Fab Four

Fab Four
“Putting this project together took well over a year of research, equipment procurement (much of it from collectors), and gathering a team that could pull off such a feat,” Rogers adds. “But it was a labor of love for us all, and the result is truly worth it.” 

The FAB FOUR Virtual Instruments project involved several people intimately involved with the Beatles. Engineer Ken Scott, who worked on Beatles albums including A Hard Day´s Night, Help, Rubber Soul, Magical Mystery Tour, and The Beatles, engineered the recordings. Guitarist Laurence Juber and drummer Denny Seiwell, both of whom were members of Paul McCartney and Wings, played the same kind of instruments as those used by the Beatles.

** License only
When ordering "license only" just the serial number for activation will be delivered. Please order only if you have any access to the library content!

No expense was spared in acquiring the equipment used to produce this collection. Much of that equipment, ironically, is now housed in EASTWEST Studio 3, where the Beach Boys’ legendary Pet Sounds—the inspiration for Sgt. Pepper´s Lonely Hearts Club Band, according to Paul McCartney—was recorded. 

Well over one million dollars’ worth of rare period instruments — including authentic guitars, basses, drums, and keyboards — as well as amplifiers, microphones, recording consoles, outboard equipment and tape recorders were used in this production. Neumann, AKG, Cole and STC microphones as used at EMI/Abbey Road Studios were used to capture the sounds, while identical amplifiers, including a 1963 Voc AC30, 1967 Fender Showman and DeLuxe, 1963 Fender Bassman and Tan Showman, and 1966 Vox Defiant, 730 and 7120, 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, and EMI REDD47 preamps, were used to record all instruments, through Fairchild limiters and rare EMI RS124 modified Altec compressors, used for dynamics control. As with many of the Beatles recording sessions, a Studer J-37 4-track tube tape machine was used to record everything. 

Guitars (some costing over $200,000 each) played by Juber include a Gretsch Firebird (1959) and Tennessean (1963), Rickenbacker 360-12 (1965), Martin D-28 (1966), Fender Stratocaster (1956) and Telecaster (1951), Epiphone Casino (1965), and Gibson Les Paul Goldtop (1957), SG (1960) and J200 (1966). Juber also played Hofner (1963) and Rickenbacker (1964) basses, the same kind as Paul McCartney played on the Beatles’ recordings.

Guitars were sampled with up and down strokes, multiple velocities and picking styles, some with chords and effects. 

Drums played by Seiwell include a rare 1960 Ludwig downbeat kit with Zildjian cymbals (snare 5" x 14"/toms 9" x 13" and 16" x 16"/kick 22" x 14"/Zildjian 20" crash ride/18" crash medium/14" hi-hat). Additionally, 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”). Even some heavily modulated cymbals,
recorded through a Fairchild limiter for authenticity, were recorded as an alternative cymbal sound. 

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.” 

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 an Epiphone Casino into one EMI REDD 47 preamp, and the output into a second EMI REDD 47 preamp, exactly as originally created by the EMI/Abbey Road engineers. 

FAB FOUR Virtual Instruments also includes a software version of ADT (artificial double tracking) with built-in tape simulator, created and programmed specially for this project. All instruments are newly recorded multi-samples for this collection; no sounds came from any Beatles recordings.
 

Video Demos

	Video Tutorial 1
	Video: PLAY Enhancements
	Video Tutorial 2
	Video Tutorial 1

More infos

User Interface
PLAY Manuals

Systemrequirements

This library includes "PLAY 2" as a Sample-Player already

Minimum Requirements for Mac

• OSX 10.5 or newer
• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor 2.1GHz or newer
• 2GB Ram
• Harddisk 7200 RPM or faster

Recommended Mac System

• OSX 10.5 or newer
• Mac Pro Quad Core Intel Xeon 2.66GHz or newer
• 2GB Ram
• Harddisk 7200 RPM or faster

