Aerosmith Rocks

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jrahrah

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Just put on the SQ "Rocks" album by Aerosmith. I was blown away so much by the first track, "Back in the saddle again", that I thought that I was hearing it again for the first time.

My experience with SQ is in its' infancy and this is the first album I got that I am familiar with. The cloppity-cloppity sound at the outset was pronounced, so much so that I had to play the original stereo mix to make sure it was supposedto be there. It was not only more apparent in the SQ mix but it actually traveled nicely from the front, to the left rear and then over to the right rear. How cool that was! As I said, since I was familiar with this album, I've had some fun hearing it in its' quad format.

I've heard some critics complain about the surround format detracting from the integrity of the work, also that it is not realistic. For myself, I just find it a great way to visit an old friend. I enjoy hearing that old familiar song in way that is different; it reassociates me with it. And as far as not being realistic (ie. sounds from the rear, etc.), is stereo realistic? Nothing matches the crispness of a live performance but that's why I see bands in concert, to hear the music in a different format like stereo and surround.

The bottom line; I'm digging the quad and other forms of the everything old, is new again surround formats. Give me more!
 
Nice to hear people enjoy the music, instead of complain about it. Many "purests" hate this stuff, but to each his own.

I just wish they would keep their negative opinoins to themselves, instead of spoiling it for someone who may have never heard surround. If they listen with a preconcieved notion that it is bad for the music, that is what they will hear.

Me, I love it!!

:-jon
 
Yeah, alot of material works with this type of mix, and Aerosmith in particular is really good fun. What about Rats in the Cellar? As to different mixes, the Get Your Wings SQ is hardly even the same album as the stereo. Nearly every cut is totally reworked with different solos, added backing vocals, etc. The only time I am opposed to this sort of surround mix is for classical music, or for live recordings. Otherwise, bring it!
Marc
 
Yeah, I never could understand these self-professed "purists" and their resistance to altering the "integrity" of the original stereo/mono mix, as the artist had intended it to be. I had posted a parody regarding this topic a while back. Specifically, how some folks are up-in-arms about "Pet Sounds" being released in multi-channel when it was originally only available in mono. Well, now that title has been released in mono, duophonic, stereo and (soon) 5.1 multi-channel. All but the duophonic release have been blessed by the original artist, yet still they complain. Oh well!

Personally, I LOVE hearing as many different mixes of any given title as possible. It is the variety and creativity that allow me to love a piece of music well beyond what I normally would have if I only had access to the original mix. Mono vs. stereo and stereo vs. quad comparisons are the obvious, but beyond that we have alternate takes, demo sessions, discrete tracks, re-mixes, synthesized quad, etc., all of which (when available) add variety and spice to the experience of any given album. All these are part of the creative process, which in many ways is much more interesting than the end result. Indeed, the fact that, as a consumer, I have a choice, makes it an interactive rather than a passive experience.

 
I was watching a DVD about the making of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and saw Gus Dudgeon, the producer, sitting at the mixing board. He was pulling up the instruments and vocals, while he was talking about the process of making the LP. I thought to myself, this would be the ultimate, if we could get the 24 track masters and play with them on our home units.

Who knows, one day?
 
Yes!

I've always dreamed that there would be an audio format that would contain all the discrete tracks for the title, and there would be an interactive interface that would let you create your own real-time mix. That would be SO COOL! The technology is already here to do something like that.

Todd Rundgren released a CD-ROM like this a few years back called TR-i. I played with that thing for HOURS! I totally loved it! The thing was written for Windows 3.1 and it cannot be played on any later versions of Windows. That just pisses me off, since I still have not gotten all my use out of that title. Argh! I guess I really should have become a producer or engineer so I would REALLY get the chance to "twiddle the knobs" all day long.

 
Cai Campbell said:
Yes!

I've always dreamed that there would be an audio format that would contain all the discrete tracks for the title, and there would be an interactive interface that would let you create your own real-time mix. That would be SO COOL! The technology is already here to do something like that.

Todd Rundgren released a CD-ROM like this a few years back called TR-i. I played with that thing for HOURS! I totally loved it! The thing was written for Windows 3.1 and it cannot be played on any later versions of Windows. That just pisses me off, since I still have not gotten all my use out of that title. Argh! I guess I really should have become a producer or engineer so I would REALLY get the chance to "twiddle the knobs" all day long.

I was just going to mention the TR-i thing, and I believe Peter Gabriel also fooled around with the CD-I format too (or maybe it was just having multi-angles long before anyone knew what that was). I do believe that the CD-I format (which Reprise used for a brief time on a series of Hendrix CD's in the early 90's) has become the technology of what is used with Playstation 2 and X-Boy video game console systems. Speaking of which...

I saw a TV ad for a new music game system for PS2, a "remix generator" where the user can create brand new remixes and "mash-ups" of songs that are on the disc itself. If I am to make a guess from what was shown in the commercial, it is a multi-track simulator where you are able to isolate elements of a song so all you can hear is the vocal track, a bassline, or the drum track. While the music on this video game is of the modern variety, the concept of isolating portions of a song is still being put to use. Of course you're not going to have a kid who'll want to play it so he can just hear the drums in Earth Wind & Fire's "Mighty Mighty", but you never know. :)
 
Cai Campbell said:
Argh! I guess I really should have become a producer or engineer so I would REALLY get the chance to "twiddle the knobs" all day long.
Hello Cai.

