Taming the Tiger features prominent use of the Roland VG-8 virtual guitar system. This setup allowed Mitchell to switch between different alternate tunings with the press of a button rather than having to retune the guitar between each song – the frustration of which was a main factor in her decision to give up touring after 1983. While the guitar remained in standard tuning, its sound would be processed to create the sound of the alternative tuning she had chosen. The unique sound of the guitar, described by
David Yaffe in
Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell as "a computerized approximation of a guitar with a head cold", created a more atmospheric, ambient sound which is prevalent throughout the album. ==Notable covers==