Thriller 40th Anniversary - Songs Discussion

I'd just like to say that the statement that Vinyl murders CD is just not true. It's a case by case basis and even then most vinyl nowadays is pretty much the same master that's on the CD.
Gotta say, when I did the switch, I never really felt that CD was inferior. I was happy with it. I'm not an audiophile so maybe that's why. But I really didn't feel any loss of quality, not that I can remember although it is yonks ago now. Maybe I was just so relieved to be shot of the physical annoyance of vinyl. But CD's are fine, imo.

Definitely agree it's case by case.
 
McClain obviously didn't remix this version. He probably remixed the last version Michael worked on - the version with almost full vocals and that beat-boxing. The version released on T40 has completely different vocal take and very very rough scratch vocals. So I don't think "McClain saved it", he just remixed almost finished song. With this rough demo he wouldn't be able to do, remix or save anything. It's un-savable and I'm shocked they decided to release that over that version McClain remixed.
Maybe the version McClain worked with was last reworked post thriller and thus not compatible with the T40 project?
 
Gotta say, when I did the switch, I never really felt that CD was inferior. I was happy with it. I'm not an audiophile so maybe that's why. But I really didn't feel any loss of quality, not that I can remember although it is yonks ago now. Maybe I was just so relieved to be shot of the physical annoyance of vinyl. But CD's are fine, imo.

Definitely agree it's case by case.
From an objetive point of view, ignoring masterings, different mixings, bla bla yada yada yada, and purely from a technical stand point, CD is a million times better as a format than vinyl.

However, ever since CD existed, it's potential has been wasted, completely.
 
From an objetive point of view, ignoring masterings, different mixings, bla bla yada yada yada, and purely from a technical stand point, CD is a million times better as a format than vinyl.

However, ever since CD existed, it's potential has been wasted, completely.
omg, we're still off-topic, I guess, but I have to ask, what do you mean? Bc I do absolutely love CD's but that conversation is never encouraged - and I don't care that much - so I usually leave it. But this is fascinating.
 
Early cds before people started horribly compressing music to make it louder sound great
Aha! Now I'm beginning to understand. Bc I don't buy new music, hardly at all. My CD's are ancient. Maybe most of them are early generation and therefore better quality.
 
I was being a bit lazy there. I can't be bothered to do a history lesson each time and I don't miss vinyl. I'm happy with CD so I usually just let it go. But if vinyl is your thing, I can understand you wanting to clear up the misconceptions.
I do miss the quality control vinyl had which has been missing since. The loudness war is proof. If we had the same quality control and standards these days, oh boy...

Yeah, but I'm lazy and I want an easy life. Vinyl, to me, is too high maintenance. Can't be bothered. Takes up too much space. Too expensive. I'm so pleased to see the revival of vinyl - it's been great for the indie record shops - but it's not for me. Not any more. Been there, done that.
I get that. After all, portability is one of the reasons which killed vinyl some decades ago.

Surface noise can be a pain, tho'.
True, especially when there's scratches and all types of dust and particles stuck in the grooves. Lucky are those who can afford to give their records some ultrasound cleaning.
 
And imagine if they put that on the 50th anniversary of the White Album. Insane.
Edit: In fact, putting it on the 50th anniversary of Abbey Road would have been closer to what the Estate have done with CGOOTR.
Again, it's MJ and Quincy's fault it exists. It's been the B Side to the Girl Is Mine since 1982. It should just be on disc 3, end of discussion.

But it's not like we were getting another unheard song anyway. The max was 6, just like it's usually less than 10. You just feel the illusion of more.
 
Early cds before people started horribly compressing music to make it louder sound great
They do, they really do! but the thing is:
omg, we're still off-topic, I guess, but I have to ask, what do you mean? Bc I do absolutely love CD's but that conversation is never encouraged - and I don't care that much - so I usually leave it. But this is fascinating.
Even back then, the CD format, due to how new it was, didn't receive the proper care it needed, and what we've usually got on 80s CDs ends up being (most of the times) just raw transfers of master tapes, or copies of those, right in the middle of the 80s (so let's say 1986) is when people started to understand how to squeeze all the potential CD had, amazing dynamics, no artifacts and amazing quality, however, this is also when people started thinking "wait, this thing can hold 80s minutes of pure music... and speakers are now way more powerful...", thus since the 90s music on CD has been getting more and more loud, (and well, albums also got longer lol) and now as we all already know, most CDs from today sound terrible, not because of the format, but because that's what people want now, they just wanna blast their music lol
 
I'd just like to say that the statement that Vinyl murders CD is just not true. It's a case by case basis and even then most vinyl nowadays is pretty much the same master that's on the CD.

