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Multitracked Albums: Will Zeppelin make it first?


ponkine

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http://www.multitrackclassics.com/page/page/5155237.htm

Multitracks: A Brief Story

This is a quite new concept idea.

For years, fans have enjoyed the "Classic Albums" DVD series. One of the highlights of those productions has been the access to the multitrack tapes, revealing astounding elements about the genesis of the songs, mixing aproach and techniques, construction of the album, etc. In recent years, artists like Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, NIN and others have offered some multitracked songs to be remixed.

In June 2006, Peter Gabriel and his Real World project launched an online competition: Shock The Monkey Remix. It was a huge success.

http://realworldremixed.com/competition_1_stm.php

That was a powerful concept, and revolutionary too, in a very quiet way. But so far, there's no physical release of a complete album multitracked.

On October 2007, 4 Sgt Pepper songs were revealed multitracked: Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, With A Little Help From My Friends, She's Leaving Home and A Day In The Life. But this was remained unknown for the majority of fanbase.

on January 2008, when a guy named "poopchute" put the Killer Queen 24 tracks master on the queenzone forum. Immedialy the downloads collapsed every upload site.

The multitrack thing really started to blow up on 02 February 2008, when this guy poopchute put Bohemian Rhapsody 24 tracks master on the same forum. Soon afterwards the Queen's most appreciated collectors item ever was revealed to the world. There're several stories surrounding the adquisision of these unvaluable tapes (Berkeley students that were shown the Killer Queen multitrack tapes, etc)

It would be safe to say that right now 15,000 + Queen fans have the Bo Rhap multitracks. Now the Multitracks revolution is really ON.

QP are now aware of this, and they've started to remove download links and asking some Queen forums to delete the topics. I don't know about Beatles yet.

There're other classic songs multitracked, but so far NO physical official release by a major artist yet. Only a handful of songs from a few artists. Nothing more.

It's clear this will revolutionize the music industry within a few years (even earlier), just like the Mp3 or the digital downloads did it at the time.

The main reasons why fans would want to see multitracks released are basically 2:

1- To listen to the song in the way they never experienced before. The Bo Rhap listening experience was revealing, truly uplifting. We discovered vocal or instrumental takes on tracks that weren't used on the final mix. That's fascinating.

2- To learn how to play the songs as accurate as possible. We all know the fairly obvious mistakes that on music sheets or chords sites or the likes. With the multitracks you just simple can't go wrong. There you have the guitar track isolated. GREAT!, you can play it without any other instrument sound. Same with piano, keyboards, bass, drums, etc.

and only at third place: remixes. Most of fans aren't fond of remixes. Most of fans don't have the proper tools other than Cooledit or Audacity. But even without mixing knowledge you can still enjoy 1) and 2).

Now the question is: Who will make it first?

If Zep release the first multitracked album will catch the fire and everyone would be talking about it, just as Radiohead 2007, when they released In Rainbows with a fantastic concept that literally was record companies' worst nightmare.

Let's start the discussion. If not Zep, other major artist will do it first, sooner or later. They'll want to prevent the internet leaks and trading. Look what happened with the pitiful QP. A fan made Queen fans happier in one week than QP in 10 years. Instead of take advantage of the Bo Rhap mood by releasing something like a DVD or SACD with the multitracks for the first time in music history, they do nothing but the cheapest move: trying desperately to stop downloads and trades, something obviously impossible in these days.

What if LZ IV were the first complete album released multitracked?. I couldn't imagine a better time to do it, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the band. Of course, that would be a GREAT addition to the 5.1 project, if it happens.

A dream come true would be every album multitracked packed together with the 5.1 mix (Ex: Led Zep I - 5.1/ stereo mixes & Multitracks - SACD/DVD maybe?)

Led.Zeppelin.-.Four.jpg

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OK I am trying to digest this all...is this saying that you have the master tapes of all the different bits as they went on the album and then you can select the ones you want to play? Like I could cut out the vocals and all the other instruments and just listen to Jimmy playing one guitar? Is that right?

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I think that would really neat. I've heard the drum tracks for Fool In The Rain and it's great just to listen to them. I would certainly be interested buying something like that. plus, it's something Jimmy can't say he doesn't have, which is his response to requests for unreleased songs and live tracks.

also, Ponkine, where did you find that nice image of IV? I've been trying to find some high quality LZ album art for iTunes but am not finding much luck, and I have certainly not come across a nice image like that one.

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OK I am trying to digest this all...is this saying that you have the master tapes of all the different bits as they went on the album and then you can select the ones you want to play? Like I could cut out the vocals and all the other instruments and just listen to Jimmy playing one guitar? Is that right?

