Come Together – The Beatles - Mix Analysis

Joel Richards Fisher – 40299880

“Come together,” largely written by John Lennon with notable contributions from the rest of the band, was produced by
George Martin and released on the 1969 album “Abbey Road”.

Timbral Balance

In keeping with a lot of The Beatles music, the track is comprised of few elements, but they all sit very well together in the mix;
nothing is obscured, nothing is too obvious.
This has a lot to do with the dynamic balance of the instruments, as well as the stereo panning applied to each.

The song itself has a very steady, very straight beat, driven through verses by the kick drum and rhythm guitar.

The kick holds a steady 1/8th note beat through the verse, and I think has a well pronounced transient which helps highlight the
sound by giving it punch and separates it from the bass guitar. This could be the result of careful EQ boosting in the lower mid-
range, or compression with a slow attack time, or both. The entire kit is panned to occupy an area around 30˚ -60˚ from the
centre, which further helps the listener to discern different elements.

During sections between verses, Ringo plays a descending fill which covers the kick, hi hats and toms. In combination with the
tape delay applied to the lead vocals and claps, this fill gives these sections a shimmering sort of effect, which nicely contrasts
the relentless driving rhythm of the verses. In terms of reverb, the drums are quite dry and unaffected, which lends prominence
to the sound and brings it forward in the mix.

The rhythm guitar similarly lacks reverb; it has warm overdriven tone with a lot of mid-range punch, although it lacks highs and
some low end. This is beneficial in this instance, helping to maintain the gritty power of the verses, while leaving ample space
for higher-frequency elements.

Occupying a similar frequency range to the rhythm guitar is an electric piano. However, the two do not seem to compete or
interfere with each other. Firstly, they have an entirely separate timbre – the warm saturation of the guitar tone is easily
discernible from the chime of the piano. Secondly, they are panned in opposite directions, although the keys do move to a
central position briefly around the 2:30 mark.

During the instrumental breaks, we hear a harmonised lead guitar part, played by two different guitars. This part is pitched
higher than the rest of the elements and the vibrato gives a vocal-like quality, as if someone were singing it. This part has far
more high-frequency content than the rhythm guitar and electric piano, which helps it fill an obvious void in the track and lifts it
above the rhythmic body of the other instruments. At around 3:00 we hear a new instrument, also higher in frequency than the
other parts. It’s difficult to say exactly what it is, but the slow transient and gradual swell are consistent with the sound of string
instruments such as violins. However, at points the pitch sounds artificially altered which hints at some manipulation or
processing.

Processing has also been included on the vocal tracks and the clapping track in the form of tape delay. The delay time is very
short, similar to a sort of slapback-delay, but the decay of the effect gives it more of a shimmering feel, which nicely contrasts
with the heavier rhythmic backing. In sections between verses, the tail of the delayed handclap effect dies away, at which point
Ringo plays the descending fill, which gives the sense that the sound is transferred to the drums.

Throughout the verses the main and backing vocal tracks appear noticeably clear and present in the overall mix. This is due to
the differing approach taken to equalization between these tracks and other elements. The vocals are more concentrated in
the higher frequency range, compared to the rhythm guitar, bass and drums. They lack a lot of the heavier low-end focus of
their peer components and sound a lot thinner and breathier. This, along with the fact that they are panned centrally (unlike
other elements except the bass guitar, with which they have little else in common) helps them occupy their own space in the
mix. The application of the tape delay only serves to highlight the contrast between these affected tracks and the dry nature of
the other verse elements.
Compression and Dynamics

The track, as a whole, is quite heavily compressed, relying more on perceived dynamics than actual dynamic range. There is an
obvious contrast in energy between different sections of the track, some more light and subdued with a building tension,
others strong and heavy with obvious contributions from all elements.

The compression applied to the drums gives them a consistent feel throughout, helping make the transition between quieter
louder sections of the song more cohesive and smoother for the listener. However, the drums still feel lively and snappy,
especially the hi hats and cymbals, which suggests that a slower attack time was set on the compressor. This is especially
pleasing to the ear as it gives the higher-frequency elements a smooth and sustained sound, without sacrificing presence or
sizzle.

In the case of the rhythm guitar, the heavy and more distorted verses sound a similar volume to the smoother, subtler, quieter
picked parts of the sections between. In contrast to the drums, the transients of this track sound more squashed and subdued,
as though a lot of the impact between the player and the strings has been lost due to a faster compressor attack time. This is a
positive attribute in this case, as the smoothing of the sound suits the low growl of the guitar tone, and compliments and
highlights other parts that might have a sharper and more obvious transient.

Also heavily compressed is the bass. Like the rhythm part, a lot of the sound of the pick against the string has been lost to
compression, however it’s easy to see how the percussive sound of the pick isn't particularly additive in this scenario. It would
very quickly get lost among the other elements and might just make the overall mix messier and more confusing. As it is, the
bass part is smooth and controlled, contributing a solid and steady foundation, with no noticeable extremes of dynamic range.

Sound Quality

This track is consistent with the era, in that it is not of the highest fidelity. These tracks were recorded onto tape, which has a
high noise floor and, quality-wise, is no match for modern day recordings. Furthermore, The Beatles were known for their more
experimental approach to music and recording (evidenced in their pioneering use of tape delay) rather than the sound quality
of said recordings. This track was largely recorded in a live band situation with minimal overdubs (namely Lennon’s lead and
backing vocals), as opposed to track by track in an acoustically treated studio. Because most parts were performed
simultaneously and in the same room, a lot of bleed occurred through different microphones. This is not immediately apparent
on the finished track but when heard in isolation, there is obvious sonic spill affecting most. The mix is clear and balanced as it
is, however, one could argue that if each track had been recorded in isolation the overall clarity would be further increased.
Instrument recording techniques have also developed since the time of this track’s creation; producers of the era would have
had a more limited choice of microphone and audio processing equipment, such as compressors and equalizers.

For example, the drums on this track were likely recorded with only two microphones. This has certain benefits and can give the
drum track a certain desired tonal character; however, it might not yield the most accurate or high-fidelity recording. Nowadays
it is common to use multiple microphones when recording a kit, and to run these stems through all sorts of digital audio
treatment, which is much more powerful than older analog gear (for better or for worse).