If a cd is mastered properly it can sound amazing, most master nowadays are compressed to all hell though, and those masters usually end up on the vinyl as well, just at a lower volume level.
Guess I didn't make myself clear, but I was referring to the older, all-analog vinyl cuts. Needless to say current records cut from digital (re)masters are shite. Also, 80s and early 90s CDs are amongst the very best.

CD was created to be an upgrade to vinyl and analog formats in general and I'll cite our fellow here:
From an objetive point of view, ignoring masterings, different mixings, bla bla yada yada yada, and purely from a technical stand point, CD is a million times better as a format than vinyl.

However, ever since CD existed, it's potential has been wasted, completely.

Problem is: when music turned to CDs, it became portable. You didn't have to listen to music at home. Up to that point, even portable cassette players were few and expensive (cassettes are older than CDs). For a number of reasons, vinyl could and had to be cut quieter, with a much better dynamic range. After you were able to listen to CDs outside the house, you were competing with the outer world and all the noise. With that, music had to become louder.
Had everything stayed in the same situation, CD would have put vinyl to rest for good. Portability capped CD.
 
They do, they really do! but the thing is:

Even back then, the CD format, due to how new it was, didn't receive the proper care it needed, and what we've usually got on 80s CDs ends up being (most of the times) just raw transfers of master tapes, or copies of those, right in the middle of the 80s (so let's say 1986) is when people started to understand how to squeeze all the potential CD had, amazing dynamics, no artifacts and amazing quality, however, this is also when people started thinking "wait, this thing can hold 80s minutes of pure music... and speakers are now way more powerful...", thus since the 90s music on CD has been getting more and more loud, (and well, albums also got longer lol) and now as we all already know, most CDs from today sound terrible, not because of the format, but because that's what people want now, they just wanna blast their music lol
I get it!! I remember all of this. Had completely forgotten. I'm not a muso and don't read muso mags but I do remember these conversations. Yes, yes, yes, the frustration around all of this!!
 
Th
McClain obviously didn't remix this version. He probably remixed the last version Michael worked on - the version with almost full vocals and that beat-boxing. The version released on T40 has completely different vocal take and very very rough scratch vocals. So I don't think "McClain saved it", he just remixed almost finished song. With this rough demo he wouldn't be able to do, remix or save anything. It's un-savable and I'm shocked they decided to release that over that version McClain remixed.
They weren't gonna cannibalize the Michael album even worse than it already has been. No one ever has to listen to that album anymore, Casio tracks especially.

Hold my Hand - Leaked Demo

Hollywood Tonight - Leaked Demo (And Teddy Riley truly butchered the song. If there's any song that's ever been ruined it is solely this one. The Throwback Mix is pretty good tho)

(I like) The Way You Love Me - original on TUC. I prefer this version though.

Best of Joy - the Multitracks leaked, now the demo.

(I can't make it) Another Day - This one kinda is the only one. Like the sole Wii U game not on Switch, Xenoblade Chronicles X

Behind The Mask - another demo. If it was the final take it'd definitely eat this one.

Much Too Soon - The Multitracks leaked.
 
Problem is: when music turned to CDs, it became portable. You didn't have to listen to music at home. Up to that point, even portable cassette players were few and expensive (cassettes are older than CDs). For a number of reasons, vinyl could and had to be cut quieter, with a much better dynamic range. After you were able to listen to CDs outside the house, you were competing with the outer world and all the noise. With that, music had to become louder.
Had everything stayed in the same situation, CD would have put vinyl to rest for good. Portability capped CD.
And I never did this. I didn't do the portable thing. god, this is so interesting.
 
Yes, but a lotta people did. For them, it wasn't about quality. It just had to be loud so they could hear it in their headphones, even in traffic.
Yep, exactly... this is still the case today obviously, even more with wireless earbuds, noise cancelling, people can just blast their music on the street, no wires to hold them back, and for this to work, their music obviously has to be as loud as it can without it distorting too much or otherwise they would notice and get mad lol
 
Yep, exactly... this is still the case today obviously, even more with wireless earbuds, noise cancelling, people can just blast their music on the street, no wires to hold them back, and for this to work, their music obviously has to be as loud as it can without it distorting too much or otherwise they would notice and get mad lol
It's kinda a shame to me that even with automatic volume adjustment on all streaming services that people still compress the hell out of music. Compressed masters are on average made quieter than non compressed ones by this software so it's all pointless now.
 
I'd just like to ask what you mean by this?
I expounded in my comment. Almost Every song on  Michael has an alternative version or the original demo available, most of them in superior quality to the way they were presented on the album. There's basically nothing exclusive there anymore.

Had they put out a lyrically complete, work in progress Behind The Mask, who would really wanna listen to the 2010 version? I honestly wouldn't. I still kinda don't. I like this new version a lot, even as he is working out the vocal melody and it's basically in the shape it is. It's just raw and so funky, and it's still my favorite song he sang.
 
