what effect did the Beatles use on this?

What effects pedal was used to get the warbley sound on the guitar solo close to the end of the Beatles song Let It Be? I've heard it on several orther songs as well, but have never had a chance to experiment with different modulation effects. Is it just a straight up envelope filter, or what that gets that sound?

haven't heard that lately, but it might be tape flanging ... they used that a lot. or possibly a Leslie. i'm just guessing here from memory, don't have a copy. maybe someone who does could offer a more accurate assessment.

It's a Leslie. A rotating speaker. If you're trying to sound like that, a Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere is close sounding if you use it with two amps.

really eh? i always thought that was a ring modulator of some description.

Dont think they had those yet.

Gotta be a Leslie.

Not to high-jack the thread, but does anyone know what fuzz pedals they typically used? I always liked the ripping tone McCartney got on "Taxman" as well as the lead sound on "Sgt Pepper."

I would think there is more going on then just a leslie. It has some sort of modulation szound that sounds to me like more then just the warble of a Leslie. Maybe it's a mixture of a leslie with something else like a flanger or phaser or envelope filter or something.

A "real" Leslie rotating speaker can definitely sound like that when it's cranked up and your bending strings.
"IF" there is something else on that track it would be actual manual tape flanging. *Record the solo "split" - one track normal into the board and a 2nd through another tape machine. Delay that tape machines output by either weighting down one of the reels (usually a hand on it) or adjusting the tape speed internally. Those two signals are combined together. One will be slightly delayed and slightly flat in pitch.*

I remember reading years ago that Harrison would run his guitar into Leslie so that would be my guess too.

Not to high-jack the thread, but does anyone know what fuzz pedals they typically used? I always liked the ripping tone McCartney got on "Taxman" as well as the lead sound on "Sgt Pepper."

I think there was some use of Arbiter Fuzzfaces and Maestro fuzzes along the way, but they probably used a Vox/Sola Sound Tonebender more than anything else.

Some of the really brutal tones were achieved in ways that modern day tone freaks typically avoid, unless it's all about being "retro". John got the "Revolution" 'fuzz' with his Epiphone Casino DI'ed to the board; the trick is that the preamp on the analog console was pushed beyond the limits of good taste. If you've ever tried this sort of thing, it's pretty nasty, not a particularly beautiful tone in and of itself. However, as The Beatles and others have proved, sometimes a truly ratty tone can sit quite well in a mix.

Not to high-jack the thread, but does anyone know what fuzz pedals they typically used? I always liked the ripping tone McCartney got on "Taxman" as well as the lead sound on "Sgt Pepper."

I think there was some use of Arbiter Fuzzfaces and Maestro fuzzes along the way, but they probably used a Vox/Sola Sound Tonebender more than anything else.

Some of the really brutal tones were achieved in ways that modern day tone freaks typically avoid, unless it's all about being "retro". John got the "Revolution" 'fuzz' with his Epiphone Casino DI'ed to the board; the trick is that the preamp on the analog console was pushed beyond the limits of good taste. If you've ever tried this sort of thing, it's pretty nasty, not a particularly beautiful tone in and of itself. However, as The Beatles and others have proved, sometimes a truly ratty tone can sit quite well in a mix.

Not a leslie! it is a vibratone! ha ha! I only learned this last week as I just got a vibratone! (it is a fender licensed leslie.. so the other guys are right too)

http://homepage.mac.com/macmanager/.Pictures/vibratone.jpg

getbent,

You're 48 and you've just bought a Vibratone cabinet!!! Are you a weight lifter or do you have tame roadies??

I had a loan of a friend's Vibratone last year and was barely able to lift the thing in and out of my car! It was what convinced me to find a pedal that could do a close approximation of a rotary speaker; I really don't need to put my back out every time I do a gig.

I know that no pedal will be exactly like the real thing but it's a damn sight easier to lift and the punters don't know the difference anyway and wouldn't care even if they did.

if i had one, i'd hafta drive a forklift to the gig!

i'm the oddball/idiot. A) I wanted one B) I'm 6'3" and 240 C) It'll mostly hang out in the home studio... I just wanted one... it felt lighter (I had to carry it a city block in the city) than the amp I traded... it may have been the elation...

