[Mizuki Iida] How to Recreate the cinema staff Sound + Guitar Gear and Tone Settings [Effects & Amps]

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Introduction (Overview of Tone)

Mizuki Iida, the guitarist of cinema staff, plays a crucial role in shaping the band’s sound with his unique approach to tone creation. His style encompasses a wide range, from expansive clean tones reminiscent of post-rock and emo to aggressive distorted sounds. Central to his sound is the Fender Jazzmaster, which provides a distinctive harmonic richness and depth, making it an essential element of cinema staff’s musical identity.

His guitar approach is both simple and meticulously calculated, weaving delicate arpeggios into songs while dynamically elevating the music with powerful strumming. Iconic tracks like “great escape” and “シャドウ” showcase how his guitar resonates in harmony with emotional vocals, captivating listeners.

Moreover, his sound embodies a coexistence of “transparency” and “edge,” evident in his choice of gear for both live performances and recordings. His selection of amplifiers and effects emphasizes clarity and punch, ensuring that his tone blends seamlessly into the overall ensemble.

For guitarists aspiring to replicate Iida’s sound, understanding his gear and EQ settings provides invaluable insights. This article will thoroughly explore the confirmed equipment he uses and the secrets behind his sound design.

▶ Search official YouTube videos of cinema staff

List of Amplifiers and Features

Mizuki Iida’s choice of amplifiers likely varies between recording and live performances. A highly reliable source confirms the use of the Marshall JMP220, a model known for producing the classic Marshall sound of the 1970s, characterized by a thick and punchy crunch tone. The expansive clean tones and emotional distortion heard in cinema staff’s music are believed to rely heavily on this JMP220 setup.

Additionally, the presence of the Marshall JMP-1 preamp and Marshall EL34 100/100 power amp in his recording setup cannot be overlooked. The JMP-1, a rack-mounted preamp, gained high acclaim among professional guitarists in the 1990s for its multiple distortion characters while maintaining clarity that fits well within a band context. In contrast, the EL34 100/100 is a 100W + 100W stereo power amp, ideal for reproducing a rich and expansive sound on stage.

In live settings, it is speculated that Iida does not always replicate this rack system exactly, opting instead for more manageable Marshall amps or studio equipment. Given that cinema staff’s music requires transparent guitar tones to blend with synths and bass, amplifiers must provide clarity and definition during drive. From this perspective, the JMP220 and JMP-1 are indeed suitable choices.

Overall, Iida’s amp sound is rooted in “traditional Marshall distortion” while possessing the flexibility to integrate smoothly into the band’s sound. While specific usage scenarios are limited, it is assumed that these Marshall gear pieces are central to his tone.

Types of Guitars Used and Features

At the core of Mizuki Iida’s sound creation is his beloved Fender Jazzmaster. Notably, he often uses the Elvis Costello model, featuring a walnut lacquer finish. Compared to standard Jazzmasters, this model has a more subdued appearance and a sound profile leaning slightly towards the midrange. This model perfectly matches cinema staff’s sound, which blends transparency with tension.

Furthermore, this Jazzmaster has been customized by Iida himself. A Buzz Stop tension bar has been added to enhance string tension and sustain, improving tuning stability. Additionally, the pickup selector has been rendered a dummy, allowing both the front and rear pickups to output in parallel. This modification ensures that the Jazzmaster’s unique midrange and clear highs are consistently achieved.

Live footage and photos confirm that this Jazzmaster is frequently used as his main instrument, indicating its long-standing role as the “core” of his sound. It also plays a significant role in studio work, with its influence strongly reflected in cinema staff’s signature tracks like “great escape” and “シャドウ.”

It is also possible that he uses other Fender models or alternative guitars for secondary purposes or recordings. However, the most clearly confirmed instrument remains this Jazzmaster, making it undeniably his most crucial guitar.

