John Lennon's instrumentation

=John Lennon as a multi-instrumetalist=

for the recording of Strawberry Fields.

Lennon played various guitars with The Beatles, and later, during his solo career, most notably the Epiphone Casino, Rickenbacker and various models of Gibson guitars, and Fender guitars. Lennon also played several other instruments to a professionally acceptable standard. His piano playing was different from that of Paul McCartney's, and according to George Martin, Lennon was using piano mostly for striking chords to support his various ideas for melodies. However, John Lennon composed several songs on the piano. Lennon's jamming on a piano together with Paul McCartney led to creation of their first best-selling hit 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' in 1963.

Lennon's creativity and inventiveness is reflected in the variety of instruments he played, and also a variety of other sources of sounds he used for his songs, such as radios, resonators, and even his own heartbeat. He recorded his own heartbeat sounds on the Wedding Album. During the 60s and 70s he frequently played harmonica and guitar in the same song. He also played various percussion instruments and flute in studio and live performances.

Most famously, Lennon composed his greatest hit "Imagine" on the Steinway piano he bought for his home in London. The Lennon's piano was bought by George Michael at an auction for $2.1 million. [George Michael buys Lennon's piano [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/974485.stm] ] Later, the Lennon's piano was on charity tour. [IMAGINE: John Lennon Piano on Tour with Mission of Healing and Hope [http://greenskeptic.blogspot.com/2007/08/imagine-john-lennon-piano-on-tour-with.html] ]

List of musical instruments played by John Lennon over the course of his career

*Gibson, Rickenbacker, Hofner, Gretsch, Framus, Epiphone, Fender, and C.F. Martin & Company guitars (electric and acoustic, 6 & 12-string, lead and rhythm)
*4 & 6-string bass on Sgt. Pepper (album), The Beatles (album) and Let It Be (album).
*Vox, Fender, Selmer, and Marshall amplifiers.
*Steinway upright piano at home, the 1971 hit "Imagine" was composed on this Steinway piano.
*Steinway, and Blüthner pianos at the Abbey Road Studios.
*C. Bechstein D-280 concert grand piano for recording in 1968 and 1969, at Trident Studios.
*Fender Rhodes and Hohner Pianet electric pianos.
*Mellotron
*Moog synthesizer
*Organs (Hammond, Vox and Lowry)
*Harmonica
*Clavioline
*Percussion (congas, drums, maracas, tambourine, cowbell, handclaps, fingersnaps, vocalizations, etc.)
*Clavinet
*Harmonium
*Harpsichord
*Banjo
*Tape loops
*Saxophone
*Sound effects

References