Dreaming amp settings — Marshall MG15GR

The Mac Demarco guitar tone for “Dreaming”, dialed in for a Marshall MG15GR with a Squier Bullet Stratocaster. Studio version, Salad Days (2014)

Original rig

1960s Fender Vibro Champ, Squier/Fender Stratocaster (neck pickup), Alesis MicroVerb 4 (chorus/reverb presets), Boss CE-2 Chorus

Warm, warbly, lo-fi clean with wet chorus and subtle modulated reverb

Amp settings — Marshall MG15GR

CHANNELClean (OD channel OFF)BOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	2
Bass	5
Treble	4
Reverb	3
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPneck TONE6 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Strymon Cloudburst

Use the modulation control to approximate Mac's chorus-into-reverb sound; keep mix moderate for that wet-but-not-washed feel. This is your chorus substitute—the Cloudburst's modulated reverb gets you close to the Alesis rack unit's wobbly character.

Mix 4 · Decay 3 · Tone 5 · Mod 6

Why these settings

Your MG15GR is brighter and more aggressive than the Vibro Champ's dark, boxy 8-inch speaker tone. Gain at 2 keeps it clean (the Vibro Champ has zero overdrive). Treble dropped to 4 because Marshall voicing is already mid-forward and the original is warm/muffled. The MG15GR has no mid knob—use the tone knob on your Strat rolled to 6 to tame highs. Leave the DS-1 bypassed; Mac uses no distortion on this track.

PRO TIPMac's secret is picking softly near the neck pickup with the tone rolled off slightly—this creates that pillowy, almost underwater quality. Try palm-muting very lightly on the lower strings during the verse to get that muted, lazy rhythm feel.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Marshall MG15GR. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.