Recording, mixing: Strawberry Fields Forever

Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Geoff Emerick

The Beatles continued working on their remake of ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ during this session, which began at 2.30pm and ended at 10pm.

The band had re-recorded the rhythm track on the previous day, and now turned their attention to overdubs. The first task of the day, however, was to create a reduction mix, placing the various percussion instruments from 8 December onto the same track of the four-track tape.

The reduction mix was labelled take 25. Onto track two of the tape Paul McCartney recorded a lead guitar part, George Harrison added a svarmandal, an Indian zither instrument, and two Mellotron parts were added – played by John Lennon and George Martin – using the ‘swinging flutes’ and, towards the end of the song, ‘piano riff’ settings.

Strawberry Fields Forever was then left until 15 December 1966, when more overdubs and mixes were created. The delay between sessions allowed George Martin to prepare the trumpet and cello scores.