McClain obviously didn't remix this version. He probably remixed the last version Michael worked on - the version with almost full vocals and that beat-boxing. The version released on T40 has completely different vocal take and very very rough scratch vocals. So I don't think "McClain saved it", he just remixed almost finished song. With this rough demo he wouldn't be able to do, remix or save anything. It's un-savable and I'm shocked they decided to release that over that version McClain remixed.
Are we sure that’s the case? The majority of the vocals on this demo are the exact same, or eerily similar, to the 2010 mix. Even when they’re not, using alternate vocal takes doesn’t mean that a finished version exists. Remember, the original demo of “Do You Know Where Your Children Are” is slightly different vocally compared to the Timbaland or leaked version.

Seems like a conspiracy theory.
 
Yes, but a lotta people did. For them, it wasn't about quality. It just had to be loud so they could hear it in their headphones, even in traffic.
oh, I understand all of this. I just don't tune in to how other people listen to their music so I forget about the gap between what they are doing and what I'm doing.

Yep, exactly... this is still the case today obviously, even more with wireless earbuds, noise cancelling, people can just blast their music on the street, no wires to hold them back, and for this to work, their music obviously has to be as loud as it can without it distorting too much or otherwise they would notice and get mad lol
:ROFLMAO:
 
Are we sure that’s the case? Yes, the vocal take here is (mostly) different, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s a more complete version in existence. Remember, the original demo of “Do You Know Where Your Children Are” had a few different vocal takes than the Timbaland or leaked version. Plus, most of the vocals on this demo are the same as the 2010 version, just rearranged. Seems very conspiracy theory-esque.
There's entire stanzas missing here. It can't just be spliced right. The bit about "A two edged sword" "Throwin rocks at me", all missing.
 
Are we sure that’s the case? The majority of the vocals on this demo are the exact same, or eerily similar, to the 2010 mix. Even when they’re not, using alternate vocal takes doesn’t mean that a finished version exists. Remember, the original demo of “Do You Know Where Your Children Are” is slightly different vocally compared to the Timbaland or leaked version.

Seems like a conspiracy theory.

It sounds like the same vocal take to me but the thing that I noticed was different was during the section in the set of choruses after the last verse. It was longer on the original version, and it appears that John McClain shortened it on his 2010 remix of the song. It's funny because I think the 2010 remix is the best version of the song. There is something about those OPP drums with the track that is just too funky.
 
There's entire stanzas missing here. It can't just be spliced right. The bit about "A two edged sword" "Throwin rocks at me", all missing.
“Like a two-edged sword” is there. You are right that the “throwing rocks at me” is gone. But even so, one alternate verse that may exist in the archives doesn’t mean that there’s a fully complete version that just wasn’t used (though it’s definitely a curious situation).
It sounds like the same vocal take to me but the thing that I noticed was different was during the section in the set of choruses after the last verse. It was longer on the original version, and it appears that John McClain shortened it on his 2010 remix of the song. It's funny because I think the 2010 remix is the best version of the song. There is something about those OPP drums with the track that is just too funky.
Yeah, the demo just isn’t good in my opinion. The remix is top-tier though.
 
Well you can hear supposed acapellas mostly. Much Too Soon has been tuned a lot, strip away everything but the guitar and you basically have the demo.
“Much Too Soon” is another one that McClain really saved from mediocrity. The guitar/vocal mix is so devoid of interest. Beautiful song, but without orchestration it’s very stale imo.
 
“Much Too Soon” is another one that McClain really saved from mediocrity. The guitar/vocal mix is so devoid of interest. Beautiful song, but without orchestration it’s very stale imo.
Wasn't there a mix with orchestration dating back to 1994? I thought only the accordion and horns were added posthumously.
 
“Like a two-edged sword” is there. You are right that the “throwing rocks at me” is gone. But even so, one alternate verse that may exist in the archives doesn’t mean that there’s a fully complete version that just wasn’t used (though it’s definitely a curious situation).

Yeah, the demo just isn’t good in my opinion. The remix is top-tier though.
I'm listening to it now. It is there, you're right. It's everything after, the throwing rocks at me, that's missing. Because of the switching it around it admittedly is just harder to keep track lol. I just know there's a lot more humming. And I like the way he sings along with the robots.

Point is it's been altered a little. I think it's fair to say he's sung a lot but there's still a part or two that I could imagine him covering in a 2nd verse. It sounds like he's more so covering the vocal melody before the melody. The main reason to believe there's more than one take is because the main reason the song wasn't released was copyright issues. The 2010 version has a lot of reverb on the vocals too, maybe that makes sense because it's a demo, or it's just part of the effect.

But you are right, that 90% of it is there. And even a little extra fun bits that weren't included the whole time . I like how stripped down this demo is, and raw.
 
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