You are here

How I Got That Sound: Steve Hackett

Steve Hackett ‘Every Day’ By Joe Matera
Published February 2025

How I Got That Sound

Steve Hackett rose to fame as guitarist with prog‑rock legends Genesis, and was one of the very first practitioners of the revolutionary two‑handed guitar tapping technique that would later be popularised by Eddie Van Valen. After he left the group in 1977, the innovative and virtuosic guitarist embarked on a prolific solo career which continues to this day. His sonic calling card is a guitar tone he created in 1979 on his album Spectral Mornings.

Pure Gold

“My favourite sound is the guitar sound I achieved on the track, ‘Every Day’, which I call my ‘golden tone’ as it’s become part of my signature sound. It’s best described as a Les Paul guitar drenched in echo that floats, flies and cries, and at times sounds a bit like a distant violin or string section.

Steve Hackett: At that time of recording, the Roland Jazz Chorus JC‑120 amps were first appearing, and they were the only thing that gave you that chorus‑y sound.

How I Got That Sound: Steve Hackett“When it came to achieving that sound, at that time of recording, the Roland Jazz Chorus JC‑120 amps were first appearing, and they were the only thing that gave you that chorus‑y sound, which came from the amp’s onboard circuit. I was using a couple of those amps and an extra speaker as well, so it gave me a spread of three different cabinets. The thing that accompanied all of that, too, was a Macari’s Coloursound fuzzbox, which was a British‑made fuzzbox that duplicated the sound of the Marshall Super Fuzz. And using the chorus through the amps, I also added an Echoplex and a Schaller volume pedal to the chain. And finally, for guitars, I used my 1957 Les Paul goldtop exclusively.

"Another thing that ended up solidifying that sound was this one long sustain note that I added to the track, which was created by the use of an EBow and a bottleneck slide, and sliding down to the bottom.

Dutch Courage

“I remember that we were working at the Phonogram Studios in Hilversum in the Netherlands in early 1979. Being Phonogram’s headquarters, which included this extraordinary studio, they also had a radio station too. I can’t remember what mics were being used at that time, but I know that it was a big space so I was able to get a big guitar sound when I cranked it up. Those miking things were left up to my co‑producer and engineer John Acock, who was a great engineer, and I credit him with getting me this wonderful sound on that track.

“It was quite spontaneous when it came to capturing that sound. And I really don’t know how we managed to do that at that time. I seem to remember that I was quite fuelled up on Scotch and Coke as well, because it was literally freezing cold in Holland when we were recording it. So, all of those elements combined in creating that sound.

“‘Every Day’ ended up being the opening track on Spectrum Mornings, an album that saw me return to the charts and allowed me to put together a touring band that saw us tour all over Europe.”

Hear The Sound

Listen on Spotify