Recording The Beatles 'Revolver': The Sound and the Gear!

[@jamesdrynan]

The serendipity of the creative songwriting of the Beatles conjoined with the experimental engineers created timeless recordings that have sold more than a billion sales. Every year, the younger generations discover the unique quality of the output of these four young men. Wonderful!

[@Tonetwisters]

Please take it from a musician/guitarist of 61+ years (with a short stint as an engineer in a 16-track analog studio), The Beatles were the best of all time ...

[@asherfilms923]

Ringos drum part on tomorrow never knows wasnt a loop! He played it all!

[@tomasmulcahymusic]

Yes, and there are so many other inaccuracies in this I don't know where to start.

[@GolfTesla]

very nice tune, sound and playing at the end..

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! 🙏

[@IreneTimmy]

RIP Mr emmerick, you were genius.thank you

[@hammondjones9484]

After years we finally get a real explanation of the Waves bundle, better than waves themselves!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@johng94x]

Wow the result is absolutely phenomenal!!! Very Revolver esque sounding, you're knowledge of the gear and how it all works is incredible thank you!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you so much! The sound of Revolver was one of my earliest inspirations so I really wanted to investigate every aspect of it. .

[@glennsvoboda6602]

Fantastic piece! Thank you so much for this in depth history/ demonstration!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@allenf.5907]

@@mixingmasteringonline Agree. This in-depth shows it all.

[@beautysfield]

Revolver is one of my favourite albums, you did a great job recreating the sound. You aught to put out an album of this kind of material! keep it up, cheers.

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! That’s very kind of you. I’m just finishing this song now and I’ll be putting it out it very soon.

[@robinfoster7597]

I think that's it's significant that The Beatles themselves, cared about the sound, rather than excepting what the producer offered them - the Beatles pushed for the improvements!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Absolutely!

[@Hiajarock]

They were always pushing forward the music and how is been recorded

[@MarkMikelVideos]

*accepting* but I know what you mean and agree.

[@sundaypainter666]

I have found the greatest channel on KZbin what a day

[@mixingmasteringonline]

You’ve made my day with that comment, thank you so much 🙏

[@thomasshugar5636]

I'd LOVE to see a flow chart for some of the Sgt. Pepper's 'bounced down' tracks, and orchestra, and also the equipment used. That would be EPIC!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Yeah, so much going on with the recording of pepper and still restricted to 4 track, amazing!

[@josephr.lejeune4539]

Brilliantly done, your understanding of the process is impressive. Thank you! A+++

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you Joseph! I really appreciate your kind words 😃

[@EmeraldWoodArchives]

I'd recommend Jerry Hammack's Beatles Recording Reference Manual Vol 3 (1967)

[@Swine-O-Sonic]

That's all done in a series of books my friend. I have several .. if you search recording the Beatles the series pops up they have B/W picture covers.. can't remember the actual title ATM

[@LanceHall]

Emerick liked lots of compression baked into the basic tracks. The "brilliance box" and those EQ points are literally the sound of EMI recordings.

[@thevisorsusa]

I love the cymbal compression sound on this album and on Rain.

[@drumdiscussion7776]

Thanks for inspiring back story information about the recording and techniques used for The Beatles "Revolver" record❤

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you for your kind comment 🙏

[@jefflewis5546]

Im greatful they could come up with the effects to make such amazing sounds. It is still sounds amazing in the modern day, Revolver and white album are my desert island LPS

[@benedwards1047]

Great track mate! Release an album like this!!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thanks for the encouragement! 😀I'm just finishing this one off to put out and then I'll be on to the next..

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Finally got the song out, took a while.. nickdawes.bandcamp.com/track/square-the-circle

[@patrickcasey357]

Love the rhythm guitar tone. Very warm.

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@5150show]

Another incredible video

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you I really appreciate your kind comments 🙂

[@danadavis6199]

Incredible. Thank you for the master class. I will be returning to this and taking notes many times.

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! Really glad it’s useful 😄

[@dweingast]

Really nice video and I like to playing at the end

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! 😃

[@henryrogers5500]

Excellent! Outstanding!! From start to finish!!! Thank you.

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@MarcoPolo-fy4qr]

Top notch vid. Your coverage of the compressors and limiters was great.

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@thack57]

In recent yrs I began wondering what Beatle albums be like if they'd come to America to record. It was amazing that the most important band in popular music ever had to practically beg for equipment. While I enjoy most British artists over U.S. muscians (because you could never tell what was really made by the band's themselves and what was really The Wrecking Crew) but the American studios would very likely cater to all The Beatles needs. They were their own roadies too (them and Mal). Can you imagine any popular bands setting up their equipment?

[@mixingmasteringonline]

It was really odd in those days, couldn't have been more old fashioned British!