In summary, Mizuki Iida’s guitar selection emphasizes “harmonics and transparency,” “stable rhythm,” and “unique midrange.” The choice of the Jazzmaster allows for a sound that resonates with shoegaze and alternative rock contexts, further enhancing cinema staff’s distinctive sound. While auxiliary gear may be used, the primary focus remains on the customized Fender Jazzmaster.

Effects and Pedalboard Setup

Mizuki Iida’s sound design does not rely on an elaborate pedalboard but instead incorporates effects that effectively enhance the necessary tones. A notable effect confirmed in recordings is the EarthQuaker Devices Palisades overdrive pedal. This pedal expands on the TS-style overdrive design, featuring multiple gain stages and clipping modes. The transparent yet thick drive tones that support cinema staff’s music are likely crafted using this Palisades pedal.

Additionally, the Marshall JMP-1 serves as a preamp in his rack system, functioning as a preamp/amp simulator with effects-like characteristics. The JMP-1 can handle a wide range from clean to high-gain tones and is easily integrated into live setups due to its MIDI control capabilities. It is assumed that the Marshall EL34 100/100 power amp is combined with it to manage the overall output.

In live performances, it is likely that Iida also incorporates additional effects such as delay and reverb for spatial processing. The expansive and echoing characteristics of cinema staff’s music suggest the use of BOSS DD series or Electro-Harmonix delay pedals, combined with the amp’s reverb. While not officially stated, analyzing the song structures and live sound indicates that spatial effects play a vital role in creating depth in clean tones.

Overall, Iida’s pedalboard is considered a “minimalistic approach with essential distortion and spatial processing.” The combination of the Palisades as the core overdrive tone, the Marshall preamp for a solid sound foundation, and the addition of delay and reverb for spatial expansion is believed to be key in achieving the transparent yet emotionally rich sound characteristic of cinema staff.

Tone Settings, EQ, and Mixing Approaches

A significant characteristic of Mizuki Iida’s sound is the balance between “transparent clean tones” and “thick distortion.” This balance is influenced not only by his choice of guitars and amplifiers but also by his EQ settings and mixing techniques. Here, we will analyze his sound design and provide examples of settings to achieve a similar tone.

When using the Marshall JMP220 or JMP-1, it is often speculated that the basic amp settings involve slightly reducing Treble, emphasizing Middle, and keeping Bass modest. Given the Jazzmaster’s tendency to emphasize high frequencies, lowering the treble helps mitigate harshness while bringing the midrange forward, ensuring it stands out within the band context. Furthermore, to take advantage of the sustain created by the Buzz Stop tension bar, it is likely that he keeps the gain at a moderate level, basing his settings on a clean yet crunchy tone.

For a specific EQ balance, the following settings are appropriate:

• Bass: 4-5 (adjusted to avoid excessive boominess)
• Middle: 6-7 (emphasized for presence)
• Treble: 3-4 (to suppress the Jazzmaster’s high frequencies)
• Presence: 5 (to ensure clarity in live settings)

When using the Palisades overdrive, it is crucial to avoid excessive gain, instead using it as a boosting effect. The thickness of the band’s sound is essential, and if the guitar stands out too much, it disrupts the balance of the song. Therefore, selecting a symmetrical clipping mode on the Palisades that adds distortion while maintaining transparency is ideal.

For spatial processing, delay and reverb are employed to create depth. In tracks like “great escape,” a shorter delay time is used lightly to create rhythmic echoes. Conversely, for ballads or mid-tempo songs, deeper reverb settings are likely used to evoke a shoegaze-like ambiance.

From a mixing perspective, Iida’s guitar is often positioned closer to the center rather than spread wide. This arrangement is intentional to complement the vocals, allowing the guitar to function as the “skeleton” of the song. Consequently, sound engineers likely emphasize the midrange of the guitar while allowing the low end to be handled by the bass and separating the high frequencies for synths and hi-hats.

For different songs, the approach varies; upbeat and powerful tracks typically start with a crunchy distortion base, while quieter songs or those focused on arpeggios utilize the amp’s clean channel, adding depth with delay and reverb. This switching creates the unique dynamics characteristic of cinema staff’s music.

