George Martin quotes re: stereo vs. mono

I was re-reading the fantastic Mark Lewisohn book and came across some interesting direct quotes from George Martin regarding the stereo vs. mono issue.

From p. 28, ...people still wonder why the stereo version of the LP (Please Please Me) has such peculiar left/right channel separation, with the rhythm on the left and the vocals on the right. George Martin: "The reason I used the stereo machine in twin track form was simply to make the mono better, to delay the vital decision of submerging the voices into the background. I certainly didn't separate them for people to hear them separate!" That said, many students of the group prefer the stereo versions because it enables closer scrutiny of individual elements of the recording. For those who simply want a better sound however, the mono version is infinitely superior.

Interesting...

Then on p. 52: There can't be many albums released today containing five songs remixed for stereo in half an hour! By comparison with teh time spent on the mono mixes it is clear which format was considered the most important in 1964 (referring to Beatles for Sale).

Let the discussion begin again....

Is anybody else out there feeling completely frustrated with these tough choices as to which version to go with? They say ignorance is bliss - I think it is in this case. I only knew the versions I listened to - now with all these new, to me at least, mono mixes I don't know what I like! I know I simply can't listen to the stereo Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out, Rubber Soul and some of Revolver anymore. The severe separation drives me crazy!

Anyone else feeling confused??

 

1. Listen to both the mono and stereo remastered version of a particular track or album.
2. Decide which sounds more pleasing to you.
3. Listen to it for evermore and never second-guess your judgement, including what others tell you is better.
Easy, no?

 

If you've got both versions anyway, why do you have to choose?

 

Hey Zonka,

You might be kind of new to Beatlemainia from an audiophile's perspective, but this really is old news for most of us here.

I seriously dislike those twin-track recordings presented as stereo. The mono is much better in those cases and most others up to "Get Back". I have the advantage of not having grown up with Beatles albums, so I hold no affection for the early stereo albums.

What I do is pick and choose what I like. In some cases, I like both stereo and mono.

 

It's an easy choice - go with both mono and stereo. Every mix has something wonderful to offer, some more than others of course.

 

I find the hard panning on many early stereo releases interesting too. It does add the ability to hear the various musical elements more clearly.

As far as the Beatles go. Sometimes I'm in a stereo mood and at other times its the punch of the Mono that moves me.

They were a great band all the way around and I'm ecstatic that the remasters turned
out as well as they did.

 

I grew up listening to the early stuff on mono Capitols. Then in the early 70s I bought stereo copies as British imports. Some of the stereo mixes sounded great, but when I first heard the hard panning I could not believe anyone would release something like that. I thought they sounded terrible. Still do.

 

Strangely enough, although I'm very mono-friendly, I have no problem with and often enjoy the stereo mixes of Rubber Soul and Revolver (I have Parlophone LP's, not the remasters). It's really only Please Please Me and With The Beatles that drive me up the wall.

 

I love the wide-stereo tracks.

I actually recently remixed some of my old band's 4 track recordings "Beatle-style"--- a mono mix, then a stereo one with the tracks either all the way left or right. I ended up liking the wide stereo ones better for the most part.

 

One benefit of stereo - The hard panned stereo mixes for the early Beatles albums makes it really easy to practice your karaoke.

 

Well, not confused, but like you I can't stand the vocals in one channel and the instrumentation in the other. So for those stereo albums that have that hard separation I always listen to the mono versions.

 

I originally ordered just a stereo box. I later cancelled that and got a mono box, and then many individual stereo cd's.

After hearing the stereo cd's I wish I had just gone with my original plan. This 'mono-mania' is nuts.

 

I am kind of shocked at how many fan's of the Beatles had never heard any of the mono mixes before. It's not like they are new. Now if you were to talk about Simon & Garfunkle' Mono mixes that would be another story. Anyway I like both and given the mood i'm in a will play one or the other. It's just getting more options from their catolog.

 

How do you know it's "nuts" until you hear the mono mixes?

 

He does know. He said he bought the mono box.

It doesn't surprise me though, that folks unfamiliar with the Beatles in mono but got swept up in the mono-mania (love that term!) and bought it might be a bit underwhelmed. Very few things in life live up to hype and months/years of anticipation.

 

Paul Hicks reiterated some of George Martin's thoughts in the Amazon podcast from last month. Seriously, if you have both..enjoy both. Bill makes great points..

I had *never* heard the first four in stereo before 9/9. I have found myself listening to PPM (stereo) so much over the last few weeks. Just picking out sounds that I never noticed from the mono mixdown. In that case and in many others it's fun to have the stereos just to hear separation.

I personally feel like the mono mixes are the "real deal" but that's only one guys opinion... they have a finality to them that feels timeless. But that doesn't deter from me enjoying the stereo mixes. They were released and they do exist. It's not like anyone (here on this board at least) to ignore anything that says "Beatles" on it.

 

Oh, I misread - thought he had just cancelled and ordered the mono box.

I honestly don't see how it makes THAT much of a difference, except in a positive way, because some of those hard-panned stereo mixes are as unnatural as they come. But I can see someone putting, say, the stereo White Album against the mono and being underwhelmed with the mono. To do the same with Please Please Me I would find puzzling however.

 

Question for those who have the stereo mixes

Are all the pre-stereo Beatles remasters guilty of panning the music to one side and the vocals to the other?
If so, the mono's for those albums would be the way to go. That would be sad as I MUCH prefer the older material to the later releases.

 

Yes, that is how the stereo mixes were and are, then and now, on the first 2 albums.

There are no pre-stereo Beatles albums. All of their albums were released in stereo. There are a few tracks that never were mixed to stereo (Love Me Do, PS I Love You, She Loves You)

 

Not possible here