J. Williams & LSO, The EMPIRE STRIKES BACK AUDIOPHILE EDITION - Restored & Remastered Score (Released) — Page 8

I cannot wait for this!  The other editions are so amazing that I don't know how they could possibly be better, but I know ABC will somehow do it again.  The samples I've heard are incredible, as is the album artwork and booklet.   Thank you once again ABC for letting the dream of amazing SW music come true for us all

He has problem with his computer at the moment, (the music is safe) I'm sure he will not forget anybody. I'm sorry if I've stepped on your toes ABC, I just thought the anxiety got a little big here.

It shows just how valuable your talent is to this fan community

Joel said:

How does one sign up for a copy? Forgive me if this has been asked... I'll go read the other 7 pages, but just in case...

I'd love one, too! 

Thanks,

-Joel

We'll just have to wait and see what he's got planned.  If he's having technical difficulties, we'll just have to stand by for the moment. :)

In the past, ABC has made the .flacs available on the internets.

hairy_hen said:

Count me in as enthusiastically awaiting this release!

I wonder how much improvement it presents over the version 2 that I currently have... the benefits of this are probably a more subtle building from there.

That's the idea. The set you have was a kind of "wedding" between the sources. The AE is a solid alloy, no comparison possible. The new corrected pitchs and balances allowed a lot to go in that direction, not mentionning all the EQ's have been taken back from the beginning, excepted for some of the RSO CD album tracks. In term of richness the whole set goes beyond the previous sets I made, as for almost each single track.

A track like "Drawing the Battle Lines" as shown in the samples perhaps don't tell a lot listened to isolately, but as it is included in the set, not only it sounds great but there are almost no other EQ's possible for that track, for instance.

... that's what I attempted for all the set.

The idea to offer a 3rd CD came to slight ajustments possible for the best track and believe me: I couldn't find alternate EQ's for all the track to make a solid new whole. The equilibrium for this score and its sources to sound the best is quite narrow.

Must be a relief to be finished!  It wouldn't surprise me if you didn't want to listen to this again for a while, ABC--I know how tiring it can get listening to the same thing over and over.  Still, you can't stay away from this great music for too long.  :)

 True that's exhausting as long as you're still wondering how you can manage the over-modulation of the sessions transfers, how to temper the power of the layered tracks ect...

But now each time I try to listen to something else errr, how to say... the empire strikes back ! Haha !!! I'm still discovering a ton of details in the orchestration. Incredible.

Joel said:

ABC, another question:

How do you add an LP "layer" to another track and completely avoid phasing errors? 

There may be *imo* two ways of thinking possible for such work:

1. "I must absolutely avoid phasing errors"
2. "I must find the pitch/speed as close as I can"

The first one is the way of the mathematician / technician, the second is the way of the artist. The first calculates and approaches the work with cautious expectation, the second just dares.

So to give a precise answer: I don't completely avoid phasing errors. I just make the tracks as close as I can, and the only phasing errors I can catch have to be, of course, acceptable.

Anyway, the RSO tracks layered on the sessions mixes are not the same mixes, not even the same transfers, so better left the mathematician way aside.

Now listen again to "Departure Of Boba Fett" in the 15mn overview, and tell me about... It has the most noticeable phasing error(s).

...

PS: And to answer your question in the OT Salvage thread: no, I don't clean vinyl transfers. Yes, the AE has a few far cracklings. I want the sound untouched and can't believe you can digitally clean a LP without affecting the sound, notably when it's sharp as for the Empire LP's.

Don't mistake on me my friend: I'm not a dust buster. I will even add dust if it can improve the range and the detail ! ;)

Savage said:

In the past, ABC has made the .flacs available on the internets.

 Indeed. The few of you who have posted here were the same (almost) who were kind enough to make the little effort to give feedbacks for the OE... Ten feedbacks over 12000 view in a short amount of time, and a set easily findable, whenever you were member or not... And after that, a thread as quickly forgotten ! I never saw the Optimum Edition be bumped with feedbacks since then, while I know the set has been downloaded much times.

I noticed how much the current thread has been viewed since I posted new samples and I just think it is unfair "everybody" can catch this set - a very hard work on the holy Grail of the scores - only thanks to a dozen of persons who care enough to tell their point here.

Then, I haven't decided yet among the many options. "Private" share ? Wide share ?... Someone around here is great enough and already proposed to handle the 2nd option, and I'm not speaking about a torrent or special sites. More direct than its way, you can't.

Time - more or less - will tell. Let's say before 2020... Though it could make a nice 40th anniversary edition. :)

Well, there's another point I haven't mentionned: I take - virtualy for the moment - all the responsabilities about any legal issues there. Fox, LFL, and Bantha music who is the publisher since the 1st release in 1980 and probably 1977, may have their word to say about such a "share".

