Poll: Sgt pepper mono vs stereo

There are many examples that point to the fact that the stereo mixes were made quickly and somewhat carelessly: The flub in the harmonica introduction in "I Should Have Known Better" (corrected in mono), the broken voice of Paul in one note in "If I fell", and specially, the ADT turning off in the middle of a sentence in "Eleanor Rigby" (that mistake is so gross one has to believe they didn't even listen to the mix once it was made), and then the ones we discussed in Pepper.

 

For every supposed "mistake" in stereo I'm sure you can find one in mono.

 

Don't forget the "Yellow Submarine" mixing errors: the missing opening chord that makes Ringo sound even more off-key (and which may have been edited in for the mono mix, as it has never appeared, to my knowledge, on any stereo or surround mix), the premature fade on "All right, let's hit it!" before the band begins to play and the late fade up on the call and response Ringo/John section ("a life of ease").

 

Nothing so gross. And the ones that exist in mono, are also present in stereo. It's undeniable that much more time and care was devoted to the mono mixes before the White Album.

That doesn't mean the mono mix is always better. I prefer stereo for Beatles for Sale, Help!, MMT and the WA.

 

I had the Beatles mono box for a while. And unlike all the other albums, especially the white album, I certainly felt a definite improvement with this particular album's mono mix. More punchy, better vocal on Lucy, overall a very concentrated listen. But I'm not that particular about it. At the moment all I own is the standard 1987 stereo CD master and it's OK. But I do recall the mono mix, actually had it on LP for a while too (thought it'd cost a million and it was actually priced quite fairly) and really wished they'd do mono/stereo CD's or at least just put the mono one back in print.

1967/68 saw the releases of many albums in which the distinction between mono and stereo is very, very obvious and I could think of a handful of others I'd much rather have in mono (Cream's first two efforts, Ladyland etc... Luckily got S.F. Sorrow) but with Sgt. Pepper I do recall an actual "wow" moment when I heard the mono mix. I was very disappointed in the white album, the speed change in Don't Pass Me By, the missing bits of Helter Skelter and the overall more muddy sound. I did however enjoy Tomorrow Never Knows with its wicked echoed backwards solo on Revolver. But I haven't heard the mono mixes for a while.

Somehow the Beatles standard 1987 CD's are now OK for me. Were the 2009 re-masters really that much of an improvement?

 

No doubt there are mistakes in some of the stereo mixes, but there are also mistakes in mono mixes (like the sloppy portion of Ringo's double tracking on Matchbox). I've never felt the stereo I Should Have Known Better intro was a mistake; it's just Lennon drawing a breath. I think the mono harmonica may be an edit. Maybe they felt at the time that the harmonica needed to be fixed. Another poster mentioned Yellow Submarine... I'm pretty sure that was an error from punching in or out too late on the stereo. Now the harmonica on the stereo Please Please Me, that's pretty bad.

 

Mmmm....I will give the mono mix another listen tonight.

 

The mono mix of Revolution is superior but only to the original 1968 mix. The Love 2006 remix is better but to bad it gets cut off at the end. The only thing I don't like about the mono mix of Revolution is that the "famous" opening scream starts for half a second and then gets faded out to where you can barely here it.

 

O.k. no bite my head off....I read somewhere (I think it was on here) that Abbey Road back in 1963 they couldn't monitor the stereo mixes. They did the stereo mix of the album, "A Hard Day's Night" listening in mono. They went by the meters. Which is not to say they didn't care but that they couldn't here the stereo mix. That explains some of the wierd things on those stereo mixes. Any thoughts on this?

 

Paul is drowsy...Good one. "Wake up Paul..Come on man, Beatle session. Didn't you get enough sleep last night?!" Yes, that's actually what it sounds like. Maybe that's why he speeded it up. That speed increase was like 20 cups of coffee.
However the strings and harp are recorded on three tracks. And in the stereo mix Paul is in the middle (sleepy) surrounded by these players. It has this dreamy feel. I can't vote for the mono mix just because he is awake...I mean higher pitched. Good mono mix though.

