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The Beatles - Revolver Remix


Hobbayne
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Listened to some of the tracks a few days ago - the remix, not the original.

 

I've loved that album since I was nine years old and I know it backwards and inside out. The remix sounded like ... well ... Revolver.

 

Yes, it's now in stereo. Yes, the bass is slightly more prominent. But it still sounds better on vinyl and played in mono, because that's what it's supposed to sound like. 🙄

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1 hour ago, neepheid said:

So, is this confirmation that the word "mono" means "defective" to Gen-Z?

The stereo versions of most Beatles albums are considered inferior to the mono versions. If anything, the stereo versions are 'defective'.

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4 hours ago, Hobbayne said:

The stereo versions of most Beatles albums are considered inferior to the mono versions. If anything, the stereo versions are 'defective'.

 

Generally the mono mixes were the ones that had the time spent on them. Once everyone was happy with these the stereo mix for the whole album would be dashed off in an afternoon.

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Must admit I was sceptical about this, are there going to be endless remixes every time technology moves on a bit? but having listened to it there is obviously a significant improvement.

One thing has always struck me about remixes in general, the bass is always more prominent, I'm guessing because originally it couldn't be too loud because of the limitations of vinyl, but that is not the case with the improvement over the 2015 remix of this track.

I won't have to buy it though, thanks to spotify, having got the original LP I think I've paid my bit to the Beatles coffers 

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The other reason why the bass (and drums) are quieter than anything produced since that advent of the 16 track tape recorder, is that they would have been committed to tape early on in the recording process and become further buried in the mix with each bounce required to get The Beatles vision for their songs achieved with only 4 tracks available.

 

Out of interest how are these new mixes being produced? Do they have access to all the unbounced tapes (I believe that bounces were made between recorders onto a new reel of tape rather than onto a spare track and then the bounced tracks over recorded)? I suspect that there will still be a fair amount of instruments that share a single track simply because doing it that way reduces the number of times the tracks need to be bounced.

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10 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

The other reason why the bass (and drums) are quieter than anything produced since that advent of the 16 track tape recorder, is that they would have been committed to tape early on in the recording process and become further buried in the mix with each bounce required to get The Beatles vision for their songs achieved with only 4 tracks available.

 

Out of interest how are these new mixes being produced? Do they have access to all the unbounced tapes (I believe that bounces were made between recorders onto a new reel of tape rather than onto a spare track and then the bounced tracks over recorded)? I suspect that there will still be a fair amount of instruments that share a single track simply because doing it that way reduces the number of times the tracks need to be bounced.

blurb from the link above
All the new Revolver releases feature the album’s new stereo mix, sourced directly from the original four-track master tapes. The audio is brought forth in stunning clarity with the help of cutting edge de-mixing technology developed by the award-winning sound team led by Emile de la Rey at Peter Jackson’s WingNut Films Productions Ltd. 

 

On another note, Revolver contains my favourite Beatles track (and John Peel's) 'And Your Bird Can Sing' so I will be looking forward to hearing that

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I think EMI had strict rules about how much bass could be in a vinyl release. The details are very sketchy in my memory, but I think it went as far as restricting the equipment permitted in the studio, and was to avoid damage to listener's speakers. I might be terribly muddled though. Is this ringing any bells?

 

PS my attempts to Google my way to locating this memory failed, but en route I found this interesting story about the Paperback Writer bass sound

Edited by Ricky Rioli
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22 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

Listened to some of the tracks a few days ago - the remix, not the original.

 

I've loved that album since I was nine years old and I know it backwards and inside out. The remix sounded like ... well ... Revolver.

 

Yes, it's now in stereo. Yes, the bass is slightly more prominent. But it still sounds better on vinyl and played in mono, because that's what it's supposed to sound like. 🙄

Agreed. Some early albums were re released in faux stereo and were not a patch on the original mono. I am far from a mono is best freak but the originals seem to have more depth and punch. Revolver and Rubber Soul their best albums for me. 

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I suppose because they had the rhythm instruments all recorded together on 1 track of the 4 track  tape, if you wanted to boost a frequency, you would boost everything on that track. Boosting low end of the bass guitar would also boost the kick drum etc.

Edited by Hobbayne
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  • 1 month later...
On 17/09/2022 at 09:38, Happy Jack said:

Listened to some of the tracks a few days ago - the remix, not the original.

