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Riff Tone

Money For Nothing (Single Edit) [2022 Remaster]

Dire Straits

Guitarrock1980s

Original Gear

Guitar1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard
AmpLaney amplifier (exact model unknown, likely late 1970s/early 1980s solid-state or tube head)

Amp Settings

gain5
bass5

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Effects & Signal Chain

Notes

Studio recording, 1984-1985 for Brothers in Arms album. Mark Knopfler used the Les Paul bridge pickup for the riff, with a Laney amp. The tone was shaped by a cocked wah pedal or a rolled-back tone knob, and the sound was never fully recreated live. No evidence of additional pedals or rack effects for the riff section; the unique tone is a result of the guitar, amp, and fixed wah/filter effect. All sources refer to the studio version, not live recreations.

Tone Character(10)
mid-range forwardnasal and honkycrunchy but not high-gainslightly compressedpercussive attackunique filtered soundtight and punchydry with minimal reverbarticulate fingerstyledistinctive cocked-wah effect

Difficulty

The riff requires advanced fingerstyle technique, precise muting, and dynamic control, as well as careful tone shaping with a cocked wah or rolled-back tone knob to achieve the iconic sound.

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