Abbey Road 50th contents, outtakes and sound quality thread .. only

-

Seemingly contridictory
Thanks

Pure speculation

I would think Yoko would speak in generalities rather than slave over each measure
take 276,, Oh this used to be fun

Then again she is an artist.

We will never get the complete Anthology video series until she passes

 

You say this as though it is some sort of vindication. What do you mean by "wider world"? You may be surprised how many professional recording engineers can't stand the remixing on the deluxe sets. That fans are excited by new product is no indication that the work is good or even professional quality. We could get into the nitty-gritty and discuss specifics like Laservampire and others have but there is little point.

 

Of the two of us, the one who might be surprised is you, as you don't seem aware that the remixes are preferred (even on this site, where there are polls, but certainly in the wider world beyond this site).

 

Here's the Discogs entry: The Beatles - Abbey Road

That's the (Toshiba/)Odeon ‎– CP35-3016. If you look at the photos - the last photo in the series is a close-up of the "Black Triangle" CD label. (Too big to post here)

Zoomed out, they look like this:



Cheers,
Paul

 

From the earlier albums I guess live tracks could be used as bonus material.

 

Why would anyone be surprised that a wide array of people, who have a professional opinion, don't like something done by another professional. It's how the world is.
Most people on this board would be surprised by the vast majority of mastering engineers who think that AAA vinyl cuts are a waste of time and money and think that vinyl is an audio abomination - usually do to generation loss.
That doesn't mean that the person is wrong for liking these mixes or liking AAA vinyl if that's what they like listening to.
From discussing these mixes widely with people who I work with in the world of reissues, most like them, with a significant amount not.
But not 1 of them has questioned they are of professional quality.

 

You may also be surprised then at the number of professional recording engineers/professors who I geek out with about the Fab Four who are liking the remixes so far! All in all it is all just opinions over artistic decisions made during the remixing process

And that some people dislike some of the artistic decisions made in these remixes is no indication that the work is definitively not good or not of professional quality

 

Love the Moog version but Because with harpsichord would be amazing

 

Are you saying music is subjective? Nah, that can’t be right.

 

Was just about to go into music police mode ;-)

 

Explains why it was only used on a handful of tracks.

 

Like the disgusting fake stereoized smeared guitarlicks on the original uk stereo of Dr Robert?

;-)

 

Only two takes of Don't Let Me Down and I've Got A Feeling, but I suppose 2 counts as a multiple of 1...

 

That's fine then. I was just expressing my personal opinion. The point being that we all think differently and so there's a spectrum of views on this, rather than just one that's bailed down.

 

I can't speak for others but the reason I like the remixes is because I actually like the sound of them!

 

Not the same to me. One was an analog process that kept the integrity of the recording and signed off on by the band. The other is a re-imagining by using ADT and stereo expansion tools.

I would rather get a more conservative mix, in other words go back to the first generation tapes and create a great, balanced mix that benefits from the getting closer to the master takes, but copies the effects as closely as possible on the original record. So if the horns are ADT in the original mix of Good Morning, do that as well on the remix, but don’t spread them out. That just ruins the integrity of the recording...

 

You can say that again! Amazing how, what was clear to everyone, including George Martin, was that everything in the catalog was fine if the original masters were properly used but of all of the albums, Rubber Soul wasn't totally to his satisfaction and Revolver was in line for a remix until it proved too complicated for the deadlines in question. And then he did a remix on Help too which was kind of odd and which he eventually forgot about. Nothing else warranted a revisit not even Only a Northern Song, I Am the Walrus, Maggie Mae or You Know My Name!

During Anthology... I thought some of the most enticing bits were the Revolver outtakes. There was a nice clutch of them but some of the most cluttered and interesting stuff was unmentioned and untouched. I was intrigued by the fact that two interesting nuggets of instrumental and acoustic takes of I'm only sleeping, a real favorite, was unearthed. In later years tribute albums for Rubber Soul, Revolver and Pepper were attention getting events. The rerelease of 1's in 2015 with the Paperback Writer/Rain vids remastered in 5.1,. I guess they got busy in 2016 with BBC? rerelease but it would have made sense to get Rubber Soul and Revolver out during that time window. I know the focus was on end of year projects but a mid year release in both years would have sold nicely in these last four years.

I don't get how they delivered so nicely with Pepper finally giving it deserved treatment after all these years and yet somehow missed the acclaim that Revolver was getting and missing the opportunity to showcase this album before Sir George and Goeff Emerick's passing. A sadly missed opportunity.

 

Just in case it wasn’t obvious, i was just being cheeky.

I dislike out of period effects. ADT was first used by The Beatles in 66 and should not be applied to recordings before that.

The Anthology mix of Mary Jane was totally out of line. Ping Pong delay on stuff. Gosh that is an effect i don’t think existed untill the late seventies.

Such things i dislike.

But we all have different threshholds and that is why discussing these things are interesting.