 

I've loved that album since I was nine years old and I know it backwards and inside out. The remix sounded like ... well ... Revolver.

 

Yes, it's now in stereo. Yes, the bass is slightly more prominent. But it still sounds better on vinyl and played in mono, because that's what it's supposed to sound like. 🙄

In all honesty,do you not think that the bass is a little too prominent? I think Rain (bonus track) is spoiled by the bassline.I always have done,but even more so now.

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On 17/09/2022 at 18:36, BigRedX said:

The other reason why the bass (and drums) are quieter than anything produced since that advent of the 16 track tape recorder, is that they would have been committed to tape early on in the recording process and become further buried in the mix with each bounce required to get The Beatles vision for their songs achieved with only 4 tracks available.

 

Out of interest how are these new mixes being produced? Do they have access to all the unbounced tapes (I believe that bounces were made between recorders onto a new reel of tape rather than onto a spare track and then the bounced tracks over recorded)? I suspect that there will still be a fair amount of instruments that share a single track simply because doing it that way reduces the number of times the tracks need to be bounced.

 

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-63226914

 

An interesting article adressing the whys and hows.

 

I love Revolver and look forward to hearing these new mixes, although I've never considered it their masterpiece*. It also contains probably the only Beatles song that I feel totally indifferent about - Doctor Robert.

 

* Of course, it's still miles beyond anything most bands could ever dream of making.

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I've just had my first listen through and on the whole I'm thrilled with it, it sounds so fresh and alive. It's so much better balanced than the old hard-panned stereo mix - I don't feel like one side of my head is heavier than the other. I swear to God I felt a difference in the angle my head was at when listening to the new mix was straighter than before!

 

More listens required but immediate highlights for me are Eleanor Rigby - I hear EVERYTHING, and the the yawn in the second breakdown of I'm Only Sleeping has been hilariously boosted. It surprised the hell out of me because in the old stereo mixes it's barely discernable - having never paid the mono mix much mind (a mistake, it would seem) I didn't even know it was there until now!

 

One that bugged me was She Said She Said - I don't think the AI had a great time with the guitars so they sound a little wrong to me, a bit truncated - hard to put my finger on it but it caught my ear.

 

All in all though, I am impressed. It certainly has breathed new life into one of my favourite Beatles albums.

Edited by neepheid
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I listened and I could barely tell the difference. But it still sounded great! (and Taxman is as tone deaf as it was then as it is now).

 

Personally, these endless remixes seem like rent extraction. Beatles fans are numerous and devoted and anything like this will generate huge amounts of cash for the estate while doing nothing for the legacy.

 

The Peter Jackson docco on the other hand was well put together and worth the subscription fee!

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2 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

I listened and I could barely tell the difference. But it still sounded great! (and Taxman is as tone deaf as it was then as it is now).

 

Personally, these endless remixes seem like rent extraction. Beatles fans are numerous and devoted and anything like this will generate huge amounts of cash for the estate while doing nothing for the legacy.

 

The Peter Jackson docco on the other hand was well put together and worth the subscription fee!

It's free on Spotify. 

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I've been listening to this remixed version for the last few days and I love it! I totally understand the authentic mono v remixed stereo debate, but the new remix certainly gives a startling insight into the recording and brings the music to life, to my sensibilities anyway.

 

I love Paul McCartney's bass work, and listening this album I've really been struck by how great he was at playing between the kick and snare of Ringo's drumming.  I love the sound of George Harrison's guitar on the early takes of Paperback Writer, too. Sounds like either his Gretsch or his Rickenbacker. I tried googling it but it got too complicated to find out the facts, such is the conjecture.

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1 hour ago, Misdee said:

I've been listening to this remixed version for the last few days and I love it! I totally understand the authentic mono v remixed stereo debate, but the new remix certainly gives a startling insight into the recording and brings the music to life, to my sensibilities anyway.

 

I love Paul McCartney's bass work, and listening this album I've really been struck by how great he was at playing between the kick and snare of Ringo's drumming.  I love the sound of George Harrison's guitar on the early takes of Paperback Writer, too. Sounds like either his Gretsch or his Rickenbacker. I tried googling it but it got too complicated to find out the facts, such is the conjecture.

I agree and it's not like the mono version has been replaced. It's nice to have choices.

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