Does the uni-vibe pedal simulate a leslie? What pedals have you found that can do a decent job with only one amp to use. I can't afford two much less carrying two amps around to shows all the time!

getbent,

You're 48 and you've just bought a Vibratone cabinet!!! Are you a weight lifter or do you have tame roadies??

I had a loan of a friend's Vibratone last year and was barely able to lift the thing in and out of my car! It was what convinced me to find a pedal that could do a close approximation of a rotary speaker; I really don't need to put my back out every time I do a gig.

I know that no pedal will be exactly like the real thing but it's a damn sight easier to lift and the punters don't know the difference anyway and wouldn't care even if they did.


It's not really that heavy...it's just bulky since it's so deep compared a regular amp

Does the uni-vibe pedal simulate a leslie? What pedals have you found that can do a decent job with only one amp to use. I can't afford two much less carrying two amps around to shows all the time!

Destination 'rotation single' by the Option 5 co. http://www.option5-online.com/option5.html It is the closest thing you'll find to a real rotating cab.
A uni-vibe, though a totally cool effect, is really more of a phaser.
The thing that makes the Leslie (or vibratone) completely unique is the resonance of the furniture grade wooden cabinet along with a low powered tube amp and spinning speakers.
"If" you're able to crank up an amp loud enough to get actual speaker distortion and some cabinet resonance ... a uni-vibe, phaser or chorus pedal 'will' start to sound more like an actual rotating speaker. You gotta be 'LOUD' though.

Also they used tube-amplified consoles as far as I know.

Not a leslie! it is a vibratone! ha ha! I only learned this last week as I just got a vibratone! (it is a fender licensed leslie.. so the other guys are right too)

+1. The brother nailed it. Incidentally, Hammond-Suzuki (http://www.hammondsuzuki.com/productX.aspx?model=3300,LE&browser=non-IE&cache=0&session=17062008161033&session=h2w13yvbuutvx3i5ht3rjg45&session=15-65-1A-2C-C6-62-22-4B-1A-4B-0A-A2-12-5B-16-5F-14-A6-95-68-CA-8B-95-50-CA) are now making one aimed at the guitarist!

It's a monster!
http://www.hammondsuzuki.com/images/l3300-06.jpg

Film of those sessions would indicate that Harrison used a Leslie 122, not a Vibratone. Unless Vibratones come in big walnut cabinets with separate rotating woofers and tweeters...

good one David, I was working off of this.... (http://www.nmia.com/~vrbass/vibratone/VibratoneSongs.htm)

and a studio pic I had.

i just found this info while searching for a beatle nut friend of mine.
kudos to the genius author..tho i dont know who he is or just where i got it..google search-----

the Beatles used at least 10 different fuzz boxes during their time. Starting with a Maestro FZ-1 in 1963, a Tone Bender Mk.1 (reissued now as Gary Hurst Tone Bender) for Rubber Soul. By 1966 they were using 3 types of fuzzes:Lennon used a WEM fuzz pedal (wedge shaped like a Maestro FZ-1) for "Paperback Writer" rehearsals, in April 1966. McCartney is spotted using a Sola Sound Tone Bender Mk.2 (early run, with 2 Mullard OC75 transistors) with his Casino into a Bassman amp in a picture shown in the first page of Mark Lewisohn's "The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions". That picture was taken at Abbey Road studio 3, where most of Revolver sessions took place. It is from early 1966, so it should be the early edition of Sola Sound Tone Bender Mk.2. George probably used the built-in fuzz of his Vox 7120 amp.
In 1967 they used Vox 730 amps with built-in fuzz and a Selmer Zodiak amp with built-in fuzz. In February 1968, for "Hey Bulldog"/"Lady Madonna" sessions a Vox Concqueror amp was used. By mid 1968 the overloading REDD desk fuzz technique was used for Revolution. In 1969 George used a silicon Arbiter Fuzz Face. That makes 10 different fuzzes.

