New Beatles book expected very soon!

beatlefan · Post by **beatlefan** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 3:13 pm

It's not that I can't put it down....I just can't pick it up!

I'm taking it up to Deep Creek Lake this weekend to relax after a months worth of moving.....I will delve into it then...I did appreciate the little "gift" packet! Very cool stuff...

Absolutely worth the C-note!

fran4001 · Post by **fran4001** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 5:52 am

Good one Chris! Anyway, Brian, the book is amazing, and had I known this is what I was getting, I would have gladly shelled out more than a C note.

briank · Post by **briank** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:29 pm

Yes, it's hard to convince people (without sounding like hype) that the book IS different than other books in some ways. It's certainly bigger than most, and we worked hard to make sure the printing was great, binding wouldn't fall apart, thick paper etc. Those things all add up to enhance the text and information.

wolfgang · Post by **wolfgang** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 3:43 am

Ken Townsend: "As a reference book for the future, this is absolutely brilliant"
Mark Lewisohn:"Books such as 'Recording the Beatles' are done not for the money but out of love"
-from the forewords

My copy arrived yesterday. Brian, this is a wonderful piece of work. All the information from chapters I, II and III, brilliant, never seen so much facts and details. This IS the 'Abbey Road Studios' reference book.
Chapter IV will bring us many new debates and discussions (yes, Fenders on 'Ticket to Ride'!) and, no doubt, much fun.

But, where are the schematics

briank · Post by **briank** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 8:21 am

We know. The book is aimed for "normal" people, people not that technical. We decided not to (and agreed not to, with Abbey Road) publish schematics. There's certainly more that could have been in the book (disc cutting, more on the other studios used), but it's almost too big already...

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 8:33 am

"Normal" people with a hundred dollars to spend on a book, that is...

(Sorry, Brian, but sometimes I can't resist...)

wolfgang · Post by **wolfgang** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 10:16 am

Brian,
there are the original schematics of some V-series cassettes in the web, as well as circuit diagrams of the Altec and Faichild limiters and many more. It was meant as a joke. The book is brilliant.

greg_feo · Post by **greg_feo** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 10:50 am

brian..
why do some have the extra bonus material..very nice extra little package? some do not?
Mark H's. in Torono did not have it.
btw
It will no longer fit in that slip cover box...lol

one of a zillion bits as I flipped around it..NO vox amps back in the studio until "she said she said' ...

kudos!
thanx u guys!
greg

simonmole · Post by **simonmole** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 6:57 am

just thought I should add (to reassure any UK forumites thinking about the book)that my copy's just arrived! it's already crossed the Atlantic no problem and all the tasty extras have really whetted my appetite - it looks truly, truly special out of its box, but that's all I'm allowed till Christmas according to my wife (who paid!)... she's not my mum, though, so I'm going ahead!...er, erm, don't tell her though....!!!!!!!

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:22 am

Greg, I think the first 1000 got the extra bonus material, in addition to getting signed copies.

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 12:10 pm

I got the bonuses, but no sigs. My number is 9 hundred something.

No complaints though, the book is cool.

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 5:17 pm

I got both the bonus stuff and the signature, and mine is 577. The book is awesome!

Personally I wish there were schematics for the modded Altec and Fairchild compressors, and also for the REDD tube powered boards that were used, but if EMI doesn't want them out in the public, I can understand.

I wish I could get access to the original Beatles master tapes and solo instruments! It would be so much easier to learn songs!!

briank · Post by **briank** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 8:41 pm

Hey! I wish things even MORE demanding than that! But, as we know...

At least, someday, you might get your wishes somehow...

wolfgang · Post by **wolfgang** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 1:25 am

hello Brian,
I just read the ADT/Flanger/Phasing chapter.
Thanks for the details.
I want to mention just two things: why couldn't they achieve a deeper "phasing" cancellation of the whole signal? The simple solution: because of additional phase shift caused by the additional machine in the "delay" sound chain.
Mixing two identical signals from two identical machines (as described for "Itchico park" leads to a deeper cancellation of the signal when passing through 0ms time shift.
The second: comparing "Good morning, good morning" Anthology version to the 'Pepper released version, we hear some ADT on the vocal track (only) in the first line.
And we can hear it sung in a minor key on the anthology version. "nothing to do to SAVE his life..." "Save" is low in pitch. To me, they shifted this note a semitone to the major key, applying ADT and shifting the sine generator on the word "save" to lift it a semitone.
Good idea?

briank · Post by **briank** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 9:09 am

Wolfgang -

Note that they probably didn't always want stronger phasing, they often used it very subtly. Total cancellation WAS possible at any time, but note that they often kept phasing to just a few tracks (almost never the whole mix, like Itchycoo Park). Total cancellation does happen, in fact, on some Beatles tracks, but only for a moment with only a few instruments.

The pitch change is something I don't know about. I recall there being ADT/phasing on the whole vocal track - it's very processed-sounding. I'm on the road and unable to compare the tracks. Keep in mind that it was very hard to move pitch accurately or fast with this technique - you'd have to do the move before you heard the note, and the "wow" of the tape machine would probably be far more noticeable. It doesn't just jump - it slides...