Giles Martin on working with Paul McCartney on his new album

Producer Giles Martin, spoke yesterday evening about working with Paul McCartney on Macca’s forthcoming studio album New.

Martin (son of Beatle’s producer George Martin) has had a hand in the production of seven of the album’s 12 tracks (or nine out of 14 if you include the two bonus tracks on the deluxe edition) and in an intimate Q&A session in Central London, he revealed that he’d experimented with different recording devices including using the Beatles’ old four-track machine at Abbey Road and even capturing part of a vocal on an iPhone!

He told an audience member that Paul’s voice was ‘strong’ during the sessions, but when asked directly if any auto-tuning had been used he responded by saying ‘not really’. After a pause, he said a little bit had been used on some backing vocals.

Other points of interest for McCartney fans include the following:

• • McCartney used his famous Hofner bass for most of the tracks, but did get out his Rickenbacker for one song.
• • 22 tracks were recorded during the sessions with 12 being selected for the final album (plus a few extra for bonus tracks)
• • He revealed that Paul didn’t have a warming up routine when it came to laying down vocal tracks, he just did it!
• • When asked by SuperDeluxeEdition if it was tricky telling Paul McCartney when something wasn’t working, Martin responded by saying that Paul employed him for a reason and was willing to listen. Giles then jokingly added that he was ‘prepared to get fired’ during the sessions.
•  • Catchy album track Everybody Out There, was written by Paul specifically so he could have a new song that fans could quickly and easily sing along to at gigs.

Paul McCartney’s album New is released on 15 October 2013.

‘New’ standard CD Edition

• • UK Pre-order: New [Mint Pack]
• • USA Pre-order: New
• • CANADA Pre-order: New
• • GERMANY Pre-order: New

Deluxe Edition with bonus tracks

• • UK Pre-order: New [Deluxe Edition]
• • USA Pre-order: New [Deluxe Edition]
• • CANADA Pre-order: New (Deluxe Edition)
• • GERMANY Pre-order: New (Deluxe Version)

Vinyl

• • UK Pre-order: New [VINYL]
• • USA Pre-order: New [Vinyl]
• • CANADA Pre-order: New (Vinyl)
• • GERMANY Pre-order: New [Vinyl LP]