Sergeant Pepper Term Paper
Jose Olivar
Recording Techniques Analysis
Mr. Bruning-Music Technology
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles
Term Paper
Introduction
Introduction
Sergeant Pepper’s lonely heart band album is one of the greatest albums the
Beatles have. In every song they have, there is a story and a musical masterpiece behind
each track. There are two songs added to the album, they are Strawberry Fields Forever,
and Penny Lane
emphasize my understanding on the musical and historical analysis of each track in this
album.
2. Penny Lane
12. Lovely Rita
16. Conclusion
In listening to Strawberry Fields Forever one can notice that a Melotron is what
produces the flute sound. George Martin is the producer for this album; his background is
classical music/20th experimentalism. In hearing the song we hear a wobbly sound, to
produce that wobbly slow sound he put his thumb on the reel. They also slowed a guitar
track to achieve a slow sound. Ringo’s Drumming is simple throughout the song. There is
a measure of 2/4 then the refrain is in 6/8.The song lyrics are autobiographical for his
emotional state being raised similar to an orphan and the orphanage he was raised around
was in Liverpool . In the song we hear horns, plucked String of the surmandal (Indian
harp). When the Beatles went to India
and they tried to get into Transcendentalism. Towards the end there are sounds of
symbols in reverse (Reversed Drumming).
his lyrics about his life. There is no guitar in this track. There is also a Piccolo solo.
Ringo is being super simple in the beginning in playing his drums. There are concert
bells-chimes and controlled Sustained feedback. They also use a vibraphone and have a
Piano accompanying (Comping), and flutes echo the Piano.
In listening to Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Band Paul is on bass and lead vocals.
There are four brass horns (French horn quartet allowed the transition to a calmer style of
music rather than heavy rock). George Martin is playing the organ. Paul thought that if
they called themselves something else, it would allow them to be more unique. It was the
first time in music history that the direct injection box was used on his bass. Everything
in the album was done on four tracks.
With a Little Help from My Friends Opens with fans singing for Billy Shears who
is also Ringo Star. This track was written for Ringo Star and is also performed by him.
Many thought that the song has a drug referral. This song was actually the last song to be
composed for the album. In the song we can hear a piano, guitars, drums, and a cowbell,
with George Martin playing the organ.
In listening to Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds we hear A Hammond Organ using
a harpsichord patch. We also hear George Harrison using the Tamboura. This track is not
a description of an acid high it was an excuse of getting LSD into the title. There is also
an Indian Tamboura (guitar like instrument). John is the singer and is nasal singing. The
rotation Leslie speaker was used for the guitar.
In hearing Getting Better we can hear that Paul McCartney is lead vocalist for this
song and play the bass guitar. George Harrison does backing vocals, tamboura. Jimmy
Nickel inspired the song title. John and Paul co wrote the song. The guitar parts are
orchestrated in that both were playing different parts. Bongos are playing.
People accused them of a drug song. But it was about actually repairing a home in
She’s Leaving Home
This song is about a girl named Melanie Coe who ran away from home.
Musicians like the Beatles were getting blamed for Summer Love. Lead vocal, backing
vocal, string quartet, and a harp. Mike Leander did screen arrangement.
Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite-
This song was written on behalf of a circus poster (Pablo Fanque’s Circus-1843).
There is a use of a Hammond Organ and a Wurlitzer Organ. They also use Calliope pipes
(Steam Organ) for sound effects. They cut the tapes of the steam organ and then put them
together in the places they fell. And finally there are drums.
Within You Without You-
In this song it features only one Beatle. George Harrison is on Sitar, Tamboura,
Dilruba (Indian Violin), Tabla (Small hand drums played with the fingertips),
Swordmandel (Indian Harp). There are three cellos, eight violins European instruments.
Indian players played from their memories and western musicians who played only by
music sheets. Sitar follows the vocal melody.
When I’m Sixty-Four-
The track was written in 1958, written also as a filler way before they were known
as the Beatles. It wasn’t recorded until 1967. Symphony Chimes are used.
Lovely Rita
An American friend to the Beatles made a comment on how cute a British meter
maid was. The song was about asking a meter maid off for some tea. There is a Comb
and Paper used for Kazoo sound. There is also beat boxing. George Martin on piano and
there is a reverb.
In hearing Good Morning Good Morning we hear that the Beatles made the horn
section sound dirty by jamming mikes into the trumpets bells, and trombones. The Song
was about the daily life of having nothing to do. The sound ends with many types of
animal sounds to signify the animal hierarchy.
There is a guitar solo in the beginning, which morphs from a chicken sound. This
song is very hardcore.
For A Day in the Life Lennon writes about the daily living. The song was inspired
about an article in the newspaper about holes in Blackburn . It was made a song out of two
lines from a newspaper. Martin Bering’s in the 164-piece orchestra, who had to follow
standard instructions to have the effect the Beatles producer was looking for.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the album Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band is a jam-
packed album that the Beatles created. Each and every track they have in the album has a
story behind them. George Martin is the producer of this album and he has done a
marvelous job in creating a musically compacted masterpiece in each track. Sergeant
Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band truly is a remarkable album.
Works Cited
1. Robert Fontenot, The history of this classic Beatles song,
http://oldies.about.com/od/thebeatlessongs/The_Beatles_Songs.htm
~kprayb01/1920s.html.
2. Mr. Bruning’s analysis class lecture.
No comments:
Post a Comment