Beatles remasters 09/09/09

[chris.metcalfe]

The Beatles Official Newsletter

7th April 2009

We are delighted to announce the release of the original Beatles
catalogue, which has been digitally re-mastered for the first time, for
worldwide CD release on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 (09-09-09), the same
date as the release of the widely anticipated "The Beatles: Rock Band"
video game.

Each of the CDs is packaged with replicated original UK album art,
including expanded booklets containing original and newly written liner
notes and rare photos. For a limited period, each CD will also be
embedded with a brief documentary film about the album. On the same
date, two new Beatles boxed CD collections will also be released.

The albums have been re-mastered by a dedicated team of engineers at
EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London over a four year period utilising
state of the art recording technology alongside vintage studio
equipment, carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the
original analogue recordings. The result of this painstaking process is
the highest fidelity the catalogue has seen since its original release.

The collection comprises all 12 Beatles albums in stereo, with track
listings and artwork as originally released in the UK, and 'Magical
Mystery Tour,' which became part of The Beatles' core catalogue when the
CDs were first released in 1987. In addition, the collections 'Past
Masters Vol. I and II' are now combined as one title, for a total of 14
titles over 16 discs. This will mark the first time that the first four
Beatles albums will be available in stereo in their entirety on compact
disc. These 14 albums, along with a DVD collection of the documentaries,
will also be available for purchase together in a stereo boxed set.

Within each CD's new packaging, booklets include detailed historical
notes along with informative recording notes. With the exception of the
'Past Masters' set, newly produced mini-documentaries on the making of
each album, directed by Bob Smeaton, are included as QuickTime files on
each album. The documentaries contain archival footage, rare photographs
and never-before-heard studio chat from The Beatles, offering a unique
and very personal insight into the studio atmosphere.

A second boxed set has been created with the collector in mind. 'The
Beatles in Mono' gathers together, in one place, all of the Beatles
recordings that were mixed for a mono release. It will contain 10 of the
albums with their original mono mixes, plus two further discs of mono
masters (covering similar ground to the stereo tracks on 'Past
Masters'). As an added bonus, the mono "Help!" and "Rubber Soul" discs
also include the original 1965 stereo mixes, which have not been
previously released on CD. These albums will be packaged in mini-vinyl
CD replicas of the original sleeves with all original inserts and label
designs retained.

Discussions regarding the digital distribution of the catalogue will
continue. There is no further information available at this time.

© Apple Corps 2009 .

[SG7]

About freaking time!!!!!

[hypehat]

So now i know what i'm going to be listening to in september, october, november.....

[Fun Is In]

Lots of tantalizing product to look forward to.  Definitely about time.

I hope it's closer to "Yellow Sub Songtrack" than to the soul-less "Let It Be....Nuked" (pun intended).

[Dr. Tim]

If I read this right, one of the "ten albums" originally issued in mono is the White Album, which came out in mono in Europe and for years was a hard-to-find piece of vinyl.   Assuming it's to be included in the "mono box set", that will be a great addition to the digital world, as the mono mix is strikingly different in many ways from the version everyone's heard over the years.

[The Shift]

Veeery surprised to see they're coming out on CD only. With the advent of Blu-Ray, I expected to see a Blu-Ray release akin to Neil Young's Archives series (if that ever arrives!).

The result of this painstaking process is the highest fidelity the catalogue has seen since its original release

... says the release. But it would appear the sound could be even better with Blu-Ray.

Anyone expert enough to offer enlightenment? Maybe there'll be a Blu-Ray release a few months later?

[P.J.]

Veeery surprised to see they're coming out on CD only. With the advent of Blu-Ray, I expected to see a Blu-Ray release akin to Neil Young's Archives series (if that ever arrives!).

The result of this painstaking process is the highest fidelity the catalogue has seen since its original release

... says the release. But it would appear the sound could be even better with Blu-Ray.

Anyone expert enough to offer enlightenment? Maybe there'll be a Blu-Ray release a few months later?

!Sarcasm Alert! So what are you trying to say? 

[Bean Bag]

This sounds awesome!  The packaging looks dynamite!!  Congrats to all involved.  Looks beautiful.  Hopefully they sound good.  (I was very happy with the American-version boxsets).

I'd re-buy all the Beach Boys albums if they were done like this.  Each album in a nice, true-to-the-original package.  Similar to POB.  No plastic.  And two discs...bonus disc would include new/different/stereo mixes, single mixes, other bonus material.

Each album...Surfin' Safari, Surfin USA, Surfer Girl....each one two discs.  No more twofers.  ...straight through BB'85.  I'd buy 'em.  Good mastering.... F-yeah.

[Awesoman]

This sounds awesome!  The packaging looks dynamite!!  Congrats to all involved.  Looks beautiful.  Hopefully they sound good.  (I was very happy with the American-version boxsets).

I'd re-buy all the Beach Boys albums if they were done like this.  Each album in a nice, true-to-the-original package.  Similar to POB.  No plastic.  And two discs...bonus disc would include new/different/stereo mixes, single mixes, other bonus material.