[@puzzud]

Damn. You nailed the tone in that lead guitar!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! The pick ups in that Epiphone are actually really good, the guitar itself is not so great but it did the trick I think.

[@Tonetwisters]

Fab stuff going on in 'ear!!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

😃 cheers!

[@bourbonloftstudio]

Well done ! Love the tones on your tracks !

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! 🙏

[@AndyMangele]

Very interesting video - and the song in the end is the cream on top!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! 🙂

[@mixingmasteringonline]

I finally managed to finish it :-) nickdawes.bandcamp.com/track/square-the-circle

[@geno43bom]

Man... What a fantastic job you made!!! Thank you very much!!!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@harvey1954]

I see George in his Dylan cap and sunglasses playing a Burns guitar. Peter Noone of the Hermits was rummaging around Abbey Road closest when he came across a tape box that said "The Beatles For Noone" and assumed it was a gift from the Fabs. So he put it back on the shelf and waited for them to present him with their thoughtful gift. He waited . . . and he waited . . . then one day Revolver comes out with "For No One" on it.

[@soulagent79]

Amazing video. I use the VST-plugin versions of the RS124, the presence boxes and the ADT on almost all of my tracks, with the REDD always on the master bus. Not sure how accurate they really are, but they sound great.

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! They’re great plugins, especially when you consider there is no affordable alternative to the original hardware.

[@matcoffidis1135]

This was really interesting. I liked the track at the end. ✌️☮️❤️

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@rewind2play]

Nice video.. very informative even though i dont understand the technical jargon.

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@tonysienzant6717]

That song you created is FAB !!! I love it !!! Sounds G R E A T ! ! ! ! ! ! !

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! 🙏

[@mixingmasteringonline]

I finally managed to finish it :-) nickdawes.bandcamp.com/track/square-the-circle

[@harvey1954]

Saw them the week this album came out. I bought it the day I saw them in Philly and they didn't do any tunes on it.

[@AndrewLoukidis-jr2bp]

It's hysterical that EMI had all these "rules" for recording The engineers even had to wear lab coats.

[@mixingmasteringonline]

It really was odd wasn’t it. I suppose it was a completely different world back then though.

[@chumbels]

Under the snare. I knew it... I tried it once but didn't really work out.. But that's that crisp snarey snare.

[@PaulFormentos]

First Beatles project with deliberate backmasking

[@MrSkonny]

Love your song at the end. You should maybe do a cd of your songs using the sounds on this song. Thatd be brill. Well done !

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! That’s really kind of you 😃. I like the idea of doing that!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

I finally managed to finish it, not a cd but it can be streamed :-) nickdawes.bandcamp.com/track/square-the-circle

[@blueflagmusic]

Nice one Nick!@@mixingmasteringonline

[@jamesgoulet2528]

Excellent Work !

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@BadBoyBoogie-ko6rj]

Great Job on this video. Thank you!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@thisbusinessofmusic1276]

Great info. Thankyou

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@lg4360]

Well done!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@kalkidasofficial]

You won a subscriber here 👏👏👏

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Great, thank you!

[@albertarguelles3262]

Excellent video Thanks Great job duplicating the sounds too!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@tonywords6713]

your song at the end sounds like Real Estate!!

[@oinkooink]

Very good

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@genegantii8638]

The only tiny little thing I have to point out is your pic of EMI Tony Clarke is of Tony Clarke who was a producer for Deram and later Moody Blues,otherwise this is mindblowing!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@elwin38]

Sounds like She Said, She Said at the end!!🎸🎶

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! I was definitely going for a bit of She Said She Said!

[@thomasshugar5636]

GREAT Video!!!- SUBSCRIBED, and taking notes! THANK YOU!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you Thomas! its much appreciated, glad it was useful 🙂

[@AllanGildea]

Superb!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@HardChair]

Super interesting!

[@michaelrasbury]

Really cool video!!!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@spockboy]

Excellent video. Subscribed.

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! 😀

[@ALOISC1]

Plug & Mix has the Brightness Abbey Road Style Brightness Plug-in to boost or attenuate: 2.8, 3.6 or 10kHz. If you can't afford full price from their site then used gaming and software sites have P&G plugins super cheap. Also East West has FAB FOUR vst- all of the Beatles instruments recorded through original hardware, mics, etc...

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thanks for the heads up!

[@zonoscopePictures]

I love the song at the end-is this your composition? Great stuff !

[@mixingmasteringonline]

It is, thank you!

[@vacuumelite2065]

Splendid research. Incredible results. Did you actually record the bass with a plectrum? The bass tone does sound fat but with some attack articulation.. Thank you for a great video. 😊

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! I think I played the bass with my thumb for this one.

