There Is A Light Guitar Tone: Marr's Jangle

The Smiths' most beloved song rides on a bright, chiming guitar figure that never lets up — a masterclass in Johnny Marr's layered clean approach, where several simple parts stack into something orchestral.

What makes the tone. This is clean jangle, not distortion. Marr's Rickenbacker and Fender parts are compressed, bright and doubled, with a string-machine underneath adding the swelling warmth that makes the chorus feel like it lifts off. There's very little grit — the richness comes from layering and the natural chime of the guitars.

The analogue recipe. A jangly guitar into a clean Fender or Vox-flavoured amp, treble up, a light compressor to even out the picking. Bridge-and-middle or neck pickup for warmth. The trick is to play the arpeggiated figure cleanly and consistently, then double it. A subtle chorus can stand in for the string-machine shimmer if you don't have keys.

On a Boss GT-100 / GT-1000 / GX-100. Clean amp model, EQ tilted bright, a compressor up front and a gentle stereo chorus after. Keep reverb modest — a room or small hall. The goal is clarity and sparkle, so avoid piling on gain or heavy modulation.

On a Kemper. A clean Vox or Fender profile with a compressor stomp and a light chorus. Add a short reverb for air. As ever, the tone is 80% in the parts and the consistency of the right hand — get the arpeggios even and the chime looks after itself.

Skip the guesswork. The Soulster Tonebook for fans of The Smiths → lays out the chain and settings behind Marr's cleanest, brightest work — and our Johnny Marr guitar tone guide → covers how he thinks about layering.

Put it on the wall. The "There Is A Light" Studio print → and Paperback t-shirt → are a fitting tribute to a song people get tattooed.