Cloud Nine: Crafting Immersive “Atmospheric Pop” Landscapes with Audio Assault

The “Atmospheric Pop” Tone Recipe: Creating Sonic Landscapes with Audio Assault 🔥🎸

Atmospheric pop—think The 1975, LANY, The War on Drugs or modern Worship styles—is less about the “guitar” and more about the space. The goal is to create a lush, immersive texture that fills the frequency spectrum without crowding the vocals. You want a tone that is “ethereal,” “cloud-like,” and “cinematic.”

Using Audio Assault’s Amp Locker, we can build a professional ambient rig that turns a simple six-string into a synthesizer-like soundscape. Here is your exact recipe for the “Cloud Nine” tone.

1. The Amp: The “High-Headroom” Canvas

For atmospheric tones, you need an amp that stays clean even when hit with a chain of five or six pedals. You want “depth” and “clarity” above all else.

• The Audio Assault Choice: American Deville (Modelled after the Fender Hot Rod Deville).
• Alternative: Special Drive (Based on a Dumble Overdrive Special) – Use the Clean channel for its legendary “bloom” or the Hi Clean for high headroom.

The “Cloud-Like” EQ Settings:

Control	Setting	Why?
Gain	2.5	We want a purely linear, non-distorted signal.
Bass	5.5	Provides the “heft” and foundation for the ambient wash.
Middle	4.0	A slight scoop allows the delays and reverbs to sit in the mix.
Treble	6.5	Adds the “crystalline” sparkle that defines the genre.
Presence	7.5	Crucial. This adds the “air” to the top end of your reverb tails.

 

2. The Pedals: Texture & Dynamics

In atmospheric pop, your pedals are doing 70% of the heavy lifting.

• The Compressor: Mini Attack.
  • Setting: Place this first. Use a high Sustain/Ratio.
  • Why: You need your notes to ring out forever. A compressor keeps those quiet, ambient “swells” audible and smooths out the pick attack.
• The “Vibe” Booster: The Klone.
  • Gain: 1.0 (Basically off).
  • Level: 5.0.
  • Treble: 6.0.
  • Why: Use this to add “harmonic richness” to your clean tone without making it crunchy.
• The Modulation: Korus.
  • Rate: 1.0 (Very slow).
  • Depth: 5.0 (Deep).
  • Why: A deep, slow chorus creates that “drifting” pitch modulation that makes the atmosphere feel alive.

3. The Cab: Wide & Immersive

Avoid 4×12 cabs—they are too “boxy” and directional. You want the wide, 3D sound of a 2×12 open-back cabinet.

• Audio Assault Choice: USA_TWIN65_C12N or JP_JAZZCHOIR.
• Mic Setup (The “Surround Sound” Trick):
  • Mic 1: Condenser 87. Place it 4 inches back, centered.
  • Mic 2: Ribbon 121. Move this virtually 12 inches back from the cab.
  • Why: By placing the second mic further back, you capture the “room” character, which is essential for an atmospheric sound that feels “huge” rather than “loud.”

4. The Finish: The “Ambient Engine”

This is where the magic happens. In atmospheric pop, your delay and reverb aren’t “effects”—they are the instrument.

• The Delay: Digital Delay.
  • Time: 450ms – 600ms (Preferably synced to 1/8th or dotted 1/8th notes).
  • Feedback: 6-8 repeats.
  • Mix: 40%.
• The Reverb: Space Verb (using “Large Hall” or “Cathedral”).
  • Mix: 50% – 60%.
  • Decay: 4.5 seconds or longer.
  • Damping: Low (Keep the high-end shimmer in the reverb tails).

5. Pro Tips for Atmospheric Mastery

• The Volume Swell: Place the Volume Pedal module at the very beginning. Pick a note with the volume at zero, then slowly “swell” it in. This removes the pick attack entirely, making your guitar sound like a church organ or a synth pad.
• Dotted Eighth Delays: Set your delay to a dotted-eighth note ($3/16$) relative to your song’s tempo. This creates that “galloping” rhythmic wash popularized by The Edge (U2).
• Stacking Delays: If you can, run two delays in a row. A short “Slap” delay (100ms) into a long “Ambient” delay (500ms) creates a massive, complex texture that fills every gap in the mix.
• Soft Picking: Use a light pick or just the flesh of your fingers. The softer you play, the more the “bloom” of the reverb takes over.

The “Atmospheric Pop” Summary:

• Amp: USA_TWIN65 — High Presence, High Headroom.
• Pedal: Mini Attack — High compression for “endless” sustain.
• Modulation: Korus — Slow/Deep for a drifting, liquid feel.
• FX: Space Verb — Cathedral setting, 50% Wet.

Here is your exact recipe for the “Cloud Nine” tone.

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The “Ethereal Landscape” Recipe Table

Parameter	Setting	The “Atmospheric” Logic
Amp Model	Clean British (Class A)	Provides a “chime” top end that stays clear under heavy effects.
Gain	2.0 – 3.0	Total cleanliness. Any grit will make the reverbs sound “grainy.”
Bass	3.5	Cut the bass to keep the “wash” from becoming a muddy mess.
Mids	4.5	A slight scoop creates space for the vocal and snare drum.
Treble	6.5	Keeps the “shimmer” of the strings audible through the effects.
Presence	7.5	Enhances the “air” and “breathiness” of the tone.

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The “Wall of Clouds” Secret: Serial Delay & Reverb

In Atmospheric Pop, the order of your effects is your “instrument.”

• Dual Delays: Place a Digital Delay (set to dotted 8th notes) into a Tape Delay (set to quarter notes). This creates a complex, rhythmic pulse that feels like a synth sequence.

• The “Infinite” Wash: Use a Shimmer or Cloud Reverb at the end of the chain. Set the Mix to 50% and the Decay to 6-8 seconds. This allows your notes to trail off into a beautiful, orchestral pad.

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The “Cinematic” Finishing Touches

• Volume Pedal: Place a Volume pedal before your delays. By striking a chord and slowly “swelling” the volume in, you remove the pick attack, creating a violin-like or synthesizer texture.

• The Cabinet: Use a 2×12 Open-Back Cabinet. The open back allows for a more “three-dimensional” sound that doesn’t feel boxed in, perfect for wide, stereo ambient tracks.