EastWest - Fab Four

FAB FOUR is a virtual instrument inspired by the sounds of the Beatles, using the same kind of instruments and recording equipment the Beatles used to create their music.

"The Beatles had a profound impact on me musically," said FAB FOUR producer DOUG ROGERS, "and were the influence for my fascination with sound. They were musical geniuses that never rested on their laurels, always producing exciting new music and sounds with each new record, much of it ground-breaking! Putting this project together took well over a year of research, equipment procurement (much of it from collectors), and putting together a team that could pull off such a feat; but it was a labor of love for us all, and the result is truly worth it."

FAB FOUR sound engineer KEN SCOTT worked on five Beatles albums, including "A Hard Days Night", "Help", "Rubber Soul", "Magical Mystery Tour" (engineer), and "The Beatles" (engineer) - also known as the "White Album". Drummer DENNY SEIWELL and Guitarist LAURENCE JUBER were both members of Paul McCartney and Wings.
No expense was spared finding the same kind of equipment the Beatles used to create their sounds to produce this collection, much of which, ironically, will end up in EASTWEST Studio 3, where the Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" was recorded, the inspiration for the Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album, according to Paul McCartney.
Well over a million dollars worth of rare period instruments, amplifiers, microphones, recording desks (including very rare EMI REDD tube and TG12345 desks), outboard equipment (including Fairchild limiters and EMI RS124 modified Altec compressors), and Studer J-37 tube multi-tracks were used in this production. If you are a film/tv/game composer, or musician/producer looking for some truly unique sounds with attitude to create with, this is it!

KEY FACTS:

Produced by DOUG ROGERS
Engineered by KEN SCOTT (Beatles/David Bowie/Elton John/Supertramp etc.)
Includes authentic rare period guitars (acoustic and electric), basses, drums, keyboards, stringed and other misc instruments
The same kind of microphones were used to record all instruments (Neumann/AKG/Cole/STC)
The same kind of period amplifiers - Vox AC30 (1963), Fender Showman (1967), Fender DeLuxe (1967), Fender Tan Showman (1963), Vox Defiant (1966), Vox 730 (1966), Vox 7120 (1966), Fender Bassman (1963) - were used with the electric guitars
The same kind of recording desks and preamps, including a very rare EMI REDD tube desk, EMI TG12345 desk (the same kind of desk used to record Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon"), and EMI REDD47 preamps, were used to record all instruments
The same kind of limiters (Fairchild) and compressors (rare EMI RS124 modified Altec) were used for dynamics control
The same kind of Studer J-37 tube 4-track was used to record everything

INSTRUMENTS:

Guitars (some costing over $200,000 each) played by LAURENCE JUBER (Paul McCartney and Wings) include Gretsch Firebird (1959), Gretsch Tennessean (1963), Rickenbacker 360-12 (1965), Martin D-28 (1966), Fender Stratocaster (1956), Epiphone Casino (1956), Fender Telecaster (1951), Gibson SG (1960), Les Paul Goldtop (1957), Gibson J200 (1966), Hofner Bass (1963) and Rickenbacker Bass (1964). Guitars were sampled with up and down strokes, multiple velocities and picking styles, some with chords and effects

Most of the sounds would be impossible to create without all of the above equipment. For example, the "revostortion" guitar sound was created by feeding a Epiphone Casino guitar into one EMI REDD 47 preamp, and the output into a second EMI REDD 47 preamp, which is exactly how it was created originally by the EMI/Abbey Road engineers

Drums played by DENNY SEIWELL (Paul McCartney and Wings) include a rare 1960 Ludwig downbeat kit with Zildjian cymbals (snare 5 x 14/toms 9 x 13/16 x 16/kick 22 x 14/zildjan 20" crash ride/18" crash medium/14" Hi-Hat)

Drums are all multi-sampled with up to 16 velocity layers, left and right hand. The sounds were all matched to a particular style (e.g. A Day in the Drums, Ticket to Drums, Yer Drums). We even recorded some heavily modulated cymbals through a Fairchild limiter for authenticity

Keyboards include Baldwin Electric Harpsichord (Because I'm a Harpsichord), Clavioline (Baby I'm a Clavioline), Birthday Piano (through VOX Defiant guitar amp), Lucy in the Lowery, Strawberry Flutes, We Can Work a Harmonium, and other stringed instruments including Swarmandel Forever

EFFECTS:

Includes a software version of ADT (artificial double tracking) with built-in tape simulator, created and programmed specially for this project

INSTRUMENT LIST:

• Baby I'm A Clavioline (Clavioline/Baldwin Amp)
  
• Bass Tripper (1963 Hofner Bass)
  
• Because I'm A Harpsichord (Baldwin Electric Harpsichord/Baldwin Amp)
  
• Birthday Piano (Steinway B Piano through 1966 Vox Defiant Amp)
  
• Come To Bass (1963 Hofner Bass)
• Come To Drums (1960 Ludwig Downbeat Kit)
  
• Come To Rhythm Guitar (1956 Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar/1967 Fender DeLuxe Amp)
  
• Come To Guitar Solo (1957 Les Paul Goldtop Electric Guitar/1963 Fender Bassman Amp)
  
• Day In The Drums (1960 Ludwig Downbeat Kit)
  
• Everybody's Got Guitar (1956 Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar/1966 Vox Defiant Amp)
  
• Fixing A Guitar Solo (1956 Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar/1966 Vox Defiant Amp)
  
