dry — the record has almost no reverb on the guitars.

Tone character

bright jumbo strum · percussive pick attack · forward mids · tight, controlled low end · layered double-tracked acoustics · almost no reverb

easy

Four capoed open shapes with the pinky and ring finger parked on the 3rd fret, so the work is all in keeping a steady syncopated down-up strum and clean shape changes at tempo.

Want this on your own amp?

These are the record's settings. Tell us what you play through and we'll translate every knob to the amp you actually own — free.

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Sources