Feedbacks may be then also a way to anticipate any future issue (who knows ?!!) as to underline the "necessity" or at least the interest of such a restoration work.

Well, for now, the PM system is great, like before.

Imrahil said:

I just discovered this and it's going to be a closed release? That makes me a sad panda.

 Only time will tell, what may allow you to give this thread its chance. The project is currently stuck due to computers issues anyway (can't finish the booklet in order to make it for now).

But the last point of Frink is a very good one, and notably makes me think the kind person who has proposed his facilities for a wide share unfortunately attracts such an activity (public releases) with his own edits. Then: solution rejected.

Sorry to hear about the computer issues. As for distribution (whenever that is), I still think the old method (megaupload links via PM) for those who have been following the thread[s] would be great at first. I really don't see a problem with anyone getting in trouble. If Adywan--whose projects have gained worldwide attention--hasn't, who would? :p

Allow me to disagree with the last point. I don't want to discuss that here but just be aware of the consequences if LFL or so tried to seek troubles to someone who gained such a notoriety... I would personaly think twice. The best solution for them now would be to strike a deal when he'll finish the trilogy. ... Remember my words in a few years: I think they just wait in silence.

Here's a interesting post made by Lukas Kendall on the FSM Board a few months ago:

You are not going to get what you want for either franchise. Lucasfilm controls the rights and ransoms them to the highest bidder. They also defer to Williams, whose people run up big mixing bills and do not orient the releases to collectors' wishes (as happened on the recent Indy box). On top of that there are still elements problems with the original Trilogy due to the stuff having not been well archived at the time...there was a guy at the Star Wars Convention at the L.A. Convention Center a few years ago who was ransoming off original tape reels he had dug up from (LP remix engineer) John Neal's estate, including the original 2" 16-track of side four of the Star Wars LP! (Who knows where sides 1 through 3 went...the way this guy explained it, he got side 4 out of some garage...he did loan it to Lucasfilm at least to make a digital copy.) Finally, that 2CD Phantom Menace was something of a fiasco...Lucasfilm only did it because the tracks had gotten out there somehow (I forget how) and thought they were giving the collectors what they wanted by using the edited stems as conformed to the movie (with a million edits). They were quite taken aback by all the negative criticism -- "what's the problem, it's exactly every note as heard in the film?" I remember explaining to one of the executives the subtleties involved and by the time I finished the attitude I heard was along the lines of "to hell with these people." Others know much more than I do but omerta prevails...such is the power of the Force. My real advice is to relax because after all we do have every note from the Trilogy on those 2CD editions...it's easy to overlook what a big deal that was...as well as significant Indy releases.

Lukas

I think that post shows how much this franchise is in the wrong hands nowadays. I know that we filmscore enthusiasts is still a minority and a little "niche market", but they have treated the films even worse!

"we do have every note from the Trilogy on those 2CD editions"

HA! ;)

Stupid text! cannot get it any bigger.

msycamore said:

Stupid text! cannot get it any bigger.

 How ?... Like this ?...

Here's a interesting post made by Lukas Kendall on the FSM Board a few months ago:

You are not going to get what you want for either franchise. Lucasfilm controls the rights and ransoms them to the highest bidder. They also defer to Williams, whose people run up big mixing bills and do not orient the releases to collectors' wishes (as happened on the recent Indy box). On top of that there are still elements problems with the original Trilogy due to the stuff having not been well archived at the time...there was a guy at the Star Wars Convention at the L.A. Convention Center a few years ago who was ransoming off original tape reels he had dug up from (LP remix engineer) John Neal's estate, including the original 2" 16-track of side four of the Star Wars LP! (Who knows where sides 1 through 3 went...the way this guy explained it, he got side 4 out of some garage...he did loan it to Lucasfilm at least to make a digital copy.) Finally, that 2CD Phantom Menace was something of a fiasco...Lucasfilm only did it because the tracks had gotten out there somehow (I forget how) and thought they were giving the collectors what they wanted by using the edited stems as conformed to the movie (with a million edits). They were quite taken aback by all the negative criticism -- "what's the problem, it's exactly every note as heard in the film?" I remember explaining to one of the executives the subtleties involved and by the time I finished the attitude I heard was along the lines of "to hell with these people." Others know much more than I do but omerta prevails...such is the power of the Force. My real advice is to relax because after all we do have every note from the Trilogy on those 2CD editions...it's easy to overlook what a big deal that was...as well as significant Indy releases.

Lukas

I think that post shows how much this franchise is in the wrong hands nowadays. I know that we filmscore enthusiasts is still a minority and a little "niche market", but they have treated the films even worse!

---

... And its me who have the non working machine ! haha ! Nice found btw.

:) I didn't think about that I could reply to myself! thanks ;)

Still better: paste the text in your default block note, and re-paste it there. It will ignore the font style ;)