Beatles Producer GEORGE MARTIN - What He Taught Me about Music
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2024
- #georgemartin #beatles #musiclesson
George Martin aka "The Fifth Beatle." He was the man responsible for signing The Beatles to a record deal after every other label in Britain had already rejected them.
But did his influence make the Beatles too pompous or just perfect?
I attempt to answer that question with examples of his contributions to many classic Beatles songs.
Spoiler: I learned so much about music, orchestral instruments, production and recording techniques, and how to relentlessly explore new musical territory. I daresay he has a lot to teach you, too.
Discover my most important "Lessons from George Martin" as I play snippets from some of his most interesting and unusual Beatles arrangements, and explain how his influence affected literally EVERY Beatles song. Learn why his contributions are foundational to The Beatles' lasting success.
Includes examples from Yellow Submarine, Hey Bulldog, All Together Now, You Know My Name (Look Up the Number), Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby, I Am the Walrus, Goodnight, A Day in the Life, Strawberry Fields Forever, When I'm Sixty-Four, All You Need Is Love, Something, Here Comes the Sun, Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight.
Ultimately, George Martin was the reason I started playing Double Bass in orchestras, and he taught me at least THREE major lessons. Watch to the end to discover all of them, then apply them to YOUR OWN music.
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Includes all 194 songs written and sung by The Beatles, transcribed for strumming guitarists, from the actual recordings, in the original keys. Each song includes chord symbols, guitar chord boxes and complete lyrics. Also features a playing guide and full discography.
Robert Cassard shares guitars, gear and tips to make you a better musician.
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Hi, my name is Robert Cassard. Thank you for watching, liking and subscribing.
I am a lifelong guitar player, singer-songwriter, producer, and music fanatic. I create Guitar and Recording Discoveries videos to share the pure joy of music - shortcuts to help you play guitar, sing, record and sound great doing it. I learn the hard way so you don’t have to!
Learn more about me, my music and my videos:
www.guitardiscoveries.com/
Check out my band Cosmic Spin’s website:
cosmic-spin.com/ 
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great video. The Beatles had the ear, genius and natural ability, Martin had knowledge, genius and maturity, the engineers had talent and were young enough to not be held back by convention. alot of genius, alot of effort, alot of creativity, and the stars were all aligned as well, will probably never happen again.
Well said @MrGuidojones. It hasn't happened in the last 54 years since the break-up. And now that the market, and our collective attention, are so fragmented, it seems impossible to me.
Taylor Swift is making a respectable run at it all alone, but a solo artist could never influence large and diverse swaths of people the way a band with four talented and charismatic members did when they hit the airwaves 60 years ago.
I'm glad you mentioned "Love me do". I grew up mid way between Manchester and Liverpool. I read the New Musical Express. I was 14 when I heard "Love Me Do" and it stopped me in my tracks. Remember, the Beatles were not yet famous. When "Please Please Me" came out, my mates and I sang into a Phillips tape recorder, over and over. I have watched a lot of commentaries on RUclips. This is one of the best. Thank you.
@@alistairgill5538 you were the very definition of an "early adopter"!
It fills my heart that younger generations are not allowing the legacy of The Beatles, and George Martin, to die. Thankyou.
You're welcome, Paul. And if you're lumping me in with the "younger generations," thanks for that, too!
@@RobertCassard Well, I consider any generation younger than mine to belong to the 'younger' ones - and that's quite a lot of generations - so yes, I am!
I believe the Beatles music is studied in schools and colleges nowadays certainly in the UK.
@@limitededition1053 It should be! It's proven to have such deep and lasting musical and cultural impact...
Re "George Martis said those stabbing strings were inspired by Bernard Hermann's score for the film Psycho." Well, yeees, but:
According to John Lennon, Paul conceived the idea in the first place: ‘The violin backing was Paul’s idea,’ John said. ‘Jane Asher had turned him on to Vivaldi.’
Paul specified aspects of the score George Martin produced for the string arrangement which was based on Paul’s Vivaldi-inspired staccato piano: ‘I thought of the backing, but it was George Martin who finished it off,’ he said, adding ‘I just go bash, bash on the piano. He knows what I mean.’ Paul’s big concern in studio discussions had been that it might come out lush. Engineer Geoff Emerick recalls that Martin had to reassure Paul that it would work with an octet. Paul’s final word was, ‘Ok, but I want the strings to sound really biting.’
He then visited George Martin’s flat to rough out the score. Said Martin, ‘Paul told me he wanted the strings to be doing a rhythm. He played the piano and I played the piano, and I took a note of his music.’ Martin wrote out the string parts guided in his own mind (he said) by the sound of a Bernard Herrmann film score.
Paul also supervised the string recording session from the control room. According to engineer Geoff Emerick, his final instruction relayed via George Martin was to insist on ‘no vibrato,’ as he had done two years before for Yesterday. To get the 'biting' tone Paul wanted, Emerick close-mic'd the string players, who were unnerved by that and kept surreptitiously moving theirn chairs back!
In his recent 'The Lyrics' Paul describes it like this:
'George Martin had introduced me to the string-quartet idea through “Yesterday.” I’d resisted the idea at first, but when it worked I fell in love with it. So I ended up writing “Eleanor Rigby” with a string component in mind. When I took the song to George, I said that, for accompaniment, I wanted a series of E-minor chord stabs. In fact, the whole song is really only two chords: C major and E minor. In George’s version of things, he conflates my idea of the stabs and his own inspiration by Bernard Herrmann, who had written the music for the movie “Psycho.” George wanted to bring some of that drama into the arrangement. And, of course, there’s some kind of madcap connection between Eleanor Rigby, an elderly woman left high and dry, and the mummified mother in “Psycho.” '
Cool background info, thanks!
Martin knew he was to become a part of a magic moment in time. And he did his best. A true legend!
I love that he "didn't know what he was going to do with them." Then all 5 rose to the occasion and made something spectacular.
@@RobertCassardexactly! I mean didn't the Beatles have only 2 tracks to record on when they first started in 1962? Then for the main part of their career in the studio they worked with 4 tracks. I think they only got 8 track recording capability in 1968 or something. I know that they could connect 4 track tape machines together but everytime you do that you would lose some quality in sound. It's just amazing to me that they recorded the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album on 4 track analog tape in mono.
Absolutely loved all 5 videos but this one really gives George the credit he deserves
Glad you appreciate this one, Peter. In many ways, it was the most challenging. Too much to say and cover!
George Martin was the perfect partner for The Beatles, innovative, authoritative, tasteful, inventive, talented, accommodating and supportive.
I don't think The Beatles could have thrived, developed and had the success they achieved with any other producer. And though he had so much success he didn't have another artist that produced as much consistently high quality and successful songs as The Beatles.
And a shout out to George Martin's team of engineers who allowed the sonic challenges to be realised including Norman Smith, Geoff Emerick, Chris Thomas and Alan Parsons
Beautifully stated, @Slydell!
Thanks 😎✌️@@RobertCassard
Great Slydil that you mentioned the members of Sir George Martins team. They are so often overlooked
@@alkitzman9179 The Beatles had a great team around them, and that's all part of the reason they were able to achieve so much
All luminaries. What musical worlds they opened up for us musicians and listeners!
Robert Cassard - Great points. If you read Martin's book (and I believe you probably have) we should remember that Paul in particular - but John and George as well, wrote many of the actual notes in the arrangements. Ex.-Martin said that the piccolo trumpet solo in Penny Lane was Paul as GM said "I simply couldn't write notes as good." Sorry if I mangled the quote - but the effect of the wording of Martin's quote is exactly this. Regarding I Am The Walrus McCartney says Martin went to Lennon's home and the two wrote it. If you hear the 'naked' keyboard intro, John had already baked that into the tune.
A very enjoyable video!
