How to use the Surround Mixes to extract/isolate channels not previously available...

Fan created remixes and rare variations
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millerTEK
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How to use the Surround Mixes to extract/isolate channels not previously available...

Post by millerTEK »

So to start this discussion off - we have surround mixes made of 4 50th Annv releases - Sgt Pepper, White Album, Abbey Road and soon Let It Be - and other surround mixes from releases like Beatles 1, and movies, etc.

We know historically, those albums had MORE than 2 channels recorded which ended up getting mixed down to the official mono and stereo releases. But luckily - since the session tapes still exist - EACH CHANNEL or TRACK for these albums still exist and were remastered and NOW a new MASTER has been remixed for the anniversary boxes - YET - those CHANNELS can also be used to make SURROUND mastered with 4 or more surround channels to be presented on DVD and/or BD.

Let's look closer at those TRACKS that were recorded individually and documented in the Recording Sessions bible! Being available and usable, one could take each of those channels, remaster them, and technically MIX with today's technology - A NEW MASTER designed to be played on devices that read masters with 4 or more (5.1, etc) channels.

If you understand what I'm writing about - you can see that these surround mixes can provide YOU access to channels (or tracks) containing music isolation's not previously available in attempts used to isolate channels from simple 2 channel stereo sources.

So let's look at a simple release as an example- Martha My Dear. (October 4, 1968)
We know from the Recording Sessions bible that this track used initially a 2 track recording of Paul on the piano with vocals singing the song. and LATER - 2 more tracks were used to record the Brass overdubs. So to verify this - the box set released the song without the brass overdub....NOW...listen to the surround mix - the front 2 channels play this SAME mix. And now - listen to the REAR channels - what do you hear?

I extracted those Rear channels - and you'll get the isolated 2 channels used to master the brass overdubs.... and when added to the Take 1 (front channels) - you get an SI of Take 1 documented in that book!

So in applying this info technique to the other box sets surround mixes - I see the same logic applied. Giles Martin can make surround mixes of these albums, because he has access to the original TRACKS that contain isolation and overdub info that is now relevant with today's technology. Thank God the Beatles understood and used recording technology to record more than 2 tracks of recording DESPITE knowing that the final mixes would be mixed down to mono and stereo recordings.

So I hope this info has made sense - as we can apply it to the Abbey Road box surround mixes and extract the orchestral mixing session overdubs on 8.15.1969. Yes, the Box released the orchestral overdub to Something, etc...but look at the book - orchestral overdubs were recorded for a few more songs that day as well - and YOU can extract those isolations that were not released in the box....I'll let you discover the other songs where orchestral isolations are available....

Enjoy this info if you find it valuable!

steve
magoocus
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Re: How to use the Surround Mixes to extract/isolate channels not previously available...

Post by magoocus »

Hmm, Martha My Dear had Paul, George and Ringo playing live with the brass. The proof is the photo in the WA Deluxe book, plus you can hear the brass in the background of the Sessions track.

Otherwise we've been extracting the channels from surround mixes since the days of 5.1 Degrees of Separation, Five Point Wonderful (from Anthology) and many others.
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Re: How to use the Surround Mixes to extract/isolate channels not previously available...

Post by ToddS »

One of the others was " Kaleidoscope " which was a Yellow Submarine DVD channels taken apart . I still have all of it on cassette tapes and a printout of the Traxlist in my files . It has a date of March 10, 2001 . It blew my mind when i listened to it .
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Re: How to use the Surround Mixes to extract/isolate channels not previously available...

Post by Lord Reith »

The old 5.1s from the Anthology days were really useful, but ever since "1+" they've been not much cop. The rear channels on 1+ are just a pair of speakers miked up while playing the front channels. The deluxe sets have some actual discreet sound at the rear but it is mixed in with stuff from the front.
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Re: How to use the Surround Mixes to extract/isolate channels not previously available...

Post by Hidlive »

Lord Reith wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 12:37 am The old 5.1s from the Anthology days were really useful, but ever since "1+" they've been not much cop. The rear channels on 1+ are just a pair of speakers miked up while playing the front channels. The deluxe sets have some actual discreet sound at the rear but it is mixed in with stuff from the front.
actually, for SOME reason, on 1+ if you phase invert the front 2 channels on the Hey Jude music video... you can suddenly hear an overdub for clapping??? i was shocked to hear that. But yeah, other than that there really hasn't been much for the recent 5.1s in terms of good isolations except for the sub-bass channel. i was able to find a guide vocal for Revolution 1 hidden in there.
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