· "SGT. PEPPER'S MULTI-TRACK MASTERS" - The Beatles

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is the eighth studio album by The Beatles. It was recorded over a 129-day period beginning on 6 December 1966. Since the introduction of magnetic recording tape in 1949, multitrack recording had been developed. By 1967 all of the Sgt. Pepper tracks could be recorded at Abbey Road using mono, stereo and 4-track recorders. Although 8-track tape recorders were already available in the U.S., the first 8-tracks were not operational in commercial studios in London until late 1967, shortly after "Sgt. Pepper's L.H.C.B." was released. In retrospect, the limitations of EMI's studio technology most likely pushed the Beatles and their production staff to be more inventive and resourceful than they otherwise would have been. Like its predecessors, this recording made extensive use of the technique known as bouncing down (also called multing), in which a number of tracks were recorded across the four tracks of one recorder, which were then mixed and dubbed down onto one track of the master 4-track machine (reduction). This procedure enabled the Abbey Road engineers to give the Beatles a virtual multi-track studio. So here you have four songs from the original 4-track master tape which are featured track-by-track, plus some other additional stuff as Bonus Tracks. Hope you enjoy them.

https://mega.co.nz/#!fRlxXKzT!Y2oXoHwx6kU1yXRbLrK8rx-6R81Bt93MaMVNdmwuJV0

1-“A Day In The Life” *
10 Feb 67 - E63175 (take 7)

track 1 - piano, guitar, maracas, bongos, alarm clock
track 2 - reduction of: John vocal, Mal counting, Paul vocal (redone), John & Paul "ahhs", piano
track 3 - bass, drums (redone), tambourine
track 4 - sync tone (orchestra)
track 5 - full multi-track stereo mix

Basic recording: 19 Jan 1967
Additional recording: 19-20 Jan, 3-10-22 Feb 1967
Master tape: 4 track 2nd generation + 4 track [2 tapes]
Mono-mixed: Mix A: 22 Feb 1967. Edited-Crossfaded: 6 Apr 1967
Stereo-mixed: Mix B: 23 Feb 1967. Edited-Crossfaded: 20 Apr 1967
New mix: 1995. Edited

The orchestra was recorded on 4 tracks of a separate 4-track tape [take 7] and synchronized during mixing with the Beatles tape [take 6]. The edit is for the final note, recorded separately. The crossfade joins the beginning to the preceding song, "Sgt Pepper Reprise". For the "1967-1970" collection and on a 1978 single, the crossfade is just cut off, so the song begins later than its real beginning. The original mix, without crossfade, appeared on the film soundtrack LP and CD "Imagine: John Lennon". The same original mix, also including a countdown that is not heard under the crossfade, appeared in a 1967 promo film.

2-"Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band" *
6 Mar 67 - E63022 (take 10)
track 1 - reduction of: instrumental backing + bass
track 2 - atmosphere (tuning and audience)
track 3 - brass + lead guitar
track 4 - reduction of: lead and chorus vocals + harmony vocals
track 5 - full multi-track stereo mix 
 
Basic recording: 1 Feb 1967
Additional recording: 1-2 Feb, 3-6 Mar 1967
Master tape: 4 track 2nd generation
Mono-mixed: 6 Mar 1967. Crossfaded: 6 Apr 1967
Stereo-mixed: 6 Mar 1967. Crossfaded: 7 Apr 1967
Re-mastered and re-mixed again: 1999 for the "Yellow Submarine Songtrack"

The crossfade joins this song to “With a Little Help From My Friends”. The lead guitar starting around "I don't really want to stop the show" is louder in the mono mix, while barely there in stereo. The crowd noise differs between the two and the crossfade is less well hidden in mono. The Yellow Submarine Songtrack mix re-synchs the old multitracks again and brings us a cleaner version, this time in richer stereo than on the original "Sgt. Pepper" stereo LP. Paul's vocals and Ringo's drums are centered, while the backing vocals and the sound of the crowd has been moved about a bit.

3-"She's Leaving Home" *
20 Mar 67 - E63631 (take 9)
track 1 - reduction of: harp + violins
track 2 - reduction of: double bass + 2 violas + 2 cellos
track 3 - vocals
track 4 - harmony vocals
track 5 - full multi-track stereo mix
 
Basic recording: 17 Mar 1967
Additional recording: 20 Mar 1967
Master tape: 4 track 2nd generation
Mono-mixed: 20 Mar 1967. Edited
Stereo-mixed: 17 Apr 1967. Edited

A short amount of instrumental work between the verses was removed after the mixing was done, so both mixes are edited. Reverb had been added during mixing, and the edits are a little more obvious in stereo, just before Paul starts singing the second and third verses. The two mixes are at different speeds since mono mix was speeded up.

4-"With A Little Help From My Friends" *
30 Mar 67 - E63462 (take 11)
track 1 - reduction of: piano, guitar, drums, cowbell and organ intro
track 2 - guitar piece, tambourine, bass, drum intro
track 3 - Ringo vocal, John & Paul vocal
track 4 - John & Paul vocals, organ intro, guitar piece
track 5 - full multi-track stereo mix
 
Basic recording: 29 Mar 1967
Additional recording: 29-30 Mar 1967
Master tape: 4 track 3rd generation
Mono-mixed: 31 Mar 1967. Crossfaded: 6 Apr 1967
Stereo-mixed: 7 Apr 1967. Crossfaded: 7 Apr 1967.
Re-mastered and re-mixed again: 1999 for the "Yellow Submarine Songtrack"

The crossfade joins this to the preceding song, “Sgt Pepper”, but the songs do not overlap; rather, crowd noise runs from one through to the other. This song starts right before the announcement "Billy Shears!", which is more readily apparent as a change in ambience in mono, since louder crowd noise covers the join better in stereo. The "Yellow Submarine Songtrack" mix re-synchs the old multitracks again and brings us a cleaner version, this time in richer stereo than on the original "Sgt. Pepper" stereo LP. Vocals and drums has especially benefitted from this mix. 


5- Bonus Tracks: 
track 21 – When I’m 64 (take 4 - Original speed)
track 22 – Good Morning, Good Morning (take 4 - No overdubs )
track 23 – Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Full ending)
track 24 – Strawberry Fields Forever (take 1 - Complete)
track 25 – Strawberry Fields Forever (take 7 - Best heavy version)
track 26 – Strawberry Fields Forever (take 26 - Best orchestrated version)
track 27 – Strawberry Fields Forever (Final version - From edited takes 7 & 26)
track 28 – Penny Lane I
track 29 - Penny Lane II
track 30 – Penny Lane III