What Tracks Are You Using To Demo Surround These Days?

[jimfisheye]

Money - Where it all started and what you should hear first!
Death on Two Legs - A little hyped/aggressive sonically but a great mix and something everyone knows. That other track is far too overplayed...
People (from THRAK) - Drums in front. Drums in back. This is one of those mixes that has to be heard to be believed and absolutely would not be possible to get across in stereo in any way shape or form!

After that...
Like rock? You're getting Space Truckin'
Jazz? Let's see how you handle something from Bitches Brew then.
Artsy? Any of the SW remixes of Yes or Tull

Live Floyd?
Pompeii of course. It's not necessarily a demo worthy mix. But it's an early surround mix and the only official live Floyd surround mix ever made. (The restoration isn't official... The mix being restored was. Technically never released to the public.)
Best of Tour '77 has turned into a goto Floyd live surround demo.
Chicago 1972-04-28 has some good surround mixing preserved too.

 

[musicmemorabiliashoppellc]

You guys keep mentioning songs from Queen’s Night at the Opera but forget the BEST SONG period that they ever did!! Shouldnt the Prophets Song” be the best song for a demo of all the songs on that album?!

And how about my favorite Queen album of them all “Queen” their very first album....just imagine that in 5.1 with Atmos

 

[sjcorne]

You guys keep mentioning songs from Queen’s Night at the Opera but forget the BEST SONG period that they ever did!! Shouldnt the Prophets Song” be the best song for a demo of all the songs on that album?!

You forgot to add "in my opinion". Also the middle section of "Prophet's Song" is an upmix...

And how about my favorite Queen album of them all “Queen” their very first album....just imagine that in 5.1 with Atmos

Mark Anderson's quad discography lists an unreleased quad mix of that one. I'd love to see it come out myself...

 

[sbrom]

You guys of covered most of mine, but how 'bout:

-Eagles "Seven Bridges Road" (to demonstrate the ultimate vocal separation)
-Billy Joel "The Longest Time" (same as above)
-Talking Heads "Burning Down The House" (alternate 5.1 mix)
-Listener's favorite Elton John song (any Greg Penny mix will do!)

Great set! I’m curious about the Joel track, didn’t know it was available in surround?

 

[sjcorne]

Great set! I’m curious about the Joel track, didn’t know it was available in surround?

It's on the Billy Joel "Essential Video Hits" DVD compilation. Definitely a real surround mix! I posted about it here, a very exciting find.

 

[sbrom]

It's on the Billy Joel "Essential Video Hits" DVD compilation. Definitely a real surround mix! I posted about it here, a very exciting find.

Thanks! What a bargain!

 

[J. PUPSTER]

It's on the Billy Joel "Essential Video Hits" DVD compilation. Definitely a real surround mix! I posted about it here, a very exciting find.

Just ordered one myself - Thanks sjcorne!!!

 

[The56Kid]

Great topic! Truth be told, I haven’t really entertained anyone in my listening environment in ages. Did quite a bit when I first got into the MC game in 2002/2003. Had a buddy who turned me on to it and he and I had a great time visiting each other’s man cave for MC remix listening sessions. Once our friendship dissolved, there really hasn’t been anyone else. But back to the topic at hand.

When I did surround demos, the following were some of my go to’s:

* Crowded House - Hole in the River
* Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
* The Eagles - Wasted Time (reprise)
* ELP - Lucky Man
* The Flaming Lips - One More Robot/Sympathy 3000-21
* Elton John - Acoustic Candle In the Wind
* Aaron Neville - Ave Maria
* Tipper - Rotundus Maximus
* Grover Washington - Just the Two of Us

I’ll do a Part II for what I’d add with my current expanded collection.