The “Red Special” Recipe: Dialling in Brian May’s Orchestral Roar with Audio Assault 🔥🎸
Brian May’s tone is one of the most unique “fingerprints” in rock history. It’s not just a guitar sound; it’s a wall of harmonically rich, violin-like sustain that can transition from a delicate “cello” hum to a screaming “Red Special” roar.
To achieve this using Audio Assault’s Amp Locker, we have to replicate a very specific signal chain: a specialized Treble Booster hitting a “Class A” British amp pushed to its absolute limit. Here is your recipe for the Queen sound.
1. The Amp: The “Wall of Vox”
Brian May is famous for his “wall” of Vox AC30s. He doesn’t use the preamp distortion; he cranks the Normal Channel to the max and lets the power tubes do the work.
- The Audio Assault Choice: ACT 30 (Modelled after the Vox AC30).
- The Philosophy: We aren’t looking for “crunch.” We are looking for “saturation.” The amp should be set so it’s almost fuzzy when wide open.
The “Bohemian” EQ Settings:
| Control | Setting | Why? |
| Gain / Volume | 9.0 – 10 | Crank it. This is where the compression and sustain live. |
| Bass | 3.0 | Keep it low. The Treble Booster will add plenty of “heft.” |
| Middle | 8.5 | The Secret. Brian’s tone is incredibly mid-heavy and “vocal.” |
| Treble | 5.0 | Keep it at noon. The pedal will handle the “sting.” |
| Presence | 6.5 | Adds that “upper-mid” sizzle that helps with harmonics. |
2. The Secret Sauce: The Treble Booster
You cannot get the Brian May sound without a Treble Booster (historically the Dallas Rangemaster or the Greg Fryer models). This isn’t a standard overdrive; it cuts the lows and slams the mids/highs into the amp.
- The Pedal: The Klone (Modelled after the Klon Centaur).
- Gain: 1.0 (Keep it low).
- Level/Output: 9.0 (Max this out to “slam” the British 30).
- Treble: 7.5.
- Alternative: Use the Integrator module in Amp Locker. Boost the frequencies around 1kHz to 3kHz significantly and cut everything below 200Hz. This mimics the frequency curve of his custom boosters.
3. The Cab: The 2×12 “Blue” Alnico
Brian uses open-back cabinets with Celestion Alnico Blue speakers. They have a very musical “breakup” and a smooth high-end roll-off.
- Audio Assault Choice: BRIT_AC30B.
- Mic Setup (The “Studio” Secret):
- Mic 1: Dynamic 57. Place it off-axis (at an angle) toward the edge of the cone.
- Mic 2: Ribbon 121. Place this about 5 inches back to capture the “woodiness.”
- The Result: The Ribbon mic is essential here to capture the “warmth” that makes his high-gain leads sound so regal and smooth.
4. The Finish: “Orchestral” Modulation & Delay
Brian often recorded multiple takes to create a “guitar orchestra.” To get that width in a single plugin instance, we need specific effects.
- The Modulation: Korus.
- Rate: 1.0 (Very slow).
- Depth: 3.0.
- Why: A subtle chorus mimics the slight detuning of multiple AC30s running at once.
- The Delay: Digital Delay.
- Time: 800ms (for the “Brighton Rock” type repeats) OR a short 20ms delay to simulate a double-tracked guitar.
- The Reverb: Vintage Spring.
- Mix: 15%. Just enough to give the amp some room.
5. Pro Tips for the “Red Special” Vibe
- The “Sixpence” Attack: Brian famously plays with a sixpence coin instead of a plastic pick. To simulate this in your DAW, use a very heavy, stiff pick and strike the strings at an angle to get that “scratchy” metallic chirp.
- Out-of-Phase Magic: If your guitar has a “Phase” switch, turn it on! If not, try using the EQ in Amp Locker to create a sharp “dip” at 1.5kHz. This mimics the “hollow” nasal sound heard in the Bohemian Rhapsody solo.
- The Volume Knob: Brian controls everything from his guitar. Set the plugin to “Scream,” then roll your guitar volume back to 4 for those beautiful, chimey Queen “bells.”
The “Brian May Recipe” Summary:
- Amp: British 30 — Dimed Gain, Heavy Mids.
- Pedal: The Clone — Used as a high-output Treble Booster.
- Cab: 2×12 Alnico — Ribbon mic for that “violin” smoothness.
- FX: Korus — Slow and subtle for “width.”
The “Sixpence” Secret: The Treble Booster
In Amp Locker, the amp is only half the battle. You must place a Treble Booster (look for the “Range” or “Custom Boost” pedals) in front of the British Class A model.
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Settings: Set the boost level high to “slam” the input of the amp.
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Tone Tip: Use the bridge and middle pickups in series and out-of-phase if your guitar allows, and try using a metal coin (like a British Sixpence) instead of a plastic pick to get that signature “scratchy” Brian May attack!
The “Red Special” Recipe Table
| Component | Choice in Amp Locker | The Result |
| Amp Model | Class A British (AC Style) | The foundational “chime” and compression. |
| Pedal | Vintage Treble Booster | Cuts the lows and pushes the mids into violin-like sustain. |
| Cabinet | 2×12 Alnico Blues | Provides the smooth high-end roll-off and mid-range “honk.” |