All You Need is Ears. An enjoyable read...and what a modest guy. I love that he was so collaborative and determined to help "the boys" achieve their sonic vision of each song. Not surprised that John and Paul were involved in the "actual notes" of the arrangements. They were innately melodic tunesmiths, and GM knew that. But Martin's masterly orchestrations (and unique choices) made their songs sound more radical and daring than they would have without those elements. And the arrangements had the effect of demanding the respect of even the most serious musicians. What a synergy, eh? I'm glad you found my channel and I appreciate your comments!
I couldn't stop listening, George ( bless him ) in so many ways was as much a Beatle as John Paul George and Ringo.
A fascinating video, Rob. 👌
Thanks very much, Nige. I'm probably as fascinated as anyone as I prepare for and make these videos.
@@RobertCassard Once again. Great commentary. Fine tribute to Martin and producers everywhere. The best Beatles content on You tube.
@@Kermit_T_Frog I'm glad the tribute extends beyond Martin to producers everywhere! Awesome compliment.
I don’t think there is any question as to the importance of George Martin’s contribution to the music of the Beatles. 5th Beatle? ABSOLUTELY. Great episode Robert. A+
Thank you. First A+ I've received in a long time!
George was like an artist who produced master pieces with only four colours. Imagine the Beatles without his presence.
I can't imagine it, Simon! Here are the other videos in the series, in case you missed any:
What John taught me: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What George taught me: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What Paul taught me: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What Ringo taught me: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
Simply beautiful appreciation of a band that were off the charts with everything they touched... I think I cried more when they broke up than when my first proper girlfriend left.
Immense part of my generations lives... Truly a privilege to be born at the right time to appreciate How they went from, 'Please, Please me" to Sgt. Pepper in 4 years.... Ridiculously talented all 5.
I had a lot of fun and a few tears watching your take on all of them. Well done, Robert...
I feel the same about being around to experience that rapid musical evolution and how it changed the entire culture. As for your comment about this video series, I can think of no higher compliment than that you had "a lot of fun and a few tears," John. Thank you!
If you'd like to continue the journey, I have two Beatles song blow-ups.
Here Comes the Sun: ruclips.net/video/bDMtaiH6TTI/видео.html
Strawberry Fields: ruclips.net/video/bgKkn1oosYg/видео.html
There have been lots of videos recently on the beatles' contributions to music. But this has to be one of the the best series on this subject. It manages to be both highly personal and well informed. Thank you so much.
Wow, thank you, junkyard! I'm glad you enjoyed the personal aspect - I can't extract my enthusiasm and appreciation from the way I experienced Beatles magic growing up, and now as a (very mature) adult. LOL.
Totally agree!!
@@magsterz123 Thanks, Maggie!
The Beatles had great luck with their manager and producer, but we had the greatest luck being around and hearing their fantastic creative, music as new.
I agree, Kevan. In case you missed any prior episodes, here are the other videos in this series...
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
A really fabulous analysis, showing us lots of details! George really was the 5th Beatle. Imagine
The Beatles without him! Still good, but not the same.
Thanks very much, Clement. I agree 100%. Check out The Beatles'
and Geroge Martin's process of recording and arranging Strawberry Fields:
ruclips.net/video/bgKkn1oosYg/видео.html
Great great video! Congrats!!! P.S.: I've had the honour of seeing a performance of Sir George!!! And I have his autograph in my Sgt Pepper`s copy............
Thank you...and wow, @joaopaulodasneves9331 I love that you have George Martin's autograph on Sgt. Pepper's!!!
Great content! With the endless Beatles material out there, you still manage to give a fresh and informative perspective.
Thank you, Victor, that means a lot! I felt compelled to do this series because of the personal impact each of them had on me. I'm at a stage of life when I want to say thanks to the musicians who influenced me, and to pass along my enthusiasm in a meaningful way.
Master Class! Fab! Thank you. Bach, Beethoven and The Beatles forever!
Arigatō, Sensei! Here's a video you're not likely to find on your own. Lessons I learned from Beethoven: ruclips.net/video/uJtboLaqK6Y/видео.htmlsi=wHmUuFP0F5rdZ3iB
Another great Beatle analysis. George Martin was definitely the 5th Beatle. Nice work. You must love this stuff. Thanks.
Thank you and I do!
Definitely not the 5th Beatle. The 7th since the band had 6 members.
@DaveMcIroy astute observation!
John on Hey Bulldog says [l had never heard it before] on the isolated track...you got it..l have only had 10 children..love it..priceless 🎉❤
LOL. That’s why I chose that isolated snippet!
@@RobertCassard perfect
Sounded like Paul - the 10 children bit.
The once in a millennium lightning strike that these four incredibly talented musicians came together at just the right time, perfect for each other, along with the perfect producer for them, is almost hard to comprehend.
So many things went perfectly right for the Beatles. Talent, technology, media, teenage girls with money to buy records, and more. That's why I often say: The stars aligned perfectly during my lifetime and we got Beatlemania. We were blessed., fortunate, lucky. And we have it all recorded! How lucky is that?
Agreed, Tom. One aspect of all this that I STILL find incredible is how much of their music and process were meticulously documented, with much thanks going to George Martin and the engineers at EMI Studios. Hundreds of hours of tapes and outtakes. All preserved well enough that Giles Martin has been able to go back and reconstruct everything as if the band had been recording on many more tracks than they were able to at the time. So we KEEP rediscovering their music, and we even get "new" tracks like the Anthology releases in the 90s and Now and Then today.
I am looking forward to the legions of fellow Beatles fans to discover your channel and watch it blow up!
Thanks for that vote of confidence @magsterz123! 😍
I think the main ingredient to the Beatles success was all four Beatles and their willingness to seek out new sounds but to me it was the songwriting of Lennon /McCartney and George Harrison that was the real strength along with the quality of their singing voices. That is not all though. Having George Martin as their producer was like a perfect match for the Beatles and along the way they had very good engineers like Geoff Emerick and others who all contributed to the evolving Beatles sound. Finally i would point out what Ringo Starr has recently said in the last few years about crediting Paul McCartney for the total amount of Beatle output that they were able to release from 1962 until 1970. Ringo Starr said that because Paul McCartney was the workaholic member of the group he would always be the one calling up the other 3 Beatles suggesting they start work on a new album or project. Ringo said that if it were left up to him or John or George that the Beatles probably would have only made 5 or 6 albums and would have been done. But ultimately it was a very lucky but destined combination of factors....of ingredients in the sauce....that contributed to the Beatles very impressive and high quality amount of music and output that the world ended up getting. Even the very rare time that the Beatles brought in another musician to play on one of their songs it was a brilliant choice. Eric Clapton coming in to play lead guitar on George Harrison's song While My Guitar Gently Weeps and then with Billy Preston invited in to play his organ on the Beatles Get Back sessions in January 1969 resulted in amazing work. The Billy Preston solos on Get Back alone justified him being there is what Producer George Martin once said. The classicly trained picilo trumpist that played on Paul McCartney's song Penny Lane really enhanced that song and shows how the Beatles could just hear anything on the television or the radio in Britain love it and then ask George Martin the very next day about who was the guy playing that and could we bring him into our recording sessions. Lol That is the power that the Beatles and one Mr. George Martin had at that time around 1966. They could basically do whatever they wanted!
True synergy, right Jason? They could put a photo of The Beatles with George Martin in the dictionary next to the entry for Synergy.
Lots more Beatles-related content for your enjoyment:
What the Beatles Taught Me - Complete Playlist
ruclips.net/p/PLJUm5NcjSm4h46M-IlNy7xudjxDz8rCZT
@@RobertCassard haha...yep right next to it. Cool thanks. Keep it coming I'm enjoying your content. 👍
@@jasonmardoniomeza1711 I appreciate your encouragement, Jason!
I dunno why it says in the thumbnail “pompous?”
George was probably the most humble producer ever
Good video by the way
Thank you @Bottled-Soap. Many people accuse George Martin of making the Beatles' music too "pompous" by adding orchestral arrangements, etc. I thoroughly disagree, but it's a real complaint.
