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I need help settling a debate among BB friends. One claims Mono mix, original is better, another die hard BB fan claims to like Stereo Mix of Wouldn't it Be Nice? I told them I would ask the experts at the Smiley Smiley Forum.

So BB experts sound off,

Wouldn't it be Nice Stereo Mix or Mono?

Thanks,

Adrian

its personal preference

and its my right not to tell you

Hi Adrian, imo all of Pet Sounds needed to be heard in a stereo mix.... far too much going on for one channel.  8)

Stereo for Wouldn't It Be Nice and God Only Knows. Mono for every other song on Pet Sounds.

WIBN has so many elements that it sounds almost chaotic in mono - you can barely hear the harmonies in the second verse. Whereas when I first heard WIBN in stereo I had an epiphany that the Beach Boys were the greatest musical act to ever grace the planet....and I still believe it and will probably always believe it.

you had a GREAT epiphany!

The stereo mix is good for learning about the backing instruments. The mono mix is more to listen to vocals and be blown away by the deep autobiographical lyrics.

The stereo mix for me. You can really hear the superb background vocals more clearly, and l love the cleaner sound of the accordions.

I'd say if you want to learn more about how "WIBN" fits together, listen to it in stereo. If you simply (simply!!!) want to enjoy one of Brian's masterpieces, listen to it in mono. 

Well, in all fairness, there are two different stereo mixes of Wouldn't It Be Nice, so I must ask for specifics.

Mike Love bridge vs. Brian Wilson bridge? IMHO, it doesn't sound right without Mike.

Too  many years listening to the original mix, I guess.

Mono mix all the way.

Depends on how you're listening to it... each mix has it's own strong points.

For 26 years I heard the mono version on various vinyl and CD releases. Then I heard the stereo version in 1996 and was BLOWN OUT!!! Been listening to the stereo mix ever since. Nothing like that wide dispersion of ambient sound between the speakers!

Not even a second thought about it. The stereo version. Brian or Mike on the bridge in stereo - doesn't make much difference to me but slightly prefer Mike in the middle there like he was on the original mono mix.

Stereo. The way Brian didn't cut it.  ;D  

Wouldn't it Be Nice is genius, period. Listening to the stereo version is a crystal clar view of the layers by the master artist. HOWEVER, the stereo version loses it's wall of sound punch that is delivered in the mono version.

I prefer the stereo mix of WIBN too, it just comes alive.  Mono sounds dull by comparison.  Interesting that Mike sings lead on the mono bridge, but it doesn't make the song better than in stereo.

I enjoy the mono Pet Sounds for the different elements in the mix.  The double tracked lead vocals on You Still Believe In Me along with the louder bicycle ring always sounded better to me.  I also like the end of God Only Knows in mono.

So, let's say you pick stereo mix, which version do you prefer Brian or Mike singing in the bridge?

I prefer the 2000 Stereo mix with Love on bridge on Summer Love Songs compilation.

Stereo, for all the reasons stated above.  I always loved the song, but when I heard it in stereo, the musician in me was just blown away by the little details that I'd never heard before, vocally and instrumentally.  I appreciate the mono for what it is, being Brian's vision of how the song should sound, but only being able to hear a fraction of that amazing arrangement is a travesty!  Even Brian has said that the stereo mix allows you to hear more of what was actually there.

I prefer Brian on the bridge too, if only because Mike's vocal has always sounded phoned in to me.  Brian sounds like he gives a damn about what he's singing, whereas Mike doesn't - odd, because I love Mike's singing on the rest of the record.

I prefer the stereo, particularly for "I'm Waiting for the Day"--it makes those lead vocals on the chorus a lot less harsh. On the mono, it's like he's shouting...it wants to feel passionate and intense, rather than brash. (I'm speaking for a song here...lock me up, quick!)

I agree that the stereo helps you hear the instruments more clearly. The mono kinda mushes 'em all up.

The stereo mix of IJWMFFT loses the weird organ like soundat 0.05 seconds into the song. All of those weird background sounds are lost sereo PS IMO fo the worse.. LGAFA loses it's bassiness. On mono I think the vox sound like they peak out on the loud parts whereas I prefer the clarity of the vox on the stereo versions.

My favorite is the stereo mix with Mike Love on the bridge. But of course I love the mono mix too.

Same here. No contest. Its like finally having sex without wearing a condom.

yeah i'll take the stereo too.  There's too much going on for mono to take and sound nice.  it gets way muddy in mono.

I usually play the album in stereo except for "You Still Believe In Me" I enjoy it more in mono for some reason.  But "Wouldn't Be Nice" for me sounds better in stereo, especially with headphones on.

I enjoy both, but mono has the slight edge being as Brian intended it !

But then again, since 1995 Brian has had a change a heart. Now he intends for us to listen to both.

(http://www.skanksuary.com/board/images/smiles/roll.gif) Classic!

Stereo for me...and with Brian on the bridge instead of Mike.

The stereo mix is revelatory, wouldn't be without it... but the mono mix is what Brian released, and once you've listened to the stereo, the mono opens up too.

Listening to the mono mix on the radio, I'm assuming a single version (?) of the song, is unreal. I LOVE the stereo version, but it doesn't have that mono presence.

Well this is my favorite BB song, so I enjoy all versions, but I'm partial to Brian's mono mix especially of this song because it's very Spector-ish, you can tell what Brian was going for. The people that did the stereo mix did a superb job but even they'd admit mono is the pure version.

I do, however, appreciate all the different viewpoints. Hearing the stereo opens everything up and let's you deconstruct the song easier.

Here's an interesting experience: take the stereo Wouldn't It Be Nice, but it into Audacity or whatever audio workstation you're using, and press "Convert Stereo to Mono".

What CD contains the stereo version of WIBN and does Mike or Brian sing the bridge?

Both CD issues of PET SOUNDS from Capitol (the 2000 one and the 2006 40th Anniversary edition) contain the stereo version (as well as the mono version) of WIBN with Mike on the bridge. The PET SOUNDS SESSIONS BOX SET (1996) also contains both stereo and mono versions, but with Brian on the bridge of the stereo one*.

*Originally, Mark L. didn't think he could include Mike's bridge vocal in the stereo mix because he is missing from the multi-tracks. By 2000, technology improved enough that Mike's vocal could be successfully isolated from the mono mix and flown into the stereo mix. However, this was judged acceptable for the lower quality CD audio only - the higher definition DVD-A surround and stereo mix still features Brian's vocal on the bridge.

Absolutely spot on!

After soaking in the stereo and 5.1 versions, I can now listen to the mono version and it's like I'm wearing a pair of mental 3-D glasses!

The stereo version [u[/u]is what gave Pet Sounds presence. The mono version sounds sleepy and muffled with very few highs and lows-as if someone was actually holding the soud back purposly. The stereo version was the actual awakening or reimagining of the music. WIBN , GOK, SJB are incredible at high volume.

The mono version of 'Sloop John B' and the stereo version are like two separate songs in my opinion.

Listen to Brian's falsetto when he sings "Hoist up the John B Sails" at 1:36 - "Sails" fades right into the next line on the mono version whereas in stereo it gets somewhat lost in the mix (his falsetto is far more prominent in the mono mix - and thus the song benefits in mono). Also, at 2:01 when they're all singing "I wanna go home" you can hear such a difference in the tone of their voices as apposed to stereo.