The Doors wanted to capitalize on the experimental climate in popular music at the time that brought about groundbreaking works like the Beatles' "White Album" and Jimi Hendrix's "Electric Ladyland", while redefining what could be accomplished within the rock medium. Looking for a new, creative sound, Rothchild hired Paul Harris to arrange string and orchestral arrangements for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and local jazz horn players. Session musicians Doug Lubahn and Harvey Brooks also served as additional bass guitarists. The music on "The Soft Parade" incorporated art rock, blues rock, jazz fusion, and psychedelic rock styles. Drummer John Densmore and Manzarek, who both had jazz backgrounds, asserted they were receptive to Rothchild's jazz concept: "We'd and Manzarek always talk about using some jazz musicianslet's put some horns and strings on, man, let's see what it would be like to record with a string section and a big horn section", recalled Manzarek.