Excellent video. George Martin was integral to the success of the Beatles. Their music wouldn't sound the same with another producer. If EMI hadn't been so miserly with the recording equipment at Abbey Road, their recordings would sound even better today. That they were still working with two-track machines in 1962 and 1963 and four-track through 1968 was outrageous. US studios were so much better equipped. If he had better equipment there would be no need for the demixing technology currently being applied to their early recordings to produce a decent stereo mix.
Your point about his composing and arranging skills is spot on. His orchestral scores stand out compared to what other groups had. The typical use of strings in the 1960s--think Phil Spector--was to have a mass of violins to produce a syrupy, overpowering sound. The only time he came close to that was with Goodnight.
One correction though. The myth is that George Martin signed the Beatles, not so much because he liked their music--he didn't, but he liked their personalities and humor. That is untrue according to Tune In by Mark Lewisohn and Kenneth Womack's biography of George Martin. The truth, according to these sources, is that Martin was forced by EMI's Chairman, Joseph Lockwood, to sign them. At the time, Martin was married with two children and having an affair with his secretary at Parlophone, Judy (whom he later married and who is the mother of Giles). They were being discrete until they went to Wales for an industry conference. They were spotted and reported back to Lockwood. In addition, Martin had been making demands that he be paid a production royalty on the records he was making, which were beginning to rack up some sales. Lockwood was annoyed by his continuing demands and then when he became aware of the affair he came up with an interesting form of punishment.
EMI's music publishing arm, Ardmore & Beechwood, was managed by two EMI staffers, one of whom did not care for Martin. They had been given the Beatles acetate that Epstein had been shopping around. They knew that Martin, like every other A&R person in London, had turned them down. They thought that Lennon & McCartney might be worth signing as songwriters. To tweak Martin, they made this recommendation to Lockwood, who in turn told Martin to sign The Beatles to a contract that called for 6 sides (i.e., three singles). Martin did so, but when the date for their first recording session arrived in June 1962 (it was a real session, not a tryout), he was so dismissive of them that he had Ron Richards oversee the session. After he was finished, he was impressed enough to ask Martin to come and hear the playback. Martin still wasn't that impressed. He met with the band in the control room and gave them a 20 minute lecture on the problems with their recording and what they needed to do to improve. He has noted that he was surprised that throughout his lecture no one said a word back to him. At the end, he asked if they had any comment. That was when Harrison gave his famous quip of "I don't like your tie". Martin was so impressed with his cheekiness that he broke out laughing and then everyone joined in and they joked around for the next 30 minutes.
It was after this that Martin took Epstein aside and told him that Pete Best may be fine for live work, but he was not good enough for studio work. And we all know what happened after that.
Martin continued to serve as a staff producer for EMI and the head of Parlophone throughout 1964. The Beatles became the biggest act in the world and at one point by the mid1960s represented nearly 90% of EMI"s revenue. And still Martin was not given a royalty nor even a substantial bonus. He finally left in 1965, along with Ron Richards (the Hollies producer) and two other EMI producers and formed AIR. The Beatles continued to use him as their producer, but he was an independent contractor for the remainder of their career.
Thanks for all those details. The lore just gets more interesting and richer. For me, the whole phenomenon of The Beatles was a magical mystical fluke of epic proportions.
Same here. We are so fortunate to have lived during the time of The Beatles.@@RobertCassard
Don't forget the Beatles engineers, Geoff Emerick and co.
They played a massive part of the Beatles sound.
Indeed they did. Creative experimentation was their hallmark.
Another great video, Robert. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it @mshadley!
Another collaboration that is similar to the Beatles/George Martin team, for me, is Elton John/Gus Dudgeon. The period they worked together is where SO many of the best music Elton created came from. If need be, add Paul Buckmaster to that, to encompass the string arrangements George Martin wrote, but that collaboration period was as magical for Elton as the George Martin period was for the Beatles!
What a GREAT observation, Scott! Those early Elton John/Gus Dudgeon/Paul Buckmaster LPs are magical masterpieces. As a guitarist, I've never featured a piano player on one of my videos, but I need to reconsider my position... I did a Ringo video, why not Elton?!
This was very well done, Robert!
Thank you, Buzz. I really appreciate the positive feedback. Lots more Beatles-related content on my channel. Tell me if you want me to share any links with you.
I was 7 yrs old when I saw The Beatles Live on Ed Sullivan. I remember even at that age I noticed the difference between the sound of their records and everyone else. Even then, I knew Mr. Martin was one of the reasons. He had to be because he was the recording supervisor. George was a brilliant musician in his own right.
You had an ear for production even at age 7! I know exactly what you mean about how different their records sounded from other artists of the day.
My sister picked up the Hard Day's Night album when she was vacationing in England. It's the FIRST time I heard and read 'instrumental'. George had done several swinging covers of the Theme and other songs.
I had the Hard Day’s Night soundtrack LP on United Artists records, David. It was about 50% George Martin swingin’ instrumentals as I recall…
Awesome! Often, George Martin has been under appreciated for his massive contributions to the Beatles creations. Granted , the Beatles were amazingly talented songwriters and visionaries, but without George Martin , I doubt they could have accomplished all that they did. I was always impressed with the genius of the orchestrations and for that matter the way the Beatles were recorded...( hats off to George Martin,Geoff Emerick and Glyn Johns ). I love the Beatles, but without the "Fifth Beatle" ... they wouldn't have been as great and as long lasting. ( In my humble opinion ).
No need to keep that opinion humble, Chris! Say it LOUD.
Here are the other videos in the series, in case you haven't seen them:
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
I don't think the Beatles would have been the Beatles without the guidance, input, innovation, and creativity of George Martin. I don't think his impact can be understated. And as you so brilliantly illustrate in this video, the shear amount of work and attention to detail that went into so many of the Beatles songs is just simply remarkable. Now-a-days we have computers that can give us dozens and dozens of tracks and ways to manipulate them with ease. Back then it was tape machines and orchestras, and take after take and tweak after tweak, and trail after trial. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mr. Martin.
You can certainly understate George Martin's guidance etc - he had zero influence. There, l did it!
I agree, @thedave2429. Listening to the studio masters and all the outtakes gives a solid sense of what a collective project each song, arrangement and recording actually was. One thing I didn't stress enough is that Martin was the ONLY label/producer to sign them. Without GM, The Beatles' genius almost certainly would never have come to fruition and been distributed widely enough for you and I to know about them.
If that's your conclusion, @billythedog-309, I haven't done my job! See my response to Dave above and reconsider.
@@RobertCassard I could be wrong but I am guessing he didn't watch it. One tidbit I found interesting is that a big wig from EMI records passed on them because he thought guitar bands were a passing fad. It's funny to think if he had signed them how different things could've been. Possibly better? Kinda doubt it.
@@RobertCassard Humour not your strong suit is it? Certainly, the English language isn't.
Great video again. I’m always amazed at the jump from the 63-64 period recordings to the later period. George Martin was massive as were his team of engineers etc. He lost his control/authority from around 68 as anyone would have.
So true. But he regained control/authority for their swan song, Abbey Road, and the results were spectacular.
A great team! Loved george m.
Indeed, Trevor! Here are the other videos in the series, in case you missed any:
What John taught me: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What George taught me: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What Paul taught me: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What Ringo taught me: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
All five of these Beatles' presentations are wonderfully well-presented and deeply insightful, -even to those of us who thought we already knew everything there is to know about this Beatles ; ) Thank-you so much!!!!
This is the kind of comment that makes me the happiest, Drew. I always try to pull back the curtain a bit farther so we can appreciate the music even more!
In case you haven't seen the song blow-ups yet, here's George's process of writing and recording Here Comes the Sun with just Paul and Ringo: ruclips.net/video/bDMtaiH6TTI/видео.html
And John and The Beatles' process of writing and recording Strawberry Fields:
ruclips.net/video/bgKkn1oosYg/видео.html
Great video! I also think that the best orchestral part is on I am the walrus. That’s pure genius. I would have loved to see George Martín’s face when Lennon presented him this weird pastiche of a song. So unusual and so crazy. Definitely among my 3 preferred Beatles songs!!
