The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 2: Help! through Revolver (1965-1966) (Beatles Recording Reference Manuals) Paperback – February 15, 2018

Hi ! I’m grateful this item is distributed here.It’s a dashing book for those who are into the Beatles or into the recording process.

Want to know about a piece of equipment used by The Beatles? Get Andy Babiuk's book Beatles Gear. Want info about specific Beatles recording sessions? Try Mark Lewisohn's seminal 1988 book Complete Beatles Recording Sessions. Want to know how specific songs were recorded? Look for Recording the Beatles by Kevin Ryan & Brian Kehew. Want to save some money and enjoy the highlights of all three of these classics? Buy Jerry Hammack's The Beatles Recording Reference Manual (in this case, Volume 2).This is an outstanding book! (As are the other four volumes in the series.) It's divided roughly into four sections: [1] song narratives that discuss the development and participants (studio personnel, guest musicians, etc.) for each song; [2] detailed song diagrams that break down the individual instruments used on each track and for each session; [3] individual session info including dates and times with details about instruments played, studio equipment used, superimpositions added, and specific session notes; and [4] appendices that list technical recording equipment, details about each studio used by The Beatles, and lists of all instruments and amplifiers they used. To write, organize, and cross-reference this data is a phenomenal achievement.In response to some criticisms the author has received for his work:1. Hammack merely reorganizes and re-presents (some might say plagiarizes) info from other authors' work: With the literally thousands of books written about The Beatles, it would be rare indeed to find and present previously unknown information. While there are new findings in Tune In, the first volume of Lewisohn's epic Beatles biography, there is also a ton of repetition from previous biographies. Moreover, Hammack in his Introduction generously cites the work of Ryan/Kehew, Lewisohn, and Babiuk as integral to his books. What is "new" about Hammack is combining the best of these heavyweights into one easily accessible source, in addition to adding a lot of original scholarship not found in their works.2. Hammack's books are overpriced for what they offer: I respectfully disagree. Try to buy new copies of Lewisohn, Babiuk, and Ryan/Kehew; you will most definitely shell out hundreds of dollars. The Ryan/Kehew book, especially, commands monumental prices. (The last new copy I saw on Amazon was selling for nearly $1,000!) At it's going price for a brand-new copy, Hammack's book is a bargain.3. The author is overly repetitious and monotonous: In the Introduction of this book, Hammack actually agrees with this assessment but says he deliberately chose repetition to keep the reader from having to skip through numerous pages and sections merely because the same info pertains to more than one song. This approach is not everyone's cup of tea, but reading something for one song that is presented practically verbatim for another song is OK with me if I don't have to riffle through the book to read that something.4. There are some typographical and factual errors in the book: Yes, I've also found a few errors and I've brought them to the author's attention. Hammack has always replied and been courteous and respectful in his answers. What's most impressed me is that since the introduction of this book in 2018 there have been TWO new editions issued to correct factual errors, add new information, address grammar and typographical issues, and improve internal consistency among the book's sections (and with other volumes). Compare this to Lewisohn (1988, no revisions), Ryan/Kehew (2006, no revisions), and Babiuk (2001, one revision). I purchased the newest edition of this book to replace my first edition. Cheap at the price to stay current (IMO).All five volumes of this series are treasured parts of my Beatles library. I'd strongly recommend they be part of anyone's. As a closing comment, I'll be following Hammack's approach and essentially repeating what I've written here in my reviews of the other four volumes. They're all equally good. (The books, that is!)

Jerry Hammack’s good work continues with Volume 2 in the series . Rubber Soul and Revolver have always been my favourite Beatles albums and it is great to read concise information about the recording process . The book “ Recording the Beatles “ is also indispensable . One point where I would disagree with Jerry Hammack is what instrument plays the end solo on “ Girl “ where a Framus acoustic 12 string is mentioned ( in line with Paul McCartney’s recollection ) . “ Recording the Beatles “ suggests , in line with George Martin’s recollection , that a Greek bouzouki was used . I think this is definitely the case . I once had a bouzouki and I’m familiar with it’s highly distinctive tone , how it is strung and tuned . The sound is unmistakable and “ Girl “ is the only song in the Beatles catalogue ( that I know of ) that feature this tone . Interestingly the Greek bouzouki here also has a Russian balalaika stylistic approach . My late father , who was Lithuanian , used to say that the Beatles pinched the melody line in “ Girl “ from an old Russian folk song . Quite possible ! Another point is that while Jerry Hammack lists all available electric guitars for these sessions sometimes fairly confident “ educated guesses “ can be made . A case in point is “ Nowhere Man “ where the duet electric guitars played by John and George can almost certainly be stated as their 1961 Fender Stratocasters rather than any of their semi acoustic electrics . However I must say I am really enjoying reading these manuals .

These books contain all the details of the recordings in chronological order, and include all the instruments,mikes,amps and special effects used in each session. There is an explanation of all the backing tracks and overdubs and how they were recorded. I have read all 3 and will read them again. Highly recommended if you are interested in how the Beatles made their records..

....so rather than say, for example, that this guitar part on this song was played by this Beatle on this particular guitar, it will say that they had these three guitars there on that day. This implies that the author does not know which guitar but it could have been, for example, the Strat or the Les Paul or the Epi. There is plenty of other specific info so most buyers should be happy but I bought the book mostly for that one specific answer and was a little surprised that the book does not yield it....but that's just me. It's a nice, fun book , though, if you are a fan.

Love these books. Every little bit of recording minutiae a Beatles freak like myself could ever want. Much of this info has appeared in other books before this one, but here, everything (dates, instruments, recording equipment, engineers, who played what, etc) is all in one place. Still, there’s some information here I’ve not seen anywhere else. Can’t wait for the next installment!

Great!!

Hopefully, the next volume in the series might be rearranged to avoid wasteful repetitions of paragraphs. Otherwise, I found it to be a lovely compilation of already dedicated Beatlologist authors since Lewisohn. I hope to get the next volume and give it 4 stars at that time. Canada does great Beatlology, sure enough. Good going there, Toronto lad ! I'll be using the info for my next music project. Thanks very much.Aldon Fairfield

Ho comprato questo prodotto come regalo.Il pacco è arrivato il giorno dopo e in buone condizioni. Il libro è ottimo per gli appassionati di registrazioni musicali, è molto ricco di informazioni e ben strutturato.L'edizione venduta è l'ultima ristampa aggiornata.

Das Buch ist sehr informativ. Ein bisschen für Nerds. Die meisten Fakta sind korrekt. Ich kann das Buch alle empfehlen

I can really only comment on this book as a continuation of the previous volume. As Volume 2, it covers the further progression of the Beatles in the studio.. when they were blossoming and taking more time over their songs.. different instruments, George writing more, and newer recording techniques etc.. so it's not just a rehash of Volume 1, but a genuine refreshing lesson in how things were done in the studio in that period 1965-66. If you can't get enough info on the Beatles in the studio (and there have been other very good books available) this is the book for you. But you will already have Volume 1 I'm guessing. Roll on the remaining two volumes. My only quibble is that it's not a hardback book!

Per un musicista, appassionato dei Beatles, questo libro NON può e NON deve mancare.