"Every Little Thing" questions

[Les]

This is the next song i'm trying to accurately record a copy version of.

I have a couple questions though.
Do you thing the lead was Done by john, not george? Some sources and tab sheets have two guitar parts
in the lead...one the Rick 12, and the other john's 325 six string. I think the 6 string bit sounds more like a Gretsch.
But certainly the quick chord arpeggios sound like john, not george. What do you think?

Also I think the 12 is way out of tune...which actually lends a shimmery quality. My guess is that it is on
the neck pickup rather than bridge....it's not nearly as bright as other rick 12 beatles songs. Again, I think it's john playing.

Aso, is that a tambourine in the chorus? Do you hear any cymbal at all?

BTW the timpani (kettle drum) was the hardest part to nail. I found some pretty good samples on freesound of timpani playing a d and g. I used reatune to put in the down pedal glissando on the d, then laid piano on top. I think it's pretty close.

I also am hunting for the four beat tom fill just before the chorus. I found a snare fill , but it doesn't sound quite right.
Anyone have some drums in a studio where they could do a 2 second sample? Drum machines just can't do rolls.

I only have the mono "beatles for sale" version, rather than a stereo mix. It's tough to hear all this stuff.

Here is the song for reference:
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Thanks,
Les

[bee_atles]

Here's what I think. I think John just stuck to acoustic and George played the 12 and then overdubbed a few parts with the Gretsch. The 12 string parts just sound too much likes George's style and the 6 string parts definitely sound like the Gretsch to my ears.This is all just guessing though. I do agree the 12 sounds slightly out of tune and it could be on the neck pick-up.

During the chorus Ringo is using an open hi-hat, I don't hear any tambourine.

[lennon211]

I've always heard, and definitely believe, that this is John on lead with his 325/12, which will sound very similar to what is on the recording as opposed to it being George's 360/12. There is a very different quality to the tone between the two.

[revolver323]

Man.those guys did more with a two-minute song than anyone before or since.

[Les]

Yeah, it's quite a track. I always liked it.

Open high hat, Mike? I'll have to listen some more. I'm a bit hampered by not having a stereo mix. I was kinda doing eighth
notes on the tamb. Also eighth notes on kick on the chorus.
I was so sure that I already did the tambourine parts. Well, I can change them if need be. Darn, I like my new tambourine.

Yeah I've read some stuff about it might be the only recorded use of John's custom 325 12. It has the slidey george stuff, but john's fast arpeggio. I don't know. I fooled around with the 360-12 and bridge pickup is defintely the closest. Also,
I needed much less compression than the usual rick 12 songs. It's almost banjoy. I have never heard a 325-12. I wonder if I tuned down then capoed up on the 360-12...

I'm not getting the vox ac30 "quack" (a strong midrange resonance) in the old fender 30 amp i'm using. I'll try to bring it in with eq.

I was using this tab:
http://www.guitarboard.com/b/beatles,-t ... -23979.php

I just can't imagine how that guy heard all those notes on the 12 string /6 string lead. I't might not be right. I want to make sure to get that dissonant sound on the fourth bar.

Also interesting...the first note in the intro is on the SECOND beat....tricky.

As you can see I am a bit overly analytical...but I want to nail the sound...exactly!

Les

[Les]

Mike,

I didn't hear any tambourine in the little computer speakers either.

After reading your post I went back to the studio. I had tambourine eighth notes over ride quarter notes.

I turned the original up pretty loud over the studio monitors. I think I heard open high hat eighth notes over some kind of jangly sound.
After turning it up enough I found out the jangly sound was from tape dropouts from the master, modulating the hi hat.

So I plugged in a hi hat track to replace the ride. That's it, I think.

Thanks!!!

Les

[brianeharmonjr]

I recorded a quick cover of this, just to try out my Zoom HD16 when I first got it. But, I didn't get this in depth. For the timpani hits, I just doubled the floor tom with a bit of reverb on one track. It's not exact for sure, but it did the trick for me. I wasn't going for exact, just trying out the new machinery.

[Les]

Hi Brian

Well what i'm doing won't sound like the original, But it will be note for note and instrument
accurate as much as I can.

It's a "what if george Martin were handed a 21st century laptop and 24 bit converter" thing.

So My stuff has modern dynamic and frequecy range, unlike the originals.

Wait till you hear the timpani!

Les

[Les]

Oh and I forgot...
Matthew, do you have anything you could post so we could hear the 325 12?
I'm not quite there with the sound using the 360 12 but it's probably because I
don't have a Vox AC30. Bridge pickup and no top boost i'm pretty sure.

The original does sound different from all other beatles 12 string songs.
Perhaps George borrowed John's 325 12?

Les

[wolfgang]

it is John with his new 325/12. There is a picture somewhere , John, with dotted shirt, playing his 325/12 and Paul playing simultaneiously the 325/Miami. Paul played the 4 ascenting notes
in the solo. George was not at the studio.
Wolfgang

[bee_atles]

Interesting. I have seen those pictures, but didn't know what session they were from.

[1965]

Ask and yee shall receive. Here's the stereo version: http://www.mediafire.com/?jovdbeim14x

It doesn't quite have the impact of the mono, but the instruments are isolated.

[Les]

Thanks, Wes. That helps a lot.

Wolfgang, some of my tabs have the four acending notes beginning the solo (duet?)
on the 12 but yeah, it's clearly on the 6. Then the tabs show a simple acompaniment
played at the 12th, 14th, and 15th fret b string along with an open high e also on the 325 6.
I don't hear it. And going from the beginning four notes down low right to the 14th fret
in one beat is tough. Last of the four is an open low a which gives some time.

Does anyone think the 12 is just doubled except for the 4 notes?

If it is the 325-12 I won't be able to nail the sound because I don't have one. I'll do thr best I can on the 360/12.

Les

[Les]

Just some further notes... Listened to the stereo mix in headphones a bunch of times
this morning before work.

John does the into count slapping the guitar body and WHISTLES the 12 string intro on the second
beat .

There is some hi hat here and there other than the chorus and solo. I'll have to put that in.

The second back beat snare in the last half of the verses is accompanied by what sounds like
someone slapping a cardboard box or something. There is also an occasional extra kick beat in there...
in center channel.

The last note (a) of the four note 6 string electric sustains out, And I think there are no other
6 string notes in the solo other than those four, done twice.

The six string electric plays damped eigth note a-d-g chords in the outro.

And John's acoustic is all eighth note downstrokes in the chorus. I was flailing away with alternate strokes.

With the whistling and other stuff I'm beginning to believe that this is the ONLY recording of John's
325 12.

Les

[JakeK]

Bill Mahony heard (and believes) that the 325/12 was also used on "Matchbox".

You DID say that, didn't you, Bill?