Far ahead of its time, right Fabio?! You might enjoy this video about John and The Beatles' process of writing and recording Strawberry Fields:
ruclips.net/video/bgKkn1oosYg/видео.html
Wow! I follow a lot of Beatles & rock RUclips channels & this was one of the best videos I've seen; and i just accidentally found you tonight.
Thank you!
Welcome aboard, Joseph! Here are the other videos in this Beatles series, in case you haven't seen them:
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
@@RobertCassard thank you. I have watched all of them now. Excellent!
Who was the guy you mentioned who featured 27 songs George Martin played on? George Martin was definitely the 5th Beatle! I am in awe of his talents.
@@josephblue4135 The guy is @DavidBennettPiano Here's the link to the video: ruclips.net/video/YDYedISQ2JU/видео.htmlsi=1XUDSdM76_jCJj1z
@@RobertCassard thank you so much.
BTW you are very talented! 😊
@@josephblue4135 Thank you, sir! Thrilled you watched all 5 videos.
Since you also complimented my musical talents, here's the complete video of my cover of John Lennon's song Julia: ruclips.net/video/oc21zgCnnlQ/видео.html
I also made a video showing how I arranged and recorded it: ruclips.net/video/x-qIx-gmmTw/видео.html
If you stream music, please find me on Spotify or Apple Music, too.
Spotify: open.spotify.com/playlist/3EvYyfSkqceIOA1X7VEMbY?si=793905826f5543ca
Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/playlist/this-is-robert-cassard/pl.u-jVlDTajooq
GM's orchestral arrangements were outstanding. But it's worth mentioning that he didn't arrange most of the music they recorded. The Beatles did that themselves. Martin was primarily an enabler. He never forced any of his own ideas - because he didn't have that role. But whenever they needed something he would provide it. It was a perfect collaboration.
I agree on the perfect collaboration, @lonedrone. Having read and heard many interviews of GM and individual Beatles, it seems he had quite a lot of influence on tightening their arrangements on the early LPs, but they clearly had their own knack for excellence and economy, too. There’s a great John Lennon interview where he describes The Beatles being George Martin’s pupils on the first few LPs, and Martin learning more from them in the later years.
I learned a lot, thankyou
Glad it was helpful, @agfpillay!
Here are the other videos in the series, in case you missed any:
What John taught me: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What George taught me: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What Paul taught me: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What Ringo taught me: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
Awesome producer and mentor!
Indeed he was, Richard. Thanks for watching.
I have been listening to The Beatles since the early 60s. I then thought that "Within You Without You" was really outside their musical style and sounded very strange, more wierd than anything they had done before. Today, I like this trippy song as one of their funniest and most subtle songs they've ever made. It is brilliant!
It sure did sound different, right? I talk and share samples of George's Indian music in my video about What I Learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
I’ve always noticed that the tone on the guitars is amazing and Way better than their live sound…was that Martin or the engineer? The parts are brilliantly put together also with double tracking? and harmony parts…choice of guitars (12 string, classical, Gretsch etc
) - brilliant!
We have to credit Martin AND the engineers for the tones they captured and the balance they achieved, especially given the relatively primitive technology of the times.
The parts and layering you're describing is what I refer to as Guitar Orchestration ("Guitorchestration"). I have multiple video on my channel about that phenomenon including this: ruclips.net/video/2rHy3_tHNW8/видео.html
And here are the other videos in the Beatles series, in case you missed any:
What John taught me: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What George taught me: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What Paul taught me: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What Ringo taught me: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
Glass Onion - great strings!
Yes indeed, Jeff! So cool...
You said it the synergy between Producer and Band was never matched again. That said as much as George Martin aided The Beatles sound . He often gets credit for things he didn't come up with. For example: the flute solo at the end of You've Got to Hide Your Love Away was John's idea and he composed it and specifically requested flute. The horns and cellos were also John's idea when McCartney suggested an orchestra to beef up the sound. Brillantly arranged by Martin.
It ultimately was so collaborative, with each person working from his strengths. Hence all the magic!
Fascinating. Keep it up!
Thanks, will do!
Superb content, brilliantly illustrated. Thank you.
Really glad you enjoyed it! I hope you find much more to enjoy on my channel: www.youtube.com/@RobertCassard
I respect George Martin even more now. You respect us too:)
I'm happy if this video enhanced your appreciation of George Martin's role.
Here are the other videos in the series, in case you haven't seen them:
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
As usual, well done and with such great information.
Thanks again, Robert. These videos are radically time-consuming, but I had every intention of doing them justice!
I’ve heard that story about the fusion of the two takes on Strawberry Fields a thousand times, where it’s always presented as being a decision that was made retrospectively AFTER recording the multiple takes, but I’ve never heard anyone actually address the obvious problem with that.
It doesn’t matter how brilliant Martin and Emerick might have been, it still would have been physically impossible to do unless (a) it was planned from the start, or (b) they just got luckier than any production team has any right to expect, when a highly unlikely coincidence just happened to dovetail with their plans.
If you have one take recorded at a quick tempo, in one key, and another take recorded in a slower tempo, in a different key, the chances that the difference in key will perfectly match the difference in tempo by pure coincidence are absurdly small. And if they don’t perfectly match, there is absolutely nothing you can do at the editing stage to fix the problem, if the only technology available to you is that which was available to Emerick and Martin in 1967.
So, it’s clear to me that they must have chosen those particular two keys and those particular two tempos, with the specific intention of combining two takes in exactly the way that they ultimately did. This, in turn, means it cannot possibly have been a decision Lennon made retrospectively, after recording had been completed, when he chose two takes he liked and asked for them to be combined. The problem is only solvable ahead of time.
Great points. It's possible that "rising to John's challenge" was a very lucky, very happy, accident. Or maybe it was a myth, but an unnecessary one. If John issued his challenge PRIOR to the recording of the brass and celli, it would explain why they were recorded at a faster tempo in the key of C, when the band version of the song is slower and (at least) a whole step lower.
Even if that decision was made in advance, it was a genius solution to the problem. And it worked out remarkably well considering the limitations of recording technology at the time.
Here's my whole deep dive on Strawberry Fields:
ruclips.net/video/bgKkn1oosYg/видео.html
George Martin was a Perfect Match for the Beatles and their Work, why do I say That? Because he was Highly Intelligent and Educated in Music, but more than that, he had an Open Mind as well as a Great Sense of Humour.
I wholeheartedly agree, Ben. Here are the other videos in the series, in case you haven't seen them:
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
Wonderful. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it! Here are the other videos in the series, in case you haven't seen them:
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
👏👏👏👏👏 wonderful series on The Beatles Sir 👍👍-one thing I was thinking about George Martin is How many english bands of that time in 60's would have benifted from having a producer like Martin at their side, The Beatles were very fortunate in having someone as gifted as Sir George Martin.
They certainly were fortunate, weren’t they, Ernie!! He consistently took their music to a higher level.
George Martin did produce many other artists with many great sounding tracks from Cilla Black to Burt Bacherach such as 'the look of love'. Geoff emerick and Glyn Johns also worked with many other artists that ended up on the Apple label such as James Taylor.
@@limitededition1053 Great points.
I didn't know the piano on Rocky Racoon was played slower and sped up. That's really neat.
He really was/is the 5th Beatle in my book. I don't think they would've sounded as good w/o his guidance.
Agreed, Mat. For me, many of George Martin's contributions were epic - a major part of why The Beatles sounded like no other band ever. Here's my Strawberry Fields blow up. George M is responsible for SO much of the final production:
ruclips.net/video/bgKkn1oosYg/видео.html
@RobertCassard I totally agree. It's an amazing feat of production to meld the two versions together. I love hearing the isolated tracks and how they fit into the final mix.
I heard what sounds like perhaps a 12 string on While...Gently Weeps. I honestly didn't even hear it till I heard it isolated.
Brilliant. And, Sir George Martin was brilliant, humble, gifted and Skilled. He took courses in Songwriting (West End-to-Schubert-to-Popular) whilst in Music Conservatory and he helped Paul and John actually complete their own work with a fullness - no matter how short the song - that few if any one of their contemporaries possessed.
