Tone library / System of a down / Aerials

Aerials amp settings — Sonicake QAM-15

The System of a down guitar tone for “Aerials”, dialed in for a Sonicake QAM-15 with a Fender Player Telecaster. Studio version, Toxicity album (2001)

Original rig

Marshall JCM800 2203 head into Marshall 4x12 cab, Ibanez Iceman (IC300/IC400) with stock humbuckers, no pedals on the main riff

Tight, mid-forward high-gain crunch with clear note definition and minimal bass mud

Amp settings — Sonicake QAM-15

CHANNELOD (Overdrive channel)

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	3
Mid	7
Treble	5
Presence	6
Reverb	0
Master	5

Don’t have a Sonicake QAM-15? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Why these settings

Original used humbuckers; your Tele single-coil bridge is brighter and lower output, so I dropped treble from the original's 6 to 5 and pushed gain +1 to compensate. Bass cut hard to 3 because the Sonicake's small speaker will mud up with the low-tuned riff otherwise. Mid boosted to 7 to replicate the JCM800's midrange bark that defines this tone.

PRO TIPDaron recorded in Drop C tuning (C-G-C-F-A-D) — if you're in standard tuning, the riff will sound thin and wrong regardless of amp settings. Drop your tuning or use a pitch shifter, and palm-mute tightly on the chugs to replicate that percussive attack.

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These settings are for a Sonicake QAM-15. 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.