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Close mic'ingStudio · Studio technique · 42 songs
CategoriesStudioStudio techniqueClose mic'ing
Studio · Studio technique

Close mic'ing

Placing a microphone within inches of a sound source for intimate, detailed capture.

42
songs
See alsoStudio technique:Double tracked vocalStudio technique:Reduction mixStudio technique:Fade-outOrchestral scoring:George MartinAssistant engineer:Phil McDonaldYear:1966Year:1967Motif:Family
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Top studio techniques by writer – Lennon: Double tracked vocal (59), Reduction mix (29), Tape splicing (18); McCartney: Double tracked vocal (46), Reduction mix (32), Close mic'ing (25); Harrison: Double tracked vocal (14), Reduction mix (12), Fade-out (7).

John LennonPaul McCartneyGeorge HarrisonDouble tracked vocalReduction mixTape splicingFade-outStudio technique

Analysis

By Year

Song count per year

By Songwriter

% of each member's catalogue with this tag (by writing credit)

By Era

Early5 · 12%
Mid-period25 · 61%
Late11 · 27%

By Album

Revolver8
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band8
The Beatles (The White Album)7
Magical Mystery Tour4
Past Masters4
Abbey Road3
Help!2
Please Please Me1
With The Beatles1
A Hard Day's Night1
Beatles For Sale1
Rubber Soul1

Songs(41 of 42)

Year
Album
Writer
Lead vocal(s)
#TitleYearAlbumLead Vocal(s)Notes
1I Saw Her Standing There1963Please Please MePaul–
2All My Loving1963With The BeatlesPaul–
3This Boy1963Past MastersJohn, Paul, GeorgeTrio around single vocal mic
4If I Fell1964A Hard Day's NightJohn, PaulSingle shared mic for the two leads
5Baby's in Black1964Beatles For SaleJohn, PaulJohn and Paul shared a single mic, face-to-face
6Yesterday1965Help!PaulVocal and guitar mic'd together; some leakage
7Tell Me What You See1965Help!John, Paul–
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8Nowhere Man1965Rubber SoulJohnBright treble on lead guitars
9Rain1966Past MastersJohnHeavy bass response per Emerick
10Paperback Writer1966Past MastersPaulLoudspeaker used as bass mic
11Tomorrow Never Knows1966RevolverJohnEmerick's bass-drum mic inside the kick – broke EMI rules
12Eleanor Rigby1966RevolverPaulEmerick mic'd strings closely
13Love You To1966RevolverGeorgeRibbon mics on tabla, heavy compression
14Good Day Sunshine1966RevolverPaul–
15And Your Bird Can Sing1966RevolverJohn–
16She Said She Said1966RevolverJohnEmerick's Revolver-era drum miking
17Got to Get You into My Life1966RevolverPaulBrass mic'd in the bells, through a limiter
18For No One1966RevolverPaul–
19Strawberry Fields Forever1967Magical Mystery TourJohn–
20When I'm Sixty-Four1967Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandPaul–
21Good Morning Good Morning1967Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandJohn–
22She's Leaving Home1967Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandPaul, John–
23With a Little Help from My Friends1967Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandRingo–
24Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band1967Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandPaul–
25Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)1967Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandPaul, John, George–
26Within You Without You1967Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandGeorgeRibbon mics on tabla
27Lovely Rita1967Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandPaul–
28Hello, Goodbye1967Magical Mystery TourPaulPercussion captured unnaturally close
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29Magical Mystery Tour1967Magical Mystery TourPaul–
30Your Mother Should Know1967Magical Mystery TourPaul–
31Lady Madonna1968Past MastersPaulPiano miked close, then heavily compressed
32Mother Nature's Son1968The Beatles (The White Album)PaulDrums miked at end of long corridor
33Back in the U.S.S.R.1968The Beatles (The White Album)Paul–
34Glass Onion1968The Beatles (The White Album)JohnTea towels damping drums
35Yer Blues1968The Beatles (The White Album)JohnSmall-room cramped setup for spillover
36Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da1968The Beatles (The White Album)Paul–
37Why Don't We Do It in the Road?1968The Beatles (The White Album)PaulDistorted, intimate vocal sound
38I Will1968The Beatles (The White Album)PaulClose-miked scat-sung bass line
39Because1969Abbey RoadJohn, Paul, George–
40The End1969Abbey RoadPaulRingo's drum solo close-miked
41Come Together1969Abbey RoadJohn–

I Saw Her Standing There

1963·Please Please Me·Paul

All My Loving

1963·With The Beatles·Paul

This Boy

1963·Past Masters·John

Trio around single vocal mic

If I Fell

1964·A Hard Day's Night·John

Single shared mic for the two leads

Baby's in Black

1964·Beatles For Sale·John

John and Paul shared a single mic, face-to-face

Yesterday

1965·Help!·Paul

Vocal and guitar mic'd together; some leakage

Tell Me What You See

1965·Help!·John

Nowhere Man

1965·Rubber Soul·John

Bright treble on lead guitars

Rain

1966·Past Masters·John

Heavy bass response per Emerick

Paperback Writer

1966·Past Masters·Paul

Loudspeaker used as bass mic

Tomorrow Never Knows

1966·Revolver·John

Emerick's bass-drum mic inside the kick – broke EMI rules

Eleanor Rigby

1966·Revolver·Paul

Emerick mic'd strings closely

Love You To

1966·Revolver·George

Ribbon mics on tabla, heavy compression

Good Day Sunshine

1966·Revolver·Paul

And Your Bird Can Sing

1966·Revolver·John

She Said She Said

1966·Revolver·John

Emerick's Revolver-era drum miking

Got to Get You into My Life

1966·Revolver·Paul

Brass mic'd in the bells, through a limiter

For No One

1966·Revolver·Paul

Strawberry Fields Forever

1967·Magical Mystery Tour·John

When I'm Sixty-Four

1967·Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band·Paul

Good Morning Good Morning

1967·Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band·John

She's Leaving Home

1967·Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band·Paul

With a Little Help from My Friends

1967·Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band·Ringo

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

1967·Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band·Paul

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)

1967·Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band·Paul

Within You Without You

1967·Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band·George

Ribbon mics on tabla

Lovely Rita

1967·Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band·Paul

Hello, Goodbye

1967·Magical Mystery Tour·Paul

Percussion captured unnaturally close

Magical Mystery Tour

1967·Magical Mystery Tour·Paul

Your Mother Should Know

1967·Magical Mystery Tour·Paul

Lady Madonna

1968·Past Masters·Paul

Piano miked close, then heavily compressed

Mother Nature's Son

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul

Drums miked at end of long corridor

Back in the U.S.S.R.

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul

Glass Onion

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·John

Tea towels damping drums

Yer Blues

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·John

Small-room cramped setup for spillover

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul

Why Don't We Do It in the Road?

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul

Distorted, intimate vocal sound

I Will

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul

Close-miked scat-sung bass line

Because

1969·Abbey Road·John

The End

1969·Abbey Road·Paul

Ringo's drum solo close-miked

Come Together

1969·Abbey Road·John

Updated 2026-08-20

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