In the 60’s the prevailing way to listen to music was in your car or a transistor radio. The concept of stereo–two channels independent of each other–was largely kept for classical music. This music was listened to at home on ‘hi-fi’s’. (Ugh–awful word, wasn’t it?)
The 60’s record buying public was teenagers. Teens drove cars with radios cranked, listened to music on the beach, at the pool, in soda shops, at dances, etc. Music was presented to fit the way these consumers heard it. One speaker–whether in a car, on a radio, or jukebox. The radio music for teenagers was on AM frequencies, which is by definition a weak way to reproduce music. Mono was an essential part of a teenager’s protoplasm in the 60’s.
Record labels mixed music so the bass/drums were up with the vocals, so it grabbed the teenage listener immediately. Here’s an example (from vinyl) of how a single would come crashing out of your hinky-dinky speaker:
Now I’m going to make you a mono audiophile–give you some examples how to discern a mono mix from a stereo mix. Sound like fun? Alright, so not fun, but maybe interesting?
Now, the difference between mono and stereo is, of course, that mono is ‘centered’–the music is the same in left and right channels. Stereo can have very different things in each channel. For instance, the US stereo Rubber Soul had vocals on one side, music on the other. However, when a mono mix vs a stereo mix was made, different instruments would be brought to the fore. This is the heart of music collectors’ love for a mono mix–many times what you hear is different than the stereo.
Here’s the end to Crystal Blue Persuasion…first the mono
And stereo…..Tommy’s vocal buried, no trumpets, shorter, etc
The record company didn’t like Laura Nyro’s ‘Jesus’ reference….
So when the mono single was cut, she re-sang the whole song!
Here’s an easy one……First, the stereo
Now the mono single–same vocal, great new backing track, replete with sleigh bells!
The Stones ‘Beggars Banquet’ album in mono is not “true” mono–which is to say, it is not a dedicated mono mix, just both stereo channels pushed together (called a ‘fold down)……..except for this song.
And There will be more! I’ll hopefully put a second page up next week, more music and less yakking from me. In the meantime, keep on ‘retro rockin’.