Riff Tone
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
The Smiths
Guitarrock1980s
Original Gear
Guitar1959 Gibson ES-355
AmpRoland JC-120 Jazz Chorus
PickupsGibson PAF humbuckers
Amp Settings
gain0
bass5.5
mid6.5
treble7.5
reverb3.5
presence5.5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 1984. Johnny Marr wrote and recorded 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now' using his 1959 Gibson ES-355, acquired in early 1984. The Roland JC-120 was a primary amp for The Smiths' clean tones in this era. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for this specific riff section.
Tone Character(10)
bright and glassychiming, bell-like attacklush, stereo chorus shimmerarticulate note separationminimal breakupsparkling highstight, percussive rhythmopen, airy sounddistinctive Roland JC-120 chorusclean and dynamic
Difficulty
The riff requires advanced chord shapes, precise picking, and rhythmic accuracy to achieve the signature clean, chiming sound. The combination of arpeggios, syncopation, and muting makes it challenging for most players.
Sources
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Create Free AccountGuitarrock1980s
Original Gear
Guitar1959 Gibson ES-355
AmpRoland JC-120 Jazz Chorus
PickupsGibson PAF humbuckers
Amp Settings
gain0
bass5.5
mid6.5
treble7.5
reverb3.5
presence5.5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 1984. Johnny Marr wrote and recorded 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now' using his 1959 Gibson ES-355, acquired in early 1984. The Roland JC-120 was a primary amp for The Smiths' clean tones in this era. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for this specific riff section.
Tone Character(10)
bright and glassychiming, bell-like attacklush, stereo chorus shimmerarticulate note separationminimal breakupsparkling highstight, percussive rhythmopen, airy sounddistinctive Roland JC-120 chorusclean and dynamic
Difficulty
The riff requires advanced chord shapes, precise picking, and rhythmic accuracy to achieve the signature clean, chiming sound. The combination of arpeggios, syncopation, and muting makes it challenging for most players.
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