My friend. Yes and no.

Actually, no one have the PHYSICAL master tapes, but all we DO HAVE the .WAV files taken directly from the mater tapes. No MP3 sourced.

It's unclear how this started, but it's obvious that a person inside EMI began with this. The most common theory is that our hero copied the master tracks from the EMI hard discs, and it's quite possibly true, because it's well known that master tapes are kept on computers to prevent the damage or the lost of the original physical tapes.

Once you have the multitracks, just play the track you want (Lead Vocal, Guitar, Piano, Drums 1 or 2, Bass 1 or 2 or 3, etc, so to speak) and you'll be able to practice as much as you want.

Moreover, with a free download program like Cooledit or Audacity you can have the 24 tracks (or all the multitracks for the song) and mute tracks, select the ones you have, create your own mixes, etc, etc.

Having the 24 tracks master is such an incredible experience. Suddenly you're closer to the songs in a way you never experimented before. For a while you're the producer of the song, you're the engineer. I don't care if I did it with the toy called Audacity. Nobody tells me what mix should I do and the way to do it. I experiment. Surely the results of any mix will be shite, but the feeling is absolutely incredible. It's the second best thing in the world next to have been there with the band at the time rehearsing and recording those classic albums.

Also, you have outtakes in the same master tracks!. WOW, it's simple unbelievable. Everything you always dreamed is finally up to you, in YOUR OWN HOME!. All the possibilities in your own home at last, and fans don't have to be on their knees begging the music industry gods for a decent previously unreleased item.

Check this (a resumed Bo Rhap track sheet)

brapay6js0.jpg

I really hope Jimmy Page will dig it. Here's a GOLDEN MINE for artists and the decadent music industry. I'd love Zep doing first. If this multitrack concept reach the ears of Radiohead, they won't have any problems to do it first. :(

Bring on the multitracks Jimmy! B)

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Ponkine, where did you find that nice image of IV? I've been trying to find some high quality LZ album art for iTunes but am not finding much luck, and I have certainly not come across a nice image like that one.

Actually I found it on google B)

http://loser.miniwini.com/album/images/Led...elin.-.Four.jpg

Now, who has contacts with Zep members and related? ;)

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Not sure that Zep would jump on this bandwagon....I imagine the idea that the music is put into the hands of the fans, to be re-mixed and played with, is not one which would appeal to them. They were always sticklers for quality and I'm not sure they would go down this road.

Kevin Shirley has stated what a pleasure it was to be able to listen to Page's tracks alone while doing HTWWW.

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It's extremely unlikely that this would happen with Zep or any other band.

I know. But given the avalanche of multitrack leaks, now it's quite possible the artists at least would considere it.

Queen should have been first. Brian had the ball on his hands, he could take advantage of the Bo Rhap and Killer Queen multitrack leaks by releasing them officially on a great DVD. The sales would have been great. But now, with the multitracks circulating from one fan to another by torrents, downloads and trading, and given the fact that QP aren't doing anything but trying desperately to delete the download links, fans prefer to obtain the multitracks through unofficial channels rather than being on their knees asking and waiting forever for a proper official release. With that attitude, QP are making NO MONEY, but if tracks like these multitracks are never realistically going to be available commercially, regardless of how many of us here download them, we are not affecting any profits for anyone elsewhere.

At least it's well known that The Beatles Sgt Pepper multitracks weren't actually on 4 tracks, as we have. They were probably 16 tracks bounced several times onto 4 tracks to make the final mixes. George and Giles Martin worked with the pre-bounced multitracks. They still have the goods, but they don't want to deliver

Virtually every week appears new multitracks. So artists should see the possibilities instead of limitations.

Only time will tell

B)

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I know. But given the avalanche of multitrack leaks, now it's quite possible the artists at least would considere it.

Queen should have been first. Brian had the ball on his hands, he could take advantage of the Bo Rhap and Killer Queen multitrack leaks by releasing them officially on a great DVD. The sales would have been great. But now, with the multitracks circulating from one fan to another by torrents, downloads and trading, and given the fact that QP aren't doing anything but trying desperately to delete the download links, fans prefer to obtain the multitracks through unofficial channels rather than being on their knees asking and waiting forever for a proper official release. With that attitude, QP are making NO MONEY, but if tracks like these multitracks are never realistically going to be available commercially, regardless of how many of us here download them, we are not affecting any profits for anyone elsewhere.

