Producing The Beatles

Producing The Beatles episodes:

• 01.14.2024

  016 "Now and Then"-

  Beatle author Ken Womack and Ranking the Beatles host Jonathan Pretus join me to discuss the tech that made the Beatles’ new single “Now and Then” possible. And from John's haunting vocal to Giles Martin's stirring string arrangement, we peel...

  
• 01.14.2024

  015a A closer look at the "Live and Let Die" orchestration-

  A little extra mini-episode examining George Martin’s orchestration for “Live and Let Die,” with a recreation of part of the arrangement.

  
• 01.14.2024

  015 Paul McCartney and Wings, "Live and Let Die""

  In our penultimate Season 1 bonus episode, we examine another solo recording, this time Paul McCartney’s thrilling theme song for the 1973 James Bond film, Live and Let Die. I’m joined by Allan Kozinn, co-author of The McCartney Legacy Volume...

  
• 11.15.2023

  016 "Now and Then"

  Beatle author Ken Womack and Ranking the Beatles host Jonathan Pretus join me to discuss the tech that made the Beatles’ new single “Now and Then” possible. And from John's haunting vocal to Giles Martin's stirring string arrangement, we peel...

  
• 06.19.2023

  015a A closer look at the "Live and Let Die" orchestration

  A little extra mini-episode examining George Martin’s orchestration for “Live and Let Die,” with a recreation of part of the arrangement.

  
• 06.05.2023

  015 Paul McCartney and Wings, "Live and Let Die"

  In our penultimate Season 1 bonus episode, we examine another solo recording, this time Paul McCartney’s thrilling theme song for the 1973 James Bond film, Live and Let Die. I’m joined by Allan Kozinn, co-author of The McCartney Legacy Volume...

  
• 12.20.2022

  014 George Harrison, "Isn't It A Pity"

  In the second episode looking at the making of All Things Must Pass, we explore the recording of the largest production on the album. We hear from participants at the sessions, listen to outtakes and isolations, peek into Mal Evans’...

  
• 04.25.2022

  013 George Harrison, "My Sweet Lord"

  Today, the first of two episodes exploring the production of George Harrison’s first solo album, All Things Must Pass, with new research and interviews drawn from the book Ken Womack and I wrote on the making of the album. In...

  
• 02.22.2021

  012 John Lennon, "Love" (S1 bonus episode)

  In the first bonus episode for Season 1, we step outside of our regular format and take a peek into solo Beatles territory, with a look at the recording of John Lennon’s song “Love” from his first post-Beatles solo album,...

  
• 04.13.2020

  011 Nothing is Real: Strawberry Fields Forever, take 26

  Recording Strawberry Fields Forever was a complicated, layered process, famously requiring the cutting together of two different takes in two different keys and tempos. Today we put our magnifying glass on the second of those takes, take 26, with special...

  
• 09.09.2019

  010 It's Gonna Be Alright: Revolution — Part II (single version)

  In Part 2 of our look at the trio of songs titled “Revolution,” we dive into the recording of the electric guitar driven single version of the song.

  
• 07.22.2019

  009 It's Gonna Be Alright: Revolution - Part I (Revolution 1 & 9)

  Sparked by the air of social upheaval in 1968, John's song "Revolution" spawned three very different recordings: Revolution 1, Revolution 9, and Revolution (the single version). Today, in the first of a two part episode, we look at how Revolution...

  
• 04.21.2019

  Upcoming Side Project: Sister Tempest soundtrack

  A brief message about an upcoming project I'm excited to be working on, and how you can contribute.

  
• 03.11.2019

  008 Producing an "Unproduced" Album - Get Back/Let It Be

  In this episode, we discover what role George Martin played in the infamous Get Back sessions of January 1969, a project where John Lennon made clear they didn't want any of Martin's "production shit."

  
• 12.31.2018

  007 Changing Speeds - The 'Varispeed' Technique

  Starting in 1966, George Martin and The Beatles used varispeed – variable speed recording – to change the textures of their recordings to create a variety of effects.

  
• 11.20.2018

  006 Not So Simple - "From Me To You" and other early singles

  Constructing The Beatles' first four singles, including "From Me To You"

  
• 10.29.2018

  005 The clarinet score for "When I'm Sixty-Four"

  We re-record George Martin's clarinet score in a recording studio and examine the arrangement with Professor of Music John Reeks to see what makes it tick.

  
• 10.15.2018

  004 The Beatles on Multitrack, Part 2

  The Beatles push four-track to its limit, and finally make the jump to eight-track recording

  
• 10.01.2018

  003 The Beatles on Multitrack, Part 1

  The Beatles learn the basics of recording on twin-track before transitioning to four-track, where they gradually learn the power of overdubbing.

  
• 09.17.2018

  002 Look At Him Working - Writing the string score for "Eleanor Rigby"

  George Martin’s score for “Eleanor Rigby” builds on the classical string quartet form that the producer introduced The Beatles to on the song “Yesterday.” In this episode, we examine the writing and recording of the score with cellist Karen Ray,...

  
• 09.03.2018

  001 Wind Up Piano - The "In My Life" solo and more

  George Martin’s memorable piano solo for “In My Life” was one of his favorite contributions to any Beatles recording. In this episode, we examine the special technique Martin used to capture this solo on tape, as well as how he...

  
• 08.16.2018

  Producing The Beatles - Podcast Intro

  Welcome to the podcast dedicated to exploring the revolutionary collaboration between producer George Martin and The Beatles. Join us each episode as we not only discuss the making of Beatles songs from their producer's point of view, but also examine...