¤ THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK ¤ The "OPTIMUM EDITION" Score Reconstruction, Remixing & Restoration Version 3 (Released)

Restoration and mixing details on Post 2

Hi folks,

I plan to “restore” the sound of the entire ESB score from all the editions available, track by track, segment by segment, as to reedit a few missed tracks as notably the end titles. This work is not meant to be another version of the previous OT Soundtracks Salvage as the material is a bit different here. Its goal is to show the more details as possible, trying to get rid at maximum of the saturation present on on a lot of tracks on every release, even the RSO recordings though this one was better managed.
 

In details, so far…

WHAT IS THE PROJECT:

• To restore of the original sound as close as possible for each cue and bring back the depht of the orchestra

• Take the best recording of a cue (details, stereo) - whatever it may sound at first glance (the RSO CD looks sad when it’s the one with the best potential) - to reveal all that can be.

• If cues I choosed are incomplete, remix the missing part(s) from an other recording to fit the more exactly to it

• In the same idea, correct the sound of each different segment of a cue when you can hear the track is edited from different recording sessions takes

• Restore some lacks or faults when I can use another recording and editing procedures

• And perhaps most of all, to get rit of the noise to have only the music.

WHAT IS NOT THE PROJECT

• To Remove all pops and clips if the version I choosed to work with still have some (as mostly the RSO CD and the Anthology)

So my way is to search through the mixing abuses or lacks of both the Anthology and the SE’s, as to enhance the potential of what the RSO should have been.
 

THE SOURCES:

ESB SPECIAL EDITION (RCA Victor) - 1997

ESB from the STAR WARS SOUNDTRACKS ANTHOLOGY (Arista/Fox)- 1993

ESB first CD Realease (RSO) - 1985

ESB double LP Realease (RSO - here from “SeventiesFilmNut” transfer) - 1980

_________________________________________________________________
 

SAMPLES (Wav or Flac - From “Versions 2,3 & 4”):

CD1:

• “Main Title / Ice Planet” RSO 1st CD edition + SE + Anthology, remixed, final. (v.2)

• “The Wampa’s Lair” SE + RSO LP multi-layer + Antho fade out, remixed, final. (v.4)

• “The Rebels Escape” Anthology + RSO LP missing bit, multi-layered EQ’s (Antho), frequencies shifting correction + RSO LP layer (light), final mix. (v.4)

• “Jedi Master Revealed / Mynock Cave” Part 1 SE layered with RSO LP (medium freqs) / Part 2: SE begining, RSO CD completed and restored with SE, entirelely remixed before editing as always, final. (v.4)

CD2:

• “The Duel” (RSO 1st CD edition + Anthology begining), remixed, from version 1. (Redone/speed & pitch corrected on version 4). (here, v.3)

• “Finale” (RSO 1st CD ed.), 1st mixing, before restorations.

• “Finale” (RSO 1st CD ed. + Antho bit), restored, final. (v.2)
   

THE SET:

OPTIMUM EDITION 2009 (Version 1)

OPTIMUM EDITION 2009 (Version 2)

OPTIMUM EDITION 2010 (Version 3)

AUDIOPHILE EDITION

In order to make a correct edit of the Empire Strikes Back’s score from all the available editions, one must take into consideration some specific particularities on each of those:
1. The SE’s have a lot of tracks with a narrow or spoiled stereo.
2. The Anthology has two tracks (segments more precisely)  with the stereo channels inverted (thanks GooMusician ;) )
3. The Anthology is entirely inverted (the frequencies have their head down, which can be an issue once you have to edit a track with the SE or the RSO).
4. The RSO 1st CD edition, behind the lack of care about the mixing, is awesome.
5. General: to notice the score is composed with a lot of material from the recording sessions wich edited together may sound different.

After that, only a careful listen after having managed the abuse (or not) of EQ’s on each of those can let you decide wich version shows the best for each track.

