| Author | Message | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 2230 Registered: 4-2004 |
saw this today THE BEATLES'S ENTIRE ORIGINAL RECORDED CATALOGUE REMASTERED Category: Music We are delighted to announce the release of the original Beatles catalogue, which has been digitally re-mastered for the first time, for worldwide CD release on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 (09-09-09), the same date as the release of the widely anticipated "The Beatles: Rock Band" video game. Each of the CDs is packaged with replicated original UK album art, including expanded booklets containing original and newly written liner notes and rare photos. For a limited period, each CD will also be embedded with a brief documentary film about the album. On the same date, two new Beatles boxed CD collections will also be released. The albums have been re-mastered by a dedicated team of engineers at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London over a four year period utilising state of the art recording technology alongside vintage studio equipment, carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings. The result of this painstaking process is the highest fidelity the catalogue has seen since its original release. The collection comprises all 12 Beatles albums in stereo, with track listings and artwork as originally released in the UK, and 'Magical Mystery Tour,' which became part of The Beatles' core catalogue when the CDs were first released in 1987. In addition, the collections 'Past Masters Vol. I and II' are now combined as one title, for a total of 14 titles over 16 discs. This will mark the first time that the first four Beatles albums will be available in stereo in their entirety on compact disc. These 14 albums, along with a DVD collection of the documentaries, will also be available for purchase together in a stereo boxed set. Within each CD's new packaging, booklets include detailed historical notes along with informative recording notes. With the exception of the 'Past Masters' set, newly produced mini-documentaries on the making of each album, directed by Bob Smeaton, are included as QuickTime files on each album. The documentaries contain archival footage, rare photographs and never-before-heard studio chat from The Beatles, offering a unique and very personal insight into the studio atmosphere. | ||
| wideload
Intermediate Member Username: wideload Post Number: 139 Registered: 6-2003 |
Cool. I wonder if including Quicktime files was part of the Apple-Beatles settlement? | ||
| dnburgess
Senior Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 599 Registered: 1-2003 |
Seeing as they're putting so much effort into remastering them it would be nice if they were also released on SACD. | ||
| aquaman
Member Username: aquaman Post Number: 71 Registered: 9-2006 |
Were any of the albums recorded in mono originally? Is that why only now will the first 4 albums be released in stereo? If mono recordings are processed to playback in "stereo" will that degrade fidelity? | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3674 Registered: 7-2004 |
My original copy of "Meet the Beatles" was mono, IIRC. (One of my older brothers bought it. I was a cool 8 year old, but not that cool!) Bill, tgo (Message edited by lbpesq on April 07, 2009) | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 648 Registered: 6-2002 |
Aquaman, My experience is that some mono recordings aren't as punchy when changed to stereo. It's all subjective to what the listener likes and who is remastering and what kind of equipment is used to play it on. Having both versions available would be ideal. (Message edited by elwoodblue on April 07, 2009) | ||
| briant
Advanced Member Username: briant Post Number: 292 Registered: 12-2004 |
This kid will be buying the full box o' everything. | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 2231 Registered: 4-2004 |
i am sure that with advances in technology and the love and care that was taken on this venture that.... it will be just fine and dandy especially to us old timers who remember that there used to be mono shelves and stereo shelves at e.j.korvettes. | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 2160 Registered: 6-2002 |
Not sure if this is an urban myth, but lots of really old recordings were done in kind-of-stereo. Just in case something went wrong on one recording device (this is before the age of tape recorders) they set up a second one next to it. If you have both copies, and manage to synchronize them, you have a stereo recording. | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2259 Registered: 3-2004 |
I'm getting my Rock Band drum kit in proper order in preparation for the release. | ||
| dadabass2001
Senior Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 1073 Registered: 6-2002 |
Bob, throw towels on the drums for that "puddin" sound  Mike | ||
| hieronymous
Senior Member Username: hieronymous Post Number: 568 Registered: 1-2005 |
I'm pretty sure there were both mono and stereo versions of the older albums - the stereo ones have things panned pretty hard left and right, so if you're in a big music store, sometimes you can't hear the vocals, etc., because they're off in the other speaker! This could just be my fuzzy memory though... | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2260 Registered: 3-2004 |
I know you're kidding, but I've actually taken to playing the game in headphones, Mike. That way I don't hear the stick impacts much at all. Much better game experience for up to an hour, then my ears get tired. I have the Drum Rocker kit and it is much more fun and real than the crap pieces that come with the game, though it still falls short in a couple spots. Here's hoping that they will have added a Ringo-modeled drum kit to the list so that the fills sound in character. Among the failings of the game for drums is that the fills all sound like a completely different kit that the recorded song parts. The other failing, to me, is the inability to globally turn off "overdrive" so you can actually play the song entirely as written without any fills at all. I am so looking forward to playing Ringo's parts instead of getting stuck with the occasional speed metal tune that can't possibly be played without a double kick. The vocals should be pretty fun as well. As far as re-buying every Beatles tune because it has been "remastered" goes, though, that will be a harder sell for me. I'm not unhappy with the originals and I'm not sure that perfect production quality will really add to the Beatles experience in a meaningful way. -bob | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 649 Registered: 6-2002 |
harry, your memory is spot on...alot of the older recordings are panned hard...you get some cool 'versions' of the songs just listening to one speaker. ...alot of the time the reverb is panned right with the dry in the left...sometimes you can get some neat 'backing tracks' without vocals on just one side. It sure would be fun to be one of the engineers who get to play around with the masters. (Message edited by elwoodblue on April 08, 2009) | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 2232 Registered: 4-2004 |
bob according to the beatles rock band site. they will be selling instruments as played by the beatles. so i am sure there will be a ringo kit and i assume they will model drums for existing kits,... so there will be a hofner bass. i will stick with my gene simmons axe. lol. they aint gettin me for more than the disc and the box o cds | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2262 Registered: 3-2004 |
We'll almost certainly just get the disc as well, Jeff. We have enough clutter around here with every game system known to man as well as peripherals. The new Nintendo DSi just arrived and Lisa is enthralled with the thing and some rhythm game. -bob | ||
| crobbins
Advanced Member Username: crobbins Post Number: 301 Registered: 6-2004 |
I'll add these to my collection of Beatle boots.. | ||
| peoplechipper
Member Username: peoplechipper Post Number: 79 Registered: 2-2009 |
I remember Pete Townsend saying in "the Kids are Alright" that if you take Beatles recordings and cut the vocals out(I think he said they were left)they were kinda crap;...it's funny, as some of their sound is the blueprint for pop/powerpop forevermore; some is best forgotten... |
