the BEATLES thread

[Jind]

You cannot tag "Overrated" something so Revolutionary (People cannot also deny this FACT) also people don't understand that you don't have to like something to know it was revolutionary... try to learn and play all them songs, definitly some genius composition and harmony usage.

it's not really about learning to "play" the songs, it's having the creative ability to write songs that can be called things like the music of a generation that I doubt many others can claim - particularly in the denier crowd forming around this thread.

I tend to think if a person is so musically closed off that they can't see greatness and the lasting qualities of other generations music they don't get or like then they will never get it when others do.

Disagree all you want - limit your musical experiences - no skin off my back.

 

[Machinated]

There's nothing wrong with them, it's just that they got too much hype. There are many other artists out there with "genius songwriting" that are much less known. That's all.

name me 5 bands MORE deserving of any kind of hype than the beatles. its all about context. sure there's been genius songwriting since, and the beatles arent the only great band to have existed.

I can't think of any that shook the world like they did though. You don't have to like their music, but I think its within every musicians worth to be familiar with their later albums. especially so if you are actually interested in recording.

 

[Metal Overload]

it's not really about learning to "play" the songs, it's having the creative ability to write songs that can be called things like the music of a generation that I doubt many others can claim - particularly in the denier crowd forming around this thread.

Yeah, that's what i mean, learn to understand the structure, isn't as simple as it sound, i did learn so many beatles songs because i did a live tribute, and at that time i understood so many things.

 

[Machinated]

They aren't considered the best band in the world cause their musicianship, but for the revolution they made. they're definitely the most influential music group.

I think you are possibly undervaluing their musicianship, but granted theres way more to them than that. 3 out of 4 were incredible songwriters, 3 out of 4 could sing and harmonise in a unique way that hasn't been done since. I don't think they would have ever had trouble laying down a part. when they were in the studio they'd just play out songs together and bang its done. id love to work with bands who could play their own stuff as well as that now.

ringo's drumming on abbey road is genius, distinctively played, interesting, and perfectly fitting.

 

[EffigyForgotten]

Still doesn't make them a good band.

 

[Metal Overload]

Oh yeah, they are! it's just you that doesn't like, nothing bad about it, but that doesn't like you, doesn't they are bad... that's all.

Still doesn't make them a good band.

 

[~BURNY~]

Nothing wrong with people disliking them. They should just go fuck themselves in another thread.

Here are some of my favourites:

 

[Metal Overload]

Great Batch!, my favorite is Here Comes The Sun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj1AesMfIf8

 

[Terminus]

I'm a fan of the white album. Haven't listened to any deep cuts on any other albums though. My favorite classic rock band from that era is The Who, but the Beatles aren't overrated in my opinion.

 

[Machinated]

Ill post my favourites in a bit. For the uninitiated, have a read of the Wikipedia. There's a LOT to get through.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles

I love that no other band has such in depth analysis done on the music, can be fun to read. For example:

"The verse is based on an ascending major chord sequence, while the middle eight, which modulates to the tonic minor, creates a telling contrast. The introduction beginning "To lead a better life" opens in the key of G and involves a I-iii-♭III-ii-V7 chord progression. The ♭III (B♭ chord) on "I need my love to be here" (arpeggiated in the melody line) is a dissonant substitute for the more predictable VI (E7) that would normally lead to the ii (Am) chord.[7]
The verse opens strongly anchored on "Here" in the key of G (with simultaneous I (G chord) and melody G note) and moves equally predictably to a I-ii-iii-IV chord shift (G-Am-Bm-C) through "making each day of the year".[8] This repeats on "Changing my life with a wave"; but immediately after (in bar 5) the song indeed changes on "of her hand". It goes down six semitones from the IV (C chord) to a ii (F#m) [adding a non-G scale C#] then a V7 (B7) chord [adding a non-G scale D#] which briefly modulates towards a new tonic Em.[9]
The harmonic fascination with the bridge segment beginning "I want her everywhere" is that at that point the key centre does go "everywhere". It shifts via an F7 chord (a ♭VII in the old G key and a V7 in the new B♭ key) to a I-vi-ii (B♭-Gm-Cm) chord progression in B♭ key. It then shifts again via a D7 chord (a III7 in the old B♭ key and a V7 in the new Gm key) to Gm key where we go through a i-iv (Gm-Cm chord) progression. Finally the pivot of D7 takes us back to the G major tonic and reinforcing G melody note of "Everywhere."[10]"

Some of the Harrison songs are just incredible, completely blows my mind that a band existed with 3 such incredible song writers.