On this edit, all have been remixed separately (originally edited segments from a same cue), to obtain the most accurate volumes and equalizations settings before editing.

Here’s the detail this edit so far:

CD1:

1. Main Titles / The Ice Planet
· 0’00” - 1’31” | RSO CD
· 1’31” - 2’29” | RSO CD
· 2’29” - 2’45” | SE
· 2’45” - 2’54” | Anthology
· 2’54” - 3’15” | RSO CD
· 3’15” - 3’31” | RSO CD
· 3’31” -  3’45” | RSO CD
· 3’45” -  8’12” | Anthology

2. The Wampa’s Lair
· SE (+ Anthology clean fade out)

3. Vision of Obi-Wan
· 0’00” - 0’15” | SE (“Rebel Base” insert originally outro of “Probe Droid”)
· 0’15” - 3’35” | SE

4. Snowspeeders
· Anthology
· layered with RSO LP transfer (at corrected speed) for better depth and percussions details.

5. Aboard The Executor
· SE

6. Drawing The Battle Lines
· 0’00” – 2’01” | SE
· 2’01” – 2’40” | SE
· 2’40” – 4’04” | Anthology
· Stereo recentered (each part)

7. The Battle In The Snow
· RSO CD
· restored lack of volume from 1’43” to 1’50” (RSO only)
· rearranged the clumsy original cut (a repetition)  at 2’28”

8. Luke’s First Crash
· Anthology

9. The Rebels Escape
· Anthology
· RSO LP transfer from 2'05 to 2'07 (missing bit)

10. The Asteroid Field
· RSO CD

11. Crash Landing On Dagobah
· 0’00” – 2’37” | SE
· 2’37” – 3’30” | SE
· 3’30” – 3’35” | Anthology fade out

12. A Familiar Place
· SE

13. Luke’s Nocturnal Visitor
· 0’00” – 1’37” | RSO CD
· 1’37” – 1’47” | Anthology (missing bit)
· 1’47” – end | RSO CD

14. Han And Leia / Vader And The Emperor
· 0’00” – 1’31” | RSO CD, restored hiss on 1 or 2sec at 1’19” with the SE
· 1’31” – End | RSO CD
Two “big” hisses remain unrestored… but this version is irreplaceable.

15. Jedi Master Revealed / Mynock Cave
· SE, fully reedited. The end of “Jedi Master Revealed” has been composed to match the beginning of mynock Cave – before they edit the Vader fanfare on the SE like it is in the film. Also, the repetition of the thrilling part in “Mynock Cave” in the complete score is ‘imo’, a wrong add. It is far more natural that way. ‘Don’t mind if it doesn’t make a “complete” score anymore :).

16. The Magic Tree
· Anthology
· RSO LP transfer for synth part layer (1’58” – 2’16”) at corrected speed

17. Attack Position
· Anthology
· Three electrical noises/dropouts restored with the SE
· Stereo recentered

18. Yoda And The Force
· RSO CD, unrestored weird synth noise on the end fanfare, but it’s your only chance to listen this ending in its full power, as to have the original sequence untouched. They’ve only cut it on later releases, so they haven’t restored it.

19. Imperial Starfleet Deployed
· SE

20. City In The Clouds
· 0’00” – 0’09” | Anthology
· 0’09” – 0’35” | RSO LP transfer
· 0’35” – 1’26” | Anthology
· 1’26” – 2’29” | SE
· 2’29” – 3’40” | RSO LP transfer
· 3’40” – End | Anthology

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

CD2 (76:56):

1. Lando's Palace / Luke's Promise
· 0’00” - 1’21” | Anthology (+LP layer on 4sec from 1'13" for better percussion depht)
· 1’21” - 2’24” | Anthology
· 2’24” - 3’51” | Anthology
+ Stereo balance corrected

