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10.19am
1 September 2020
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Hey all,
Does anyone know if The Beatles spent more time on the stereo or mono mix for the White Album ? I know that they spent way more time with the mono mix of Sgt. Pepper and earlier but I can’t seem to find anything on the White Album . Did The Beatles switch to stereo here mostly or did they continue to work mostly on the mono?
12.34pm
28 March 2014
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Good question, as Stereo was now the preference around that time. It was their last mono LP after all.
Since mono Helter Skelter does not have Ringo screaming “I’ve Got Blisters On My Fingers” at the end of the song, I’d like to know if that was the Bands doing, or the record producers, after they went home.
My guess? They spent more time on the stereo…..
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6.21pm
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17 December 2012
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It’s probable more time was spent on mono mixes during the sessions than stereo, @hyslope.ryan (and welcome to the Forum). Many of the songs were given rough mono mixes as they progressed, and when they started on the proper mixes, songs often saw more attempts at the mono mix while many of stereo mixes were done in 1 or 2 attempts. I don’t think that indicates that the mono mix was more important to them, rather that it was more complicated to get a mono mix they were happy with as they became convinced that stereo was the future.
As to Helter Skelter , @Bongo, The Beatles were involved in both the mono and stereo mixes. The mono mix was done on 17 September while the stereo mix was done nearly a month later, on 12 October. The Beatles were present for both sessions.
Paul has suggested it was intentional to have differences between the mono and stereo, though it may just be that they didn’t reference the mono mixes when doing the stereo.
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8.31am
22 July 2019
Offline From what I can tell, the “White Album ” was constructed with stereo in mind. This is mostly due to the fact that stereo was becoming more and more popular, and with the emerging popularity of the eight-track tape machine. Before that, most of the Beatles (I think all, actually) were using the two-track and the four-track machine. The eight-track tape machine gave them more leeway and freedom to exercise production. Though I’m not the chief Beatles encyclopedia-man here, so I might get some things wrong about this (that title belongs to our ever-lovable, Ron).
Personal opinion: I’m usually indifferent to mono or stereo mixes of Beatles albums, but the “White Album ” might be my only exception other than “Revolver “. Stereo is the superior version.
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3.50am
14 June 2016
Offline Stereo is most definitely better for the White Album .
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5.34am
25 February 2020
Offline if I’m not mistaken, it was only released in mono in the UK
I do really like that mix, but my personal favourite is the 2018 mix
7.49pm
14 June 2016
Offline The mono version is sort of a novelty with things like the finger blisterless “Helter Skelter “, and a version of “Don’t Pass Me By ” which I’m sure made Ringo want to go throw the record in the street, however, the album seems to be built for stereo as it takes advantage of it quite a bit, and all that is lost when it is played in mono.
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11.00pm
14 June 2016
Offline William Shears Campbell said
The mono version is sort of a novelty with things like the finger blisterless “Helter Skelter “, and a version of “Don’t Pass Me By ” which I’m sure made Ringo want to go throw the record in the street, however, the album seems to be built for stereo as it takes advantage of it quite a bit, and all that is lost when it is played in mono.
Agreed. The plane landing sounds, for example, are better in stereo. It’s not even a comparison between the two formats when it comes to The White Album , IMO. It’s a more modern album and works best in stereo.
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