 

[BrettT]

Brilliant band. Amazing songwriters. The amount of incredible melodies that they created/captured never ceases to amaze me. And they did it all in just 7 years.

 

[Machinated]

I'm on an iPad so posting YouTube links is a mooch. If you're interested you can copy and paste and find them yourself. I tend to prefer the mono mixes if you can find them.

Think for yourself
The Word
Girl
In my life
If I needed someone
Run for your life

Taxman - Harrison wrote it, but McCartney played bass and lead guitar. Incredible performances.
IM ONLY SLEEPING - my favourite, absolute banger of a tune.
Here, there and everywhere - great love song
She said she said - also incredible, 60's sounding
And your bird can sing - Lennon called it a throwaway, the lead line kind of bugs me, but the harmony at the start of the second verse makes my hairs stand up every time.
For no one - great McCartney tune
Tomorrow never knows - first song they recorded for revolver, the start of psychedelic music.

A day in the life - should be England's national anthem. Hairs on neck song. Hugely important for prog. McCartney and Lennon at their best. Incredible studio stories attached too, look into it.

Dear prudence - awesome song, McCartney drumming too. Sounds as fresh as ever.
Happiness is a warm gun - right up there with their best songs, the first section is a masterpiece. Odd timings , fiddly guitars handled with ease.
I'm so tired - I love the groove on the chorus of this
Yer blues - awesome sabbathy song
Sexy Sadie - another one of my favourites
Helter skelter - immensely important song for heavy metal. The Charles Manson associations are even better, make sure you read into it.
Cry baby cry - anthem, love it. Great Lennon song.

Come together - heard this so much but just classic tune.
Something - my favourite Harrison song. Perfection.
I want you (she's so heavy) - just awesome.
Because - verging on showing off, beautiful harmonies, hairs on neck stand up every time.
You never give me your money - my favourite off abbey rd. similar to happiness is a warm gun with its distinctive sections.

I feel fine - reminds me of the smiths with the intro riff, nice little jangly rock tune.
We can work it out - very Lennon vs McCartney song, love to contrast between their styles. Similar to a day in the life in that regard.
Rain - THAT BASSLINE is where it's at. Important psychedelic rock tune, influenced so much.

I know that's a lot. They're my favourite songs of theirs.

 

[Machinated]

Brilliant band. Amazing songwriters. The amount of incredible melodies that they created/captured never ceases to amaze me. And they did it all in just 7 years.

I love that they only existed a short while. They called it a day at the right time, so relevant for the 60's, and had achieved everything they could possibly have imagined. Carrying on would have been pointless. I find the difference between the album Help! And rubber soul amazing, considering how close together they were recorded and released.

Mad to think they could get away with not even playing live after 65'.

 

[JeffTD]

I don't fucking understand this forum. Look, I hate the Beatles, I've let that be publicly known on more than one occaision, but to come in on a thread ABOUT THE FUCKING BEATLES and talk shit about them is counterproductive at best. Stop wasting your time.

I didn't join this site to be part of the recording forum, I do play guitar but at least at the moment, its just a hobby.

Then PLEASE go away. Most of your posts are combative and annoying; if you're lonely and need friends to talk to, try Omegle - some of us are here to discuss real recording shit.

 

[TimatWaves]

As for the claim that the Beatles were not revolutionary, their amazing songwriting and eclectic catalog aside, a lot of the studio techniques they (and George Martin with them) came up with and the gear they had built for them changed the game forever. Many are still being used and/or at least being studied as a reference point for many. I would strongly suggest checking out the book "Recording the Beatles" for more details on this. Amazing book... Like them or not I'm certain most everyone here would dig it just for the gear.

