'recoding the beatles' the best book ever

[sleeper1400]

yes,
there have ben other posts. but i stumbled apon this book at my local colleges library.

OMG. all ther answers are here.

why does gearslutz even exist?
lol.

this book sells for 179 us dollars minimum.

and why not, should sell for more. it is a text book.

i sat down to read it, then within a blink of an eye, the library was closing, 3 hours i spent readin this. and wasnt even half way through.

its kind of surprising info like this, info this valuble is available to the public.

it makes me wonder, if in 10 years, zeppelin or aerosmith will do the same.


amazing book.

anyone seen it?

[fallforward]

looks good. Listed here for $100

Recording The Beatles (Deluxe Edition)

[Syngriner]

Hey Sleeper
RECORDING THE BEATLES does rock! I ordered the deluxe version about a year ago and have read it cover to cover twice. I am just starting the third read through. So much great information. It is the recording geeks ultimate porno. Actually I paid $130.00 with shipping. There was just so much innovation during their relatively short recording history, I think it would be tough for any other band's recording history to compete. Glad you enjoyed it. thumbsup

[nickynicknick]

yep...everything you need to know...about the way they recorded

[Saxon-of-a-son]

I love the book. I wouldn't want to be limited to a 4-track, as they were most of the time, but it was a hell of a tape machine.

[jmikeperkins]

"Recording The Beatles" is like porn for Gearslutz. I thought I knew a lot about the subject, because I read everything I can get my hands on which talks about recording the Beatles, but then I got the book and holy crap! There are TONS of things in there I never even imagined! I bought the delux edition of course, and when I start reading it, days can go by without food or sleep and I don't even realize it! But it does not replace Gearslutz.com, if anything it enhances it by giving slutz hundreds of newly discovered things to write about. It also makes me want to have some EMI Chandler gear! If Gearslutz could give a Lifetime Achievement Award it would go to the authors of that book.

J. Mike Perkins

[TonyBelmont]

Ok... Here's a question to those who have read the book... After reading it, how many of you applied their techniques to your own recordings? How many people sold their DAW's and bought a 4 track and a U48? Or did anything else similarly extreme for 2009?

It's great to read information like this for entertainment purposes... But, I would love to see someone try to record an album LIKE THEY DID in this era of music!

[sniperschool]

i got it when it was first released and waited to find the time to really read it rather than skim through it
my only problem with it was also one of the best things about it - its size!
there were a dozen flights i would have loved to have had it on
and countless nights in hotel rooms
but it would have taken up most of my carry on luggage!
wished the text had been put up on a site for where owners could log on and access

S/.

[jmikeperkins]

You can learn a lot from the book even if you don't go out and get a U48 and a Studer J37. Being so familiar with the original recordings, its really interesting to learn the very different techniques used by Norman Smith, Jeff Emerick, and Glyn Johns to record Ringo's drums for example. You can clearly hear the difference between the STC/Coles ribbon mic (Norman Smith), the AKG D19c (Jeff Emerick), and the Neumann U67 (Glyn Johns) when being used for overheads. Also, during Abbey Road it was really interesting to learn a Sony C38 was used on kick drum. I knew about the heavy use of the Fairchild 660 but I did not know how important the EMI modified Altec 436 compressor was to the sound of the Beatles. I also learned how Jeff Emerick would record Paul's bass last (as in Penny Lane) and how he put a C12 on it out in the middle of the room to give it added space. I think the photos and drawings of the mic placements alone are worth the price of the book as everything is labeled. The baffles used are very interesting to see.

Sure, with modern technology, no one is likely to record on a 4 track like the Beatles did. Also, as so much of the gear used was custom EMI stuff, its not something you can get (except for some Chandler reissues). I am sure I could never get the John Lennon "Revolution" guitar sound because I don't have the same EMI pre to overload, but that does not mean the book is usleless. Like anything, you pick and choose bits to use.

J. Mike Perkins

[TurboJets]

Originally Posted by sleeper1400

it makes me wonder, if in 10 years, zeppelin or aerosmith will do the same.

I'm a hardcore Zep fan but can't imagine Kramer's recording techniques with them ever being worth writing about. The recordings themselves seem to kinda suck really. That's just me. And don't get me wrong, I love their albums as they are and it's a great experience to listen to but from an engineering perspective I only have complaints really.

Am I missing something?

[seaneldon]

Best book ever? Eh...

That award goes to Michael Azerrad's "Our Band Could Be Your Life".

[seaneldon]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

It's great to read information like this for entertainment purposes... But, I would love to see someone try to record an album LIKE THEY DID in this era of music!

Seriously, who gives half a shit about "eras" of music? One thing that can probably be universally accepted is that the "best music" is music that is timeless. Written and arranged by people who know how to write and arrange, played by cats that can play when the material is fresh and the passion level is through the roof...

I can make great records with a U48 and a 4 track...and it gets WAY easier to do if the record is already great. This goes for almost any equipment, and almost any recordist.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

I can make great records with a U48 and a 4 track...and it gets WAY easier to do if the record is already great. This goes for almost any equipment, and almost any recordist.

I would love to see you or anyone else on the forum try... It would be a wonderful thing to see... No DAW or hard disk... no plugins.... just a Studer J37 4 track.

[seaneldon]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

I would love to see you or anyone else on the forum try... It would be a wonderful thing to see... No DAW or hard disk... no plugins.... just a 4 track.

How about a Coles 4040 and 4 channels of a RADAR? Close enough? I can be done tomorrow...