Ultimately, Iida’s sound design revolves around “settings that highlight the midrange” and “distortion processing that retains transparency.” Adjustments in EQ and gain, along with the balance of spatial effects, function as key elements supporting his sound. By focusing on these aspects, one can likely replicate a similar sound.

Affordable Alternatives to Recreate the Tone

To fully replicate Mizuki Iida’s sound, one would need gear like the Fender Jazzmaster, vintage Marshall amplifiers, and the EarthQuaker Devices Palisades. However, these can be challenging for beginners and intermediate players due to their price and availability. Therefore, this section will outline more accessible gear options to help achieve a cinema staff-like sound.

Starting with guitars, to recreate the harmonic richness and expansive sound characteristic of the Jazzmaster, similar models or affordable Jazzmaster-style guitars are effective. The Squier Classic Vibe Jazzmaster, part of Fender’s budget line, offers a unique tone while being budget-friendly, making it an excellent choice for first-time buyers. Adding a Buzz Stop tension bar can further align it with Iida’s setup.

For amplifiers, the current Marshall DSL series or CODE series can serve as alternatives to the JMP220 and JMP-1. The DSL20 and DSL40, in particular, are tube amps available at a reasonable price, capable of covering a wide range from classic Marshall sounds to modern distortion. For practice environments, solid-state or modeling amps like the Roland JC-22 or BOSS Katana series are also strong contenders. These amps provide strong clean transparency, making it easier to create the cinema staff atmosphere when combined with effects.

Regarding effects, the BOSS SD-1 or Ibanez TS9 are classic alternatives to the Palisades. Both emphasize midrange while preserving the guitar’s inherent transparency, achieving a tone very close to Iida’s “not overly distorted overdrive.” Additionally, incorporating staple pedals like the BOSS DD-7 (delay) or Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail (reverb) can help recreate the expansive sound characteristic of cinema staff’s music.

In summary, the key to easily replicating the cinema staff sound lies in acquiring “Jazzmaster-style guitars,” “midrange-focused overdrive,” “amps with good clean clarity,” and “effectively using spatial effects.” Especially for beginners, gathering essential pedals from BOSS or Ibanez, a Squier Jazzmaster, and a BOSS Katana amp can yield a very close approximation of the desired sound while keeping costs manageable.

Summary and Conclusion

Mizuki Iida’s sound creation for cinema staff is supported by a meticulous approach that goes beyond mere gear selection, considering the overall ensemble of the band. His main instrument, the Fender Jazzmaster (Elvis Costello model), is modified to allow for constant front and rear parallel output, and the addition of a Buzz Stop tension bar enhances stability. This setup aligns perfectly with his playing style and sound direction, reflecting his musical philosophy.

His amplifiers, such as the Marshall JMP220 and JMP-1, are combined with the EL34 100/100 stereo power amp for recordings, showcasing a versatile approach that adapts to different environments. This allows him to manipulate a sound that balances transparency and thickness, forming a strong foundation that supports the dynamics of the songs.

Regarding effects, Iida selects minimal yet effective options. The EarthQuaker Devices Palisades functions not merely to add distortion but to “thicken” the sound, emphasizing the midrange presence essential to cinema staff’s character. His adept handling of delay and reverb also plays a crucial role, adjusting the depth and spatial processing according to the song, enhancing the overall dimensionality.

In summary, the essence of Mizuki Iida’s sound design lies in “maintaining transparency” and “ensuring midrange thickness.” Rather than overwhelming distortion, his subtle EQ adjustments and mixing techniques allow his guitar to blend naturally within the band’s soundscape while still asserting its presence. This sense of balance is a defining factor that makes cinema staff’s music truly unique.

For readers aiming to replicate his sound, it is essential to focus not on achieving a standalone guitar tone but on understanding the role of each frequency range within the band. By emphasizing midrange settings, maintaining transparent distortion, and effectively utilizing spatial effects, one can move closer to the distinctive sound of Mizuki Iida and cinema staff.