chrismtas remixes

[newvillefan]

Hi all

Has anyone noticed the really noticeable(!) mix flaw on the remixed double Christmas CD released in '96?

It's on the intro to Sleigh Ride..Richard has taken what sounds like an alternate vocal for the first line. It begins,

'Just hear those sleighbells jingling, ring-ting-tingling too....come on it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you..''

...then there's an audible intake of breath and for the next line 'outside the snow is falling' the volume and presence of the vocal is at a completely different level!

If you listen it's definitely there, and one which proves the point made by someone a few days ago that the songs are sometimes made up of dozens of takes, down to individual lines being re-tried and re-tried by Karen until Richard was happy.

My guess in this case is they've remixed Christmas Portrait and Richard has come across what he considered a superior intro vocal for this track?

Anyone hear the same?

Stephen

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Well I just took out my 2 CD Set Christmas Collection & played this track #4 about 5 times.

Then took my LP Christmas Portrait again track #4

I agree that there is definately something different on the CD.

The first thing I noticed on the Cd is the echo of Karen's voice. The LP does not have all that.

But your right the presence of Karen's voice drops on the CD after her breath and she starts with, Outside the snow is..... The first 2 lines she is higher & really loud presence but then it drops slightly after her breath.

I don't hear this change of presence on the LP.

It really is amazing how when you dissect their original material to the re-mixed stuff you can sometimes really hear where Richard has changed stuff. As I get older...I tend to favor all the original recordings.

 

[Harry]

It's clearly a different take on those first two lines. All you need is the Special Edition, which uses the old original recording, and the newer Christmas Collection remix. Listen to the word "together". On the older version, Karen sings this word on-note. On the newer remix, she alters the pitch slightly on the middle syllable, sort-of sliding into the note. Again for lack of a better term, it's more 'conversational.'

Listening really closely, I think I can understand why Richard cut and pasted this section onto the front of the song. Listen to the very first sound as Karen starts with "Just..." The "J" sound is a very high frequency sound like an 'S", especially the way Karen emphasizes it. If you listen to only that sound, you'll hear it break up - as if the master tape were slightly defective in that spot. Since Karen is singing a capella here, it becomes even more noticeable. Knowing that Richard altered a similar 'S' sound in "Crystal Lullaby", I'm not surprised that he used an alternate take in an effort to correct this tiny flaw. Boosting the echo helps to hide the difference in the takes.

Harry
...hearing no sleigh bells on a damp summer's morning, online...

 

[CraigGA]

I am just happy that both albums are on CD. Despite their mixing issues, I enjoy listening to them, which supports my only reason for music purchase.