That Sound: "Just the Way You Are"

[fender1944]

Any ideas for getting the sound right on "Just the Way You Are" from The Change of Address album 1980.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRnxnz5Y5ZE

[dave robinson]

I'd say that was a very light and short repeat with minimal regen (feedback) but with some chorus, nowhere near the Apache - Wonderful Land sound of the early i sixties. It's anything but what people perceive as THAT SOUND.
The chorus isn't heavy though, it's subtle and if you can hear it swirling it's too much.
I have actually heard a very similar sound on one of the stock patches on my new Spark amp. The SRV & Dire Straits patches sound quite close and upon inspection each have chorus and light delay.

[MeBHank]

Chorus, Dave? Are you sure?

I've long been intrigued by the type of ambient reverb that was added to Hank's sound throughout the 1980s, too. It's often barely detectable; it's not identifiable as 'room' or 'hall' reverb, but it helps the guitar sit within the mix beautifully even when there's very little echo in use.

Per, it would be good to know what equipment you have, especially the echo unit.

[dave robinson]

I can hear chorus in there but as I described, it doesn't have to be obvious to thicken it. Think of it as modulated ADT.
It could possibly have been the chorus on his Roland or the MXR. It's nowhere near as severe as the chorus on the piano, but it's definitely got modulation in there. Like I said, I found a sound very close on the Spark and upon examination there's chorus and single delay involved, though very subtle. Also compression and reverb are in there too.

[dave robinson]

In a conversation with Dick Plant, I was made aware that Hank often used the Roland for recording and there were issues with levels of echo & distortion so he made some echoes on the digital device in the studio at the time of the recordings to get the job done, which is likely what was done here. That said, it was Peter Vince who engineered the 'Change Of Address' album from which this track originally came.

[Tigerdaisy]

Chorus, Dave? Are you sure?

I've long been intrigued by the type of ambient reverb that was added to Hank's sound throughout the 1980s, too. It's often barely detectable; it's not identifiable as 'room' or 'hall' reverb, but it helps the guitar sit within the mix beautifully even when there's very little echo in use.

Per, it would be good to know what equipment you have, especially the echo unit.

You can definitely hear some modulation 'swirling' right from the intro and also reverb.

[dave robinson]

Chatting again with Dick this afternoon, he told me that Hank wasn't a big fan of chorus so possibly not on this track, but the short echo with use of the arm would give a similar impression.

[Tigerdaisy]

Chorus, Dave? Are you sure?

I've long been intrigued by the type of ambient reverb that was added to Hank's sound throughout the 1980s, too. It's often barely detectable; it's not identifiable as 'room' or 'hall' reverb, but it helps the guitar sit within the mix beautifully even when there's very little echo in use.

Per, it would be good to know what equipment you have, especially the echo unit.

You can definitely hear some modulation 'swirling' right from the intro and also reverb.

Listening again it's obvious the 'chorus' is on the keyboard, not the guitar.

[dave robinson]

There's chorus on the bass guitar too in a big way.
Regardless of what Dick has said, I can hear modulation on Hank's notes and maybe it is use of the trem along with the short delay, but it's easy to copy and sound very similar using a bit of light chorus. Hank also said he didn't use reverb either, but his guitar was treated by the engineer after he played it, so there's reverb as well as compression and heaven knows what else.

[fender1944]

Very Interesting!

Justin: Im using a fender strat, Matchless DC30 amp and Hall & Collins echo.