"In my life" middle 8

[Cowfingers]

hi, what instrument did george martin use on the middle 8 of in my life? ive heard it was a harpsichord speeded to double but it doesnt really sound right-it has a electric piano sound to it. am i just imagining this?

thanks

-cowfingers

[SoundWrangler]

Try to locate a copy of "The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions", by Mark Lewisohn. (Unbelievably, currently out of print - check your library for copy?) THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE BOOK FOR ANYONE INTERESTED TECH INFO ON HOW BEATLES TRACKS WERE RECORDED! The accuracy & thorough research is unassailable. (BTW, for a player, it makes a perfect companion to "The Beatles Complete Scores", by Hal Leonard Publishing - the only printed version of Beatles music you should ever need, & easily 99% accurate right down to percussion parts, chord voicings, capos, backing vox, etc.)

 

After he wrote the Complete Beatles Chronicle, the author was given access to all the studio logs (which were quite meticulous). Not only do you get all the info re: what parts were recorded when, they also detail exactly what recording speeds were used for individual parts - so you can easily figure out exactly what original key they were played in. (Ever wondered why many mid-period Beatles tracks aren't exactly at A=440?) They not only sped up parts (sometimes for brightness, sometimes for timbre espec. on vocals, sometimes for double-speed, etc.) but would also sometimes play rhythm tracks faster, so they could be played back slightly slower for a thicker timbre (one facet of the Ringo drum sound mystery).

As to your question: My memory doesn't serve, but I THINK it's piano, recorded at slower speed, not harpsichord. Played by George Martin, of course.

[steadyb]

From: "The Beatles Recording Sessions" - Mark Lewisohn...

 

"The tape box reveals that he originally tried a Hammond organ. Not right. Then he decided on a piano, though there was a problem in playing the type of solo he wanted, baroque style, at the right tempo. The solution was to play at half the speed and then play back the tape at double-speed. It worked, the song was complete, and it went on to become one of the Beatles' most respected pieces of work."

[Odyssian]

I just ordered this book based on your recommendation. I'm looking forward to it, thanks!

 

Originally posted by SoundWrangler:

Try to locate a copy of "The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions", by Mark Lewisohn. (Unbelievably, currently out of print - check your library for copy?) THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE BOOK FOR ANYONE INTERESTED TECH INFO ON HOW BEATLES TRACKS WERE RECORDED! The accuracy & thorough research is unassailable. (BTW, for a player, it makes a perfect companion to "The Beatles Complete Scores", by Hal Leonard Publishing - the only printed version of Beatles music you should ever need, & easily 99% accurate right down to percussion parts, chord voicings, capos, backing vox, etc.)

 

After he wrote the Complete Beatles Chronicle, the author was given access to all the studio logs (which were quite meticulous). Not only do you get all the info re: what parts were recorded when, they also detail exactly what recording speeds were used for individual parts - so you can easily figure out exactly what original key they were played in. (Ever wondered why many mid-period Beatles tracks aren't exactly at A=440?) They not only sped up parts (sometimes for brightness, sometimes for timbre espec. on vocals, sometimes for double-speed, etc.) but would also sometimes play rhythm tracks faster, so they could be played back slightly slower for a thicker timbre (one facet of the Ringo drum sound mystery).

As to your question: My memory doesn't serve, but I THINK it's piano, recorded at slower speed, not harpsichord. Played by George Martin, of course.

[steadyb]

Originally posted by Odyssian:

I just ordered this book based on your recommendation. I'm looking forward to it, thanks!

It's a great read. I got it when it first came out.

[whitefang]

Never read that book. But found the info on speeding up tape, taping slower and the like very interesting. As youths, we all liked to think recording was pretty much straightforward. I should feel betrayed, somehow, but I don't.

 

I recall reading Chuck Berry mentioning his meeting with the Beatles. When they were to jam on some Chuck tunes, the Beatles and Chuck were playing in different keys! I think it was George who explained they had learned the songs off the records, and Chuck explained that often the Chess Bros. would speed up the tape at pressing to make the songs faster and therefore, more "danceable". This speed-up would essentially

change the key!

 

Seems the Beatles not only learned something from this (if it's true!), but also figured out a way to use it in addition WITHOUT the key change.

 

Very interesting. Enjoyed reading all of that!

 

Thanks!

 

Whitefang

[Jeff Klopmeyer]

Originally posted by whitefang:

Seems the Beatles not only learned something from this (if it's true!), but also figured out a way to use it in addition WITHOUT the key change.

Fang, this one is less of a mystery than you'd imagine. The Studer decks would (and still do) run at exact divisions of speed, measured in inches per second (like 15ips and 30ips).

 

It's easy to stay in the same key at exact half time. If you recorded all the other tracks at 30ips and then overdubbed a track at 15, your new track will remain in key. You just need to play it an octave down.

 

The relationship between speed (tape speed, sampling rate, whatever) and pitch is easy. If 440Hz is an "A", then so is 220Hz (and 110Hz, and 880Hz, and 1760Hz). Make sense? If you half or double the speed exactly, you stay in pitch.

 

- Jeff

[Jeff Klopmeyer]

Oh, and by the way: I've always loved that middle 8. It's so different from the rest of the arrangement yet fits in sooooooooo well.

 

If you think about it, the hard part about that phrase would be playing it so slow at half speed! Though at full tempo, I've never been able to do the descnding run at the end well. That would be because I suck as a keyboardist.

 

- Jeff

[D_dup3]

Originally posted by Jeff, TASCAM Guy:

Though at full tempo, I've never been able to do the descnding run at the end well.

 

- Jeff

Few could!