Recording The Beatles

A detailed look at every piece of studio gear used, full explanations of effects and recording processes, and an inside look at how specific songs were recorded.

Photographer Henry Grossman befriended the Beatles in the 1960s, traveling with them around the world. His photos show their lives behind the fame, with intimate glimpses into their personal lives. This book contains nearly 1,000 photos, most of which are unseen.

One of the most important documentaries on rock music ever published, this is EMI Records' official diary-format history of every Beatles recording session. Now in paperback. Researched from hundreds of unreleased Abbey Road archive tapes, featuring thousands of previously unpublished studio documents and interviews with many of the key recording personnel. The book is filled with over 350 color and black-and-white photographs and illustrations, including rare photos by Linda McCartney and the first facsimile reproductions of Abbey Road recording sheets, tape boxes, album sleeve roughs, memos, contracts, press releases and much more.

An all-access, firsthand account of the life and music of one of history's most beloved bands--from an original mastering engineer at Abbey Road Geoff Emerick became an assistant engineer at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in 1962 at age fifteen, and was present as a new band called the Beatles recorded their first songs. He later worked with the Beatles as they recorded their singles “She Loves You” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” the songs that would propel them to international superstardom. In 1964 he would witness the transformation of this young and playful group from Liverpool into professional, polished musicians as they put to tape classic songs such as “Eight Days A Week” and “I Feel Fine.” Then, in 1966, at age nineteen, Geoff Emerick became the Beatles’ chief engineer, the man responsible for their distinctive sound as they recorded the classic album Revolver, in which they pioneered innovative recording techniques that changed the course of rock history. Emerick would also engineer the monumental Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road albums, considered by many the greatest rock recordings of all time. In Here, There and Everywhere he reveals the creative process of the band in the studio, and describes how he achieved the sounds on their most famous songs. Emerick also brings to light the personal dynamics of the band, from the relentless (and increasingly mean-spirited) competition between Lennon and McCartney to the infighting and frustration that eventually brought a bitter end to the greatest rock band the world has ever known.

After years out of print, a new edition of this hotly sought-after classic is available again Mark Lewisohn's definitive guide covers every recording session done by the Beatles at EMI's famed Abbey Road recording studio. It includes the number of takes for each song; who contributed what; previously unpublished studio documents and interviews with many of the key recording personnel; and facsimile reproductions of Abbey Road recording sheets, tape boxes, album sleeve roughs, memos, contracts, press releases and more. Lavishly illustrated with over 350 photographs (rare images by Linda McCartney among them), this must-have volume also features an exclusive introductory interview with Paul McCartney.

"The first book of the four-book series, The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 1: My Bonnie through Beatles For Sale (1961-1964) tracks the evolution of the band from their earliest recordings and initial hits, through Please Please Me, With The Beatles, A Hard Day's Night, and Beatles For Sale. From the first take to the final remix, discover the making of the greatest recordings of all time. Through extensive, fully-documented research, these books fill an important gap left by all other Beatles books published to date and provide a unique view into the recordings of the world's most successful pop music act. The collection and analysis of hundreds of recordings (takes, outtakes, remixes and release versions), books, magazine articles, photos, film and video evidence, and interviews with key engineers who worked on the sessions filter out the noise of myth and conflicting fact to arrive at an accurate telling of the creation of The Beatles classic recordings“--Provided by publisher.

The second book of the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC)-nominated, four-book series, "The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 2: Help! through Revolver (1965-1966)" follows the evolution of the band from the end of Beatlemania with "Help!" through the introspection of "Rubber Soul" up to the sonic revolution of 'Revolver". From the first take to the final remix, discover the making of the greatest recordings of all time. Through extensive, fully-documented research, these books fill an important gap left by all other Beatles books published to date and provide a unique view into the recordings of the world's most successful pop music act. The collection and analysis of hundreds of recordings (takes, outtakes, remixes and release versions), books, magazine articles, photos, film and video evidence, and interviews with key engineers who worked on the sessions filter out the noise of myth and conflicting fact to arrive at an accurate telling of the creation of The Beatles classic recordings. Book features: Commercial releases during the period (albums, singles and extended play (EP) discs) Song-by-song narratives of work during the period in order of first recording (Each narration includes an introduction to the song, information on the technical team responsible for production and a description of the construction of the song from the first take to the final remix, detailing the entire recording process.). An easy to follow diagram of the recording process. A year-by-year overview of the recording studios used by the band, including the available equipment configurations. A year-by-year overview of the instruments and amplifiers used by the band. A session-by-session breakdown of every technical component used in the creation of the songs (listing the session date, location, work completed, technical staff, musicians, instruments used, amplifiers used, recording equipment, microphones and studio effects used). A listing of mono and stereo master remixes, their dates of creation and their release versions (for UK release). Tables outlining the use during the period of electric and acoustic guitars, basses, drums, percussion, keyboards and other instruments, amplifiers, EMI Studios outboard equipment and microphones. An explanation of technical equipment in relation to The Beatles recording sessions. A glossary of terms. A complete bibliography.