Each album...Surfin' Safari, Surfin USA, Surfer Girl....each one two discs.  No more twofers.  ...straight through BB'85.  I'd buy 'em.  Good mastering.... F-yeah.

I'd love to see this too, but it seems very unlikely this will happen for the Beach Boys.  Maybe a couple of albums could get this treatment.  The Lord knows with all the endless Pet Sounds releases they certainly could spend a little time on the group's other work. 

[The Shift]

Veeery surprised to see they're coming out on CD only. With the advent of Blu-Ray, I expected to see a Blu-Ray release akin to Neil Young's Archives series (if that ever arrives!).

The result of this painstaking process is the highest fidelity the catalogue has seen since its original release

... says the release. But it would appear the sound could be even better with Blu-Ray.

Anyone expert enough to offer enlightenment? Maybe there'll be a Blu-Ray release a few months later?

!Sarcasm Alert! So what are you trying to say? 

No real sarcasm intended, just surprised that they've elected to use yesterday's technology. I'm not a Blu-Ray advocate, can't afford it yet. But only one format? No Blu-Ray, not even DVD-A, or  SACD? I am genuinely surprised.

[donald]

This works out well for me in terms of timing.  I was  about to replace a few of my Beatles CD's due to wear over the many years.  I can wait till fall and replace the whole lot!

[chris.metcalfe]

Veeery surprised to see they're coming out on CD only. With the advent of Blu-Ray, I expected to see a Blu-Ray release akin to Neil Young's Archives series (if that ever arrives!).

The result of this painstaking process is the highest fidelity the catalogue has seen since its original release

... says the release. But it would appear the sound could be even better with Blu-Ray.

Anyone expert enough to offer enlightenment? Maybe there'll be a Blu-Ray release a few months later?

I'm not an 'expert', but I'll give my view.

They will have been remastered in at least 24/96 - the same level used for the last tranche of BBs CDs, though one might expect the transfers to CD to be better. Taking the Love project as a guide, they will have gone back and probably remixed from the original multi-tracks. Expect the quality to be of the level of the Love album, without the collages.

On the thorny topic of 'other formats than CD', the signs are that EMI/Beatles.com etc have been waiting for a new, possibly online, format to finally take over from CD. For example, some specialist hifi/CD companies are selling USB sticks with 24/96 hi-res files, which can be plugged into suitably enabled hifi equipment, or played via a laptop; and similar files can be downloaded and played via a streamer to the hifi. As far as alternative hi-definition disc formats goes, DVD-A was taken up by Warners and flopped; SACD has been quite successful in the specialist classical and jazz markets, but again not widespread. Bluray is the third generation if you like, and again the interest seems almost entirely AV-orientated, not music. There simply hasn't been any major sea-change in purchasing - apart from MP3, which as we all know is compressed and below CD standard.

Apple were supposed to link up with the Beatles (irony) to provide a download platform, but, and I don't know the details, the deal seems to have fallen through in some way. Beatles / EMI presumably have finally seen sense and decided to finally just put it all out on CD - before their main target audience either dies or goes deaf - with the proviso that other digital formats will follow.

[grillo]

They will have been remastered in at least 24/96 - the same level used for the last tranche of BBs CDs, though one might expect the transfers to CD to be better. Taking the Love project as a guide, they will have gone back and probably remixed from the original multi-tracks. Expect the quality to be of the level of the Love album, without the collages.

I'm no Beatles expert or fan. particularly, but I thought there was some deal where NOBODY could EVER remix any of their original albums. Am I wrong again?!

[Dr. Tim]

These would be remasters of already finished mixes, not a complete remixing from the multi-tracks, so that rule would not be violated here.

Though there have been recent exceptions to the no-remix rule:  for the "Love" mashup discs, new versions of, among other things, "Walrus", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", and a drier "A Day In the Life" were remixed, with cross-talk, count-ins, etc.  And on the reissued Yellow Submarine soundtrack, virtually every song was remixed, and a brand-new stereo mix created for "Only A Northern Song" (sounds good!)

[paulisdead]

Veeery surprised to see they're coming out on CD only. With the advent of Blu-Ray, I expected to see a Blu-Ray release akin to Neil Young's Archives series (if that ever arrives!).

The result of this painstaking process is the highest fidelity the catalogue has seen since its original release

... says the release. But it would appear the sound could be even better with Blu-Ray.

Anyone expert enough to offer enlightenment? Maybe there'll be a Blu-Ray release a few months later?

I'm not an 'expert', but I'll give my view.

They will have been remastered in at least 24/96 - the same level used for the last tranche of BBs CDs, though one might expect the transfers to CD to be better. Taking the Love project as a guide, they will have gone back and probably remixed from the original multi-tracks. Expect the quality to be of the level of the Love album, without the collages.