Continuing with the beatles' fuzzes.

1966, April, Revolver sessions, studio 3, rehearsal.
John's Vox 7120 amp (w/built-in fuzz) and "WEM Rush Pep" fuzzbox by the amp head.
John's Gretsch 6120 is not plugged into this amp but into a Dual Showman off picture.
http://www.geocities.com/jamsbrics/images/19660413beatles-studio.3.jpg

1966, April, Revolver sessions, studio 3.
Paul playing his Casino through Sola Sound Tone Bender Mk.1.5 into 1964 blonde Bassman.
The fuzzbox sits on top of the amp head.
http://www.geocities.com/jamsbrics/images/196604beatles-revolver.sessions.jpg

Closeup of Tone Bender Mk.1.5
http://www.geocities.com/jamsbrics/images/196604paul-tonebender.mk.1.jpg

28 March 1967, "Sgt. Pepper" sessions, studio 2.
Paul's Esquire into a Selmer Thunderbird Twin 50 Mk.II amp, against which leans his Casino.
http://www.geocities.com/jamsbrics/images/1967mccartney-esquire.casino.jpg

1967, making of the "Hello Goodbye" promo film.
John and George are using Vox Conqueror amps with 730 cabinets.
Obviously they are unplugged from the amps.
I post the photo to show amps used during "Magical Mystery Tour" sessions.
http://www.geocities.com/jamsbrics/images/1967beatles-hello.goodbye.jpg

1968, February, "Hey Bulldog/Lady Madonna/Across the Universe" sessions.
Solid state Vox Conqueror (w/ its regular cabinet) used for fuzz lead guitar,
John's 1965 Dual Showman for rhythm guitar.
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f395/sundaramusic/The%20Beatles/lms02-1.jpg

1969, "Get Back" sessions, Apple studios.
The REDD 51 tube mixing desk overdriven for "Revolution" lead guitar.
http://www.geocities.com/jamsbrics/images/196901beatles-letitbe.sessions.jpg

Another view of the REDD 51. Earlier photo from 1965.
http://www.redd51.com/images/10.jpg

Still missing photos from the Vox 730 amp used during "Sgt. Pepper" sessions,
and Fuzz Face used by Harrison during "Get Back" and "Abbey Road" sessions.
During "White Album" sessions the same Vox Conqueror amp was used for fuzz lead guitar.

good one David, I was working off of this.... (http://www.nmia.com/~vrbass/vibratone/VibratoneSongs.htm)

and a studio pic I had.


If there is a studio pic of Harrison with a Vibratone, then of course I'm full of **** here. Which is entirely possible. Got evidence? 'Cause I will eat my hat willingly when proven wrong. I can't afford an ego.

Hi Guys,
A leslie cabinet was used, but Paul cut that solo.... also when it was cut, he was standing close enought to the cabinet that it increased the doppler effect making the pitch change due to how much wind was moving buy him, ie vibration. It's an awesome effect.... I do something like that on one of my songs at the end for a listen go to www.myspace.com/frankbrigandi and click on the song Mezzanine... it's about a 4 minute song and at the end it goes into beatles mode.

If there is a studio pic of Harrison with a Vibratone, then of course I'm full of **** here. Which is entirely possible. Got evidence? 'Cause I will eat my hat willingly when proven wrong. I can't afford an ego.

me neither. I'll hunt through the beatles junk I have and find it... that and the clarence white connection were why I wanted a vibratone.

I've not known you to be incorrect and you are absolutely right about the video stuff... and who knows about the studio stuff... I'll look tonight, if I find it, I'll scan it and post it.

Page 237 0f "Beatles Gear" states that the Leslie speaker was a gift from George Harrison.It was model 147RV.
And George used it so well.
There were 2 Let It Be solos--the disorted one and the Leslie one.The latter one is in the movie Let It Be,with George on his rosewood tele.

well, there you go!