2. Leia's Worries
· 0’00” - 0'14” | SE
· 0’14” - 1'00” | SE

3. Lando And Han
· SE (... quite a corrupted track)

4. Betrayal At Bespin
· SE

5. Captives
· SE

6. Deal With The Dark Lord
· 0’00” – 0'48” | SE
· 0'48” – 2’34” | SE (... Hard to deal with, indeed).

7. Carbon Freeze
· 0’00” - 0'23” | Anthology
· 0'23” - 1'16” | Anthology
· 1'16” - 1'34” | Anthology
· 1'34” - 2'38” | Anthology

8. Darth Vader's Trap / Departure Of Boba Fett
                  (Darth Vader's Trap)
· 0'00” - 0'55” | Anthology
· 0'55” - 1'30” | Anthology
· 1'30” - 2'06” | Anthology
· 2'06” - 3'30” | Anthology
· 3'30” - 3'49” | Anthology
· 3'49” - 4'51” | Anthology + Noise restoration at 7'37" on 1 sec.
                  (Departure Of Boba Fett)
· 4'51” - 4'57” | SE (for correct stereo junction, and better roll on the drum)
· 4'57” - 7'27” | Anthology + LP layer for the flutes (8'41" - 9'12")
· 7'27” - 8'26” | Anthology + wrong cut rearrangement at 10'47
(+ Stereo balance corrected on Carbon Freeze and Departure Of Boba Fett)

9. The Duel
· 0’00” - 0'27” | Anthology
· 0'27” - 1'33” | RSO CD
· 1'33” - 2'49” | RSO CD
· 2'49” - 4'06” | RSO CD

10. The Revelation / Escape From Bespin
· Anthology + Stereo balance corrected

11. Hyperspace
· Anthology (sped up at LP speed) + Stereo balance corrected
· Layered with RSO LP transfer

12. The Rebel Fleet / Finale
                  (The Rebel Fleet)
· 0’00” - 1'47” | RSO CD (base remix)
· 1'47” - 1'57” | RSO CD (saturation correction re-EQ)
                  (Finale)
· 1'57” - 2'06” | RSO CD (saturation correction re-EQ)
· 2'06” - 3'42” | RSO CD (base remix) + "tape crash" restoration at 3'08" with Anthology
· 3'42” - 3'51” | RSO CD (re-EQ)
· 3'51” - 4'28” | RSO CD - from the "Imperial March" track
· 4'28” - 4'37” | Anthology - from the "Film Version" bonus track (saturation correction re-EQ)
· 4'37” - 5'47” | RSO CD (saturation correction re-EQ)
· 4'47” - 6'25” | RSO CD (base remix)
+ Stereo balance corrected for all the track

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK MUSIC SUITE
(Tracks 13 to 16 written and adapted by John Williams for concert performance)

13. The Imperial March
· RSO CD + Stereo balance corrected
14. Yoda's Theme
· RSO CD + Stereo balance corrected
15. The Asteroid Field*
16. Han Solo And The Princess*
17. The Magic Tree*

ALTERNATE / UNUSED MATERIAL

18. Main Title / Probe Droid Overture (Film Version)
· RSO CD | SE | Anthology

19. Snowspeeders (Film Version)
· Anthology
Multi-segment edit from "Hyperspace" and "Snowspeeders"

20. Trapped In Carbonite (Unused)
· SE
Alternate composition for the beginning of "Darth Vader's Trap"

21. Departure Of Boba Fett
· Anthology + RSO LP flutes layer
Multi-segment edit from this cue

22. Training Of A Jedi Knight (Unused)
· 0'00” - 0'44” | RSO CD
· 0'44” - 1'38” | SE

23. The Rebel Fleet / Finale (Film Version)
· Same as track 12, expended with intro from "Yoda And The Force", the "Imperial March" is replaced here with its alternate from the film version End Titles (Anthology bonus track).
... Thanks msycamore for the info about that one ! ;)

* Performed by the National Philarmonic Orchestra conducted by Charles Gerhardt (1980). I personnaly find the sound of this recording unbearable when its quality is at the top, so these tracks have been remixed too.

