RTB LIVE SESSION AE-292: Summer Session 2007
Recording The Beatles: Whiteside-4 Project
This page documents the preparation for the 2007 summer session recording project at IPR, where we will attempt to emulate, as best as possible, a Beatles-style recording. This will require multiple disciplines as dictated by musicianship, production and the "limitations" of multitrack recording in the sixties. You can listen to our rehearsals here.
I am very grateful to the musicians who are contributing their time to this project as well as those who have contributed equipment, including Colin McArdell (3M 1/2-inch 4-track), Willie Wilcox (Altec 438 preamp / compressor) and Neal Steingart (Altec solid-state compressor).
Here's the Crew:
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Bass |
Drums |
Lead Guitar |
Rhythm Guitar |
Keys |
Knobs and Wires |
The inspiration for this project began with Dave Trampe's Bowler hat and his song "Bully For Me," which made me think of him singing the Beatles' song "Honey Pie." I then listened to side four of The White Album and thought it might make an interesting LIVE performance piece All this transpired fall'06, just around the time that the massive tome, Recording The Beatles, was released. When augmented by Mark Lewison's Complete Beatles, the two books chronical the studios, personel, equipment, recording and production techniques that went into each Beatles recording project.
Below are links that allow you to hear both the originals along with our work in progress. Currently, the rehearsals are as much for the band as for myself in that the recording and production techniques must also be tested. Even the simple act of creating a rough mix on a workstation has merit because it helps to determine which parts and processes are working as well as those that will require further refinement and experimentation.
It's been alot of fun so far, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I am.
Eddie Ciletti
winter 2007PS: The tracks are recorded to PT via Sony VAIO laptop and a digi002. There are only four preamps in the 002, often I use transformers in front of the line inputs to turn them into mic inputs - assuming the input signal is hot enough. Session monitoring is on a pair of modified POLK monitors with Bag End subwoofer.
Mix sessions are done on my office PC with Adobe Audition through a pair of Anthony Gallo A'Diva Ti full-range monitors with the Gallo subwoofer. I like these monitors because they have no crossover, which makes them smoother and less hyped than many two-way monitors. They are kinda like a pro version of Apple's clear plastic orbs, an updated Auratone made with modern materials. The TR-1 subwoofer is remarkable in that it lives up to its product description of being "linear," a big jump up from the typical pheaux BS offered up by more well known companies.
The Beatles White Album: Side-4
Each Link below is its own page, offering samples of the original track and our weekly rehearsal progress.
