Editing George Martin (section)

====''The Beatles'' ("White Album")====
The Beatles gathered for a brief spate of sessions in February 1968 before their planned retreat to India with the [[Maharishi Mahesh Yogi]]. These sessions produced a no. 1 UK single, "[[Lady Madonna]]", backed by "[[The Inner Light (song)|The Inner Light]]".{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|pp=132–134}} While in India, the band members composed a large number of songs; they recorded these songs as demos at George Harrison's [[Kinfauns]] home.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=307}}

By the time of the [[The Beatles (album)|White Album]] sessions in mid-1968, Martin found himself in competition with [[Apple Electronics]]'s eccentric inventor, "[[Magic Alex]]", for the Beatles' interest in studio production.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=309}} Other new personnel attending Beatles sessions were Lennon's girlfriend, [[Yoko Ono]], and Martin's protégé, [[Chris Thomas (record producer)|Chris Thomas]].{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=311}} Engineer [[Geoff Emerick]], frustrated by the Beatles' increasingly unpleasant demeanour at many of the sessions, quit partway through the album's recording.{{sfn|Womack|2018|pp=313, 325}} Additionally, the Beatles began recording lengthy, repetitive rehearsal tracks in the studio.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=317}} With all these disruptions to the band's studio dynamic, Martin consciously stayed in the background of many sessions, reading stacks of newspapers in the control booth until his guidance or assistance was sought.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=313}}

Parts of the White Album sessions required Martin and his engineers to attend to simultaneous recordings in different studios, such as an occasion when Lennon was working on the [[musique concrète]] "[[Revolution 9]]" in Studio Three, while McCartney recorded "[[Blackbird (Beatles song)|Blackbird]]" in Studio Two.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=315}} Though Lennon and Ono were responsible for most of the final mix on "Revolution 9", Martin and Emerick applied a [[Send tape echo echo delay|STEED]] delay effect to the track.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=316}} Martin scored a [[fiddle]] arrangement on [[Ringo Starr]]'s first composition, "[[Don't Pass Me By]]".{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=323}} He also scored brass arrangements on "[[Revolution 1]]", "[[Honey Pie]]", "[[Savoy Truffle]]", and "[[Martha My Dear]]".{{sfn|Womack|2018|pp=316, 343–344}}

Martin played [[celesta]] on the album's closing track, "[[Good Night (Beatles song)|Good Night]]", and conducted its orchestral arrangement. He also played [[harmonium]] on Lennon's "[[Cry Baby Cry]]".{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=325}}

Martin recommended the Beatles choose the 14 best tracks from the sessions and issue a standard LP. The band overruled him, however, and chose to issue a [[double album]].{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=349}} The sequencing and cross-fading of the album required a 24-hour session attended by Martin, Lennon, and McCartney.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=346}} The album was released in late November to strong commercial and critical success, reaching no. 1 in the UK and US for eight and nine weeks, respectively.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=349}}

The White Album sessions produced a no. 1 single, "[[Hey Jude]]", backed with "[[Revolution (Beatles song)|Revolution]]". Martin scored a 36-piece orchestra for "Hey Jude"'s extended coda.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=331}}