Multitrack Masters...

But...surely it's only the people interested in the masters that'd vote - and if people are interested then they've already got that one song...?

I for one know that "Memory Almost Full" would've been a decent album if Macca hadn't killed it with almost retarded levels of compression. I *SUCK* at mixing and even I wouldn't have done such a hatchet job....

There's a big debate going on now in the Metallica forums, they seem to have messed up real bad with the sound quality of their new album, and they released a "better" version for Guitar Hero or something. The record label say they didn't do anything, Rick Rubin has nothing to say... but there is a difference.

I guess one of the problems of the "80's sound" is a bit related to this - they had to compress the sound to suit some technical stuff of the FM radio broadcasts, and all these songs sound "strange" compared to 70's albums - it's all in the compression. Now they are using this same compression to achieve louder and louder sounds, to make your band sound more powerful and "better" than the others. In some songs, there are just too many things to be played all at once - and they squeeze everything up in a very compressed mix, this is why some songs of these master tracks sound way better when "stripped down".

When I first started playing a bit with audio softwares, I used to get every possible VST plugin I could, and also... use them all at once which made everything sound awful. Technology is amazing - only if you know how to use it. Having the best studio gear doesn't make you the best audio engineer (mostly when your "material" - the band - sucks).

Its Rubin, he did the same thing to Californication. He thinks that rock music should be a big wall of sound with no sonic depth to it. He is a numpty.


Yes, a numpty.

Marcos Napier wrote: Masters aren't exactly useful for the traditional fan, except for those that are interested in remixing or audio engineering, or the completists that buy anything under a certain brand (no this isn't a pun). It would be expensive to make, distribute and sell, and won't be profitable. It would be a great idea for some of us to have access to some of that stuff, but for the band's bank accounts it won't work. There are also the obvious risks of having the material "stolen" and reused to death, and depending on the band's (or their lawyers) policies about it, it would be a mess to hunt down all these "thieves". Something I was thinking when playing a bit with some of these multitracks of other artists is that I noticed that sometimes certain songs sound much better if they had just done something different in the mix - less guitars, a simpler drum, etc. etc. And this can annoy a lot of famous producers...



Depends what you mean by useful. The master that had the "Oh Rock of Ages" choral section of Brighton Rock is the best Queen product I've heard for a long long time.

And how useful is that? I don't get it.

Holly2003 wrote:

Depends what you mean by useful. The master that had the "Oh Rock of Ages" choral section of Brighton Rock is the best Queen product I've heard for a long long time.  

Funny you singled that one out. I've been lsitening to that particular segment over and over again, as far as harmonies go it's sheer perfection. The multitracks are not only of interest to remixers, but also for fans who just want to know how they constructed their songs.

That's the point, it's not interesting to all the fans to justify a commercial release.

i have the master to Killer Queen and Bohemian

turini wrote: i have the master to Killer Queen and Bohemian
 

I've heard the Titanic has hit an iceberg

I'm with you guys on the Rock of Ages bit, I was deconstructing Brighton Rock for a video that I never finished, and man!  That bit is gold.

Having said that, multitracks in their current form will always be a niche thing that the ugly masses wouldn't appreciate even if they could buy them for a good price.

I have to admit I've been looping that chorus for about an hour myself. Great stuff, though a huge shame it is entirely on one track, so you can never listen to the individual vocal parts. I have recreated that piece pretty accurate. Couldn't have done that without the multi.

It's fascinating!

You hear bits that you've never heard before and the best thing is that you get to hear them in isolation.

Anyone got any idea how the originals got leaked in the first place?!?