with a little help from my friends

the beatles

organ

90% ai confidence

A classic, warm Hammond organ sound with a rich, swirling Leslie speaker effect. It provides a soulful and foundational harmonic texture to the song.

Instrument: Hammond RT-3 Organ

Amp: Leslie 122 Speaker Cabinet

Microphone: Neumann U67 (x2, one on horn, one on drum)

Processing: EMI REDD.51 mixing console preamplification, EMI REDD.51 console equalization, Fairchild 660 compression (subtle, if used)

Other: Leslie speed set to 'Chorale' (slow swirl). Drawbar settings: e.g., 888000000 for a full, warm tone. Minimal to no organ percussion.

Recorded at EMI Abbey Road Studio Two in March 1967.
The organ part was played by George Martin.
The studio's Hammond RT-3 organ was routed to a Leslie 122 speaker cabinet.
The Leslie speaker was typically miked with two condenser microphones, one for the rotating treble horn and one for the rotating bass rotor, often panned to create a stereo image.
The signal passed through the EMI REDD.51 recording console, contributing to its characteristic warmth.

Use a high-quality Hammond organ emulation (VST plugin or physical clone). Aim for a B-3/C-3/RT-3 type sound.
A Leslie speaker emulation is essential. Use the 'Chorale' (slow) setting for the primary swirl.
Start with classic drawbar settings like 888000000 (first three drawbars fully out, the rest in) for a full, foundational tone. Adjust to taste.
Turn off or use very subtle percussion on the organ emulation.
If your Leslie emulation allows, experiment with dual microphone placements (one for horn, one for rotor) and adjust their mix and panning.
Add a touch of vintage-style console EQ (emulating Pultec or REDD circuits) to shape the tone, focusing on warmth in the low-mids and clarity in the highs.
Consider subtle analog-style saturation or tape emulation for added vintage character.

TONEDB...