[@glowaves]

It's wild how close you got to the Beatles' Revolver-era sound in your example! Very cool. When you show the plugins, are they at random settings, or at the settings you applied?

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! I applied the settings. Basically, they were quite heavy handed with the compression, so cranking it is a good tip!

[@anthonylakich1727]

i give this video a 10 from the Texas Judge

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@neilanderson9151]

Thanks for the vid! You ever think about covering the production of a Byrd’s album?

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you, I do really like the Byrds. Good call!

[@neilanderson9151]

@@mixingmasteringonline great! It’s really hard to find information about them, but it is out there if you look hard. It would be nice to have a documentary that does more than cover the usual stuff that everybody talks about. I’m getting tired of hearing everyone repeat each other about the basics. :)

[@SeltaebEht]

8:03 Yes, but this one playing here is the "EDITED VERSION" not the slow-down version: the music clip has been cut in pieces and reconstructed by one of the sound engineers, so, basically what's on YS are fragments of Le Reve Passe, not a passage from the song. I've been trying to reconstruct the YS instrumental part but I failed and eventually gave up ... it's just too hard to get the exact bars of music used.

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Wow, now that a proper musical jigsaw. Well done for trying!

[@Abergstrom8]

A lovely video and you really capture the essence of that Revolver sound in the end. Is the final song available somewhere? 😅 (Can't get enough of Revolver)

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! I'm really happy you liked the song 😀. I really need to get round to finishing it at some point..

[@samudamico764]

Yes please 🙏😄@@mixingmasteringonline

[@mixingmasteringonline]

I finally managed to finish it :-) nickdawes.bandcamp.com/track/square-the-circle

[@Abergstrom8]

That's awesome! Thank you for letting us know :D This is gonna be the soundtrack of my weekend @@mixingmasteringonline

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! 🙂

[@thebigsuperbeatle]

not 4120, but more like a 7120 ‘BASS’ model for Paul and a closed back cab which definitely could very well be the first 4120 speaker cabinet

[@pearsonlennon]

Best fucking video ever in my fucking life 👏🤓

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Cool Thank you! 😃

[@arricammarques1955]

Amazing technology for the 1960s.

[@chumbels]

Oooohhh Fairchild. Gimmee

[@PhatLvis]

Good song.

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you!

[@talltim9579]

Why is there no film recording of them actually recording in the studio? They were a huge band, but we only get posed stills until much later. Makes you wonder.

[@_floeter]

Your example definitely had reminiscent tonality in places, probably could get a little closer with a mono dump of this mix to tape. New sub, nice work!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! I really appreciate it 🙂. You're right, I was tempted to mix down to actual tape because it would get it closer, still one of the most difficult things to emulate in plugins I think.

[@nazfrde]

When you're talking about the Artificial Double Tracking, you fail to distinguish (or explain) the difference between straight ADT (in which the signal is copied onto a second track or bus and the varispeed is used to add a slight delay, thereby tricking the ear into thinking there are two voices, etc.) and "flanging" in which the ADT signal was actually sped up and slowed down with the varispeed to create the "whooshing" phasing sound.

[@songlove7777]

The Pro Tools DB-33 is a midi instrument. So not sure you can send vocals through just the Leslie speaker section? Will have a look at it though.

[@mixingmasteringonline]

It's both a midi instrument and an effects insert. If you have it, just search db33 and you can use the Leslie on your audio.

[@songlove7777]

​@@mixingmasteringonlineThat's amazing! Thanks for the info!

[@mikewunder4893]

What's that song at the end of the video?? (Sounds f***ing good!)

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! I made it specifically for this video so it’s just a single verse/chorus. I want to finish it properly at some point though.

[@mikewunder4893]

@@mixingmasteringonline Go ahead and do it! It's great!!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

I will now thanks to your encouragement 🙂

[@mixingmasteringonline]

I finally managed to finish it :-) nickdawes.bandcamp.com/track/square-the-circle

[@officialserpentineRecords]

fuuuck sooo good!!!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! 😃

[@samwillard9997]

full version of the song???

[@mixingmasteringonline]

The full version is up on Bandcamp, nickdawes.bandcamp.com/track/square-the-circle

[@graemesandstrom5654]

What is that last song that is played? Is that a track that was recorded but never put on the album?

[@mixingmasteringonline]

It's something I wrote and played for the video to sound Beatles(ish).

[@mixingmasteringonline]

I finally managed to finish that song It can be streamed here :-) nickdawes.bandcamp.com/track/square-the-circle

[@NoirL.A.]

i've read that they were already using 16 track in the states by this time but EMI were too chintzy to make the change even though they could easily afford it. even if the band had had 16 track available, though, i don't think the album would've ultimately sounded any better than the finished product.

