The Mellotron Group

Hi Guys,

Has anyone else noticed, or is it just me, how, when you get hold of
a new CD version of an album you've been listening to on vinyl for
years, you start hearing little things you didn't know were there?

Now is it just because the CD can reproduce things the LP couldn't?

Or is it because someone tweaked it to make sure it could?

Or did those 'little things' gradually disappear from the vinyl as it
wore out over time so you forgot them until the CD brought them back
again?

Another strange thing. If I listen to Days Of Future Passed on CD
(digitally remastered, cat. no. 644 767-2, 1997) it sounds different
from the original - and I mean really different, as if different
mixes had been used on some of the tracks. I have all the other
Moodies 'core 7' in the same series but none of them do this. Anyone
want to comment?

Steve

from Wikipedia (i'd read this elsewhere several years ago):

In 1978 the album was remixed due to deterioration of the master
tapes. The original 1967 stereo mix, which is generally considered
superior by fans, has never seen a CD release. All CD versions, even
remasters, use the later mix. However, the 1990 greatest hits
package "The Story Of The Moody Blues/Legend Of A Band" CD
compilation, seems to contain the original mix of "Nights In White
Satin".

The ways in which the later mix departs most noticeably from the
original are:

After the orchestral intro, "Dawn Is A Feeling" begins more abruptly,
and there is less echo on Mike Pinder's vocal on the bridge, making
it stick out.
The orchestral intro "Lunch Break" goes on about 20 seconds longer
before fading out.
The transition from the band to the orchestra in "Forever Afternoon"
is cleaner, making it almost seem as if one flute is playing
throughout.
The bridges to "Time To Get Away" have John Lodge singing alone; all
the backing vocals on that part have been lost. Also, at the end of
the piece, the words "Evening, Time to Get Away" are repeated only
twice where they were repeated three times on the original mix, and
the mellotron overdub, which was essentially the same as the one in
the middle section, is absent. (In the quad mix, the mellotron is
also missing from the middle section.)
The piano in the instrumental sections of "Sunset" is gone. Also, the
reverb on the last word ("Through the night") is very different.
The backing vocals on "Twilight Time" are heard through the entire
song instead of only coming in at strategic points.
After the :13 orchestral prelude to "Night In White Satin", the
rhythm section (Moody's instruments) comes in right on time and in
step, following the correct meter of the orchestra. This seems to
correct the seemingly "off-step" segue of the two pieces on the
original mix.
There seems to be a noise-reduction filter overlaying the rhythm
section of the original mix, resulting in a more murky, ghostly sound
quality.
_____________________________________________________________________

also, if you have a cassette copy from the 80's "Peak Hour" is almost
twice as long (a goodly section of the tune is repeated).

i like the newer mix as it cleaner but the original mix, overall, is
my fave.

If I recall correctly, Tony Clarke related this story (in far less
exacting detail in the forum section of the Mike Pinder web site) about
the deterioration of the original master and how they lost the backing
vocals because he apparently didn't have any alternate elements to work
with. I believe this was done before '78 though - possibly for the quad
mix.
johnb


Steve wrote:

>
> from Wikipedia (i'd read this elsewhere several years ago):
>
> In 1978 the album was remixed due to deterioration of the master
> tapes. The original 1967 stereo mix, which is generally considered
> superior by fans, has never seen a CD release. All CD versions, even
> remasters, use the later mix. However, the 1990 greatest hits
> package "The Story Of The Moody Blues/Legend Of A Band" CD
> compilation, seems to contain the original mix of "Nights In White
> Satin".
>
> The bridges to "Time To Get Away" have John Lodge singing alone; all
> the backing vocals on that part have been lost. Also, at the end of
> the piece, the words "Evening, Time to Get Away" are repeated only
> twice where they were repeated three times on the original mix, and
> the mellotron overdub, which was essentially the same as the one in
> the middle section, is absent. (In the quad mix, the mellotron is
> also missing from the middle section.)
>

Recording/mastering trivia fascinates me. After
reading these posts, I grabbed the "Voices in the Sky"
hits disc. I hadn't heard it in a while, and noticed
how similar the stereo "Nights" was to the mono
version on the SACD extras disc. It's interesting
that the "Voices" version (an 80's disc) had a
slightly clearer, firmer sound. Both these versions
are w/o the orchestra. Now I gotta seek out the
"Legend of a Band" disc, & check out the differences.

If you can get the "This Is the Moody Blues" set,
you will find the mixes are quite different. I think
I read somewhere that these tracks were remixed in
stereo(from the multitracks) during the same sessions
that turned out the quad mixes. These stereo mixes
have a smooth, almost glassy quality. To my ears they
are very different from the 80's CDs, or the new CD
and SACD remasters. Fun stuff.

-Bruce D.




--- john barrick <astroboy@cinci.rr.com> wrote:

> If I recall correctly, Tony Clarke related this
> story (in far less
> exacting detail in the forum section of the Mike
> Pinder web site) about
> the deterioration of the original master and how
> they lost the backing
> vocals because he apparently didn't have any
> alternate elements to work
> with. I believe this was done before '78 though -
> possibly for the quad
> mix.
> johnb
>
>
> Steve wrote:
> >
> > from Wikipedia (i'd read this elsewhere several
> years ago):
> >
> > In 1978 the album was remixed due to deterioration
> of the master
> > tapes. The original 1967 stereo mix, which is
> generally considered
> > superior by fans, has never seen a CD release. All
> CD versions, even
> > remasters, use the later mix. However, the 1990
> greatest hits
> > package "The Story Of The Moody Blues/Legend Of A
> Band" CD
> > compilation, seems to contain the original mix of
> "Nights In White
> > Satin".
> >
> > The bridges to "Time To Get Away" have John Lodge
> singing alone; all
> > the backing vocals on that part have been lost.
> Also, at the end of
> > the piece, the words "Evening, Time to Get Away"
> are repeated only
> > twice where they were repeated three times on the
> original mix, and
> > the mellotron overdub, which was essentially the
> same as the one in
> > the middle section, is absent. (In the quad mix,
> the mellotron is
> > also missing from the middle section.)
> >
>
>

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