Smooth
Carlos Santana's tone on Smooth is all about singing sustain and warm midrange. His PRS guitar through a Mesa Boogie Mark I produces a creamy, vocal-like lead sound that sustains endlessly. The midrange is emphasized heavily, giving each note a horn-like quality. The amp is pushed hard for natural compression, and the guitar's neck humbucker provides warmth without muddiness. This is a tone built for long, melodic phrases where every note sings.
Supernatural
What we checked
Computed by a program, on this recipe, every time this page is built. How this works
Preset files — 0 of 3 complete
- Helix 1 block missing from the file
Which ones
Not in the file: Tilt EQ. The recipe calls for this block, but we have no verified model ID for it on this platform, so the preset is written without it. Add it by hand using the settings above.
- Quad Cortex 6 blocks replaced with a stand-in model
Which ones
Replaced with a stand-in: Studio Comp, Ross Compressor, Search Cortex Cloud for 'Mesa Mark I' capture, 1x12 CA, Plate, Tilt EQ. These load cleanly but are not the model named above — the file will sound wrong here until we map them. Set these blocks by hand.
- Katana 3 blocks replaced with a stand-in model
Which ones
Replaced with a stand-in: Lead, Comp, Plate. These load cleanly but are not the model named above — the file will sound wrong here until we map them. Set these blocks by hand.
What we didn't check
- Nobody played this through a real amp. There is no human listening test behind any number on this page.
- The settings are reasoned from the sources below, not measured off the record.
- No audio has been rendered for this recipe yet, so you cannot hear it before you load it.
- 3 platforms on this page (TONEX, Kemper, Fractal) get a model pointer, not a preset file — nothing was built or checked for them.
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