Final answer:
In the first take of 'A Day in the Life,' John Lennon did not count out loud; rather, an orchestra conductor would count bars to synchronize the musicians. The orchestra was incorporated later in the recording process, not in the initial take.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the student asks 'How does John count in the 1st take of the recording "A Day in the Life,"' they are referring to the recording process of the song by The Beatles, which is part of music history. In the first take of 'A Day in the Life,' John Lennon doesn't literally count during the song.
Instead, what can be heard on bootleg recordings of the first take is that the orchestra was instructed to count bars before they started playing their instruments. This count-in was used to synchronize the musicians.
The final version of the song features a full orchestra that was incorporated into the middle and the end of the track in sessions that followed. It is important also to note that there may be different versions with various counts, but they might not be part of the official studio recording sessions or final take.