Thursday 2 November 1967 | Recording and mixing | Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road | By Beatles Fabdom
On 2 November 1967, “Hello, Goodbye” received its final overdub at EMI Studios in London: an additional bass-guitar part played by Paul McCartney. The session then moved from recording to mono mixing, with six attempts made before the last was selected as the master.
George Martin produced the session and Ken Scott engineered it in Studio Three. The stereo mix was made separately on 6 November, so this date marks the completion of the recording and the preparation of the mono master, rather than the end of every stage of the song’s production.
The finished single, backed with “I Am The Walrus”, would be released in Britain on 24 November 1967.
| Date | Thursday 2 November 1967 |
|---|---|
| Location | Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London |
| Producer | George Martin |
| Engineer | Ken Scott |
| Final overdub | Additional bass guitar by Paul McCartney |
| Mono mixing | Six attempts, RM1–RM6 |
| Selected mono master | RM6, the final attempt |
| Stereo mix | 6 November 1967 |
| British single release | 24 November 1967, with I Am The Walrus on the B-side |
The final bass overdub
The song’s recording had begun a month earlier, on 2 October. By the time McCartney returned to the bass part on 2 November, the track had passed through several recording and overdubbing sessions.
An overdub adds a performance to an existing recording rather than requiring the band to start the entire song again. Here, the final addition was McCartney’s further bass work, after an earlier bass part recorded on 25 October.
That earlier stage is covered in our article on recording, mixing and editing The Fool On The Hill and Hello, Goodbye on 25 October 1967.
The two dates belong to different stages of the same recording. The 25 October work preceded the additional bass performance of 2 November; the later session completed the overdubbing before the mono mix was chosen.
Studio Three, George Martin and Ken Scott
The work took place in Studio Three at EMI’s Abbey Road complex, with George Martin producing and Ken Scott engineering.
Studio Three should be distinguished from Studio Two, the room most often associated with Beatles recording photographs. The band used different rooms within the complex according to the sessions, and this particular date belongs to Studio Three.
For more on the producer’s wider contribution to the band’s recordings, read our biography of George Martin.
Abbey Road describes Studio Three as the smallest of its three original rooms. Its long recording history includes The Beatles, but the session discussed here is a specific event within that wider history: the last overdub and six mono mixes of “Hello, Goodbye”.
Six mono mixes and the selection of RM6
Once the recording addition was complete, attention turned to the mono mix. Six attempts were made, with the final one considered the best and selected for the master.
The mix designations were RM1 through RM6, with RM standing for remix mono. These numbers describe mixing attempts, not six new performances of the song by the band.
That distinction is important in following a studio chronology. A take number identifies a recording stage, while a remix number refers to the subsequent balancing of recorded material into a finished mix.
For this session, RM6 was the successful result. It became the mono version associated with the single release.
| Stage | Result |
|---|---|
| Final recording addition | McCartney’s additional bass part |
| Mono mixes RM1–RM5 | Earlier mixing attempts |
| Mono mix RM6 | Selected master |
| Stereo mixing | Completed separately on 6 November |
Why mono and stereo have separate dates
The mono master was prepared on 2 November, but the stereo version followed on 6 November 1967.
These are two mixing stages using the recorded song. Mono combines the material into a single channel, while stereo places the sound across two channels. A stereo version is therefore not simply a new recording by The Beatles, and the two mix dates should not be treated as interchangeable.
For an “On This Day” account, that separation keeps the event precise. On 2 November the final overdub was made and the mono master selected. The later stereo work belongs to 6 November.
Hello, Goodbye and I Am The Walrus
“Hello, Goodbye” was released as a British single on 24 November 1967 with “I Am The Walrus” on the reverse. The pairing connected McCartney’s A-side with another major recording from the same late-1967 period.
The Hello, Goodbye / I Am The Walrus magnet features the two song titles in a colourful design with an illustrated aircraft and Beatles portraits.
From the October sessions to the November release
The recording history of “Hello, Goodbye” extends beyond this single afternoon. The song was recorded across sessions on 2, 19, 20 and 25 October, with the final overdub on 2 November.
The Beatles’ official account of 20 October identifies work on violas for “Hello, Goodbye” alongside flutes for “The Fool On The Hill”. These orchestral additions were part of the material assembled before the November mixing work.
After the mono and stereo mixes, attention also turned to presenting the single visually. The official music-video information dates the “Hello, Goodbye” filming to 10 November at London’s Saville Theatre, directed by McCartney.
The recording, mixing, filming and release dates therefore form a sequence rather than a single event.
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 2 October 1967 | Recording begins |
| 19 October 1967 | Further recording work |
| 20 October 1967 | Viola work during a session also involving The Fool On The Hill |
| 25 October 1967 | Further recording and bass work |
| 2 November 1967 | Final bass overdub and mono master selection |
| 6 November 1967 | Stereo mixing |
| 10 November 1967 | Promotional filming at the Saville Theatre |
| 24 November 1967 | British single release |
The Magical Mystery Tour connection
“Hello, Goodbye” belongs to the late-1967 period associated with Magical Mystery Tour. The song appeared on the American album configuration, while the original British double EP and the standalone single were distinct releases.
That distinction helps explain why listeners may associate the track with the album while its British release history identifies it as a single backed with “I Am The Walrus”.
The red Magical Mystery Tour album-cover T-shirt celebrates that wider era, with the familiar film-and-record artwork on the front.
Abbey Road location map: EMI Studios, Studio Three
The session took place at the complex now known as Abbey Road Studios, 3 Abbey Road, St John’s Wood, London, NW8 9AY. In the 1967 session record it is identified as EMI Studios.
The map marks the studio complex containing Studio Three, rather than the nearby pedestrian crossing. Abbey Road is a working studio; the location marker does not indicate general public access to the recording rooms.
Open Abbey Road Studios in Google Maps.
Frequently asked questions
What happened to Hello, Goodbye on 2 November 1967?
Paul McCartney added its final bass overdub, after which six mono mixes were made and the final attempt was selected as master.
Where was the session held?
In Studio Three at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London.
Who produced and engineered the session?
George Martin was the producer and Ken Scott the engineer.
Which mono mix became the master?
The sixth attempt, RM6, was selected.
When was the stereo mix made?
The stereo mix was made on 6 November 1967.
When was the single released in Britain?
It was released on 24 November 1967, with “I Am The Walrus” as the B-side.
Official recording context: The Beatles’ 20 October studio account; Hello, Goodbye single details; Abbey Road Studio Three.
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