Dude! They went one better. Theve been remastered at 24/192!!!!!! (compared to the 16bit/48k of the 1987 digital masters)


This is form the examiner:

"The re-mastering process commenced with an extensive period conducting tests before finally copying the analogue master tapes into the digital medium. When this was completed, the transfer was achieved using a Pro Tools workstation operating at 24 bit 192 kHz resolution via a Prism A-D converter. Transferring was a lengthy procedure done a track at a time. Although EMI tape does not suffer the oxide loss associated with some later analogue tapes, there was nevertheless a slight build up of dust, which was removed from the tape machine heads between each title."

http://www.examiner.com/x-2082-Beatles-Examiner~y2009m4d7-BREAKING-NEWS-EMI-announces-Beatles-remasters-to-be-released-in-September

My only major con is that we don't get the "Get Back" book that came with the 'Let It Be' boxset back in 1970. But that's a minor quipple considering we get both Mono and Stereo mixes!!!

[Bean Bag]

But that's a minor quipple considering we get both Mono and Stereo mixes!!!

I'm not sure, but it looks like the only way to get the original MONO mixes is to get MONO-Box...right?   


I hope not...I'd much rather have the mono-mixes-but I don't want to buy all their albums.  I just want Revolver, Abby, Pepper, MM Tour.  Maybe White Album.  The Beatles US Capitol albums box set-series includes both the Stereo AND the Mono on each disc.  I think I might prefer to just stay with that series -- rather than these new remasters.  The Capitol box sets sounds AWESOME (I only have Vol 2).  I just wish they'd release Vol 3.  That's their best stuff, to me.  I can do with out HELP! and that crap.  I want Revolver, etc.

Plus this is the way us Yanks heard the Beatles.  Why convert now?!   

[Seaside Woman]

Are there any clues to price for this set?

[Music Machine]

I'm not overly happy with the prices for the remasters boxed sets I've seen so far. On the Canadian Amazon site the stereo set is nearly $250 and the mono set is nearly $300.

[cptracks]

WHOA! Is this for real?! Finally an official re-release but really it's really going  to cost that much?!  damn are you guys going to buy rockband too? That'll be cool but I don't own rockband only wii lol

[Alex]

WHOA! Is this for real?! Finally an official re-release but really it's really going  to cost that much?!  damn are you guys going to buy rockband too? That'll be cool but I don't own rockband only wii lol

I'll buy it when they put out Rock Band: Beach Boys!! For now I'll try (and sometimes fail) at learning BBs songs on a real guitar.

[Mahalo]

WHOA! Is this for real?! Finally an official re-release but really it's really going  to cost that much?!  damn are you guys going to buy rockband too? That'll be cool but I don't own rockband only wii lol

I'll buy it when they put out Rock Band: Beach Boys!! For now I'll try (and sometimes fail) at learning BBs songs on a real guitar.

video games will be obsolete by the time they even consider that...

[GoofyJeff]

As someone who only really knows the Beatles from the hits played on Oldies stations, I am psyched to get my box sets!    Got a Stereo box on order from Amazon, and Mono on order from Best Buy.   Also have the Anthology DVDs in my Netflix queue.    Less than 2 weeks until Beatles Day!!

[The Heartical Don]

I'd never pay money to obtain music from Beatles Band.

[Music Machine]

If the Beach Boys were to have any video game tie in it would probably be a Beach Boys edition of Singstar. They could include an expanded edition of Stack-O- Tracks with the game.

[Too Much Sugar]

So, somehow, a local record store of mine actually had the remastered CD's along with the stereo box set already available, which about stunned me and, not only that, but made me giddy beyond words.  So I went and bought the stereo box set yesterday (9-7-09), and got a pretty cool t-shirt with the Beatles logo and "9-9-09" under it.  Unfortunately, due to other plans, wasn't able to get right down to listening (utter torture, by the way!), but now that I am, I have gone through the first two albums and currently listening to "A Hard Day's Night."  The sound quality really is quite good and, overall, I'm impressed, though, for me, the fun seems to really begin around "A Hard Day's Night" ("And I Love Her" is just utterly beautiful...).  I think some of the reason for that is that the first two albums are mixed to where all the instruments are panned left and the vocals right and I'm having issues trying to get past that, but the actual sound is really good.  Everything is quite clear and pristine and it really does seem as if someone has unmasked these songs, much in the same way it was when I first heard "Pet Sounds" in stereo. 

It's also great to hear Ringo finally really be brought to life on a lot of these songs, where the drums actually sound like drums, as opposed to some noise in the background and it's also pretty cool to hear Paul's bass brought to life on these early albums.  Lots of good things to say here and some pretty interesting surprises in the mix that I don't recall on the other editions, such as Lennon's vocal on the first verse of "If I Fell" being double tracked and other cool, subtle things. 

Sorry for the haphazard review, and I do hope to say a lot more later, but I think, based so far, these remasters will be well received and I can't wait to listen to the other albums.  I also plan to purchase the mono box set and, for those also inclined, I suggest to do it as soon as possible, as I hear that it's going to be a limited edition.