NOTE: All is 100% lossless, including the NPO tracks.

SUMGUY21 said:

But the pops and clicks from the original vinyl transfer are quite distracting, especially at the beginning.

:) !!! The begining comes from the Anthology... Otherwise it comes from the RSO CD edition. Anyway. I take that as a compliment.

 ... Listen carefuly this track on every release and you'll hear those faults are just well hidden, or the mixing so flat (the SE) that you don't pay no more attention. That's why you have so much mediums and highs on the Anthology and highs+bass-mediums on the SE's: to "hide" or compensate those faults. And unfortunately they've hidden a lot of background details the same way!

 It' s one of the worst track about saturation, that's why I choosed to post this one first. I don' t think I'll try to hide such things as they did.

(BTW: first post edited about what really is the project. Thanks).

If you're planning on distributing this alongside CD tracks, maybe consider processing those parts slightly with ClickRepair??

 As to use any kind of denoising softwares... mmhhh. I'd like the tracks to be the less processed as possible. I wouldn't like the more corrupted parts (the trumpets saturation for instance) to be clipped because they are part of the noise.

Besides, there are far stronger pops on the Anthology (listen to "Attack Position" on disc 4) but it didn't keep Lucasfilm to release this set, and it doesn't keep the same set to remain better than the SE's ;)... Isn't it ?

 Also, is there any particular reason the track seems to be sped up slightly and is shorter by 2 seconds?

 The 2 seconds missings are at the transition of the begining and the duel theme: I choosed to make it match with the RSO version wich is as this, for a matter of rythm. So the track hasn't been sped up nor pitch changed.

Oh! How i missed that! ABC warrior is back

So this will be far better that your previous flac ESB release?

I ll track the topic for feedbacks :)

take care

EDIT: Feedback for the sample.

It seems the hybrid version worked. I liked that i heard some violins in vader's march. I think in some parts differs from the original score because it goes slower pacing but more beautifully colored. In cloud city theme part i liked how the hidden/alternative detail poped up! Again a bit slower pace than the ost.

-Angel

sweet looking forward to hearing this. I loved ur other restoration of the Empire score very much!

vaderios said:

So this will be far better that your previous flac ESB release?

 Don't know yet... All what is done for now seems a little better to me. What I think is that it should be less "agressive" than the OTS Salvage version, perhaps less seductive at first but more clean - or almost completely...

I ll track the topic for feedbacks :)

Ha ! That reminds me your last comment in the OTSS thread. Lol ! (See, I'm not forgetting neither). :)

It seems the hybrid version worked

Yeah, more hybrid than you think... It has been remastered in four separate parts to obtain tha same sound everywhere. There are 3 recording takes in this track + the intro.

take care

Thanks ;) You too

New sample added. You can now witness all the power of the Star Wars overture for the first time on wav. form... ;)

Beautiful! Your last sample really shows how bad and weak the SE mix really are, the little segment from the SE in ICE PLANET still sounds a little weak but I guess it's unavoidable. I love your effort so far, looking forward to hear more from your great Restoration Project;)

Good to read you ! ;) I may find a trick for this SE bit...

I've edited Post 2 to show the operating list for CD1. This one is almost ready but CD2 isn't at all.

I may post 1 or two more samples for CD1... But wich tracks ?... "City In the Clouds" for exemple ? Let me know...

I am glad to see you back at it!!!!!!!! I can't wait to hear it.

From 7:14 seems a bit retro to me. Like an old recording.

