Apocrypha Now!

[Nick Halliwell]

Hmm. You're right, this one is tougher. However, I've mastered a few albums
myself over the years, so... If I had to bet - and I've not heard the
recording in question for about 20 years - my money would probably go on
compression, probably of the multiband variety, used at some point during
the mastering process. 

If the bass bit is MORE prominent in the original, they could've used a
multiband compressor on the lower frequency band which could've had the
effect of making everything in that range sound more even, so a particular
feature might stand out a little less. A multiband compressor differs from
the standard variety in that, as the name does just hint, it splits the
signal up into frequency bands (usually either three or four, although other
configurations are possible) and then allows the engineer to compress, EQ,
etc. them individually. 

At the end of the day, if there ISN'T at least a subtle difference in a
remastered version then what the hell was the mastering engineer doing?
Well, I suppose this one is open to debate: when remastering old records, is
the engineer trying to produce as close as possible to the experience of
listening to the original release (in most cases vinyl) or simply trying to
make the source material sound as good as it possibly can? Answers on the
back of a Penny Black, please. 

Anyway, that'd be my guess but it's no more than that as I've not heard both
versions. I'm sure I had that Rare Breed single on a compilation someone did
for me back in the early eighties... It rings a definite bell. My favourite
track on the comp was "She Sleeps Alone" by the Parade. Fabulous song. 

Nick 
 


-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Monroe [mailto:monropolitan at yahoo.com] 
Sent: 19 January 2007 17:12
To: Nick Halliwell
Subject: RE: Apocrypha Now!

--- Nick Halliwell <nick.halliwell at btclick.com> wrote:

> Ooh, ooh, ask me another...

Okay.  Despite claims to the contrary, even by people
allegedly involved in recording/releasing the track,
I'm convinced that there's at elast a subtle
difference between the original Rare Breed 45 of "Beg,
Borrow and Steal" and the later (albeit from the same
master recording) Ohio Express release.  Same
recoording, except the rare Breed version as I've
heard it makes more prominent a certain bass filip at
the end of each line of teh verse (e.g., every eight
measures).  This may, however, be an effect of
reamstering for a CD bubblegum comp, though the
compiler himself denies this.  Help!


 
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