Beatles Innovations

bloop · 07-14-2003, 08:33 PM

Call me ignorant, because I am, but what all were the innovations that the Beatles should get credit for in popular music? Any good resources, like a website that lists "Beatles Firsts" or something of that nature?

I know they have to be considered innovative for a reason, and I love them either way, but I was just wondering...

Jaggie · 07-14-2003, 09:43 PM

I heard a cool story recently, not sure if it's true, but it seems like it very well could be. If you're at all familiar with guitar effects there is something called a Flanger which makes the guitar sound like a plane flying overhead. Well as the story goes, the Beatles were experimenting in the studio and pressed on the flange, or the outside part of the tape, in recurring intervals. The manipulation of the recording tape created the Flanged sound effect.

oclaftap · 07-14-2003, 11:19 PM

i dont think the beatles were really innovators of one thing indivually, but they revolutionized music all in general. I mean what didn't they do?

killed radio star · 07-14-2003, 11:21 PM

they most certainly did not battle rap.

sawdust restaurants · 07-14-2003, 11:43 PM

Listen to albums recorded before Revolver. Then listen to Revolver, or Sgt. Pepper's, or Abbey Road, and I think it's pretty obvious that the Beatles knew how to play the recording studio like an instrument. Musical breakthroughs aside, they did stuff in recordings that rock bands hadn't even dreamed of before.

oclaftap · 07-14-2003, 11:46 PM

yeh with like their hidden messages in songs if you slowed them down and played them backwards really shows their genius of songwriting and songcrafting

sawdust restaurants · 07-14-2003, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oclaftap
yeh with like their hidden messages in songs if you slowed them down and played them backwards really shows their genius of songwriting and songcrafting

please die.

machinaddict · 07-15-2003, 12:00 AM

they invented emo

mercurial · 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jaggie
I heard a cool story recently, not sure if it's true, but it seems like it very well could be. If you're at all familiar with guitar effects there is something called a Flanger which makes the guitar sound like a plane flying overhead. Well as the story goes, the Beatles were experimenting in the studio and pressed on the flange, or the outside part of the tape, in recurring intervals. The manipulation of the recording tape created the Flanged sound effect.

Yeah something to this effect but not quite. John Lennon coined the phrase flanger cause the engineer who invented ADT (autmatic double tracking) couldn't be bothered trying to explain the process to him and so told him it had something to with the flange on the tape machine.

I have some stuff at home (at work right now) about the vast array of stuff that was basically invented by the Beatles producers/engineers at the time. Will post some of them tommorow if I remember to dig it up.

My favourite story is about how the reverb sounds on the vocals were achieved by pumping the vocals through a speaker placed in the stairwell of Abbey Road Studios and placing a microphone at the bottom to capture the reverb.

McCollum · 07-15-2003, 12:57 AM

the shit they did with just a shitty 4-track is amazing.

Crono · 07-15-2003, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by McCollum
the shit they did with just a shitty 4-track is amazing.

like tying god knows how many 4tracks together for a day in the life?

Mason R Butler · 07-15-2003, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by McCollum
the shit they did with just a shitty 4-track is amazing.

Realizing, of course, that when they say 4-track, it's nothing like the cassette things we're used to. A lot of track bouncing was done. Read the Beatles Recording Sessions book (it's probably at your library). I'm waiting for Jesse to comment too; his name is SMiLE now, so maybe he's trying to not break character.

Spaceboy917 · 07-15-2003, 06:46 PM

They monopolized nearly every catchy melody in potential existence before anyone else could.

THRILLHO · 07-15-2003, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by killed radio star
they most certainly did not battle rap.

in the upcoming official release of the abbey road studio video, a previously excluded clip where john and paul are seen candidly bitching at each other while ringo lays down some fresh grooves turns into a mad cypher with george, billy preston, yoko ono and the studio runner.

Hillzy · 07-15-2003, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oclaftap
yeh with like their hidden messages in songs if you slowed them down and played them backwards really shows their genius of songwriting and songcrafting

neopryn · 07-16-2003, 12:47 AM

i think they were the first to use strings, with Eleanor Rigby.

Mason R Butler · 07-16-2003, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by neopryn
i think they were the first to use strings, with Eleanor Rigby.

Yesterday came first, and it was very much not the first pop song with strings. The first Beatles song with them, yes.

Since you guys aren't naming any, I'll throw some out. First:

- Album to ******* full lyrics (Sgt Pepper's)
- First (arguable) concept album (Sgt. Pepper's again)
- first use of the sitar in Western Pop music (again, arguable, but on Norwegian Wood.)

