Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I love this song especially Paul's vocal fills at the end. BUT WHAT THE HELL IS THE INSTRUMENT PLAYED AT 2:13!??!?!!? I AM CLUELESS!!!

Um, linky dinky?

air guitar?

George is listed as playing "organ" in the session notes. I think perhaps it's a reed harmonium, miked.

It could be. Or it might be the bass clarinet that was superimposed June 2nd, 1967 on the May 25th backing track - The same time the four trumpets were recorded.

Sounds reedy and LOOOOOOOOOOW. It smacks of keyboard to me - taking into account both the choppiness of the part, and the fact that it's all at exactly the same dynamic level (most difficult on a wind instrument, even by a world class British musician). What say you, Paul - would a "reed harmonium" have a range extending to a low G1? Never played one mahself.

That would leave one wondering where the bass clarinet is in the recording, then. Mark Lewisohn notes in The Beatles Recording Sessions that four trumpets (easily heard on the recording) and a bass clarinet were recorded on June 2nd, 1967. Reedy and low sounds like one to me.

I'd have to entertain Kris' suggestion, as well as explore mine, too.

Remember there's always the possibility of changing recording speeds either up or down. This is a processed sound, and my first thought, rather than bass clarinet, was processed oboe or bassoon--it sounds like a double reed instrument. Bass clarinet is a possibility, I suppose.

But,then, consider that it almost sounds like Autotune--the notes don't have the "slidey" quality of a woodwind. They move from one pitch to another quite mechanically.

I suppose it could also be a Mellotron, although one isn't listed in Lewisohn's notes for that recording.

I don't have the CD handy - is it the thing right after the line "take a piece but not too much?" That's a bass clarinet or a tenor sax.

Yeah, that's it, Kenny. Links or references to nail this down for good?

jingle_jangle wrote:Yeah, that's it, Kenny. Links or references to nail this down for good?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_8M2SbarN0

At 2:13. Bass clarinet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIJxLOaFFlw

You sure it's not:



or, perhaps:

The contra sax is AWESOME!!!

Actually, that young man is 1' 8" tall...