Early Beatles Sound

[PTUser NYC]

You guys are all full of it. Everyone knows the Beatles recorded on four track. Sheesh.

It was a SOUND TOOLS system.

Don't let these guys get you down with their fake PT stories.

[AmazingOne]

I have been finding the emulation solutions to be quite amusing. I'm glad my Fairchild plug-in was modeled after the recent "wonderful" Alicia Keys sound.

[JKD99]

Glad you're keeping it in perspective.

To (try) to answer your question, I'm not sure if there are plug-ins available, through Digi or 3rd party, that model the specific gear in the specific historical timeframe you mention in your initial post. Having said that, I'm also not sure if the actual EMI-Chandler and Fairchild, etc. analog stuff sounded markedly different in the earlier, pre-1967 years than it did later on, so you may already be in the ballpark, at least for a plug-in emulation and not the real deal.

Good luck!

[PTUser NYC]

A real answer? OK, but I doubt you'll like it. It is however, the correct answer to your question.

1) Use your ears to determine the hallmarks of the sound you're trying to acheive.

2) Use the gear you have that best approximates the sound to track the parts.

3) Listen to what you've got, and try to imagine what is lacking. use your imagination to determine what other gear you have might impart that color.

This is all there is to audio engineering (well besides some technique about levels, and how to properly use your gear, oike needing phantom power for a condenser mic etc.)

The fact is that a good engineer could make something sound modern or "vintage" with the same gear. If you're under the impression that there is a set of equipment that you just plug in, and then it sounds like the Beatles, well then you would be so wrong as to... well... provoke a page of sarcastic responses.

Does a Fender Twin sound like Chuck Berry, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, or a Country Record?

See what I mean?

[Alécio Costa]

You guys missed the point. Albums were entirely tracked with a craked copy of cakewalk.
NASA borrowed them their first tube computer. It´s from this gear they achived the sound made them famous for.

[CPettigrew]

Cpettigrew,

That's some fine writing! Don't listen to the naysayer.

Many thanks, BlueDog. Much appreciated.

Now, about that time I recorded the late '60s, never released, ten song album, "Elvis Sings Joni/Joni Sings Elvis"....(Only Joni's "You're So Square" survives)

Not to mention the whereabouts of their love-child.....


Craig

[Druphus]

His second post was disappointing- I feel cheated...

[AmazingOne]

As JKD99 pointed out, most of the people mis-read the original question. It was more of a challenge to see who was successful in emulating the sweet delay/reverb sounds of the particular songs. Just as we know that many guitarists were after the famous Eddie Van Halen "brown sound", it was a matter of time before that emulation was successful. While I use my Neumann tube condenser mic for it's sound, and hardware tube compressors and mic pres, I think it would be interesting to see if someone had come up with workng parameters of existing plug-ins to get the sound of the delay/reverb in those early songs.


Poster PTUser NYC used the example of emulating the sound of a Fender Twin(which I had two in my lifetime) to sound like Chuck Berry, Chilli Peppers or a country record. Thankfully, plug-ins like Amp-Farm, Amplitube and Guitar Rig do a good job or nailing a specific preset..example: Jimi Hendrix-Foxy Lady.

Hope that clears it up for ya.

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv86wdHJFUM

[rockridge]

... a challenge to see who was successful in emulating the sweet delay/reverb sounds of the particular songs...

The Beatles recorded as a group in the early days... all at once in a "sweet" space.
The interaction of the room, the mic's, the amps, and overall volume made the sound.

Could the sound be replicated to your satisfaction is another thing entirely.

... like remembering your first kiss and trying to recapture the feeling.

[Druphus]

Mr 'Amazing' I think maybe the best thing you could do right now is to sell your rig and get a job in a recording studio for around 7-10 years which would hopefully be long enough for you to actually stand a chance of learning something useful from great engineers with a wealth of experience.

Most people come here to find the answers to problems or to share their knowledge and advise less experienced users so please don't waste their time with pointless ill formated questions.