Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
The Beatles
John Lennon once said "You haven't heard Sgt. Pepper until you've heard it in mono." In his book "The COMPLETE Beatles Recording Sessions" Beatles historian extraordinaire Mark Lewisohn includes this quote from Richard Lush, who was 2nd recording engineer on the album:
The only real version of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the mono version. The Beatles were all there for the mono mixes. Then, after the album was finished, George Martin, Geoff [Emerick] and I did the stereo in a few days, just the three of us, without a Beatle in sight. There are all sorts of things on the mono, little effects here and there, which the stereo does not have.
Lead engineer Geoff Emerick confirms this, and adds that they monitored all of the recordings in mono up in the control room. In his book Here, There and Everywhere Geoff Emerick says that the Beatles did not care much about the stereo mixes because of their low opinion of stereo, and also that he and George Martin would often experiment with the stereo mixes, adding in effects that were never approved by the Beatles.
So what are we missing? Is it worth it to run out and buy the mono version of Sgt. Pepper? Well, if it was simply a matter of buying it, I would say "Yes, go get it." Unfortunately, the mono versions are sold as a complete set. A bit expensive.It turns out that we are missing more than "little effects here and there." Let's listen to both versions song by song.
The title track Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is substantially the same on both, but the guitar part that follows the words "Bil-ly Shears" is front and center in mono, but mixed back in stereo.
WIth A Little Help From My Friends is very similar. There does seem to be a bit of phasing or flanging on Ringo's vocal in the chorus at times in mono, not in stereo.
Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds is a bit more noticeable. The mono version has very audible ADT (Artificial Double Tracking) on John's voice; this is missing on the stereo version. I think that the effect makes the mono version much dreamier (or psychedelic, if you prefer). Why only on mono? My only guess is that they may have added it while mixing the mono version, and the staff forgot to do it during the stereo mastering.
Fixing a Hole has a second or two of extra vocal by Paul in the fade out in the mono version that are missing in stereo. It is pretty low volume but he goes up into a high register. I guess it depends on how carefully you listen during the fades whether you would even notice this one.
Getting Better is pretty much the same.
She's Leaving Home is the most different and suggests a serious gaffe by the producer and engineers. In mono this track is sped up, seemingly to raise the vocals a bit higher and generally move the song along more. The stereo version is slower, 10 seconds longer, and solidly in the key of E (the mono version is almost in F, but a bit flat). I find it far-fetched to think that the Beatles let the wrong speed go through on the mono mix, and it seems to me that in the stereo mix session they forgot to speed it up. After hearing the mono version I find the stereo version harder to listen to.
Here is the start of the STEREO version.
Here is the start of the MONO version.
Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite has different background "carnival" effects in mono and stereo. In stereo the guitar just before "The band begins at ten to six..." is mixed more forward. Here I wonder if they meant to clean up some spots where the effects were not wanted, or maybe they had to repair the effects tape. After all, it was made by cutting up an original sound effects tape and splicing sections together, supposedly at random. It is feasible that one or two of the splices came loose and had to be repaired.
Within You Without You has four more seconds of laughter at the end in the mono version, and it is much louder. Maybe they thought that George was being too self-deprecating? In his book, Emerick does say the both he and George Martin tried to dissuade George from adding the laughter.
Here is the end of the STEREO version.
Here is the end of the MONO version.
When I'm Sixty-Four in mono has slightly louder background vocals in spots, especially noticeable at the "Oo's" 40 seconds into the song.
Lovely Rita and Good Morning, Good Morning are pretty much the same in mono and stereo.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) has several very obvious differences at the start. The mono version has a break between the chicken cluck and the guitar note it "turns into." This is fixed on the stereo version so that they flow together seamlessly. The mono version also has an extra bar before the count in with a some spoken words. In the mono version the crowd comes in clapping and cheering, whereas they are a more of a hubbub in the stereo one. Finally, Paul's vocal ad libs at the end are very clear in mono but very quiet in stereo. (Emerick explains that the "ad lib" was actually Paul's original guide vocal, merely meant to guide the recording of the instrumental backing parts, that leaked into the drum mics.)
Here is the cluck-into-guitar-note in STEREO.
A Day In The Life is pretty much the same on both. One odd difference shows up on the new remasters: this songs starts with the last chord of the Sgt. Pepper Reprise in mono, but in stereo the last chord is correctly placed with the Reprise. It is hard not to think that this is a sloppy edit. Of course, you will not hear it if you listen to the whole album.
So there you have the differences. Do they make you want the mono album as well as the stereo one? While most of these differences are minor, I have to admit that I actually prefer the mono version for most of the songs. The only annoying glitch is that first guitar note in the Reprise. I do enjoy listening to the stereo version with the instruments separated out more, but the missing effects and slower version of She's Leaving Home are a bit rankling.