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Post by The End on Jan 10, 2008 12:59:31 GMT
I don't know about you, but I am fascinated in how the Beatles achieved their sound - they really didn't sound like anyone else!
So I have set up this board specially for the techies among us to discuss how that Beatle sound was achieved.
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alexis
I'll Be On My Way
Posts: 447
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Post by alexis on Jan 11, 2008 0:56:09 GMT
For starters ...
1) Good room (#2) 2) Good mics, good mic placements 3) Smart producer
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Post by briank on Jan 21, 2008 6:21:27 GMT
Here's one of the major "secrets" of the Beatles. And it's something I didn't know (or notice) until late into research about them.
- they wanted EVERY record to "sound different" than the ones before. They all do!
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Post by The End on Jan 23, 2008 13:10:22 GMT
Very true - except for parts of their A Hard Day's Night album... did Ringo get a cowbell for Christmas that year or what!? Quite a few of their tracks from early/mid 1964 featured that 4 in the bar cowbell which is possibly why I Call Your Name was omitted from AHDN, as up to that point (and for some time after) their UK albums contained 14 tracks.
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zipp
What Goes On In Your Heart
Posts: 97
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Post by zipp on Jan 23, 2008 13:39:35 GMT
Interesting idea, but I think I Call Your Name wasn't on AHDN because it had already been released by Billy Kramer the year before and the fabs wanted all new songs where possible.
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Post by The End on Jan 23, 2008 13:58:30 GMT
Interesting idea, but I think I Call Your Name wasn't on AHDN because it had already been released by Billy Kramer the year before and the fabs wanted all new songs where possible. True - good point. I think it was suggested for inclusion at some point though - I'll have to check where I read that though.
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Post by the carnabys on Mar 27, 2008 13:24:25 GMT
It'd have slotted in nicely on A Hard Days Night.
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Post by Michelle Revolution on Apr 1, 2008 0:48:24 GMT
Interesting idea, but I think I Call Your Name wasn't on AHDN because it had already been released by Billy Kramer the year before and the fabs wanted all new songs where possible. True - good point. I think it was suggested for inclusion at some point though - I'll have to check where I read that though. This from Lewisohn's book: "Tuesday 3 March 1964 Studio One: 10.00 am-1.45 pm: mono mixes of 'I Should Have Known Better', 'If I Fell', 'Tell Me Why', 'And I Love Her', 'I'm Happy Just To Dance With You' and 'I Call Your Name' Mono remixes, not only for EMI but also for United Artists, the company making the Beatles' film, the latter urgently requiring copies of the six new songs for the soundtrack, which - together with 'Can't Buy Me Love' - would form the complement of seven. One must presume that - at this early stage - 'I Call Your Name' was to have been a part of the film, only to be dropped when the title song 'A Hard Day's Night' came along."
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Post by Bobber on Apr 1, 2008 7:15:28 GMT
Still it's odd that AHDN contains only 13 songs, where 14 was the common thing.
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Post by The End on Apr 1, 2008 8:54:44 GMT
Yeah, I have always thought that too.
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Post by Michelle Revolution on Apr 9, 2008 2:07:48 GMT
I wonder what was said back when it was released. There must have been some letters to Beatle Monthly about the missing 14th track.
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Geoff
I'll Be On My Way
Show Me That I'm Everywhere And Get Me Home For Tea
Posts: 135
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Post by Geoff on Apr 9, 2008 5:00:35 GMT
According to Mark Lewisohn (p.160 of Complete Beatles Chronicle, Ringo took ill on the morning of June 3, the day after the band recorded "Any Time At All," "Things We Said Today," and "When I Get Home." So the Beatles went to EMI and rehearsed some songs with Jimmy Nicol, who was going to sit in for Ringo beginning the next day at a show in Copenhagen, and recorded three demos: "You'll Know What To Do," "It's For You," and "No Reply." "It's For You" was probably always intended only for Cilla Black, and "You'll Know What To Do" is pretty limp. That leaves "No Reply:" the demo was apparently intended for Tommy Quickly, who didn't use it, and the song ended up on Beatles For Sale instead.
Hard to say that any of these were seriously intended for A Hard Day's Night; "No Reply" is the most obvious contender, but if not that one, maybe the Beatles originally planned to record another cover. Dunno, really.
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Post by Bobber on Apr 9, 2008 7:24:20 GMT
I don't think they wanted to do a cover. They were eager to have an album with original material. I have thought about I Call Your Name, but it sounds similar to You Can't Do That in a way. Might have been a reason to leave it out. I would love to here the Beatles demo for It's For You tho.
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Post by The End on Apr 9, 2008 11:50:45 GMT
One point I would make - I don't think Jimmy Nicol played on that early take "No Reply" as that is not the sound of a professional drummer.
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BlueMeanie
For A Number Of Things
I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together
Posts: 606
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Post by BlueMeanie on Apr 9, 2008 12:38:44 GMT
One point I would make - I don't think Jimmy Nicol played on that early take "No Reply" as that is not the sound of a professional drummer. I think that is the sound of Paul sitting in on drums. Nicol had gone home to pack immediately after the rehearsal. He knew all the songs anyway as he played in a cover band. Two of the demo's (both take 1) are on the Purple Chick AHDN: You Know What To Do & No Reply. You Know What To Do has a tambourine (probably John), bass, and guitar.
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Post by The End on Apr 9, 2008 13:30:03 GMT
Both tracks first appeared on Anthology 1. The line-up on No Reply sounds like rhythm guitar, drums and bass plus lead and one backing vocals (John with Paul). Maybe George was on drums!
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Post by the carnabys on Apr 9, 2008 13:33:10 GMT
it could've been anyone knocking around at the time keeping a simple beat too though. I am sure I've got this in a book at home. In rings a bell.
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Post by briank on Apr 26, 2008 8:54:50 GMT
I would certainly say that Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers got the closest to sounding "like the Beatles" in studio tone there. Drums, guitars, etc. It's very similar at times - same people working with them, same studio.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2008 8:00:37 GMT
I would certainly say that Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers got the closest to sounding "like the Beatles" in studio tone there. Drums, guitars, etc. It's very similar at times - same people working with them, same studio. It's very similar indeed briank. Take a listen to this and it's difficult to hear the differences between the opening brass section of the song compared to The Beatles version. Maybe it was the same musicians? It's weird though, lstening to this and expecting that crunching guitar riff just before the final ". . . I got to get you into my life . . . " in the end part of the song - and it's a simple piano for a few seconds! Still, I take your point about Cliff Bennett sounding like The Beatles. Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers - Got To Get You Into My Life [music]http://www.filefreak.com/pfiles/46211/Cliff%20Bennett%20-%20Got%20To%20Get%20You%20Into%20My%20Life.mp3[/music]
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Post by briank on Apr 30, 2008 10:35:02 GMT
Supposedly, Paul wrote it with them in mind - horn etc. And it certainly fits Cliff's vocal style. They released both versions about the same week I recall.
His "Back in the USSR" is pretty damn hot, but I also meant their other songs (not just the two Beatles covers) sound LIKE the Beatles' recordings.
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