“Candles, Silence, and Slide Guitar: The Studio Secrets of George Harrison”

George Harrison was never one to follow the crowd, and that uniqueness extended into his recording sessions. As a longtime admirer of George’s artistry, I find his studio habits both quirky and telling of his deeply spiritual and perfectionist nature.

For starters, George was known to insist on recording his guitar parts in complete isolation — sometimes even without lights — to “feel” the music instead of just hearing it. Engineers recalled him playing his slide guitar parts over and over for hours until he got the tone just right. He once claimed that music should be “heard from the soul, not the fingers.”

One fascinating quirk was his use of incense and mood lighting in the studio. During the recording of All Things Must Pass, George brought in scented candles and even carpets to make the studio feel like a temple. He believed the spiritual energy of the room affected the music — and perhaps it did. That album still feels like a sacred experience.

There are also stories about George being obsessed with getting the exact sound he heard in his head. For example, he once spent two days tuning a sitar just to record a 15-second part. That kind of patience and devotion set him apart from many of his peers.

George’s approach wasn’t about fame or charts — it was about truth and feeling. His studio habits may have been eccentric to some, but for those of us who listen closely, you can hear that sacred, searching spirit in every note.