Publisher's Synopsis
Completely updated (2025). The fifth and final book of this critically acclaimed series, "The Beatles Recording Reference Manual: Volume 5: Let It Be through Abbey Road (1969 - 1970)" follows The Beatles as they "get back to where they once belonged...". Not once, but twice. With "Let It Be", they attempted to recapture the spontaneity of their early years and recordings, while "Abbey Road" was a different kind of return - to the complexity, finish and polish that they had applied to their work beginning with "Revolver" and through to "The Beatles".
From the first take to the final remix, discover the making of the greatest recordings of all time.
Through extensive, fully-documented research, these books fill an important gap left by all other Beatles books published to date and provide a unique view into the recordings of the world's most successful pop music act.
The collection and analysis of hundreds of recordings (takes, outtakes, remixes and released versions), books, magazine articles, photos, film and video evidence, and interviews with key engineers who worked on the sessions filter out the noise of myth and conflicting fact to arrive at an accurate telling of the creation of The Beatles' classic recordings.
Book features:
- Commercial releases during the period (albums, singles and extended play (EP) discs)
- Song-by-song narratives of work during the period in order of first recording (Each narration includes an introduction to the song, information on the technical team responsible for production and a description of the construction of the song from the first take to the final remix, detailing the entire recording process.).
- An easy to follow diagram of the recording process.
- A year-by-year overview of the recording studios used by the band, including the available equipment configurations.
- A year-by-year overview of the instruments and amplifiers used by the band.
- A session-by-session breakdown of every technical component used in the creation of the songs (listing the session date, location, work completed, technical staff, musicians, instruments used, amplifiers used, recording equipment, microphones and studio effects used).
- A listing of mono and stereo master remixes, their dates of creation and their release versions (for UK release).
- Tables outlining the use during the period of electric and acoustic guitars, basses, drums, percussion, keyboards and other instruments, amplifiers, EMI Studios outboard equipment and microphones.
- An explanation of technical equipment in relation to The Beatles recording sessions.
- A glossary of terms.
- A complete bibliography.
The recording of each song is described step-by-step, revealing the backing tracks, overdubs, edits, and remixes that led to the final release versions the world knows and loves. Easy to follow diagrams offer insight into the recording process at each major milestone. Detailed appendices expose the behind the scenes work accomplished in each session and reveal every piece of gear and studio equipment used to create their landmark recordings.
Song by song and session by session, discover the musicians and technicians, studios, gear, and techniques used by The Beatles to create their musical masterpieces.
All five volumes are part of the permanent collection of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Library and Archives.
