Recording The Beatles
Encyclopedia
Recording The Beatles is a book by Kevin Ryan and Brian Kehew
, published by Curvebender Publishing in September 2006.
The book's full title is Recording The Beatles: The Studio Equipment and Techniques Used To Create Their Classic Albums. It addresses the technical side of The Beatles
' sessions and was written with the assistance of many of the group's former engineers and technicians http://www.recordingthebeatles.com. The book looks at every piece of recording equipment used at Abbey Road Studios
during the Beatles' sessions, including all microphones, outboard gear
, mixing consoles, speakers, and tape machines. Each piece is examined in great detail, and the book is illustrated with hundreds of full color photographs, charts, drawings and illustrations. How the equipment was implemented during the group's sessions is also covered. The effects used on the Beatles' records are addressed in great detail, with full explanations of concepts such as ADT and flanging. The Production section of the book looks at the group's recording processes chronologically, starting with their "artist test" in 1962 and progressing through to their final session in 1970. The book contains several rare and unseen photos of the Beatles in the studio. The studio personnel and the studio itself is examined.
The authors spent over a decade researching the subject matter and offer up their findings in exhaustive detail. The 540-page hardcover book has been highly praised not only for its massive scope, but also for its presentation. The "Deluxe" version, released in September 2006, was housed in a replica EMI multi-track tape-box, complete with faux time-worn edges. Rather than a listing of the tape's contents, the back of the box featured the book's contents, hand-written by former Beatles tape-op and engineer, Ken Scott
. The book was also accompanied by several "bonus items", including reproductions of never-seen photos of the Beatles. The first printing of 3,000 books sold out in November 2006, and a second printing was released in February 2007. The book is currently in its sixth printing.
The book has been critically praised by recognized Beatles authority Mark Lewisohn
(who also contributed the book's Foreword), The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/26/books/26beat.html?ex=1170651600&en=7b17288817704eb2&ei=5070http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/26/books/26bbeat.html?ex=1170651600&en=df2c6647ccdde125&ei=5070, Mojo (magazine)
(which gave it 5 stars), Beatles engineers Norman Smith, Ken Scott, and Alan Parsons
, Yoko Ono
, and many other individuals directly involved with the Beatles' work. The release of the book was celebrated in November 2006 with a party in Studio Two at Abbey Road http://www.recordingthebeatles.com/party/. In attendance were most of the Beatles' former engineers and technicians.
Chapter 2: Personnel
Chapter 3: Mixers
Chapter 4: Outboard Gear
Chapter 5: Microphones
Chapter 6: Tape Machines
Chapter 7: Speakers & Amplifiers
Chapter 8: Effects
Chapter 9: Studio Instruments
Chapter 10: Other Studios
Chapter 11: Production (1962–1970)
Brian Kehew
Brian Kehew is a Los Angeles-based musician and music producer. He is a member the The Moog Cookbook and co-author of the Recording The Beatles book, an in-depth look at the Beatles' studio approach...
, published by Curvebender Publishing in September 2006.
The book's full title is Recording The Beatles: The Studio Equipment and Techniques Used To Create Their Classic Albums. It addresses the technical side of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' sessions and was written with the assistance of many of the group's former engineers and technicians http://www.recordingthebeatles.com. The book looks at every piece of recording equipment used at Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
during the Beatles' sessions, including all microphones, outboard gear
Outboard gear
Musical "outboard equipment" or "gear" alter how an musical instrument sounds. Outboard, can be used either during a live performance or in the recording studio. These are separate from the effects that may be applied by using a mixing console or a digital audio workstation...
, mixing consoles, speakers, and tape machines. Each piece is examined in great detail, and the book is illustrated with hundreds of full color photographs, charts, drawings and illustrations. How the equipment was implemented during the group's sessions is also covered. The effects used on the Beatles' records are addressed in great detail, with full explanations of concepts such as ADT and flanging. The Production section of the book looks at the group's recording processes chronologically, starting with their "artist test" in 1962 and progressing through to their final session in 1970. The book contains several rare and unseen photos of the Beatles in the studio. The studio personnel and the studio itself is examined.
The authors spent over a decade researching the subject matter and offer up their findings in exhaustive detail. The 540-page hardcover book has been highly praised not only for its massive scope, but also for its presentation. The "Deluxe" version, released in September 2006, was housed in a replica EMI multi-track tape-box, complete with faux time-worn edges. Rather than a listing of the tape's contents, the back of the box featured the book's contents, hand-written by former Beatles tape-op and engineer, Ken Scott
Ken Scott
Ken Scott is an English record producer and recording engineer.-Career:Scott started at the age of 16 working in the tape library at Abbey Road Studios. He became a recording engineer working with such acts as The Beatles, Jeff Beck, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones and Procol Harum...
. The book was also accompanied by several "bonus items", including reproductions of never-seen photos of the Beatles. The first printing of 3,000 books sold out in November 2006, and a second printing was released in February 2007. The book is currently in its sixth printing.
The book has been critically praised by recognized Beatles authority Mark Lewisohn
Mark Lewisohn
Mark Lewisohn is an English author and historian, regarded as the world's leading authority on the English rock band The Beatles.-The Beatles and related subjects:...
(who also contributed the book's Foreword), The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/26/books/26beat.html?ex=1170651600&en=7b17288817704eb2&ei=5070http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/26/books/26bbeat.html?ex=1170651600&en=df2c6647ccdde125&ei=5070, Mojo (magazine)
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
(which gave it 5 stars), Beatles engineers Norman Smith, Ken Scott, and Alan Parsons
Alan Parsons
Alan Parsons is a British audio engineer, musician, and record producer. He was involved with the production of several significant albums, including The Beatles' Abbey Road and Let It Be, as well as Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon for which Pink Floyd credit him as an important contributor...
, Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
, and many other individuals directly involved with the Beatles' work. The release of the book was celebrated in November 2006 with a party in Studio Two at Abbey Road http://www.recordingthebeatles.com/party/. In attendance were most of the Beatles' former engineers and technicians.
Contents
Chapter 1: EMI/Abbey Road StudiosChapter 2: Personnel
Chapter 3: Mixers
Chapter 4: Outboard Gear
Chapter 5: Microphones
Chapter 6: Tape Machines
Chapter 7: Speakers & Amplifiers
Chapter 8: Effects
Chapter 9: Studio Instruments
Chapter 10: Other Studios
Chapter 11: Production (1962–1970)