Riptide
Vance Joy · God Loves You When You're Dancing (EP) · 2013
The rhythm hook on the original 2012 recording is a ukulele, not a guitar: Vance Joy's 2012 Kala tenor tuned a major 3rd below standard uke pitch, which is where that loose, low, flabby strum comes from. There's no amp and no dirt in the chain - acoustic-electric into mics/DI, tracked at Red Door Studios and mixed by John Castle. To get close on guitar, capo 1, play Am-G-C on the top four strings with a light down-up strum, and keep the bass low and the mids and treble up so the strum stays tight and chimey.
Where these numbers come from: worked out from the documented rig and the sound of the record
Tuning
Standard tuning, no capo · Capo at fret 1
The record is not a guitar part at all: it's a tenor ukulele tuned down a major 3rd from GCEA to Eb-Ab-C-F, fingered with baritone/guitar shapes Am-G-C so it sounds a half step up in Bbm/Db; on guitar in standard tuning, capo 1 with Am-G-C played on the top four strings matches the record's pitch and register.
Guitar
- Kala tenor acoustic-electric ukulele (2012) · Under-saddle piezo · n/a
- Steel-string acoustic guitar (model unconfirmed)
Amp
Full-range acoustic amp or DI/acoustic preamp
No guitar amplifier appears on the record - the uke and acoustic were captured with mics and/or direct, so these are acoustic-amp/DI values for matching the tone live: clean with the bass pulled back so the detuned strum stays tight rather than boomy, mids up for body, treble up for pick attack.
Tone character
bright percussive strum · thin, controlled low end · forward mids · clean, no dirt · loose detuned attack · dry with short ambience
One three-chord loop (Am-G-C, capo 1) with a steady down-up strum - the only real work is keeping the strum even and staying off the low strings so it sits in the uke's register.
Want this on your own amp?
These are the record's settings. Tell us what you play through and we'll translate every knob to the amp you actually own — free.
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