Tone Settings for Outside by Staind (guitar and amp)

1. Volume

• Set your guitar volume to full (10) for both acoustic and electric.
• Use your amp’s volume to control overall loudness, keeping dynamic control for emotional expression.

2. Tone

• Roll the tone knob slightly back (around 7-8) for a warmer sound on electric guitars.
• Dial in a balanced EQ on the amp: Mid-heavy, with some low-end presence and moderate highs to avoid harshness.
• Use light reverb and subtle chorus for ambient depth in clean electric sections.

3. Pickup Selector

• Use the neck pickup for a smoother, warmer, and more emotional tone during clean passages.
• Switch to the bridge pickup or middle position if using moderate overdrive for chorus sections.

4. Humbucker or Single Coil Preferred?

• Humbuckers are preferred for their fuller, darker tone and noise reduction—ideal for Staind’s post-grunge style.
• Single coils can be used for more clarity but may sound too thin for capturing the full feel of “Outside.”

5. Ideal guitar type which is a Acoustic / Electric

• Start the song with an acoustic-electric guitar for the iconic intro and verses—use a dreadnought body for fullness.
• Switch to a humbucker-equipped electric guitar for the heavier chorus and later sections—Les Paul or PRS style preferred.
• Ensure the acoustic guitar has a good quality pickup system or use a microphone for recording/live sound.

• Ibanez RG Series: Ideal for aggressive rhythms and fast solos with high-output pickups
• Peavey 6505+ Head: Delivers tight, saturated distortion perfect for nu-metal tones
• Mesa/Boogie Rectifier Cabinet: Matches well with high-gain amps for a full, heavy low end
• Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor: Essential for eliminating feedback and noise during high-gain sections
• Dunlop Cry Baby Wah: Great for expressive lead lines and dynamic textures
• Ernie Ball 10-52 Strings: Heavier strings help maintain tension for drop tuning while preserving clarity
• Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler: Adds ambient tail to clean parts for a layered sound

• Use a bright, slightly overdriven clean tone with moderate compression.
• Set amp EQ with high mids and presence to cut through the mix.
• Apply reverb subtly to add space without washing out articulation.
• Use a bridge pickup for rhythm parts to enhance attack and clarity.
• Switch to neck pickup with tone rolled back slightly for lead melodies and solo lines.
• Use a light overdrive pedal for solos to sustain without distortion saturation.
• Use delay with short feedback and low mix for added depth on ambient sections.
• Keep modulation minimal; light chorus optional for verses if present in original recording.
• Match picking dynamics closely to the original performance for authentic feel.
• Ensure guitar sits well in the mix by carving out clashing frequencies with EQ.