Wind of Change

The recording

Recorded during the 1990 Crazy World sessions, “Wind of Change” was produced by Keith Olsen and engineered by Erwin Musper and Olsen, with assistant engineers Shay Baby, Attie Bauw, Albert Boekholt and Tom Fletcher. The clean electric guitar parts, performed by lead guitarist Matthias Jabs, sit subtly beneath the orchestral strings and vocal line, delivering a bright, bell‑like tone that contrasts with the track’s acoustic rhythm guitars. The mix highlights the guitar’s sustain and reverb‑laden ambience, giving the solo a soaring quality.

Tuning Standard (E A D G B E)

Reported gear

1970s Fender Stratocaster

Guitar

Lead guitarist Matthias Jabs used a Fender Stratocaster, likely a 1970s model, to produce the clean, bell‑like tones heard on the track.

Vox AC30 (30‑Watt Combo)

Amp

The guitar was run through a Vox AC30, a classic 30‑watt tube amp prized for its chime and smooth breakup, capturing the song’s shimmering clean tone.

Alternatives

Fender Player Stratocaster

Modern equivalent · for the 1970s Fender Stratocaster

$700 to $800

Vox AC30 Reissue

Reissue · for the Vox AC30 (30‑Watt Combo)

$2,000 to $2,400

Practical playing approach

Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.

1. 1.Select the neck pickup and roll the tone knob back to keep the clean tone warm.
2. 2.Arpeggiate the chords with a light attack, allowing each note to ring fully.
3. 3.Add subtle vibrato on sustained lead notes to match the vocal phrasing.
4. 4.Use the guitar’s volume knob to control the attack of the lead lines.
5. 5.Bend a full step on the solo’s key notes, keeping the bend smooth and in‑time.