Minimum Requirements for PC

• Windows XP SP2 or Vista, Sound Card with ASIO Driver
• Intel Core 2 Duo, or AMD Dual Core 2.1GHz or newer
• 2GB RAM
• Harddisk 7200 RPM or faster

Recommended PC System

• 64-bit Windows/Host Sequencer
• Intel Core 2 Duo, or AMD Dual Core 2.1GHz or newer
• 2GB RAM
• Harddisk 7200 RPM or faster

All Systems

• iLok required (not included), internet connection required for one-time product activation (a free soundsonline.com account is required for retrieving and managing iLok licenses)
• Hard disk space for libray content
• DVD Drive

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™,RTAS
- MAC: VST™, Audio Units™, Core Audio™,RTAS

 

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

Product activation:
This Instrument requires an iLok Key!
This USB protection device  is not included in the box of this collection, it is a separate item you have to buy additionally. So you’ll have to order at least one iLok Key with your first purchase. It will be put inside the shopping basket automatically but can be deleted if not required. If you already own another iLok  protection device you can use it for this instrument, too. Each iLok dongle can store up to 100 product licenses (iLok2 upto 500).
Additionally an internet connection on any computer and a free user-accout at www.ilok.com is required to authorize the product.

Reviews

multiple

Standouts for uncanny realism include, well, pretty much the entire library ? the guitar sounds are so authentic they could have been lifted directly off the original multitrack session tapes. Fab Four absolutely nails the iconic instrument sounds created at Abbey Road Studios by the Beatles, George Martin, Ken Scott (who worked on engineering Fab Four, in fact), Geoff Emerick, Alan Parsons, and other producers and engineers on the Beatles? many brilliant albums. It should also be said that if you?re looking to recreate the Beatles sound with other libraries, you really have to know what you?re looking for. In Fab Four, so much of the work has been done for you that, uh, all you need is love . . . of the Beatles! Bottom line: Fab Four is a major accomplishment, and entirely worth the money. - KEYBOARD

I installed Fab Four in my Pro Tools rig and instantly fell in love with all the sounds--all 13GB of them. Check out: ?With A Little Help From My Bass?, ?Bass Tripper?, ?Because I'm A Harpsichord?, ?Madonna Piano?, ?Baby I'm Clavioline?, ?Strawberry Flutes?, ?We Can Work A Harmonium?, ?I'm A Blackbird Guitar?, ?Revostortion Guitar?, and Swarmandel Forever.? The drums and bass sounds are evocative of Ringo and Paul and the keyboards work excellently in any record production pastiche--just like the Beatles used them. The instrument's GUI includes many studio effects you can add to any sound such as convolution reverbs, delays, compressors and the Beatle's often-used ADT (artificial double tracking) tape recorder effect. As a collection of authentic Beatle sounds, Fab Four Virtual Instruments turns out to be an excellent record production and songwriting tool - MUSIC CONNECTION

In all honesty, this was a library I didn?t expect to be very interested in. I found it admirable from an artistic standpoint that EastWest would go to the trouble of putting out what I expected to be a very esoteric product, but would anyone really be interested enough to open up their wallets? Wow, was I wrong. This is a charming sample library that grows on you the more you play it. It?s hard to imagine anyone not developing a severe crush on at least some of
these instruments. -VIRTUAL INSTRUMENTS

Given their beauty, and the ease with which they can be molded, the bulk of the Fab Four samples are both outstandingly accurate reproductions of sounds that helped create some of the most memorable music in the history of rock, and sample sets that can be turned into aural tapestries that evoke an earlier era without being tethered to it.It takes a bit of cheek and a lot of skill to attempt such a task, and the producer/engineer tandem of Doug Rogers and Ken Scott deserve high marks for their efforts. -MIX MAGAZINE