His great talent and sense of humour made him the complete producer for their eyes-wide-open, “I’ll have one of those, then” sense of musical art whilst maintaining diligence at the boards. He also acquiesced to their abilities and expansive desires by keeping up with the changes that They were inventing.
But I gush. If you do not have the CD compilation “Produced by George Martin, 50 Years in Recording”, get it (I am blessed to have #01567) and the CD “George Martin, In My Life” … not on Apple Music anywhere I can find 😠 - but I have the CD 😊.
Brilliant …
🎸👨🏼⚕️🫶✌️♾️
Thanks, John. It's a pleasure to meet a fellow connoisseur of GM - someone who understands the role a producer can/should play in developing talent. George was a musician of prodigious classical skills that also appreciated a great pop song and valued a sense of humor. He was the perfect man for the job, and the results speak loud and clear even today after more than 50 years.
I used to have a copy of Martins' book 'All You Need Is Ears'. It seems to be out of print now, sadly. It isn't just about the Beatles, he discusses his career in the recording business including what it was like making a recording in the 1950's, coming to America (in I think 1955) when EMI bought Capital to inspect the facilities in L.A. and starting AIR Studios. The man was a genius and I really believe the Beatles would very likely have never got past their first couple albums without him. They would have remained a basic guitar and drums band, of which there were many, would have had a couple or three decent hits and then faded away. There were plenty of bands that did just that back then.
I agree, James. I bought a used copy of Martin's book on Amazon, but I see you can also buy it new: amzn.to/3w9hSRI
Thanks for this magnificent review of Sir Martin's amazing work.
Glad you enjoyed it @karlosed. Here are the other videos in the series, in case you haven't seen them:
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
Very informative and educational. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it, Mikael! Here are the other videos in the series, in case you haven't seen them:
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
This was very interesting Robert. You have now completed a video on all the Beatles and George Martin. All of them had me taking away something that I hope helps me going forward musically. Also I thank you for responding personally to me so far every time I have left a comment to one of your videos .
You got it, Al! I was determined to do a "complete set." I even made a playlist with some extra bonus videos:
What the Beatles Taught Me - Complete Playlist plus bonus videos
ruclips.net/p/PLJUm5NcjSm4h46M-IlNy7xudjxDz8rCZT
Really nice job!
Thanks a lot, Rick! If you're interested, check out John's, The Beatles' and George Martin's process of recording Strawberry Fields:
ruclips.net/video/bgKkn1oosYg/видео.html
Funny you put those together... I like to call I Am The Walrus, Lennon's Eleonor Rigby :D
Interesting, Piero!
Brilliant take on George Martin-your Beatle videos are superb! I couldn't help but notice that when the chart of percussion instruments came up, the chimes were mis-labeled as a vibraphone.
Many thanks, Mary! It means a lot to hear such positive feedback. As for the label, I had zoomed in on the chart of the orchestra so you can’t see the vibraphone, only its label. LOL. I make these videos as a hobby, and when I’m pulling everything together, I always miss at least one detail, usually many more! Thanks for watching and saying hi.
And to think that the meeting of GM with the Beatles almost didn't happen. The sheer number of small events that led to this is amazing.
Mind boggling, right Adrian? Here are the other videos in the series, in case you haven't seen them:
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
Great take on George M. I vote for perfect. He was wise enough to recognize that they had "something" even though he wasn't sure what it was at first. Turn out he was right. But I give him a lot of credit for helping them find it.
There’s really no question in my mind either, David. Something I really didn’t stress quite enough in this video is that if GM hadn’t signed, encouraged and developed The Beatles, it’s very likely we never would have heard of them. In that way, he’s a cornerstone of the whole enterprise!
@@RobertCassard So true!
Excellent!
Glad you liked it! Here are the previous 4 videos in the series on what I learned from The Beatles (individually):
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
Great videos!
Glad you think so, Gary!
Grazie Robert, a beautiful video.
Grazie tante, Alessandra! Ecco gli altri 4 video della serie:
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
Fantastic as ever. I've heard Paul say that the crescendo in "A Day in the Life" was his idea. Some of the biographers claim that Paul "misremembers" some of the events. Maybe this is another example.... But who's going to criticise Paul McCartney?
Thanks, George. I think the Pepper's era was so collaborative, at least between John, Paul and George Martin, that ideas simply flowed. So John's abstract idea to create a nothing-to-the-end-of-the-world crescendo may not have been specifically to use an orchestra. Maybe Paul said, let's use an orchestra? And Martin figured out how to make it happen. As you can see from the photo in that section, Paul is in front of the orch. I read somewhere that he "conducted."
Ultimately, it doesn't much matter who came up with what because it was the synergy that resulted in the magical sounds we'd never heard before.
I agree with your sentiments, Robert. But we (at least I) think of The Beatles as gods, but Paul has the reputation, if you listen to some of the biographers, of bending the truth a little. I've heard him saying that he had to get 2 buses to a guy's house to find out how B7 was played. Well, I'm of an age from when info was hard to find. It was one of the first chords you learned back then. Any guitar book would show you. If he could play anything, he would have known B7. I don't mind that. I still watch every video on RUclips that he's in. I'm still besotted after all these years. What is so magical to me is that he's human. I can't believe he walks the face of the earth. How can you be Paul McCartney?
@@georgephillips1263 It is quite a thought to ponder. I suspect if you did a Myers-Briggs test on Paul, that he's be an ENFJ. Extrovert-Intuitive-Feeling-Judging. He's clearly gregarious (E). He experiences life more intuitively/conceptually (N) than in terms of specific memories (hence the sometimes faulty memory). He's Feeling (F), which explains the romanticism and idealism of many McCartney songs. And the Judging part (J) has to do with his desire to complete tasks, including songs and recordings. It makes him prolific. I can forgive lapses in memory, and let's face it, his life is so mythological already, almost anything could be true. The myth, the legend, yet still the man!
Brilliant analysis, brilliant presentation.
Thank you, @redwatch. Here are the other videos in the series, in case you haven't seen them:
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
People who have some claim to the title of 5th Beatles:
Pete Best
Stuart Sutcliffe
Brian Epstein
Billy Preston
and of course, George Martin (the strongest claim in my opinion)
Thanks, Alan. It's hard for me to count Pete or Stuart because they aren't present on all the Beatles' commercial hits.
As a player, Billy was definitely a 5th Beatle during some of the Let It Be/Get Back sessions (and we know that George Martin was marginalized during that project).
Brian Epstein was a VERY important catalyst, and of course, the guy who hawked The Beatles to George Martin. That makes him a "sine qua non" - without which, not. If he hadn't been there, the whole thing might never have happened.
But from a musical perspective, GM being the guy who coached, wrangled, played on and arranged so many Beatles songs? Yeah, he's got the strongest 5th Beatle claim by far!
I always thought we'd hear more about the squabbles but G.Martin seemed to avoid at least the publicly acknowledged black-eyes. I have a feeling he was The Grown-Up In The Room. Watching the GET BACK film, we see G.Martin walk in, chat around with all the familiar folks, listen and when he departed, there was no big deal. I look at all the orchestral work he did and provided, and the piano and odd instrumentation - including hiring session musicians - so I think he managed an aloof or detacted relationship while trying to understand what each wanted.
I'd really like to know what Ringo thought as he was approached to do WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS. I have assumed a pre-existing version was available and, while ACT NATURALLY was a fantastic version (clearly my favorte over the cartoonish Buck original), Ringo never has spoken about some 'election process' where he 'won the job.' But in that song, I suspect G.Martin has a good influence and gave us one of the memorable tracks of Beatles' history. And then the White Album's GOODNIGHT... wow, again, how can croaky Ringo sing a memorable and even beautiful lullabye? WHO THOUGHT OF THAT? That would take a producer who understood lullabyes and string arrangements, and smoothing out croaky vocalists.
