Paramore has plenty of iconic punk pop songs and they’re some of my favourite to play on the electric guitar. I’ll be taking you through this amp settings guide so you can sound more like Taylor York and the former member Josh Farro.
Just looking for amp presets? Keep scrolling down to find a list of example amp settings for some of Paramore’s most popular songs.
Quick Guide to Paramore Amp Settings
To sound like Paramore, start with the following amp settings:
- Gain: 5-7
- Bass: 5-6
- Mids: 6-7
- Treble: 5-6
Before we dive into the rest of the article I want to stress that the settings above are only designed to be used to get you started. It’s very hard to achieve an exact tone match because every rig sounds different, but if you follow this guide then you should be able to get as close as possible with your amp and guitar.
The Basics
Let’s start off with the basic controls and settings and figure out how to adjust them to sound more like Paramore. I’ve split these basic controls into three main groups:
- Gain
- EQ
- Effects
Gain
If your just using the gain on your amp, then I recommend using the distorted channel (if your amp has separate clean and distorted channels) and setting it at around 5-6 for most songs. The key is to get it nice and saturated but not too heavy otherwise you’ll verge into metal territory.
Alternatively, you can use an overdrive/ distortion pedal through a clean amp instead. This is my preferred option with solid state amps as it usually sounds a bit better. It also makes it easy to transition from clean to distorted tones.
EQ/ Tone (Bass, Mids, Treble)
There are three controls to address here:
- Bass
- Mids
- Treble
The bass usually should be kept quite moderate for most songs so I’d recommend starting halfway on the control. If it sounds a bit thin, up the bass a bit and if it sounds too muddy then you should turn it down slightly.
The mids control is really important for a lot of Paramore songs and will usually need to be moderate-high so I’d start with this on 7. If you feel like you need more depth and help cutting through the mix you can always turn it up a bit more.
You’ll need a decent bit of treble to get a crunchy tone and stop things sounding muddy particularly on the songs which require more gain. However you don’t want it to sound too brash so I like to start with this on 5 and adjust from here. If you need more clarity, increase it a bit.
If your amp doesn’t have individual bass, mids and treble controls and instead has a single EQ/ tone control then I’d start with this on midway. If your tone needs more brightness and definition, increase it. If it needs taming and warming up a bit then you can decrease it.
Some amps have additional controls so make sure you also check out the brand-specific amp controls guide which is relevant to you, to get the most from your rig:
- Fender Amp Settings
- Marshall Amp Settings
- Boss Amp Settings
- Orange Amp Settings
- Line 6 Amp Settings
- Vox Amp Settings
If you really want to improve your guitar playing then I recommend checking out Guitareo. You can sign up for a free 30-day trial here to get access to all the online lessons and start making real progress today
Amp Settings for Popular Paramore Songs
Here I have a list of Paramore songs and example amp settings. These will usually need some tweaking to suit your rig, but can be used as a starting point. In the next section of this article I’ll be explaining how to fix common issues you may encounter.
Misery Business Amp Settings
- Gain: 7
- Bass: 6
- Mids: 7
- Treble: 5
Still into You Amp Settings
- Gain: 4
- Bass: 6
- Mids: 7
- Treble: 5
Hard Times Amp Settings
- Gain: 4
- Bass: 3
- Mids: 5
- Treble: 7
All I Wanted Amp Settings
- Gain: 2 (clean section) and 6 (distorted section)
- Bass: 7
- Mids: 7
- Treble: 4
Ain’t It Fun Amp Settings
- Gain: 5
- Bass: 6
- Mids: 8
- Treble: 5
Decode Amp Settings
- Gain: 6
- Bass: 6
- Mids: 6
- Treble: 5
Ignorance Amp Settings
- Gain: 6
- Bass: 7
- Mids: 7
- Treble: 5
That’s What You Get Amp Settings
- Gain: 7
- Bass: 6
- Mids: 7
- Treble: 6
I’ve also made an article with example amp settings for over 40 popular guitar songs here to help you sound more like your favourite players.
Common Issues
Don’t panic if the settings above don’t sound quite right, it’s totally normal to need to make some adjustments to suit your specific guitar and amp. For each “problem” I’ve listed several fixes, however I recommend working your way down the list in order and making one adjustment at a time. This is the fastest way to find out the problem and fix it easily.
Muddy Tone
- Decrease the bass
- Decrease the gain
- Increase the treble
Check out my guide on how to fix a muddy amp for more causes and fixes.
Thin Tone (Lack of Punch, Especially When Palm Muting)
- Increase the mids
- Increase the bass
- Increase the gain
Lack of Sustain
- Increase the gain
- Increase the bass
- Increase the mids
- Use a compressor pedal
Too Much Feedback
- Move the guitar and amp as far away from each other as possible
- Position the amp in front of the guitar rather than behind it
- Decrease the gain
- Use a noise-gate pedal to reduce feedback
Frequently Asked Questions
What amps do Paramore use?
The only current guitarist of Paramore, Taylor York, uses Marshall JCM and Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier amps primarily. The former Paramore guitarist, Josh Farro also used these two amps.
What guitars do Paramore use?
The only current guitarist of Paramore, Taylor York, plays a custom Fender Jagmaster, Thinline Telecaster and Gibson Les Paul primarily. The former Paramore guitarist, Josh Farro is best known for playing a Fender Telecaster and Gibson Les Paul.
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