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vlmagee · 09-09-2004, 07:56 AM

quote:Originally posted by Sidney Freedmen:
if you jam your ear onto the speaker of your CD player, you'll notice that there's a remixed Sundown on The Complete Greatest Hits.

OK, Sidney, spill it! You are the first person to clearly hear the difference. What is it?

In fact, Complete Greatest Hits used the single (45) mix for both Sundown and IYCRMM. The album (LP and CD) mix was different, and that mix was used on Songbook as well (which used only album tracks). The single mix of IYCRMM had been used on Gord's Gold (LP and CD), so Complete Greatest Hits was not the first time. (There the difference is obvious - for some of us only after someone mentions it. That mix has and added track of harmony vocals (also sung by Lightfoot).

Thane Tierney, producer or coproducer of all the Rhino releases, told me that the single version would be used for those two songs, and that this was the first time that mix of Sundown had been used since the single. Bill Inglot, the mastering genious at Rhino, was very excited to be using that version. I asked Thane what was different, but he never did get me an answer. I've also asked a couple of other Lightheads who are also musicians themselves, and they could only hazzard guesses as to what was different. Can you clarify? How did you know it was different?

Also, forgive me for being a terminology "geek", but it might be useful for people to understand some of the terms (this isn't for you, as you obviously know). Mixing refers to the process of putting together the discreet recorded tracks (8, 16, or a lot more these days), to produce a stereo (2 track) recording. What was done on the Elwood recording is called "sampling", not "mixing". Sampling refers to taking a small portion of the mixed sound from another recording and using it in your own new recording. Elwood took only the guitar intro from Lightfoot's recording; nobody plays it like Lightfoot. Mastering operates on the final stereo mix; somebody other than me will have to explain what mastering does as I am not clear about it (for one thing it deals with the sound levels so an entire CD sounds good as a whole).

Hope I didn't put all of you to sleep. I'm not a musician myself, but I read about it a lot and find it fascinating. My family (husband and son) have done some work in this area, and from that I can say that it is quite a science and takes a lot of time, patience and a good ear.

------------------
Valerie Magee

Visit my business site at mageenet.biz, Hamilton Camp's Offical Web Site at hamiltoncamp.com , and Cathy Cowette's web site at cathycowette.com. Also visit Dr. Jack's Lightfoot page.

09-09-2004, 07:56 AM	#8
vlmagee Senior Member Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: Ballston Spa, NY Posts: 724	quote:Originally posted by Sidney Freedmen: if you jam your ear onto the speaker of your CD player, you'll notice that there's a remixed Sundown on The Complete Greatest Hits. OK, Sidney, spill it! You are the first person to clearly hear the difference. What is it? In fact, Complete Greatest Hits used the single (45) mix for both Sundown and IYCRMM. The album (LP and CD) mix was different, and that mix was used on Songbook as well (which used only album tracks). The single mix of IYCRMM had been used on Gord's Gold (LP and CD), so Complete Greatest Hits was not the first time. (There the difference is obvious - for some of us only after someone mentions it. That mix has and added track of harmony vocals (also sung by Lightfoot). Thane Tierney, producer or coproducer of all the Rhino releases, told me that the single version would be used for those two songs, and that this was the first time that mix of Sundown had been used since the single. Bill Inglot, the mastering genious at Rhino, was very excited to be using that version. I asked Thane what was different, but he never did get me an answer. I've also asked a couple of other Lightheads who are also musicians themselves, and they could only hazzard guesses as to what was different. Can you clarify? How did you know it was different? Also, forgive me for being a terminology "geek", but it might be useful for people to understand some of the terms (this isn't for you, as you obviously know). Mixing refers to the process of putting together the discreet recorded tracks (8, 16, or a lot more these days), to produce a stereo (2 track) recording. What was done on the Elwood recording is called "sampling", not "mixing". Sampling refers to taking a small portion of the mixed sound from another recording and using it in your own new recording. Elwood took only the guitar intro from Lightfoot's recording; nobody plays it like Lightfoot. Mastering operates on the final stereo mix; somebody other than me will have to explain what mastering does as I am not clear about it (for one thing it deals with the sound levels so an entire CD sounds good as a whole). Hope I didn't put all of you to sleep. I'm not a musician myself, but I read about it a lot and find it fascinating. My family (husband and son) have done some work in this area, and from that I can say that it is quite a science and takes a lot of time, patience and a good ear. ------------------ Valerie Magee Visit my business site at mageenet.biz, Hamilton Camp's Offical Web Site at hamiltoncamp.com , and Cathy Cowette's web site at cathycowette.com. Also visit Dr. Jack's Lightfoot page.