The Grown Up in the Room is probably the perfect way to describe GM, and to explain the structure and elevated beauty he brought to Beatles songs. Thanks!
i enjoyed this video and I enjoy your other content. Since many of us have listened to these songs so much and have internalized the iconic arrangements, I am curious why you didn't incorporate his orchestral compositions on Side Two of the Yellow Submarine soundtrack or his work with other artists so that it would be easier to isolate his contributions.
Glad you enjoyed the series, Brian. I came at all these videos from my personal experience and what I learned from all 5 Beatles. I couldn't be a completist about them - WAY too much to cover.
The Yellow Submarine soundtrack and GM's work with other artists aren't what influenced me most about him, and that's why I didn't cover them. I hope that makes sense.
Fair enough.
Best,@@RobertCassard
George Martin, Visionary, Chance Taker, Seer of TALENT. But in the END it was ALL Engineered by a CREATOR GOD. The Timing, Chance of the right 4, frontline musicians, 2 already immensely strong songwriters and 1 still developing and very Quickly. I am so GLAD that George H. Had arguably the best 2 songs on their actual Final Album Abbey Road: Sun and Something, had to have stunned both Paul and John, who knew then what an asset to the Band he was. They knew early on, All of them What an ASSET GEORGE MARTIN was. Their Manager should get more credit to, it was a shame he passed away much to Young. Those times were a really special time to be alive, I was 9 when they appeared on Sullivan, but our family watched ED, most sundays anyway, so it was not like they had advertised them being on, at least I have no recollection of it, that would be an interesting item to dig up any commercial that might have been aired in advance of the Feb 9th televised debut. Only real memory of that night was MOM being shocked at the Length of their Hair. But no one said they did not sound GOOD. Mom used to get into american bandstand with my much older brother, so she could tell changes in music were coming. I really only got into them maybe in about 66, we all knew by then who ruled the Airwaves. GREAT CONTENT and VIDEO!!!
I'm glad you agree with my high praise of George Martin, and I love how you sum up their impact and the magic of how they came together. As for the Sullivan appearances, the hair was a shock, but the suits made them respectable! Thanks to Brian Epstein, they walked that line perfectly.
Here are the other videos in the series, in case you haven't seen them:
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
@@RobertCassard I will check that out, I found on ytube, one commercial from My Favorite Martian, but all it was, was a vocal Just prior to Ed's show coming on, telling that The Beatles would be on. My guess would be back then my Dad watched the news and read newspapers back then, he might have seen something about some British Band just arriving here in the States, or coming to the Usa. And said we need to for sure Watch Sullivan this week to check them out. I was just to young then to really be pulled in yet. A friend of mine in High School in 72, gave me all the articles/newspapers from that Era, her older Sister and her had a scrapbook, I was in shock just to see it, And I asked or she Said you may have it, I could dig thru it and see if any dates are on the news articles, which my Father might have seen. I got the 2 cleveland newspapers articles, her family must have gotten the morning paper and the Afternoon paper: Cleveland Press, and the Plain Dealer, the Dealer might still exist. I think the Dealer was the Morning paper then.
@@ksharpe10 It seems there would have HAD to be quite a bit of advance promo. I wonder if quite a bit of it was from radio deejays because Beatles tunes were already on the charts at that point...
Although I do not regard George Martin as the fifth Beatle, that doesn’t mean that I’m dismissive of his input, innovations, inspiration, influence and impact, not only with the Beatles, but in popular music in general. There used to be a saying in the 1970s that “Life begins at 40”; this was almost true of George Martin. Except that actually, it didn’t really. He had an interesting and important musical and recording pre-history prior to that fateful day when he met Brian Epstein.
It’s funny to think of this now, given his impact on popular music, but in 1962, the limit of his sights was to discover and record….another Cliff Richard ! He himself said it, “I desperately wanted my own Cliff….” Cliff barely steps on grass in American rock and pop history, but he’s been a mainstay of British pop almost since its inception. He’s still around now and has been making music since the 1950s. So it’s understandable why George saw him as the summit of the little mountain {many would say a hill !} of British pop at the time.
One of the things that this tells me is that George Martin wasn’t really a visionary. But in some ways, he was more important than a visionary. He was someone that had the necessary tools to take actual visionaries to where they were heading, to help translate their wild ideas into something both concrete and accessible.
That is no small thing.
Rather like his engineer Norman Smith went on to be with the Pink Floyd and the Pretty things {and it’s clear he picked this up at least in part, from George}, George was that rare creature that enables. Most of history tends to underestimate enablers while us as humans in general, can sometimes go overboard with them, crediting them with that for which they shouldn’t really be given credit for. Balance is what is needed. And with George Martin, what we see is the good and the not so good, nicely balanced. And both were important and had an influence on the Beatles’ development, both as a band and as individual people. For example, he didn’t think much of Ringo at first and by 1968 was still criticizing him for not being able to do a drum roll. And as he admitted, when it came to George Harrison, he neglected him terribly until “Abbey Road” and he actually said that he regretted it.
But while all that’s noteworthy, when I think of George Martin, I don’t tend to think of his shortcomings, I think of his application of ability. He knew music theory, knew how to score for orchestras and brass bands, was adept at avant-garde stylings and had subversive sensibilities, was no stranger to comedy, sound effects, electronics, cut and paste {basically, sampling}, harmony, and was a quick learner of new technology. All of which he had been immersed in before he’d ever heard of the Beatles. This meeting of the 4 recording primitives and the “very 12 inch” {as Ringo described him} George Martin {or The Duke of Edinburgh, as they called him behind his back at the studio} dovetailed almost perfectly with the changes that were afoot in the UK, the USA and recording studios all over during the first 7 years of the 1960s and then ran off ahead ploughing its own furrow.
While Britain saw a breed of new young engineers and producers that were ready to indulge the ideas that were coming forth from the new groups, the truth is that George Martin was gold dust to everyone else’s precious copper, because he had a background in such off-the-wall pursuits that the Glyn Johnses, the Shel Talmys, the Andrew Oldhams, the Kit Lamberts, the Joe Meeks, the Mickie Mosts and others that knew their way around a studio, like Jimmy Page, just did not have. He was a package par excellence and was just the man at the right time to be helping the Beatles with their quest for progression; String quartets, orchestral instruments, backwards recording, mellotrons, Indian instruments, Tomorrow Never Knows/Rain/Yellow Submarine/Love You To experiments, varispeeding, editing, squeezing the most out of 4-track technology. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the music of the Beatles and by extension, artists in the 60s in general would have moved along very different lines had it not been for his willingness to “infect” pop/rock with the openness the Beatles brought; and just as importantly, enabling them to take the quantum leaps that they did. He made it possible.
The irony is that he opened a mighty door for them that he was never able to close when he wanted to {some of MMT, the White Album and “Let it Be”} and they felt they outgrew him. It was only after the “Get Back” debacle that they realized that actually, he brought a measure of control to their chaos and enabled it to work. John in particular seized on George’s avant-garde leanings and went full-tilt boogie. Whereas previously, all their crazy inaccessible stuff stayed in the vaults, once John was on his Yoko-inspired kick, he was going to have a “Revolution 9” and “You know my name” on a Beatles record and would have had “What’s the new Mary Jane” at some point in the future. And George could do little about it.
Personally, as a home-recorder, I think of Martin in the most glowing of terms. Pretty much all of his enabling and experimentation have become standard practice for me in some shape or form. Varispeeding, backwards recording, orchestras, fusions, clever editing between different takes, simple, yet effective harmonies, just being open to wild ideas that can enhance and trying things out just to see if they work….these and more have become normal for me. I found a certain inspiration in because the Beatles couldn’t write music for classical or Indian instruments, they’d hum or scat
what they were aiming at and Martin would sometimes translate that into music for a piccolo trumpet or French horn or whatever. I do that all the time {I whistle the piece} and it’s always so exciting when an instrumentalist converts that into the real thing on a piece.
There’s so much I could say about George Martin. British and indeed, world pop and rock would be somewhat lesser without his unique gifts and openness and the way he applied them.
