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Mono mix music edit - Did anybody notice this before?

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I was just listening to the mono mix, and noticed a very obvious music edit difference which nobody has seemed to ever point out before.

I used to listen to the soundtrack a lot, and many years ago I noticed that in the Death Star attack, the first note of that great Force theme fanfare when the Rebels dive was clipped off. Obviously, somewhere between scoring and the final cut, the pacing of that bit was tightened and one beat had to be removed.

However, in the mono mix, there is a different music edit. That first note is restored...but there is a new, and IMO clumsier, edit which chops off most of that great upward flourish preceding it.

Anyone ever notice this? Analyses of the mono mix always bring up the sound effects and dialogue differences, but I've never seen any mention of this different music edit!

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 (Edited)

I noticed this the first time I ever heard the mono mix.

It is exactly as you describe, though it took me a couple listens to recognise precisely what was different about it.  I agree that the stereo versions' edit is better because it leaves the buildup intact--the first note of the fanfare itself is less critical to the cue.

There are quite a lot of differences in the mono mix beyond the obvious that no one has really pointed out before, this being one of them.  I've been thinking of compiling a complete list of everything that's been changed between the various mixes, which mostly means I'll be listening the mono in close detail.  It's not really my favourite, because I'm accustomed to the stereo and 70mm versions, so some of its changes sound like 'special edition fixes' to me even though they are from 1977, but it does make for an interesting alternate track.

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hairy hen, I know I'd love to see that list. The differences in the mono mix have always fascinated me.

You know of the rebellion against the Empire?