Riff Tone

Walking on the moon

Unknown Artist

Guitarrock1970s

Original Gear

Guitar1961 Fender Telecaster Custom with maple neck and Gibson neck humbucker (bridge position)

AmpEarly Seventies Marshall JMP 1959 Super Lead

PickupsGibson neck humbucker (installed in bridge position), Fender single coil (neck position)

Amp Settings

gain0

bass5

mid5

treble6.5

reverb1.5

presence4

Effects & Signal Chain

compressionMXR MXR Dyna Comp

flangerElectro-Harmonix Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress

delayMaestro Echoplex EP-3

Notes

Studio recording, 1979. Settings and gear are for the original studio version of 'Walking on the Moon' riff section by The Police. Guitar is run into a Marshall JMP 1959 Super Lead head into a Marshall 4x12 cabinet. Effects are primarily from pedals, not amp. Pickup used is the bridge position (Gibson humbucker).

Tone Character(10)

clean and glassysparkling treblelush modulationspacey and ambientpercussive attackcompressed dynamicschimey open chordsarticulate note separationchorus-like swirlsingle repeat echo

Difficulty

The riff requires intermediate skill due to its syncopated, percussive rhythm, precise timing with delay repeats, and the need for clean articulation while using modulation and compression effects.

Sources

Andy Summers' guitar tone on The Police's Walking on the Moon: secrets behind the sound | Guitar World "That guitar chord Andycame up with was just mind-blowing”: How The Police taught the ultimate lesson of less-is-more on Walking On The Moon… but reportedly without the flanger pedal we all assumed | MusicRadar

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