Many interesting insights and eloquently stated, GrimT. With your panoramic knowledge of the music, players and culture of the time, you truly should consider writing a book (or doing a podcast). That was certainly the most impressive endorsement of Mr. Martin and his extraordinary impact I've ever read, particularly to support your premise that he was NOT the 5th Beatle. Cheers!
"In a Gadda De VI-DA". It's amazing how much "off-beat/over-flow" there is in titles of hits.
Since you pointed this out, David. I now notice it everywhere - including my own songs! It's basic syncopation, so I guess we shouldn't be surprised, but it gives any melody a bit of a "cool factor" that hitting the standard beats doesn't.
@@RobertCassard That (i.e. finding it in you own songs) is good. It is possible to internalize such things. ("In an Octopus''s GAR-DEN", "and you know It Don't Come EA-SY".) These days, I go through phases where I notice a "song" (really only a jingle) that I have not heard before stuck in my head, and perhaps about half of them have off-beat/overflow. I record most of them. Those that I somehow don't (as happened yesterday) are "lost and gone forever", as soon as I hear some other song. I lost a fair amount of them by wrongly thinking "I'll remember this!" I heard about some guy who was a professional jingle-writer, and maybe I will someday get a Round To-It. I must have well over a hundred at this point. Most are only one measure, though one (which involved a few sequences) went on for a ways. The subconscious mind does obey commandments from the conscious mind.
If it does not annoy you, I will continue to point out examples. "Girls Just Wanna Have FU-Un", "We Didn't Start the FI-RE", "You Might Think I'm CRA-ZY" (which in the case of Rick Ocasek would probably be right ...), "You're Emotion in MO-TION, "Even if We're Just DAN-CING in the Dark", "I can see DAN-IEL wavin' goodbye", "Wake Me Up, Before you GO-GO", "I Think We're a-LONE NOW". ("Bubble Gum" songs that were not hits would not have been hits if they did not have some musical merit. There is also the bridge of, dare I say it, Yummy Yummy Yummy: OOH LOVE is sweeter", etc.) Quite relentless about starting phrases with off-beat/over-flow, not to mention appealing, is the bridge of Gilbert O'Sullivan's Get Down, though the overall song is marred by lyrics so inane they could come from Paul ...
"It's Like We Never Said Goodbye" combines off-beat/over-flow with sequences, making that melody unusually appealing.
On the other hand, it is not as if every good song has off-beat/overflow: Yesterday, I Go to Extremes (which I just happened to hear not too long ago), Alone Again, Naturally (a truly impressive song), Just What I Needed
Just I stray note before I finally shut up ... Ric Ocasek must have really liked Yummy, Yummy, Yummy, or he would not have imitated it twice: once in the intro of Just What I Needed, and then again in the intro of Since You're Gone. It's like he split the intro of YYY in two.
@@davidwhite8220 I love all the examples. If anyone else is reading your comments, they're getting a good education, too!
@@RobertCassard
"a STORM IS ..." 4.5 -1.5
"... THREAT'NIN" 2.5-3.5 (This is in effect a half-strength version of "off-beat/overflow". I have seen some songs that are based on this ... too bad I cannot now remember any.)
"my very LI-IFE TO-day" 2, 4.5-2 (The word "life", a long syllable, requires two beats, so overall it's 4.5-1-1.5. For the opposite side of the same coin, see All My Lovin', where "loving" would be too heavy.)
"If I don't GET some shelter" 1
"War" 2
"Children" 4.5-1.5
"IT'S just a shot away, IT'S just a shot away" 1.5, 1.5
Similar "tricks" (by classical standards) are used in the instrumental, and toward the end of the song there are some variations
Overall, the Stones here use every trick in the book: starting on 1 (just an occasional device throw you off ...), starting on1.5, starting on 2, half-strength off-beat/over-flow, and (most prominently) full strength off-beat/overflow. No less than five techniques, complete with "interweaving". It is a master class.
@@davidwhite8220 Yes! Please copy this comment (along with a basic explanation of your syncopated off-beat/overflow theory) into the Comments area of my Blow Up the Song video about Gimme Shelter: ruclips.net/video/OH8FXgUvnU4/видео.html
Great vid and great comments as well. George Martin was definitely the fifth Beatle.
Thank you, Mark & Vicki! Here are the other videos in the series, in case you missed any:
What John taught me: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What George taught me: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What Paul taught me: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What Ringo taught me: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
Thanks!
Wow, THANKS Jeffrey. That's my largest tip to date!
In case you haven't seen them all yet, here are links to the other videos in this series.
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
In addition to all of this impressive stuff documented so well, he could also plonk himself down on the piano stool, roll up his sleeves and get down with the boys. How many musicians of his background would have been able to do that?
Quite a match between the schoolmaster and the boys...
6:03 - Actually it was slightly less than half-speed when it was recorded. It's a tad sharp when sped up to Regular-Speed. :(
Thanks for the extra detail, David!
@@RobertCassard Oops! It was the *US* release that contained those instrumentals. My sister had visited England in 1965, when she brought home the British pressing of 'HELP!'
@@dhpbear2 LOL. I suspected we were talking about the same LP!
We get a glimpse of the Beatles without George Martin when we watch/ listen to the shambolic 'Let It Be'.Thank you for this video.
Great point, Cliff. By then, they had absorbed many of George Martin's musical lessons, but they lacked his ability to bring order to chaos. When they reunited with George Martin for Abbey Road, it was back to brilliant business!
Enjoyed this 🙌 The talented, visionary GM definately part of the alchemy that produced such brilliant music - as was the loopy sense of humour they all shared
Thanks, @MasseyVF. As I reviewed their song list while making this video, I COULDN'T BELIEVE how many of their songs exhibit their sense of humor. It's like they were broadcasting that they'd never take themselves (or their impact) too seriously. I was listening to the podcast Paul McCartney: A Life in Lyrics, and Paul talks about how the Beatles were reaching for fame, but he says they knew if they tried too hard (took themselves too seriously), it would recede. Spot on.
@RobertCassard I read that GM & the boys all loved The Goon Show, a British radio comedy program. GM was working with its comedians, which impressed the Beatles no end. The subversive silliness of this style of humour pervades their music, their interviews & their first movie. Their music was sublime, but their humour made them incredibly lovable.
@@MasseyVF Yes! Did you notice that the Parlophone label I featured at 3:47 was The Goon Show?
@RobertCassard No - I missed that! Goon again 😄 Maybe it triggered something in my subconscious 😁
Im a massive fan of sir george in personality, ability and integrity. Great video! I do think though that some if the later examples of arrangement had little to do with him and more to do with the band members. (Based on mark Lewison recording book, interviews and get back documentary) sorry to be a nerd 😂.
Well said, Andrew! Here are the other videos in the series, in case you haven't seen them:
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
What I learned from George Martin: ruclips.net/video/SJnijUU2QjQ/видео.htmlsi=UPNBlOKrfn-S5pHs
How comes you have a Nizza - Valle du Royà - Cuneo poster in your office. Sadly, the street is closed after the terrible flooding of some 4 years ago. Such a wonderful valley.
Keep it up
Good question! My grandparents had a collection of French travel posters from the early 1900s. I love the Nice-Coni poster both because it's an inspiring scene and because it was painted by someone who shared the last name Cassard - likely a distant relative of mine. The original Pont de Scarassoui was in operation from 1921-1944.
@@RobertCassard The bridge is not far away from Saorges, which is a wonderful little town build with stones high on the mountains with a nice abbey. I used to go there some 20 years ago, climb the valley above and stay in my tent for the weekends. Some wonderful evenings by campfire, roasting mergueze and drinking good white wine or rosé. Thanks for your answer.
@@gigi123ification I've never been there, but it sounds idyllic!
Awesome video
Glad you enjoyed it @Hexspa. Here are the other four videos in this series:
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
@@RobertCassard Alright, I’ll watch them but then I get to make a video called “What I Learned From Robert Cassard”
@@Hexspa You flatter me!