• Getting A Better Guitar (1951 Fender Telecaster Electric Guitar/1966 Vox 730)
  
• Get Guitar (1956 Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar/1967 Fender Showman Amp)
  
• Help I'm A Snare (plus kit) (1960 Ludwig Downbeat Kit)
  
• Help I'm A Lead Guitar 1963 Gretsch Tennessean Electric Guitar/1963 Vox AC30)
  
• Here Comes The Guitar 1966 Gibson J200 Acoustic picked)
  
• I'm Only A Backward Guitar (1956 Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar/1966 Vox 7120 Amp)
  
• I Want Guitar (Epiphone Casino/Fender DeLuxe and Fender Strat/Fender Tan Showman)
  
• I Will Need A Guitar (1966 Martin D28 with ADT)
  
• I'm A Blackbird (1966 Martin D28 Acoustic Guitar fingered and picked)
  
• In The End Drums (1960 Ludwig Downbeat Kit)
  
• Lucy In The Lowery (Lowery Heritage Deluxe Organ)
  
• Lucy Lead Guitar (1956 Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar with Leslie Speaker)
  
• Michele Guitar Solo (1956 Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar/1963 Fender Bassman Amp)
  
• Modulated Fairchild Cymbals (Zildjian Cymbals)
  
• Nowhere Guitar (1956 Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar/1963 Vox AC30)
  
• Penny Snare (plus kit) (1960 Ludwig Downbeat Kit)
  
• Pepper Guitar (Gibson SG Guitar/1966 Vox Defiant Amp)
  
• Revostortion Guitar (1965 Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar/2 x REDD 47 Preamps)
  
• Roll Over Guitar (1959 Gretsch Firebird Electric Guitar (Roc-Jet)/1963 Vox AC30 Amp)
  
• Something Is A Guitar Solo (57 Les Paul Goldtop Electric Guitar/1963 Fender Bassman Amp)
  
• Something Is A Rhythm Guitar (1951 Fender Telecaster Electric Guitar with Leslie Speaker)
  
• Something Is A Rhythm Guitar Chords (1951 Fender Telecaster Electric Guitar with Leslie Speaker)
  
• Strawberry Drums 1960 Ludwig Downbeat Kit)
  
• Strawberry Flutes (Mellotron Flutes)
  
• Swarmandel Forever (Swarmandel)
  
• Ticket To Guitar (Gretsch Tennessean Electric Guitar/1963 Vox AC30)
  
• Ticket To Drums (1960 Ludwig Downbeat Kit)
  
• We Can Work A Harmonium (Harmonium)
  
• With a Little Help From My Bass (1965 Rickenbacker 360-12 Bass)
  
• What You're Drumming (1960 Ludwig Downbeat Kit)
  
• Yer Drums (1960 Ludwig Downbeat Kit)

All instruments are newly recorded multi-samples for this collection and none of the sounds came from any Beatles music or records (Beatles is a registered trademark of Apple Corp, Ltd. All other product and company names are trademarks of their respective holders.)

(PLEASE NOTE: THIS PRODUCT IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH, OR ENDORSED BY APPLE CORP, LTD.)

Interface

POWERED BY EASTWEST'S PLAY 64-bit Advanced Sample Engine with built-in Network Control (plug-in or standalone)

This VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT combines intuitive handling with excellent sound quality, and functions as a plug-in instrument, without the need for a sampler.

ABOUT PLAY SYSTEM

PLAY isn't just a sampler, it's a complete high-performance sample management system

• Offers native support for more platforms than any other software engine
  
• Network support for large studios, expandable systems
  
• The latest in technology (64-bit, next generation operating systems, plus lossless compression to increase efficiency and lower storage requirements)
  
• The highest sound quality (ground-up effects, 24-bit or 16-bit, highest quality interpolation)
  
• The best virtual instruments from the multiple award-winning EASTWEST/QUANTUM LEAP producers
  
• The most intuitive controls, custom designed for each library
  
• Complete portability
  
• Try and buy new instruments any time, anywhere with an internet connection

Detailed information on the PLAY advanced sample system can be found here

System Requirements

• 13 GB Free Hard Disc Space
  
• DVD Drive
  
• iLok USB dongle (a free soundsonline.com account is required for retrieving and managing iLok licenses)
  
• If you do not own an iLok Security Key you can purchase one at your local authorized EASTWEST retailers, or here.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR MAC

G4 1Ghz or faster, 1Gb RAM, Mac OS 10.4, DVD drive,
iLok required (not included), internet connection required for one-time product activation

RECOMMENDED MAC SYSTEM:

Core Duo or better processor, 2Gb RAM

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR PC:

P4 2.5Ghz or faster, 1Gb RAM, Windows XP SP 2 or Vista, sound card, DVD drive,
iLok required (not included), internet connection required for one-time product activation

RECOMMENDED PC SYSTEM:

Core Duo or better processor, 2Gb RAM, sound card with ASIO drivers

INCLUDED FOR BOTH PC & MAC:

32-bit standalone and plug-in versions included.
64-bit PC VST (host must support 64-bit VST plugins) and standalone versions included.
Check the following compatibility chart for availability of other 64-bit versions and updates.

SUPPORTED INTERFACES

WIN: VST™, ASIO™, DirectSound™
MAC: VST™, Audio Units™, Core Audio™

*RTAS and 64 bit will be available as a free download for registered customers upon release

All included instruments, information and specifications are subject to change without notice.