Those last two are not totally true, but are usually attributed to the Beatles, so I'll let them stand.

wangcomputers · 07-16-2003, 01:40 AM

they were the first to play on a rooftop.

y'know, before the be sharps.

scouse_dave · 07-16-2003, 03:13 AM

first band to merge tracks together i believe (no silence in- between)

oclaftap · 07-17-2003, 12:43 AM

they were the first pop band to start writing depressing tunes about sad and dark stuff

Debaser · 07-17-2003, 01:39 AM

didn't they popularize the album format? before them, most bands only released singles and ep's.... nobody wrote songs with any thought of how they would fit together as an album as a whole....

Mason R Butler · 07-17-2003, 02:14 AM

They did not invent the medley and they did not invent depressing pop songs. I would agree they were probably one of the first bands to look past making an album of singles + filler, but that was done in earlier forms of "pop" music too (or at least Jazz.)

Bob Ross · 07-17-2003, 02:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mason R Butler
They did not invent the medley and they did not invent depressing pop songs. I would agree they were probably one of the first bands to look past making an album of singles + filler, but that was done in earlier forms of "pop" music too (or at least Jazz.)

Mason R. Butler

07-14-2003, 08:33 PM	#1
bloop Demi-God Posts: 370	Beatles Innovations Call me ignorant, because I am, but what all were the innovations that the Beatles should get credit for in popular music? Any good resources, like a website that lists "Beatles Firsts" or something of that nature? I know they have to be considered innovative for a reason, and I love them either way, but I was just wondering...

07-14-2003, 09:43 PM	#2
Jaggie Ownz Posts: 914	I heard a cool story recently, not sure if it's true, but it seems like it very well could be. If you're at all familiar with guitar effects there is something called a Flanger which makes the guitar sound like a plane flying overhead. Well as the story goes, the Beatles were experimenting in the studio and pressed on the flange, or the outside part of the tape, in recurring intervals. The manipulation of the recording tape created the Flanged sound effect. __________________ i To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. all my years, been chasing all my fears To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

07-14-2003, 11:19 PM	#3
oclaftap Ownz Location: boston Posts: 623	i dont think the beatles were really innovators of one thing indivually, but they revolutionized music all in general. I mean what didn't they do?

07-14-2003, 11:21 PM	#4
killed radio star Apocalyptic Poster Posts: 3,205	they most certainly did not battle rap.

07-14-2003, 11:43 PM	#5
sawdust restaurants Fucking Creep Location: On the East Coast Posts: 5,992	Listen to albums recorded before Revolver. Then listen to Revolver, or Sgt. Pepper's, or Abbey Road, and I think it's pretty obvious that the Beatles knew how to play the recording studio like an instrument. Musical breakthroughs aside, they did stuff in recordings that rock bands hadn't even dreamed of before.

07-14-2003, 11:46 PM	#6
oclaftap Ownz Location: boston Posts: 623	yeh with like their hidden messages in songs if you slowed them down and played them backwards really shows their genius of songwriting and songcrafting

07-15-2003, 12:00 AM	#8
machinaddict Apocalyptic Poster Location: Wolfville, NS Posts: 4,617	they invented emo

07-15-2003, 12:57 AM	#10
McCollum Apocalyptic Poster Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 1,138	the shit they did with just a shitty 4-track is amazing.

07-15-2003, 06:46 PM	#13
Spaceboy917 Demi-God Location: Victoria B.C. Canada Posts: 429	They monopolized nearly every catchy melody in potential existence before anyone else could.

07-16-2003, 12:47 AM	#16
neopryn let's see your penis! Location: i had a few beers, but i'm cool to drive Posts: 31,862	i think they were the first to use strings, with Eleanor Rigby.

07-16-2003, 01:40 AM	#18
wangcomputers Apocalyptic Poster Location: UK Posts: 4,058	they were the first to play on a rooftop. y'know, before the be sharps.

07-16-2003, 03:13 AM	#19
scouse_dave Minion of Satan Location: Manchester Posts: 5,089	first band to merge tracks together i believe (no silence in- between)

07-17-2003, 12:43 AM	#20
oclaftap Ownz Location: boston Posts: 623	they were the first pop band to start writing depressing tunes about sad and dark stuff

07-17-2003, 01:39 AM	#21
Debaser ghost Location: @SactoMacto Posts: 12,201	didn't they popularize the album format? before them, most bands only released singles and ep's.... nobody wrote songs with any thought of how they would fit together as an album as a whole....

07-17-2003, 02:14 AM	#22
Mason R Butler walks among us Location: MNUSA Posts: 7,768	They did not invent the medley and they did not invent depressing pop songs. I would agree they were probably one of the first bands to look past making an album of singles + filler, but that was done in earlier forms of "pop" music too (or at least Jazz.)