Today while walking back from campus (I went to see my friend Veronica play at Worldstock, check her out cuz she’s awesome!), I was listening to my ipod and the George Harrison song “Someplace Else” came on, immediately followed by a very early Beatles version of “Young Blood” (also sung by George). It amused me. His voice came a looooong way, haha.
Also something I’ve been meaning to mention…this recording engineering class I’m taking is reallllly opening my eyes to all the amazing facets of the studio. This class – if you can believe it – has given me an even greater respect for the Beatles, especially as a studio band. They were revolutionary in so many ways (writing their own stuff, stadium concerts, music videos, concept albums, psychedelia) but I think their greatest impact on the music world was their studio work. It’s just mind-blowing how they could get such new and awesome sounds from magnetic tape and 4 measly tracks. Of course, major props to George Martin, without whom the Beatles’ sound just wouldn’t be the same. I remember him saying something about the boys just bringing in bits of tape with random sounds that they had recorded, and then literally taping them together and looping them through the reels to create, for example, the ending of “Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite.” I mean, who did that?? No one, before the Beatles. They experimented with all sorts of sounds and mic placements and studio musicians…it’s just incredible.
While doing a bit of googling around on this subject, I came across this. HOLY EFF it looks amazing. A year ago this wouldn’t have interested me at all. Now it looks like the most fascinating thing in the world.
For our final project, we’re recording a cover of Lady Madonna. I’m playing piano, fun times. :)
Flip the Record 