(Want You) Back In My MIX Again
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Rick-An Ordinary Fool
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newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
GaryAlan
Well-Known Member
Nice work, Harry !
This recalling a question I long ago asked:
Did Technology---or, lack of it,at the time--have any part to play in the way that the entire album ,
Made In America, sounds ?
After all, doesn't the song I Believe You get better sounding with the SACD release ?
Karen Carpenter is not credited on the MIA sleeve with Associate Producer duties,
does that have another part to play in the overall sound of the album ?
This recalling a question I long ago asked:
Did Technology---or, lack of it,at the time--have any part to play in the way that the entire album ,
Made In America, sounds ?
After all, doesn't the song I Believe You get better sounding with the SACD release ?
Karen Carpenter is not credited on the MIA sleeve with Associate Producer duties,
does that have another part to play in the overall sound of the album ?
CraigGA
Well-Known Member
I feel the concept is right and overall it is appealing, although at times the lead vocal feels to loud in the mix. The saxophone also sounds louder and sometimes the mix between back and main vocals ratio differ throughout the song but you don't have all individual tracks either. I only listened through the iPhone so far, and will listen through home system later today and perhaps the mix will have a different appeal. I really liked hearing the last few background vocal phrases mixed louder and enjoyed hearing those harmonies I miss in the original mix.
The method I used was to use Audacity's "Vocal Reduction and Isolation" effect, isolating the center channel. It's not perfect but it does attempt to cancel out some of the stereo left/right backing which is where most of the loud strings and such are. The sax was centered and I tried to minimize it a little.
As requested, here's "Now" using nearly the same tactics. Again, the sax was centered and I attempted to tame it a little. This one really had Karen buried in the mix, so I could only do so much without leaving some really harsh artifacts - which both of these have. They're definitely not perfect, but they are fun to play around with and listen to.
Harry
As requested, here's "Now" using nearly the same tactics. Again, the sax was centered and I attempted to tame it a little. This one really had Karen buried in the mix, so I could only do so much without leaving some really harsh artifacts - which both of these have. They're definitely not perfect, but they are fun to play around with and listen to.
Harry
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
Harry, just one minor detail on your notes in you tube. It says Now was never issued as a single, you might want to add "in the USA"
Now was issued as a single in the UK and also Brazil.
Carpenters - Now »
Now was issued as a single in the UK and also Brazil.
Carpenters - Now »
So it was. I must've missed that fact. I've added that important fact.
I looked at the Japan box and it wasn't there, and it wasn't in the US COMPLETE, so I stupidly assumed that it wasn't a single anywhere, and made that mock-up of a picture sleeve.
It just goes to show - never assume anything when it comes to the Carpenters discography.
I looked at the Japan box and it wasn't there, and it wasn't in the US COMPLETE, so I stupidly assumed that it wasn't a single anywhere, and made that mock-up of a picture sleeve.
It just goes to show - never assume anything when it comes to the Carpenters discography.
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newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
It's funny, Harry's new mix is almost identical to the version we hear in The Karen Carpenter Story. Much more up front and prominent. I wonder if Richard tinkered with it for the movie because the camera is close up on Cynthia Gibb's face for virtually the entire song, so it needed to be clear to the viewer what she was 'singing'.
JBee
Active Member
I really love this mix. Thank you, Harry. I always thought IWYBIMLA was the sleeper in the otherwise so-so MIA. It's the catchiest tune on the album, but Karen's voice wasn't as prominent as it should have been.
Here's a question though. I know Richard has always held high regard for the MIA album, but has he ever remixed it like he has earlier Carpenter records? I'm sure he's heard the criticism that Karen is sometimes drowned out by the production (or over production) of the sound.
Here's a question though. I know Richard has always held high regard for the MIA album, but has he ever remixed it like he has earlier Carpenter records? I'm sure he's heard the criticism that Karen is sometimes drowned out by the production (or over production) of the sound.
BarryT60
Well-Known Member
Really lovely... I could tell your handy work on this one more than the former...
I love your fades and these new 'mixes'... Fun additives to the forum... Thanks so much!
(Now - - if only we could lose those background singers on the bridge....)
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
Made In America is one album which has never been revisited and remixed. Aside from the tweak on Those Good Old Dreams outro and the 5.1 remix of I Believe You, the rest of the album has never been touched. I guess Richard probably thinks that recording techniques had advanced enough by 1981 that it sounded fine and didn't need touching up. I do know it's one of his favourite Carpenters albums.
Once I saw the option in Audacity to isolate the vocals, it started the wheels turning. It was done - because I can - and to see what the results could be. While I like the vocals brought to the fore in "Back In My Life Again", I still think it sounds a little phasey at times. The "Now" remix turned out a little better in that regard, but the lead wasn't as loud as I would have liked.
Just experiments...
Just experiments...
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