At least it's well known that The Beatles Sgt Pepper multitracks weren't actually on 4 tracks, as we have. They were probably 16 tracks bounced several times onto 4 tracks to make the final mixes. George and Giles Martin worked with the pre-bounced multitracks. They still have the goods, but they don't want to deliver

Virtually every week appears new multitracks. So artists should see the possibilities instead of limitations.

Only time will tell

B)

I think your confusing what is a niche enjoying free material with something that could be a big success. I highly doubt it would be a big seller, even if it makes some money. It's more trouble than it's worth.

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I think your confusing what is a niche enjoying free material with something that could be a big success. I highly doubt it would be a big seller, even if it makes some money. It's more trouble than it's worth.

I'm not sure how much trouble it is to release a couple of songs. All you have to do is transfer it over to different media. I don't think whole albums would be good, but a few songs here and there. The Guitar store near my house has all tracks for the Dave Matthews album Crash. It's on a hard drive and you could test drive with his 32 track mixing console/computer. with it. Jimmy and Jonesy were always on the cutting edge of stuff. Personaly i would love all of Zep and Floyds in multitrack, but i don't seeing myself paying alot for it.

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Another consideration is that this opens their music up to be more easily sampled/stolen and used by others for gain without consideration (payment). I really don't see it happening.

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I don't really think it's gonna be a revolution, like you think. I think it takes away the artistry of it all. If you are a professional music transcriber tryin to figure out certain parts of songs, then fine, but if you are just a music fan wantin to hear the parts, I guess I don't see the point. It takes the music out of the artists hands.

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Robert Plant and SS released "Shine it all Around" in this format. It was a single and included a version with something called "U-myx" format which allowed you to choose when the tracks would play and not play - vocals, keyboard guitar etc. I bought it but found the software it came with quite unstable and pretty limited, but if someone was really into it, they could probably rip the tracks and make their own mix quite easily.

here is a link to the single with the U-myx version on it

Single

here is a link to the U-myx website:

U-myx

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http://www.multitrackclassics.com/page/page/5155237.htm

Multitracks: A Brief Story

This is a quite new concept idea.

For years, fans have enjoyed the "Classic Albums" DVD series. One of the highlights of those productions has been the access to the multitrack tapes, revealing astounding elements about the genesis of the songs, mixing aproach and techniques, construction of the album, etc. In recent years, artists like Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, NIN and others have offered some multitracked songs to be remixed.

In June 2006, Peter Gabriel and his Real World project launched an online competition: Shock The Monkey Remix. It was a huge success.

http://realworldremixed.com/competition_1_stm.php

That was a powerful concept, and revolutionary too, in a very quiet way. But so far, there's no physical release of a complete album multitracked.

On October 2007, 4 Sgt Pepper songs were revealed multitracked: Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, With A Little Help From My Friends, She's Leaving Home and A Day In The Life. But this was remained unknown for the majority of fanbase.

on January 2008, when a guy named "poopchute" put the Killer Queen 24 tracks master on the queenzone forum. Immedialy the downloads collapsed every upload site.

The multitrack thing really started to blow up on 02 February 2008, when this guy poopchute put Bohemian Rhapsody 24 tracks master on the same forum. Soon afterwards the Queen's most appreciated collectors item ever was revealed to the world. There're several stories surrounding the adquisision of these unvaluable tapes (Berkeley students that were shown the Killer Queen multitrack tapes, etc)

It would be safe to say that right now 15,000 + Queen fans have the Bo Rhap multitracks. Now the Multitracks revolution is really ON.

QP are now aware of this, and they've started to remove download links and asking some Queen forums to delete the topics. I don't know about Beatles yet.

There're other classic songs multitracked, but so far NO physical official release by a major artist yet. Only a handful of songs from a few artists. Nothing more.

It's clear this will revolutionize the music industry within a few years (even earlier), just like the Mp3 or the digital downloads did it at the time.

The main reasons why fans would want to see multitracks released are basically 2:

1- To listen to the song in the way they never experienced before. The Bo Rhap listening experience was revealing, truly uplifting. We discovered vocal or instrumental takes on tracks that weren't used on the final mix. That's fascinating.

2- To learn how to play the songs as accurate as possible. We all know the fairly obvious mistakes that on music sheets or chords sites or the likes. With the multitracks you just simple can't go wrong. There you have the guitar track isolated. GREAT!, you can play it without any other instrument sound. Same with piano, keyboards, bass, drums, etc.

and only at third place: remixes. Most of fans aren't fond of remixes. Most of fans don't have the proper tools other than Cooledit or Audacity. But even without mixing knowledge you can still enjoy 1) and 2).