I believe Sir George served in the Royal Air Force, not the Navy.
According to his bio on Wikipedia, he served in the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy.
Pompfect
Indeed!
Correction: Alone Again Naturally has a tiny bit of off-beat/over-flow: "But as if to knock me down, re-A-LI-ty came around".
A very well-constructed song!
Really interesting. Now I understand why I never liked anything the Beatles did from the White Album onwards... thanks!
Thanks, Melanie. One challenge to your theory: Abbey Road was their final recording, and George Martin was at the helm.
FYI - Here are the other videos in the series, in case you missed any:
What John taught me: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What George taught me: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What Paul taught me: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What Ringo taught me: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
@@RobertCassard Sorry I don't know the order of the albums by heart. I love the early Beatles when they were influenced by blues and pop, but I find the later stuff pretentious, self-indulgent and meaningless - so I'm assuming that the orchestral outres and nonsense songs were as a result of Martin's influence. Thanks I'll look out the other vids in the series. :)
@@MelanieMaguire I don't think it's right to "blame" Martin for their nonsense songs. All the core ideas for the songs were from The Beatles themselves. I think Martin just helped them realize their vision, wherever it was. From serious to goofy, formal to fun.
@@RobertCassard Alright, I'll watch it again and give him another chance...! But only because you're a double bass player and for no other reason! 😁
@@MelanieMaguire No requirement to re-watch, Melanie, but I appreciate the double bass kudos!
Excellent video and expertise, unfortunately, I think this part in the series about Beatles music will have a smaller audience response. George Martin is not a pop star, and therefore does not attract the greater attention of music fans, but he was a genius producer, a wizard who fulfilled every wish of a boys from Liverpool.
Thank you very much. I'm waiting with bated breath to see how this video performs. So far, it's doing quite a bit better than I might have expected for a non-Pop-star - 9800 Views in under 48 hours. Respectable, as befits the man!
@@RobertCassard Continue sir, with your work, you have talent, also there are a lot of good music groups, especially in the past, which can be a topic on your channel.
@@user-yo9cq2lt5p Thank you, Pajko. If you haven't seen my Blow Up the Song Series, I've featured a few bands including The Rolling Stones, The Who, the Doors, etc. ruclips.net/video/OH8FXgUvnU4/видео.htmlsi=_3ahnVy-EVnS3K9f
I've really enjoyed this series of yours. I wonder if you would be willing to look at some of the musicians that inspired the Beatles. I'm thinking particularly of Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly.
I like the idea a lot, Alan. Given that I'm a solo video producer (I literally do everything to create these videos), it's likely to take awhile. I already have lists of topics I want and plan to cover. I'll add Chuck and Buddy to the list!
Trying to find this book “all you need is ears” do you have a link?
Not sure where you're located, Jeff. But in the US, it's available on Amazon: amzn.to/49f2FgF
As a fan, the Beatles would not have been as big or dare I say even as good if it wasn't for George Martin. He was a big part of the Beatles sound and development. He didn't write any songs specifically but he contributed to the song writing process with solos and parts making their songs a lot better than they would have been otherwise. Lets face it, Ringo wasn't a great song writer and he was a Beatle. Paul McCartney said George was the fifth Beatle. So perhaps it should have been John, Paul, George, Ringo and George.
I'm happy that Paul gave him that credit. And it's a point of continuity that Paul worked with George Martin's son Giles on recent projects including the Beatles' final song Now and Then.
But Wait...Hey!.... Where's Day Tripper? I mean, if we're talkin' hooky Beatle songs. 😄 Great video!! You should be awarded a Ph.D. in Beatleology for this video. I guess I'm going in reverse by starting with this one. I'll figure out which one is the beginning and resume from there. Great, Great video, though! Didn't you enjoy reading All You Need Is Ears? One more thing: I sometimes think about George Martin in pre Beatle 1963. He's 37ish. He's a soft-spoken "nice guy". His career is going kinda well. He's kinda doing what he wanted to do. But, he's hardly noticed by the inner sanctum of EMI. Not really a peer of the EMI muckity-mucks. Then he takes a chance on these somewhat weird guys from Grand Rapids....oops, I mean Liverpool. "Yeah, (he thinks) maybe they can be somewhat successful.....And, I'd kinda like to try my hand and this new pop music thing that seems to be growing now-a-days." What was he thinking a year, two years, three and four years later? He must have been pinching himself like no human being had ever pinched himself before! I think about that from time to time.
I humbly accept the Ph.D. in Beatleology, despite having made a number of mistakes in this series. While reading All You Need is Ears, I thought about George Martin's true level of humility many times, and how ridiculously underpaid he was by EMI. I like your musings about his state of mind, and I marvel at how nonchalantly he created all those brilliant orchestral arrangements, too. Where did that Grand Rapids reference come from?!
@RobertCassard The GR reference was because they weren't from London, with all that that implies. When I visited Liverpool some years ago I thought to myself that it was somewhat like Grand Rapids. A medium sized city of industry. Nothing shinny and brilliant, at least compared to London. And yet, out of Liverpool comes perhaps the greatest musical phenomenon of the 20th century. So, the GR reference was just a bit of an inside joke, that those of us from smaller places can understand perhaps better than someone from NYC or L.A. I guess it happened a lot in America too... great talents from smaller town upbringings.
@@HL09128 Makes a lot of sense...you must have known that I'm from Grand Rapids. Otherwise, too much of a coincidence!
@@RobertCassard Yes, perhaps I did know you were from Grand Rapids. 🙂
@@HL09128 I loved the reference! I've never thought of a parallel between Liverpool and GR...
How about the mock Baroque style on Penny Lane's ending!!
That's another great example, Guillermo!
Oh and one more thing to project comedy...All You Need Is Love was the UK's presentation to the 1967 first satellite connection to the world viewed by 400 Million people starts with the French National Anthem..now that is funny. 🎉❤
A joke that probably went over many viewers’ heads, but truly is ironic!
@@RobertCassard absolutely 💯 ❤️ 👌
Thanks - I wish is was on kindle
I do, too. I had to buy a physical copy.
I don't know where George got the posh upper crust accent from because he should of had a cockney accent i think he moulded it himself..
Probably the result of schooling and hanging out in classical music circles.
History has not understated Martin's contribution to the Beatles. In reality any competent producer would have added insights, hired strings etc.
Sorry, Dr. Gerard, but “hiring strings” is a far cry from what George Martin did - crafting some of the most innovative orchestral arrangements ever. And let’s not forget that he signed The Beatles when every other label in England had turned them down.
@@RobertCassard If you strip away the romance and listen to an author like Mark Lewisohn, the signing of the Beatles had multiple motives and agendas and was hardly an epiphinal moment on Martin's behalf. I'll concede he did have the odd one though - raising the tempo of "Please Please Me" definitely springs to mind - but otherwise I think the uniqueness of his contributions have been massively overstated. If they'd had another competent producer, many Beatles songs would have sounded quite different. But I very much doubt we'd have liked them any less.
@@DrGerard66 it’s hard to put a value on synergy. Martin was the right guy for the job.
@@RobertCassard Agree.
They were true artists since they worked with pieces of tape. They would have been amazed with todays digital technology.
No doubt, Lawrence. George Martin has said in multiple interviews how happy he was that they were limited to a small number of tracks as the band evolved. It forced them to think creatively to push each boundary consciously. Other videos in this series:
What I learned from John: ruclips.net/video/ElMk3GZHrMw/видео.html
What I learned from George: ruclips.net/video/XZ0Tpe5OCYY/видео.html
What I learned from Paul: ruclips.net/video/Q9x09Z6WqsY/видео.html
What I learned from Ringo: ruclips.net/video/v4xJdR0Vz4I/видео.html
Nothing comparable…… imagine if Bach had George Martin to produce
Quite a thought, David...
@@RobertCassard GM…’how about a backwards distorted guitar here in the Devil’s theme?’….JSB ‘Zauber!’….lol. 🖖🏻
@@davidcox8945 Wirklich zauber!