 

As much as we may all have our opinions on the Beatles best album, most popular album, biggest landmark etc. to the group and their associates Sgt Pepper is their big one. They wanted to go with that one first, and perhaps when they were looking at doing the 50th anniversary set Pepper was to be the only album to get such a release. It certainly could be that they looked at how well that set was received and decided to go with the White Album next, or maybe that was the plan all along, none of us here will know.

But to have gone with Revolver first would have lessened the Pepper impact, certainly.

 

Seems to me that the whole process is too conservative. I mean if we REALLY wanted a good copy of the originals they are out there in the tens of millions. Striking new copies of an in demand title isn't really much of an effort and only us Beatles fans get worked over as if we're Japanese millionaires seeking original masters from a Miles Davis session from 1962! There should be some repetition in these extras disks OR there should be some use of random access content which allows the same data to be manipulated in proscribed ways i.e. a playback of " Eleanor Rigby" or "Something" which allows the listener to listen to a default mix, strings mix, basics mix, or perhaps isolated bass or discarded or mixed down elements like John's piano just by pressing a button on the remote control or selecting from a menu on a remote or iPod style device. This gets the "playback of different elements of a linear recording from a single body of data" stuff out of the way. No need for a separate entry of It's Only Love without the electric guitar or I'm So Tired with and then without some minor but interesting overdubs being presented as two separate outtakes.

The 5.1 I thought should be the go mad bells and whistles socks and sandals brigade going barefoot in Abbey Road moment. When you read reviews of the Pepper and WA remasters you can count on your fingers the number of people saying WOW listen to the surround! Finally on Rev 9 there was some reaction but clearly it was the exception. I LOVE the thought of a separate ATMOS mix of Abbey Road. Maybe it is the result of fan inquiry into Giles Pepper ATMOS mix or maybe it is Giles ascension to a position where he is overseeing SONOS and his awareness that he has a job to promote new listening tech just as it was someone's job to promote quad effectively five decades ago and many opportunities were missed. Now here we are in a world where we are carrying microcomputers in our butt pockets while the only genius idea seems to be to get rid of the workhorse headphone jack for a 50 dollars easy to lose proprietary to use apple or USB 3 plug!!!

The ATMOS mix should be the place where the Steely Dan mix can be heard.... where the white noise of I Want You can swirl about above our heads while the subs shake the foundations in Hofnerized splendor! It should be where the old tcg modules are sparingly used while the super technology of today is mercilessly employed to bring the Beatles out of Abbey Road with all their fire and dynamics intact. Tip your hat with the new stereo mix. Put on the funny nose and sing na na na na along with Hey Jude on the 5.1 but use ATMOS to put us down into the floor of studio two and FEEL THE AMPS!!!!

 

Just as in the summer of 66... they could have thrown out a 4 disc(plus bonus Blu-ray!) black&white Voorman covered digipack for 49 bucks in the summer of 2016 that would have been noted as a Beatles reissue that was no big deal. Sure the PR people would have tipped off that something would be coming with Pepper and that wouldn't have hurt a bit or lessened the expected coverage of the album's 50th anniversary. It would have whetted fan appetites and generated anticipation for what was a stellar boxed set!!!

It would have recognized the growth of the Revolver is best opinionsphere but would have pointed out another growing reality! That Revolver IS a bigger deal than Pepper as a commercial entity. It didn't sell as well but some of the best known songs of the mid period are here!!! Got to Get You Into My Life, Eleanor Rigby, Good Day Sunshine, Taxman, Here There and Everywhere, Yellow Submarine, Paperback Writer... all slam bang smashes ..played daily on radio... featured in every stadium show McCartney plays!!! For Lennon heads you have I'm Only Sleeping, She Said She Said, Dr. Robert, And Your Bird Can Sing, Rain... almost obscure tracks buried in that horrid mix. Tomorrow Never Knows in 5.1??? Are you KIDDING me??? They cry out for rediscovery... They cry out for SOME of the Giles treatment(only 5 seconds of ADT per mix please...)... this was the album that needed to be out there NOT a reissue of the American Revolver in 2014!!! They should have spent that whole year making sure a neat double gatefold 4 CD Revolver digipak was ready for summer 2016!!!

 

LOL... I bet Jackson is in the editing room in New Zealand when he gets in the mail a box with a tiny ladder, a magnifying glass, and a tiny card in response to his final cut of Let It Be. He picks up the magnifying glass and scans the card seeing the word "NO!"

 

Oops I'm off topic in my last few posts these should be in Abbey Road Anything Else in the Works topic!!!

 

So you are a pro audio engineer. That’s special. You think that the work of Martin, O’kell and others is not good, and not of professional quality? Is that what you are saying?

Can you name some notable pro audio engineers who “can’t stand the remixing on the deluxe sets” ?

Please educate this music lover, musician and hobby recording engineer.

Thanks,

 

That's what keeps me on my toes!