# Sound Recipe - Paradise Circus / Hypnotic Minimal Guitar

## Target

Hypnotic, minimal clean guitar — Massive Attack *Paradise Circus* energy: a **simple repeated figure**, clear attack, tempo-synced filtered delay, dark shared space. Not western twang, not new-wave jangle — a trance-like pulse that locks to the grid and leaves room for vocal and low end.

The sound should feel:

- Clean with clear attack (each note readable)
- Hypnotic ( repetition is the point)
- Filtered and dark (delay/reverb returns rolled off)
- Subtle width (not huge stereo)
- Low in the mix — a pulse, not a hook

Follows the house method: **intention → source → preset/plugin start → routing → settings → automation → taste checks.**

---

## Useful References

- Massive Attack — *Paradise Circus* (2010) — minimal guitar pulse under cinematic production
- Adjacent: [One Dove / Dubby Dream-Pop](../synths-and-production/one-dove-dubby-dream-pop-atmosphere.md) (shared delay-as-arrangement logic), [Lana Western](lana-del-rey-cinematic-western-guitar.md) (contrast — this is cleaner and more grid-locked)

Steal the jobs: one repeating motif, filtered delay throws, dark plate, restraint.

---

## Best For

Hypnotic pop/trip-hop intros, minimal verses, pulsing clean guitar under vocal, electronic tracks needing one organic rhythmic element.

---

## The Part First

- One **2–4 note** figure or simple dyad, repeated with metronomic confidence
- Same rhythm every bar — variation comes from **filter and delay automation**, not new notes
- Register: midrange, above bass, below vocal presence (~200 Hz–4 kHz)

---

## Source + Tone Chain

| Stage | ⭐ | Start From | Going For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guitar | ⭐ | Gretsch Country Club (more bite) or 5120 | Clear attack, still clean |
| Amp | ⭐ | UAD Dream '65 (Paradise), clean, minimal reverb on amp | Clean headroom |
| Compression | | UAD LA-2A light | Even repeats |
| EQ | | FabFilter Pro-Q 4 | HPF ~120 Hz; LPF ~6 kHz if bright; notch 2–3 kHz if fighting vocal |

---

## Delay (main identity)

| Tool | ⭐ | Settings anchors |
|---|---|---|
| iZotope Cascadia / Eventide H3000 / Logic Delay Designer | ⭐ | **Tempo-synced 1/8 or dotted-1/8**; feedback **20–35%**; **LPF repeats ~2–4 kHz** |
| UAD Galaxy / Strymon El Capistan | | Tape color on throws — automate feedback up on section ends |

**Send chain:** guitar → delay send → return HPF ~200 Hz, LPF ~5 kHz → optional light plate.

Automate **filter cutoff** on delay feedback across 8–16 bars — the hypnotic lift.

---

## Space

- **Eventide SP2016** plate or **Lexicon PCM** hall — short–medium, dark
- Return HPF ~300 Hz; keep wet **lower than vocal** sends
- Optional **Eventide Instant Phaser** very slow on the guitar dry for subtle motion

---

## Fast Path

1. Country Club → Dream '65 clean → LA-2A
2. Loop one minimal figure; **Cascadia** dotted-1/8 send, filtered repeats
3. Dark plate low; automate delay filter over the verse

---

## Adjustment Rules

| Problem | Try |
|---|---|
| Too busy | Fewer notes; longer rests; lower delay feedback |
| Too bright/cheap | Darker delay LPF; less amp treble; Vintage Twin87 on vocal instead |
| Lost in mix | Raise dry attack, not reverb; compress lighter |
| Not hypnotic enough | Stricter repetition; tempo-sync delay; remove extra layers |

---

## Common Mistakes

- Adding a second guitar idea (one pulse only)
- Unfiltered delay (turns into cheap ambience)
- Western/spring reverb tone (wrong recipe — see Lana Western)
- Loud chorus width (this is narrow and trance-like)

---

## Closest Tools I Own

Guitar: Gretsch Country Club / 5120, UAD Dream '65 (Paradise), Bogren DUET
Delay: iZotope Cascadia, Eventide H3000, UAD Galaxy Tape Echo, Strymon El Capistan, Logic Delay Designer
Space: Eventide SP2016, Lexicon PCM, Valhalla VintageVerb
Comp/EQ: UAD LA-2A / 1176, FabFilter Pro-Q 4

---

## Related Pages

- [07 - Guitar](../../instruments/07-guitar.md)
- [Sound Recipe - One Dove / Dubby Dream-Pop Atmosphere](../synths-and-production/one-dove-dubby-dream-pop-atmosphere.md)
- [17 - Default Send Rack](../../reference/17-default-send-rack.md)

---

## Practical Summary

One clean repeated guitar figure, tempo-synced **filtered delay** as the main motion, dark **plate** underneath, everything automated slowly across sections. Keep it **minimal and grid-locked** — the vocal and sub carry emotion; the guitar is the hypnotic pulse.