Does anybody know what sort of processing was used for the slide part of JH's 'All Along The Watchtower' solo? It has a sort of synthetic, otherwordly doubling sound.

I've heard this sound also in a recent U2 song.
thanx,
-jan

Sounds like an echoplex or similar tape echo used at mixing.

I think the "doubling" you're hearing is actually a virtual harmony caused by the long tape delay. By the time the delayed note hits, Jimi is already playing his next note and the two notes ring simultaneously. Lots of examples of this from other songs. Most recently I've heard it on the solo to Audioslave's "highway"

After listening closely I think Jimi is using a 12 string electric for the slide solo which lends a chorusy doubled sound to it. Coupled with the delay you are now in "otherworldly" territory.

Never seen so much interest in this one part of a tune. It's Eddie Kramer's studio wizardry. Leave it alone. Nobody's going to recreate is cause even Jimi couldn't recreate it live.

Just wanted to mention: when you click on anyone's soundclick page you get a bunch of popup garbage that gets through most blockers. Also, you have to "join" and log onto soundclick to listen to people's stuff.

I didn't want to steal this thread; it's an interesting question -- I side with an echoplex as mentioned. But I tried Carlygtr's site and got a pile of BS along with it.

quote:

Originally posted by carlygtr56:
Never seen so much interest in this one part of a tune. It's Eddie Kramer's studio wizardry. Leave it alone. Nobody's going to recreate is cause even Jimi couldn't recreate it live.

Exactly.

so,if eddie kramer is not in your studio posse-
go with the next best version of the song:
frank marino & mahogany rush's version on
"tales of the unexpected".

quote:

Originally posted by carlygtr56:
Never seen so much interest in this one part of a tune. It's Eddie Kramer's studio wizardry. Leave it alone. Nobody's going to recreate is cause even Jimi couldn't recreate it live.

Perhaps, but studying this sort of thing is not limited to "recreating" it. I hear all sorts of cool tones and tricks on records (classic and otherwise) that I want to bring (the vibe of) to tracks that I cut. It's an age-old trick, that of borrowing from or expounding on cool ideas, and utilizing them in (sometimes unlikely) scenarios.

... and attempting to recreate the impossible almost always leads to something equally as cool and usually more applicable to the situation that you'll be applying it to.

The best answer to this that I had heard so far is it was a zippo lighter on a 12 string played through an Echoplex with plate reverb.

Eddie Kramer will be asked about this song/recording tricks in short order.

I will let you know what I find out.

Regards,
George
http://www.PedalworX.com

It was just on the radio this morning, crazy stuff. one of those things that jsut sticks in your head, I can hear the entire solo going in my head, one of those things that sorta sticks with you...

No doubt, just trying to recreate that sound will come up with something equally as cool.

quote:

Originally posted by carlygtr56:
Never seen so much interest in this one part of a tune. It's Eddie Kramer's studio wizardry. Leave it alone. Nobody's going to recreate is cause even Jimi couldn't recreate it live.

HAHAHAHA... such interest?? 4 whole posts?



You ever have anything happy to say? Maybe we can continue this conversation over at TGP? No wait! You got banned from there... How about HC? No wait!! You got banned from there too! How about (and the list goes on)

quote:

It's Eddie Kramer's studio wizardry. Leave it alone. Nobody's going to recreate is cause even Jimi couldn't recreate it live.

...attempting to recreate the impossible...

Look Jimi was an great player and Kramer may be a studio wizard but the sounds on the tape aren't MAGICAL. They were not created with pixie dust. There was a signal chain which ABSOLUTELY CAN BE APROXIMATED IF NOT DUPLICATED. I hear a 12 string slide guitar with tape delay and plate reverb. Where's the mystery in that?

I have seen studio engineer's PERFECTLY MATCH the eq and ambience of 2 dissimilar tracks (vocals for instance) recorded at different times in different rooms with different gear. This isn't magic - its a art and science combined and perfectly do-able.

FWIW I doubt that the delay is an Echoplex when the most common studio delay unit of the time would have been a spare tape deck. Compared to the 'plex a deck would have higher fidelity and reliability not to mention the ability to vary speed and thus its delay time. Its not impossible that Hendrix recorded the track live with an echoplex but my guess is that the delay was added later during the mix using a deck.

Find yourself an eddy kramer clone on the net, otherwise keep searching