You are making so obvious why you like multichannel so much. Do please consider that many music lovers are not interested in dissecting mixes or playing producer but to enjoy the music and that most of the so-rightly-called-here "cool effects" are distracting and annoying.

Jon Urban said:
I just wish they would keep their negative opinoins to themselves, instead of spoiling it for someone who may have never heard surround. If they listen with a preconcieved notion that it is bad for the music, that is what they will hear..

Wow! what is this? the Phonogram mailing list!!???

Best regards.
 
I wrote this to try to put in perspective some the noxious forces that spoil music enjoyment.

http://www.proufo.netfirms.com/fam/cqepg.htm#MP

Excerpt: "I was hooked on quad and multi-channel. I realized at Mon Plaisir, that I just dreamed of being a producer, and was imposing that on my music listening, for the worse".

Robert Personne
Peekskill, NY
 
proufo said:
Hello Cai.

You are making so obvious why you like multichannel so much.

Yeah, funny thing that, this being a multichannel audio board and all...

proufo said:
Do please consider that many music lovers are not interested in dissecting mixes or playing producer but to enjoy the music and that most of the so-rightly-called-here "cool effects" are distracting and annoying.

What's that got to do with the price of tea in China? Cai was not trying to change anyone's mind about anything, just express his personal preference and enthusiasm for the ability to have fun with audio. Are you advocating that we remain uninvolved with processes that might interest us and remain as passive as possible with our listening experiences?

Quite frankly, I'm in the same boat with Cai, having produced a few things myself and being a long-time knob twiddler and lover of "cool effects". YMMV. I'm not going around trying to impose my opinion on anyone, but will express my enjoyment of things that I like in the proper forum, which I believe this is.

Please correct me if I misunderstand your tone. I merely thought that this would be a proper place to air thoughts such as these...
 
Hello Allan.

What I wanted to point out is that the dislike for multichannel mixes does not come from an irrational, anal-retentive neurotic compulsion to be a "purist".

For many it is simply annoying and purposeless to have mix draw strong attention to itself, as virtually all highly-touted mch mixes do.

Now, I love Quad hardware and recordings, out of nostalgia. But repeating the same mistakes 30 years after is not my idea of progress.

Best regards.
 
proufo said:
Hello Allan.

What I wanted to point out is that the dislike for multichannel mixes does not come from an irrational, anal-retentive neurotic compulsion to be a "purist".

For many it is simply annoying and purposeless to have mix draw strong attention to itself, as virtually all highly-touted mch mixes do.

Now, I love Quad hardware and recordings, out of nostalgia. But repeating the same mistakes 30 years after is not my idea of progress.

Best regards.
Mistake, is not what i think, of some new mixes which are engaging. The best mixes are done by folks like Alan Parsons, who mixes with the idea that the soundfield consists of many stereo pairs. It is all about creating that soundfield and using it to create whatever you wish. The most dishearting mixes are done by folks who have no regard for "the bubble". Using the center to warp the field. I enjoy a mix that is like the early Telarc mixes, that go for space without using the channels for art. Though i certainly like a more engaging mix. Just make the mix work like it is a soundfield, and everyone including newbies to multichannel feel the difference. There is room for all.
 
I'm a newbie in the whole scheme of multichannel, and all I've got to say is I appreciate mixes both bad and good. From the Absolutely discrete Columbia Q8's to the full surround mixes from Mercury I love 'em all! The only ones that make me moan are the double stereo mixes or the echo hall mixes. This is supposed to be multi-channel. That's what it's all about. If I wanted 4 speaker stereo, I wouldn't be investing in multi channel stuff.

I think all mixes can be appreciated. I get a kick out of having old Buddy Holly songs from the master tapes in mono, but I still get a kick out of some of the re-releases in fake stereo! It's all about the history and the music :)

Can't we all just get along? hehe
 
Hmmm, dredging up some old messages, eh? Well, you know what they say, opinions are like @ssholes... everybody has one.

I think Pablo really missed my point. I wasn't really talking about good or bad multichannel mixes (that's entirely a matter of opinion). I was talking about "purists" in the sense of folks who go out of their way to bash any release of a title that does not adhere to the original mono or stereo mix. They will decry a "new" stereo mix, for example, but a new multichannel mix is a more startling example, since it is without a doubt an entirely new mix (assuming the title in question had not previously been released in quad).

Anyway, a rose by any other name is a rose. I chose the term "purist" to mean people who complain when a "new" mix of an old favorite is released. These people do exist, and some do complain loudly. You can pin any title on them you want, if that will make you feel better.

That's the real point. If you want to complain about my preference for multichannel mixes, that's fine, but that's an entirely different topic altogether. We all have opinions and you are certainly welcome to yours.
 
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