The Beatles | Rain | Full Reproduction Cover (Guitars, Bass, Vocals and Tambourine)

I'm in a Revolver mood! To introduce my new Sunburst Epiphone Casino, here is my cover of Rain! Threw in some vocals as well this time, mostly because I wanted to include the reversed lines at the end. I think they actually turned out pretty good, despite not being a huge fan of my voice.

I ran into some copyright issues trying to upload this, due to using the original isolated drum track. This is why it is now very quiet in the mix; a bit frustrating but there wasn't much else I could do. Speaking of which, I'm somewhat glad I don't have my own drum set, would have taken me days to match Ringo's skill on the kit here.

There's so much else to unpack in this song I don't know where to start. The material featured in the new Revolver Deluxe box set has uncovered some new info about this track. For starters, the backing track was recorded in Bb. My best guess is that they played guitars with a capo on the first fret, just like She Said She Said, and using the chord shapes of A, D and E.

The backing track featured just John and George on guitars and Ringo on drums. Some sources say that it was John and Paul playing guitar, but I've always associated it with George's SG. This was tracked with the tape machine running at standard speed. To overdub Lennon's vocals, it was dropped to 42 cycles per second; a difference of three semitones in pitch. Eventually they would used varispeed again to shift it back up slightly, up to a playback of 44 cycles per second to be exact.

To re-create this I've played the guitars in Bb, with the isolated 'original speed' drums, slowed the audio and video down to G, overdubbed everything else, then further adjusted pitch and speed as necessary.

Other overdubs would include Paul's bass, played in G (not what is heard on the new Revolver Box Set), tambourine and backing vocals. And of course John Lennon's famous backwards vocals, made by flipping over and recording a splice of tape.

That covers most of the main details, I've tried to get as close as I could with this one. I love their songs that use studio experimentation and new recording techniques. Hope you enjoy, please subscribe and comment for more! Getting closer to 1000 subscribers!

[stlimajo]

Great recreation of a fine, fine song. I love the way the bass reverberates and rumbles underfoot like distant thunder in this song.

[guitar__]

this is so perfect dude, best cover of rain on yt right here

[TwoBeats]

Sounds incredible Nick!! Great to hear your vocals!!!!

[isaiah.fabela]

pretty coincidental you post this the same day my town has their first rain lol. bravo!

[DRguitar]

You nailed the guitar tones!! Nicely done!

[DonRamiro]

Whoever is playing the Epiphone is the best dresser out of the three.

[thairsoft]

Actually amazing job dude. I swear you cover some of the hardest Beatles songs and make it look easy! Great job!

[stustirling]

Nice job again Nick, enjoyed the vocal addition as well, tops it off nicely

[ManWithNoExpression]

Nice job on the guitar tones, I’m also working on the guitars for this right now and I may have a trick up my sleeve that will surprise you when it comes out

[Luke_dude_]

Amazing cover dude! Congrats on the new Casino, how does it compare to the other one? Also I reckon the vocals turned out really well..

[marcusphelan]

Love the bass, feels a bit weird playing in Bb-for-G-as-A guitars though. Firstly, I don't believe for a moment they recorded it in Bb, the new Revolver set got that very wrong - if you recorded this in the Bb tempo you'd get what I mean - it sounds comical. Also, by putting the bass on the "Take 5", Giles is implying the bass was also done at that tempo and key, which is even more than comical to my ears - just plain silly! What the booklet did get right was that it was Paul on lead and John on rhythm. Paul doesn't play in standard tuning though, he plays in an open A tuning (assuming it is in A) which is clearly revealed in the coda arpeggio: A E A A C# E. The low 3 strings are tuned really really low and the G and B tuned up a step.

[joestarr]

Beautiful Casino. Is there any guitar you could use as a Rickenbacker 325 now that your 330 is gone?

[ilovemusic]

Did you know there is a High (B4) vocal (maybe 2) singing the second shiinnnneee the weathers fine

[DCShaneTours]

I enjoyed it, It's A hard song to duplicate because George Martin slowed down the tape machine down and changed the natural pitch.

[SceneComparisons]

great guitar play but sorry, the bad vocals were too distracting
I would prefer a non vocal mix