Maybe its me but i think that you fixed a bug in my version of ESB. Not sure but i love its gone :D

Again i like that hybrid version. It may be the ultimate alternatives score

-Angel

"City In The Clouds" would be great to hear, didn't know about the shifted stereo shannels on that one, but the low sound of the choral section has always bothered me in the filmedit on the Anthology. You seem to know your Empire score, I just like to point out that "The Rebels Escape" has a minor edit in the end on the Anthology if you have not noticed it. (I'm sure you have) But the SE is a bad Risner mix so I understand if you don't use it. It also would be great to hear " The Training Of A Jedi Knight" (also a bad Risner mix, may I suggest RSO+SE for that one) Your mixing with the different sources is fantastic, You can't hear where it begins and end. A really good work!!)

msycamore said:

You seem to know your Empire score, I just like to point out that "The Rebels Escape" has a minor edit in the end on the Anthology if you have not noticed it. (I'm sure you have)

 I think I noticed that one (at the place of a percussion). However comments like this are very welcome and that's the reason why I posted this topic before I finish the job ! :) ... There's so much to consider that I may be lost sometimes and miss some details. I'll check again if my choice to take the Anthology was the good one however. (Edit: indeed, no depht to give back on the SE version for that one).

It also would be great to hear " The Training Of A Jedi Knight" (also a bad Risner mix, may I suggest RSO+SE for that one).

Interesting choice. I was with the idea to mix the RSO + the SE for this cue, but there are some instruments you can't hear on the RSO while you can hear everything on the SE. My final version with the SE is very better than what I made for the OTS Salvage and just so you know that to listen the RSO version helped a lot. So I'm on my way to post it.

For City In The Clouds I'll ask you to hold on for the 2nd and 3rd versions (with the SE wich is perhaps more interesting than the Anthology wich has somehow a "muddy" sound; and I have to fix something for the LP version). I'll post the three versions then perhaps you' ll help me choose what is the best to be used (the LP has a few cracklings... But it's sooo good). Thanks for your suggestions and ideas :)

...

@ Vaderios

Yes, there's a lot of differents segments that have been edited together on this 2nd part and still sound a little different. to notice the music even goes slower in the average of the moment you mention (like a tape getting tired). But sometime you have to know your own limits ;)

EDIT: Samples added / or on the run.

I'm glad I could be to some help;) I find it hard to comment on "The Training Of A Jedi Knight", I have to come back on that one. I would definitely go with the RSO-LP+Anthology on "City In The Clouds", both has the correct film mix & the choral part is audiable on the album version, absolutely incredible to hear the track in its entirety in your sample. (the crackling is not so bad) The instruments in the Boba Fett segment in the beginning of the track seems to have more "punch" to it somehow on the Anthology, I don't know, what do you think? The other two samples is also good but I prefer v.2. Thanks for posting the samples;) Keep up the good job!

msycamore said:

The instruments in the Boba Fett segment in the beginning of the track seems to have more "punch" to it somehow on the Anthology, I don't know, what do you think?

 If you mean that it appears a little different on the LP version edit, I think it is because of the punch the RSO has :) (The Boba Fett instruments part is still the Anthology here, as on the version 3. And indeed, the SE version of this part has no punch). Anyway, the edit have been now fixed with a better mix for the 2nd LP part and the cracklings are quite less noticeable. I think I'll vote for this version too ! ;)

"Training Of A Jedi Knight" has incredibly percussive low frequencies on the SE's... There's no way I can give it more emphasis like on the RSO if it's what is bugging you. But don't worry, I reserve you a few awful tracks (the Probe Droid outro, and "Imperial Starfleet Delployed" for instance) ! :D

ABC said:

If you mean that it appears a little different on the LP version edit, it's just because I missed the edit, unless it is because of the punch the RSO has :) (The Boba Fett instruments part is still the Anthology here, as on the version 3.

Oh I see, I didn't describe your edit, I mean on the original LP & SE the sound of Boba Fett's bassoon motif has less bass and sound very tiny but very clear, but I think I prefer the Anthology for that part of the track.

Ah ok, you're right. The funny thing is that the Anthology version is very good excepted for the parts I replaced with the RSO, and the last "doomy" Yoda part wich is better on the SE. That's why all this diserve to be listened very carefully, even on the SE, because of the so many parts they mixed isolatedly for before editing.