Now the question is: Who will make it first?

If Zep release the first multitracked album will catch the fire and everyone would be talking about it, just as Radiohead 2007, when they released In Rainbows with a fantastic concept that literally was record companies' worst nightmare.

Let's start the discussion. If not Zep, other major artist will do it first, sooner or later. They'll want to prevent the internet leaks and trading. Look what happened with the pitiful QP. A fan made Queen fans happier in one week than QP in 10 years. Instead of take advantage of the Bo Rhap mood by releasing something like a DVD or SACD with the multitracks for the first time in music history, they do nothing but the cheapest move: trying desperately to stop downloads and trades, something obviously impossible in these days.

What if LZ IV were the first complete album released multitracked?. I couldn't imagine a better time to do it, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the band. Of course, that would be a GREAT addition to the 5.1 project, if it happens.

A dream come true would be every album multitracked packed together with the 5.1 mix (Ex: Led Zep I - 5.1/ stereo mixes & Multitracks - SACD/DVD maybe?)

Led.Zeppelin.-.Four.jpg

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I think 'multi-track' albums WILL happen due to this digital age, and I think for sure Jimmy Page will make Zep a big part of it. I'd love to 'tweak' the reverb on Robert Plant's vocals, as well as hear it without reverb (also the drums). I'd like to eq all the various tracks myself, and try 'tape-flange' on all of Jimmy's guitar tracks. also, I'd like to just purely hear Robert's vocals, without anything else, and maybe lay down some of my OWN guitar, and vocals as well

I WANNA JAM WITH JIMMY PAGE!!! I'd love to say to my friends... here's me with LED ZEPPELIN!!! PRODUCED BY RON!!! Who knows? It might happen one day.

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I think 'multi-track' albums WILL happen due to this digital age, and I think for sure Jimmy Page will make Zep a big part of it. I'd love to 'tweak' the reverb on Robert Plant's vocals, as well as hear it without reverb (also the drums). I'd like to eq all the various tracks myself, and try 'tape-flange' on all of Jimmy's guitar tracks. also, I'd like to just purely hear Robert's vocals, without anything else, and maybe lay down some of my OWN guitar, and vocals as well

I WANNA JAM WITH JIMMY PAGE!!! I'd love to say to my friends... here's me with LED ZEPPELIN!!! PRODUCED BY RON!!! Who knows? It might happen one day.

That's an aspect I never thought of. That would prolly be the clincher all by itself for me.

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On October 2007, 4 Sgt Pepper songs were revealed multitracked: Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, With A Little Help From My Friends, She's Leaving Home and A Day In The Life. But this was remained unknown for the majority of fanbase.

Where were the Sgt Pepper multitracks uploaded?

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I thought of this well over a half decade ago before I had ever heard of anyone doing it. Then NIN did it and I almost couldn't believe it just because it seemed like because I thought of it on my own (as many others probably have, admittedly) and it seemed like a great idea...it'd never happen. Now I hear it's more common than I thought.

What's silly is this would be astoundingly HUGE. Can you imagine all the fans and musicians who'd buy the multitracks just for the chance to hear the pristine, individual Zeppelin parts in all their glory? The Bonzo drums in Fool In the Rain previously mentioned is a geat example. I heard the drum multitrack of it and it sounded so awesome I couldn't believe I hadn't payed much attention to it in the actual song itself. I literally sat down at the drumset and learned that drum groove that day (anyone else?haha). I'm a pretty big Zep fan, but there are many who are bigger, and I'd buy every single song in the Zeppelin catalog again just to get them in multi-track. I wonder how a major label suit would wrap his/her head around what that could mean. The days of albums selling 9M/yr are over so the labels aren't exactly in the postion to be as picky anymore. Not to mention it'd be hard to pirate multitracks since the total file size could easily be bigger than DVD's (in mp3 form...in .wav form one song could easily fill up a whole DVD).

Not to mention all the musicians who'd want to use it as backing tracks for a play-alongs. Backing tracks aren't a big industry now because they mostly suck. It wouldn't surprise me if there were 50 million musicians that can play either guitar, bass, or drums in the US alone. And the best alternative every one of them have right now is playing along with the album, pretending not to hear the part they're trying to play over, guessing at the notes and/or reading bad transcriptions.

For bands like Zep to release their albums in multi-track...you'd see a whole new market created that never existed before (maybe even college courses springing up based around them, who knows). They're just leaving money on the table. But would Page want all his secrets that open for inspection? Nope. Maybe he'll let go a bit once he feels like his playing days are effectively over.

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