Motown in 5.1 or 7.1

**rovereab** · 08-30-2010, 01:09 PM

Sitting here now listening to COM4 on my PC with 5.1 surround sound the thought crossed my mind as to whether any Motown songs have been remixed for 5.1 or 7.1?

I am aware of the quadraphonic releases but I guess 5.1 and 7.1 would be different.

Any thoughts Motowners?

**nabob** · 08-30-2010, 07:36 PM

I have a 2003 UMe release - DVD Audio - called the Marvin Gaye Collection. The liner notes say that this was mixed from two track stereo masters, but the mixes are different from the mixes heard in other collections. There is a mention that this is mixed to 5.1 audio and Dolby Surround Surround for DVD Players.

I didn't want to post an obtrusively large photo here. Unfortunately the small photo below is not large enough to read the disc property information. Use this link for a larger scan that is readable: http://www.flickr.com/photos/2460803...n/photostream/

At the time, the waters were tested for this format and there was some product. I believe that What's Going On? was released in this format. My guess is that the trend never developed and product line was killed.

topdiva1 · 09-02-2010, 08:48 AM

Thanks for the info - I bet you are right about the product line being killed.

**bob_olhsson** · 09-02-2010, 12:52 PM

I feel very strongly that recordings ought to be heard in the very same format that the artist, producer and engineers were listening to when they made their production decisions. Remixes to a different format are every bit as much a corruption of art as "colorizing" a classic black and white movie is.

**rovereab** · 09-02-2010, 01:49 PM

I agree to a point Bob but as some Motown recordings were released in quad I was thinking that 5.1 or 7.1 may have been considered too. I prefer the mono mixes of 60s Motown but I would appreciate hearing the separation that might be possible in 5.1 or 7.1.

**jillfoster** · 09-02-2010, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by bob_olhsson

I feel very strongly that recordings ought to be heard in the very same format that the artist, producer and engineers were listening to when they made their production decisions. Remixes to a different format are every bit as much a corruption of art as "colorizing" a classic black and white movie is.

I don't see colorizing a movie as a corruption of the art.... unless the black and white was a conscious CHOICE. Many times, the lmitations of technology or budget caused a movie to be black and white, certainly early TV shows. I'm good with colorization, especially as long as the original is available.

**bob_olhsson** · 09-02-2010, 02:42 PM

It's all about sharing the artist's vision with the listener. Every single conscious choice of a director, producer or artist assumes a particular final delivery medium. When you step outside that without the producer and artist's direct involvment, the art has been corrupted because they would undoubtedly make some very different production choices to express their vision within an alternative context.

A lot of fans don't like hearing this and the suits REALLY don't like hearing this but most artists and producers feel utterly violated by such "re-purposing."

**ralpht** · 09-02-2010, 02:46 PM

Bob,
I must totally agree with you on this subject. Good to see you checking in, by the way. Hope you are doing well.

**1382hitsville** · 09-02-2010, 03:00 PM

Bob,

I agree with you. When something, either a movie or music, is produced, the choices made are in considiration of the technical limitations of those times. If other choices where possible I'm sure the creator of these art forms would have made different choices.

If you look at black and white movies more empasis is put upon lightning, set dressing to make the picture wholesome. When technicolor came around the views, frame and camerawork changed.

Same with sound....the first ever recordings where not good in picking up high notes, so that was not included in music.

Old Motown was made for transistor radios. Not current hifi systems.

**bob_olhsson** · 09-02-2010, 03:30 PM

Old Motown was made for full range playback from vinyl because that's what was in the offices of the people who decided which records would get airplay, which records their store would stock and which records would summarily go into their wastebaskets.