By the way, I may change my mind for Training of A Jedi Knight. The 2nd part from the SE is closer to the RSO sound (in its simplicity). So I perhaps won't get too perfectionnist on that one and take the RSO version for the 1st part. But not sure yet. ;)

I agree, Anthology version of "Cloud City" is great, the only thing I miss with that one is the choral piece. But that's fixed now with your skill:) About the "Training Of A Jedi Knight" I've listened to it now (had to look for my original SE to compare)  I think you have improved it as much that is possible with the source material. I'm not very fond of that album because of the many remixed tracks, it's interesting to hear what you can pull out of it though. If every track had the sound mix of "Mynock Cave" and "The Imperial Probe/Aboard The Executor" on that cd we wouldn't be here;)

By the way, "The Duel" is fantastic!

msycamore said:

If every track had the sound mix of "Mynock Cave" and "The Imperial Probe/Aboard The Executor" on that cd we wouldn't be here;)

 Oh please, Don't say things like that ! :) I had such a hard time with "Mynock Cave"!!!... Not that the SE mix was so bad, but it was far too clear with a bunch of noise to get rid of in the high frequencies - as for every single SE track besides. The hardest was to avoid the trumpets to have such a nasal sound, and be closer to the RSO version (wich has somewhat the same problem).

And yeah, "Aboard The Executor" wasn't that easy, but with a precise "shot" became awesome... One of the best.

... As we mention these tracks I think it would be good exemples to show how they may sound next to the RSO, then I'm gonna add these samples (and remove one or two before the mods rant at me).

Sorry for being confusing, what I meant is that I think those two tracks represents what I think is really great on the SE, it also have the album-takes for most of the tracks (with a more prominent synthesizer etc.) wich I prefer instead of the filmedits that was on the Anthology. So it's really sad that most of it was so badly remixed. 

Sorry, my brain sticks sometime on an idea and I'm not really Anglophone.

I think the matter with all three scores, and mostly ESB, is that there's not a lot of tracks that have originally been mixed the same way (and I'd bet it's due to the many recording sessions + to notice they played in two studios), then the mixing studios should have considered that in order to respect the characteristic sound of each cue. But no ! I think they wanted too much make it sound the same all the long, trying on the SE to make it sound like new, putting sparkes everywhere !... And even that, they failed to make it.

... And I'm quite happy with that, because imagine if the SE's for instance succeeded in making a sound like we use to hear among the huge sountracks production... You wouldn' care anymore, but what would it have look like? The "pristine" prequels soundtracks ? No thanks ! :)

The prototype for CD1 I just listened makes me think there's not a lot of things like this out there. Despite a few flatness remaining here and there it makes a very rich panorama of the diversity of sounds that may pop up from the same orchestra through many sound takes. Not mentionning the depht from the RSO's cues that can be close to a vinyl as no CD produced nowadays use to show... So, don't have any regrets ! ;)

Brand new samples added, some removed.

"City In The Clouds" has been left with the small editing "mistake" (or short cut) at the end of the 1st LP part. It looks better that way as it gives a better impact to the Boba Fett part apparition. The 2nd LP part is a new mixing. This version is final unless I succeed in restoring the click at 2'49".

The link to the new "City In The Clouds" sample doesn't work:(

"The Asteroid Field" from the RSO CD sounds great! (have not listened to your remix yet)

I'm looking forward to see what you can do with "The Rebel Fleet" ("Finale") on the RSO CD, it's not the best sounding track on the CD, but it's the 70mm film version and it has the original mix unlike the SE. Good luck and keep up the good job!)

msycamore said:

The link to the new "City In The Clouds" sample doesn't work:(

 

 Now it should ;)

"The Asteroid Field" from the RSO CD sounds great! (have not listened to your remix yet)

 

It sounds great but it's a hard one to highlight the best way. So the version is not so final.

I'm looking forward to see what you can do with "The Rebel Fleet" ("Finale") on the RSO CD

Me too. But I prefer not to think about this restoration for now.