Editing Penny Lane (section)

===Main recording===
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Production began in Studio 2 at [[Abbey Road Studios|EMI Studios]] on 29 December 1966{{sfn|Lewisohn|2005|p=91}} with piano as the main instrument.{{sfn|Babiuk|2002|p=195}} McCartney intended the song to have a "clean" sound akin to [[the Beach Boys]]' ''[[Pet Sounds]]'' album.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wawzenek |first1=Brian |title=Paul McCartney Waxes Nostalgic, Gets Kaleidoscopic on 'Penny Lane': The Story Behind Every 'Sgt. Pepper' Song |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/beatles-penny-lane-2/ |website=[[Ultimate Classic Rock]] |access-date=3 October 2018 |date=17 May 2017}}</ref> Engineer [[Geoff Emerick]] recalled McCartney playing ''Pet Sounds'' repeatedly during recording session breaks, adding that "it wasn't altogether unsurprising [when] he wanted 'a really clean American sound'" for "Penny Lane".{{sfn|Emerick|Massey|2006|p=142}}{{refn|group=nb|McCartney said he especially admired the "harmonic structures" of the songs on ''Pet Sounds'' and the choice of instruments used in [[Brian Wilson]]'s musical arrangements, and that these elements encouraged him to think the Beatles could "get further out" than the Beach Boys had.{{sfn|Babiuk|2002|p=197}}}} Initially, McCartney recorded keyboard parts onto the individual tracks of the four-track tape: a basic piano rhythm on track one; a second piano, recorded through a [[Vox (musical equipment)|Vox guitar amplifier]] with added [[reverb]], on track two; a [[prepared piano]] producing a "honky-tonk" sound on track three; and percussion effects and a [[harmonium]] playing high notes fed through the guitar amplifier on track four.<ref name="auto">{{cite AV media notes |title=Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Super Deluxe Edition |title-link=Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band |year=2017 |others=[[The Beatles]] |type=booklet |publisher=[[Apple Records]] |location=London |p=91}}</ref>{{sfn|Winn|2009|pp=80–81}} On 30 December, the four tracks were mixed together to form the first track of a new tape.<ref name="auto"/>

On 4 January 1967, the Beatles' first session of the new year, Lennon and Harrison [[Overdubbing|overdubbed]] contributions on piano and lead guitar, respectively, and McCartney added a lead vocal, which he then replaced the following day.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2005|p=92}} Further overdubs, on 6 January, included [[Ringo Starr]]'s drums, McCartney's bass guitar and Lennon's rhythm guitar, as well as handclaps, congas, harmony vocals and more piano.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2005|p=92}} Following another reduction mix, brass and woodwind instruments, including four flutes, were added on 9 and 12 January,{{sfn|Lewisohn|2005|p=93}} from a score by producer [[George Martin]], guided by McCartney's suggested melody lines.<ref name="auto"/> On 10 January, the Beatles overdubbed effects such as scat harmony singing and a handbell, the latter in recognition of the fireman and fire engine mentioned in the lyrics. The second overdubbing session for the classical instrumentation, on 12 January, featured two further trumpets, two oboes, two [[Cor anglais (English horn)|cors anglais]] and a double bass.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2005|p=93}}