I'll even bounce tracks while applying high frequency attenuation and adding white noise!

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

How about a Coles 4040 and 4 channels of a RADAR? Close enough? I can be done tomorrow...

I'll even bounce tracks while applying high frequency attenuation and adding white noise!

No, that would be cheating.

[seaneldon]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

No, that would be cheating.

So no bouncing? I also promise to not use the "UNDO" button on the RADAR.

[matskull]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

Best book ever? Eh...

That award goes to Michael Azerrad's "Our Band Could Be Your Life".

That was an awesome book but it was sad at the same time because it revealed the "not fun" part of being in a band.

It made me remember about bad experiences I had with bands that I considered to be everything I had.

[Waltz Mastering]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

Ok... Here's a question to those who have read the book... After reading it, how many of you applied their techniques to your own recordings? How many people sold their DAW's and bought a 4 track and a U48? Or did anything else similarly extreme for 2009?

It's great to read information like this for entertainment purposes... But, I would love to see someone try to record an album LIKE THEY DID in this era of music!

Although the technical information is covered in depth I think it's more the processes and the ideology behind the veil that you can apply to the concept of recording and sound if you choose to.

[sleeper1400]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

Ok... Here's a question to those who have read the book... After reading it, how many of you applied their techniques to your own recordings? How many people sold their DAW's and bought a 4 track and a U48? Or did anything else similarly extreme for 2009?

It's great to read information like this for entertainment purposes... But, I would love to see someone try to record an album LIKE THEY DID in this era of music!

actually, in the time i read it i learned that most of the compressoers, and eq were made on site.

the pics proved it.

it makes me want to learn more about electrical engineering.
especially how to make things like "presence boxes".

i know this may sound naive to say, but how hard can it be?

part of there sound was home made gear right?

so, whats stopping us?

[seaneldon]

Originally Posted by sleeper1400

part of there sound was home made gear right?

so, whats stopping us?

Untrained hands and harmful voltages?

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

So no bouncing? I also promise to not use the "UNDO" button on the RADAR.

You don't get it... It's not a challenge if someone can do it... it's a matter of I read this book, and now I want to apply the same techniques to my recordings.

Originally Posted by Waltz Mastering

Although the technical information is covered in depth I think it's more the processes and the ideology behind the veil that you can apply to the concept of recording and sound if you choose to.

Yes, I can see that being the most valuable info that someone would take from a book like this.

Originally Posted by sleeper1400

actually, in the time i read it i learned that most of the compressoers, and eq were made on site.

the pics proved it.

it makes me want to learn more about electrical engineering.
especially how to make things like "presence boxes".

i know this may sound naive to say, but how hard can it be?

part of there sound was home made gear right?

so, whats stopping us?

Much of the gear of that era was custom made... How hard can it be? It all depends... It takes a lot of thinking and problem solving to make something like a presence box from scratch. But, it can be done depending on how familiar with electronic circuits you are.

[sleeper1400]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

Untrained hands and harmful voltages?

i understand the humor.

but seriously.(and yes, i know whom i am discussing this with)

is it really that hard to make an EQ box?

even an idiot. like myself, may fry a few circuts,
and scare the wife and kids from coming near the the garage....

but seriously. an eq is in a nutshell
is a variable resistor set to a certian voltage ie. frequency. right?

if i wanted to, im sure i could find some radio shack basics yes?

im not trying to change the world. im letting the 12 yr old boy out to play!

[seaneldon]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

You don't get it... It's not a challenge if someone can do it... it's a matter of I read this book, and now I want to apply the same techniques to my recordings.

That's not how I interpreted it...it read very much like a challenge!

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by sleeper1400

i understand the humor.

but seriously.(and yes, i know whom i am discussing this with)

is it really that hard to make an EQ box?

even an idiot. like myself, may fry a few circuts,
and scare the wife and kids from coming near the the garage....

but seriously. an eq is in a nutshell
is a variable resistor set to a certian voltage ie. frequency. right?

if i wanted to, im sure i could find some radio shack basics yes?

im not trying to change the world. im letting the 12 yr old boy out to play!

Check out prodigy-pro for some ideas on DIY'ing your own gear... There's no reason you couldn't make something if you had something to start from (a previously designed circuit)... But, something really great from scratch? That's a lot to aspire to...

[seaneldon]

+1 on Prodigy-Pro. Lots of smart fellers over there.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

That's not how I interpreted it...it read very much like a challenge!

Hey, if you get a hold of a Studer J37, then we'll do it together at MY studio.

But, my original point was basically... How many people after reading the book were willing to leave the modern conveniences of DAW's, etc behind and try to record their music the way the Beatles did.

[seaneldon]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

But, my original point was basically... How many people after reading the book were willing to leave the modern conveniences of DAW's, etc behind and try to record their music the way the Beatles did.

What if I don't really care how the Beatles were recorded and didn't want much to do with "modern conveniences" before the book was published?

Still a cool book, nonetheless. Worth more than a crisp Benjamin? End user dependent...

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

What if I don't really care how the Beatles were recorded and didn't want much to do with "modern conveniences" before the book was published?

I guess that would be a different discussion that's not as relevant.

[seaneldon]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

I guess that would be a different discussion that's not as relevant.

We should have a reality TV show. No one would watch.

How's THAT for adding relevant bits to an internet discussion?

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

We should have a reality TV show. No one would watch.

How's THAT for adding relevant bits to an internet discussion?

Not bad.