Fab Four is a true jewel for all fans of the classic Beatles sounds. Producer Doug Rogers and engineer Ken Scott, (who has worked for example with the Beatles, David Bowie and Elton John) have tried with almost boundless efforts to capture the sound spirit of legendary recordings. Not only instruments and amps of that time have been used, also the authentic recording equipment. Along with old Neuman tube mics, venerable Fairchild and Altec compressors, they have used the EMI tube mixer and TG12345 mixer as well as a Studer J37 4 track tube tape machine. In addition, they got competent help by two former Wings members, Denny Seiwell (drums) and Laurence Juber (guitar). Fab Four is an accurate collection of sounds that created pop history, and are a great starting point to create new songs, and create alternatives to modern sounds. - KEYS  Review: FAB FOUR  Standouts for uncanny realism include, well, pretty much the entire library ? the guitar sounds are so authentic they could have been lifted directly off the original multitrack session tapes. Fab Four absolutely nails the iconic instrument sounds created at Abbey Road Studios by the Beatles, George Martin, Ken Scott (who worked on engineering Fab Four, in fact), Geoff Emerick, Alan Parsons, and other producers and engineers on the Beatles? many brilliant albums. It should also be said that if you?re looking to recreate the Beatles sound with other libraries, you really have to know what you?re looking for. In Fab Four, so much of the work has been done for you that, uh, all you need is love . . . of the Beatles! Bottom line: Fab Four is a major accomplishment, and entirely worth the money. - KEYBOARD

I installed Fab Four in my Pro Tools rig and instantly fell in love with all the sounds--all 13GB of them. Check out: ?With A Little Help From My Bass?, ?Bass Tripper?, ?Because I'm A Harpsichord?, ?Madonna Piano?, ?Baby I'm Clavioline?, ?Strawberry Flutes?, ?We Can Work A Harmonium?, ?I'm A Blackbird Guitar?, ?Revostortion Guitar?, and Swarmandel Forever.? The drums and bass sounds are evocative of Ringo and Paul and the keyboards work excellently in any record production pastiche--just like the Beatles used them. The instrument's GUI includes many studio effects you can add to any sound such as convolution reverbs, delays, compressors and the Beatle's often-used ADT (artificial double tracking) tape recorder effect. As a collection of authentic Beatle sounds, Fab Four Virtual Instruments turns out to be an excellent record production and songwriting tool - MUSIC CONNECTION

In all honesty, this was a library I didn?t expect to be very interested in. I found it admirable from an artistic standpoint that EastWest would go to the trouble of putting out what I expected to be a very esoteric product, but would anyone really be interested enough to open up their wallets? Wow, was I wrong. This is a charming sample library that grows on you the more you play it. It?s hard to imagine anyone not developing a severe crush on at least some of
these instruments. - VIRTUAL INSTRUMENTS

Given their beauty, and the ease with which they can be molded, the bulk of the Fab Four samples are both outstandingly accurate reproductions of sounds that helped create some of the most memorable music in the history of rock, and sample sets that can be turned into aural tapestries that evoke an earlier era without being tethered to it. It takes a bit of cheek and a lot of skill to attempt such a task, and the producer/engineer tandem of Doug Rogers and Ken Scott deserve high marks for their efforts. - MIX MAGAZINE

Fab Four is a true jewel for all fans of the classic Beatles sounds. Producer Doug Rogers and engineer Ken Scott, (who has worked for example with the Beatles, David Bowie and Elton John) have tried with almost boundless efforts to capture the sound spirit of legendary recordings. Not only instruments and amps of that time have been used, also the authentic recording equipment. Along with old Neuman tube mics, venerable Fairchild and Altec compressors, they have used the EMI tube mixer and TG12345 mixer as well as a Studer J37 4 track tube tape machine. In addition, they got competent help by two former Wings members, Denny Seiwell (drums) and Laurence Juber (guitar). Fab Four is an accurate collection of sounds that created pop history, and are a great starting point to create new songs, and create alternatives to modern sounds. - KEYS