Tying this into the Andy Sneap forum, the Dolby vocal trick Andy used on Jesse Leach's vocal on the new KSE release supposedly comes from their discovery in the 60s from just flutzing around....

Check out post #5 on the link below. There are other references to this on the NET as well, but I can't confirm it 100%. Interesting either way. Enjoy!

http://recording.org/pro-audio-gear/2671-making-vocal-stand-out-in-mix.html#post22154

"First, a little history.
Ray Dolby was an engineer in the aeronautics biz (if I'm not mistaken) who came up with the brilliant concept of noise reduction. Basically the way dolby works is to make things brighter (especially up in the frequencies where tape hiss redsides) when you "encode"(read:record) with it. Then when you "decode" (readlayback), it dulls things just as much as it has previously brighted them. This in effect lowers the tape hiss level.
Now, in the sixties, the Beatles palyed around with the original 2 track version of this, the Dolby 201 or Dolby Stretch as it was known. Big grey units ( I think like 6 spaces...I haven't seen one in a while and I'm working from memory). Anyway, since they liked to break everything to see what would happen, ect. They started to use it to encode only. Not only that...they found that by removing several of the cards (thereby passing the lo / lomid compression) they could get it to not "pump."

Fastforward, many years, to a time I don't know exactly when....Keith Olsen, a BIG name from the '70's/'80's had a nice dinner with George Martin and plied him as to the "secret" of those breathy Beatle vocals. George alluded to the Dolby Stretch.
Keith, being very good with the electrical engineering end (not to metion the producing/arranging/recording & mixing ends)
deciphered how to do this with a Dolby Cat.22 card, which was at the time the more cost effecttive and ubiquitous version of the older Dolby 201. He found out how to mod these cards so that they do not pump."

 

[TimatWaves]

PS. It took me a long time to go from Slayer to the Beatles as well. Don't be surprised if some of you guys actually give them a chance at some point Sgt. Peppers is a good place to start. It's all over the map.

 

[Jind]

PS. It took me a long time to go from Slayer to the Beatles as well. Don't be surprised if some of you guys actually give them a chance at some point

Like I mentioned in another thread - if I mentioned some of my all time favorite recordings, I'd probably loose my Metalhead Members Club card. I'll simply say my favorite recording ever is a Motown record

 

[JeffTD]

PS. It took me a long time to go from Slayer to the Beatles as well. Don't be surprised if some of you guys actually give them a chance at some point Sgt. Peppers is a good place to start. It's all over the map.

I will say that this sentiment doesn't help out with nay-sayers bashing on them in Beatles-specific threads; it's fairly condescending and presumptive, basically implying that if only we 'grew up' a bit or 'opened ours minds' that we'd like them. That might not be your intent, but that's how it comes across.

 

[TimatWaves]

Like I mentioned in another thread - if I mentioned some of my all time favorite recordings, I'd probably loose my Metalhead Members Club card. I'll simply say my favorite recording ever is a Motown record

Yeah I think it's safe to say as musician/engineers we are going to like music regardless of genre or trend. The most interesting and iconic bands drew from other styles rather than copy/pasting from other Metal bands.

Sorry to derail this too much guys. Have a great weekend!

EDIT: Hey Jeff, just saw your post. It definitely was not my intent, only sharing my experience. At one point I would have never thought I would dig them.

 

[Jind]

I will say that this sentiment doesn't help out with nay-sayers bashing on them in Beatles-specific threads; it's fairly condescending and presumptive, basically implying that if only we 'grew up' a bit or 'opened ours minds' that we'd like them. That might not be your intent, but that's how it comes across.

I don't think hats what was implied at all. I think the poster see's it like I do - for some, music has a way of surprising you, things you once dismissed sometimes creep up on you and the next thing you know you have a completely different opinion than you started out with.

The record from Motown that I mentioned in my last response was something my father listened to when I was young - hated it at that time, but years later the tile track was playing on the radio and it just clicked with me probably 20 years after hearing it for the first time.