[@La_domniz]

sounds like liam gallagher's new album

[@MountainBlade]

Really? Might have to check that out then!

[@La_domniz]

@@MountainBlade bruh that was 4 months ago

[@MountainBlade]

@@La_domnizI’m always late.

[@jamesdavies5266]

I thought you put the mic in the bass drum

[@boblittle2529]

Staggering amount of technical information here. Over my head, but the musicianship is not. Your song, I think, is begging for some backing vocals but otherwise - you nailed it perfectly!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Thank you! I'll have to finish that song someday and add those bv's, it definitely needs them..

[@greeremalachi926]

no sound/music/beatles examples of the machines for us/me to appreciate whats these things could do then or understand what you are saying. Sound wise, what is compression?

[@eocha24]

Where is your video “Secrets of the classic Beatles album Revolver” ?

[@mixingmasteringonline]

It’s this one, just renamed.

[@eccentricexploringape1246]

Is there a link to the full song?

[@mixingmasteringonline]

Not yet, but I have just finally got round to finishing it so I'll post the link when it's up and let you know, cheers!

[@mixingmasteringonline]

I've just uploaded it to Bandcamp nickdawes.bandcamp.com/track/square-the-circle

[@eccentricexploringape1246]

@@mixingmasteringonlineAwesome!

[@RobbieCalifornia69]

Unreleased Oasis track!

[@PeterGašperan]

what song was used for the intro?

[@mixingmasteringonline]

It’s ‘And your bird can sing’ from the Anthology.

[@PeterGašperan]

thank ye kind sir@@mixingmasteringonline

[@reubenrozeyt5716]

Revolver is better than Sgt Pepper 👇

[@revolve830]

Great stuff. White Album?

[@mixingmasteringonline]

That would be a great one to do, really varied and quite distinctly different from the other albums.

[@DougGrinbergs]

0:44 mic abuse by a young Geoff Emerick😉

[@edryba4867]

Very nice. But when there’s a shot of a turntable, IT’S RUNNING BACKWARDS! The word “LAME” comes to mind…

[@aunch3]

“Revolutionary” has negative connotations as they usually make things worse

[@thomaspick4123]

American Revolver was the worst. It had what, 2 Lennon songs, one of which was crummy. A hodgepodge of other stuff, mostly Paul songs. George’s negative Taxman, and some more Indian drivel. It was their worst. That album before, with the luggage trunk cover, was their last good American album. It was all downhill from there.

[@garethde-witt6433]

That is the sound of a rubbish band

[@johnmaer]

So The Beatles ripped off Motown now to create their sound from 1966 on....????? LOL .....What American music were they trying to emulate or upgrade their sound to? They were leading the world in music from 1963. So, we're to attribute George Martin moving McCartney's bass more up front in the sound mixes to James Jamerson......give me a freaking break. This is history being rewritten at its worst. Bass guitar lines were simplistic and almost nonexistent and hardly audible in Motown recordings from the early 60's. What manure. McCartney elevated bass guitar parts and the tonal output.....but let's not necessarily credit USA pop, rockabilly, R & B, soul too much.

[@ThisWeirdOldMan-bl8kt]

Damn, dude. I'm pretty sure this credit given to Jamerson as an influence is based directly on what Paul McCartney has said on the subject. Jamerson's bass lines were great from the outset...and if anyone could notice the flavor in a baseline I'm sure McCartney would be chief among them regardless of it's prominence in the mix. Why so reactionary on the subject? You're not some kind of white supremacist bass player, are you? Because that would be an especially ludicrous thing to be racist about. I mean, seriously.

[@danielburns4483]

I don't think you can credit US pop rockabilly R&B and soul too much at all, lmao. The electric energy on those records is unbelievable and every Beatle would have told you how much they were drawing from it. And motown bass playing is famously exceptional. are you insane

[@johnmaer]

@@ThisWeirdOldMan-bl8kt Maybe Paul stole from Jamerson.....but McCartney and George Martin were smart enough to put Paul's melodic and creative bass lines more upfront in the production mix.....Beatles records from Sgt. Pepper's were noteworthy for the bass being right out there in most every track.

[@ThisWeirdOldMan-bl8kt]

@@johnmaer being influenced by Jamerson doesn't mean he stole from him or isn't an innovator himself

[@johnmaer]

@@ThisWeirdOldMan-bl8kt Not at all....McCartney had the more melodic, lead guitar-like bass in Beatles/Wings songs....most folks wouldn't even know who Jamerson was....or know of a signature Motown tune or a memorable bass line. Paul used different bass guitars to alter his tone....Jamerson didn't. Paul was a more iconic bass player......hands down. Based on Paul's bass sound, I wouldn't even say he copied Jamerson.