 

I agree. Peppers is one of those few Beatle albums where both the mono and stereo mixes are good. Different yes. Each mix has it's own strengths and weaknesses.

 

I prefer the stereo mix of the song but it does drag.

 

The stereo Pepper is musical silk and glides along like a psychedelic dream.

 

This is one of those classic LPs I own both and enjoy both; some songs are better in mono, some in stereo

 

I notice that mono is still winning in the poll, but the argument will never end. The stereo guys want the mono fans to prove the quotes that have been uttered by John and George because they don't want to believe it. And, if it can be proven that John said what he said, they attack his credibility, or his mental health.

Guys, it's just a fun poll of the people on this forum, not a formal consensus on all fans of the album. The majority of average/casual fans probably don't know there is a difference, and probably wouldn't recognize it if it smacked them upside the head.

Despite my first exposure to this album being the stereo version, I have repeatedly gone on record for preferring the mono version, and have explained why. No stereo fan is going to convince me otherwise. I'm sure the stereo has its merits, but I don't hear them. I never cared at all for the album until I heard the mono version in 1998. Now I never play the stereo version.

"Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band" is not my favorite Beatles album, and, I still hate "Within You, Without You". So there!

 

I'm not a "stereo guy." If you look at my playlist, I've got more from the original mono mix than from the original stereo mix on it. The rest are from the Songtrack, which is purposely informed by decisions made in the mono mix.

I don't want to believe the quote is accurate or disbelieve the quote is accurate. But, as it happens, it appears to be made up, so I don't think it is accurate. If someone wants to repeatedly state that they're providing "facts and evidence" by (unintentionally, I'm assuming) using what appears to be a made-up quote, should no one notice? Made-up quotes are the opposite of "facts and evidence." I like the truth, regardless of whether or not it comports with my opinion. Shouldn't everyone, including the person citing the made-up quote?

I'm willing to be convinced it's not made-up. That's why I asked the person repeatedly providing it as a direct quote for a source.

 

One day I will dig up all the stuff I have on The Beatles and find where I read John and George's comments on mono. I am not the only one who remembers their words, so it isn't made up.

 

Why should anyone try to convince someone to change their preferred version? It's a subjective preference. I prefer the stereo but if others prefer mono that's cool. It's just a matter of what you prefer to listen to - everything else is irrelevant

 

Oops...
To all members of the Steve Hoffman site. I respect you all. Very intelligent group. I have been extremely respectful to everyone on here. I mistakenly believed a member was annoyed with my thread jumping, which I do sometimes. I was wondering why doesn't he tell me? The comment about, "Why don't you tell the other guy who brought up Motown," was directed at the member who made the comment. I brought up Motown so I assumed it was about me. It felt like a personal attack on me.

And why not use my name? Tell me. Is there rule about having an avatar? I am not trying to hide my identity. Not saying anyone else is. If the member meant no harm than I am sorry. But he or she has cut off communications assuming I am some trouble maker. Last thing I want to do. Just brought up a point and there was a misunderstanding.
I had no problem with the member. Should've known better, my bad.

I formally apologize to the member in question. I don't want to hurt anyone's feeligs. I hate that too.

Can we get back to discussing the Fab Four?

 

Will someone let @Grant know that other people believing something doesn't prove something "isn't made up". Maybe have him Google the "Mandela Effect" or send him this link about the Sinbad genie movie that many people remember but is in fact "made up".

 

I've compiled a playlist of my favourite mixes of the tracks, as I've done for every Beatles album. FWIW for Pepper it's stereo until Sgt Pepper Reprise where it goes mono and stays there for Day In The Life. Lucy in mono is a lot of fun but the stereo wins out for me. Anyway, pick and mix!

 

I'm a stereo guy but the orchestra build up in the mono DITL is mind blowing

 

Overall mono, but some moments, and one track (A Day in the Life) are better in stereo.