Why was the Kikuchi score so inconsistently mixed?
Moderators: General Help, Kanzenshuu Staff
- PurestEvil
- I'm, pretty, cozy, here...
- Posts: 1948
- Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2020 2:34 pm
- Location: Constantinopolee!
Why was the Kikuchi score so inconsistently mixed?
Some of the tracks from the earliest arc of Dragon Ball were mixed in stereo, yet all the tracks from M0XX to M12XX--covering both TV shows--were mixed in mono (excluding M7XX). The rest of the soundtrack after that was stereo.
My simple question is: why?
Why did Toei do such a thing? Was it an oversight? Was their music department somehow limited within that span of 5 years? If there were stereo tapes, were the music distributers simply unable to access them? Is there even any information on this?
If there is, I would like to learn more about it...it makes me a tad salty, not gonna lie.
My simple question is: why?
Why did Toei do such a thing? Was it an oversight? Was their music department somehow limited within that span of 5 years? If there were stereo tapes, were the music distributers simply unable to access them? Is there even any information on this?
If there is, I would like to learn more about it...it makes me a tad salty, not gonna lie.
This post was brought to you by 魔族
Rest in Peace, Toriyama-san
Rest in Peace, Toriyama-san
Re: Why was the Kikuchi score so inconsistently mixed?
Speaking of the first batch of the Kikuchi score in the OG DB, it was recorded and mixed by Nippon Columbia with a soundtrack release in mind, so it's mixed in stereo and preserved in higher quality. This was confirmed by the producer of DBZ BGM Collection whom I contacted years ago. I guess M7XX received the same treatment as it's the beginning of a new series, but possibly the planned soundtrack release was cancelled for some reason. Maybe it's just that Columbia recorded the score along with the new theme songs. As for the ones mixed mono, Toei Music Publishing played a large part of the productions because they were produced purely for the background music usage. Toei Music Publishing seem to have switched to stereo from M13XX as monaural audio was seriously outdated at this point of time. This doesn't explain why M1XXX (DBZ Movie 3) was mixed in stereo though.
- PurestEvil
- I'm, pretty, cozy, here...
- Posts: 1948
- Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2020 2:34 pm
- Location: Constantinopolee!
Re: Why was the Kikuchi score so inconsistently mixed?
Ah, thanks for your input! I wonder, in which album were those stereo early DB tracks released?kei17 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 29, 2021 9:08 am Speaking of the first batch of the Kikuchi score in the OG DB, it was recorded and mixed by Nippon Columbia with a soundtrack release in mind, so it's mixed in stereo and preserved in higher quality. This was confirmed by the producer of DBZ BGM Collection whom I contacted years ago. I guess M7XX received the same treatment as it's the beginning of a new series, but possibly the planned soundtrack release was cancelled for some reason. Maybe it's just that Columbia recorded the score along with the new theme songs. As for the ones mixed mono, Toei Music Publishing played a large part of the productions because they were produced purely for the background music usage. Toei Music Publishing seem to have switched to stereo from M13XX as monaural audio was seriously outdated at this point of time. This doesn't explain why M1XXX (DBZ Movie 3) was mixed in stereo though.
Also, I never realized that the M10XX collection was in stereo...surely that means TOEI could have recorded the previous and succeeding two films' soundtracks in stereo, right?
This post was brought to you by 魔族
Rest in Peace, Toriyama-san
Rest in Peace, Toriyama-san
Re: Why was the Kikuchi score so inconsistently mixed?
All the tracks from the Dragon Ball: Ongakushu album are stereo; they were also included in the disc 2 of the Daizenshuu, from track 2 to 13.PurestEvil wrote: ↑Sat Oct 30, 2021 4:45 amAh, thanks for your input! I wonder, in which album were those stereo early DB tracks released?kei17 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 29, 2021 9:08 am Speaking of the first batch of the Kikuchi score in the OG DB, it was recorded and mixed by Nippon Columbia with a soundtrack release in mind, so it's mixed in stereo and preserved in higher quality. This was confirmed by the producer of DBZ BGM Collection whom I contacted years ago. I guess M7XX received the same treatment as it's the beginning of a new series, but possibly the planned soundtrack release was cancelled for some reason. Maybe it's just that Columbia recorded the score along with the new theme songs. As for the ones mixed mono, Toei Music Publishing played a large part of the productions because they were produced purely for the background music usage. Toei Music Publishing seem to have switched to stereo from M13XX as monaural audio was seriously outdated at this point of time. This doesn't explain why M1XXX (DBZ Movie 3) was mixed in stereo though.
Also, I never realized that the M10XX collection was in stereo...surely that means TOEI could have recorded the previous and succeeding two films' soundtracks in stereo, right?
- GhostEmperorX
- Regular
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2020 1:53 pm
Re: Why was the Kikuchi score so inconsistently mixed?
A rule of thumb: If they were released on CD, or mastered with CD specifications (16/44.1/2ch), they were definitely stereo tracks since that's what the redbook specification requires.
But if they were not intended to be released, as Kei said, then it makes sense that they were made in mono.
It does however beg the question, why would they do Mono at all even though the CD & by extension stereo had already taken off big time? Well I guess that's Toei for you.
Nippon Columbia is the label that provided the recording budget for this soundtrack (and also most other Kikuchi projects BTW), so if they released it on CD then it would have to be in stereo.
But if they were not intended to be released, as Kei said, then it makes sense that they were made in mono.
It does however beg the question, why would they do Mono at all even though the CD & by extension stereo had already taken off big time? Well I guess that's Toei for you.
Nippon Columbia is the label that provided the recording budget for this soundtrack (and also most other Kikuchi projects BTW), so if they released it on CD then it would have to be in stereo.
- linkdude20002001
- I Live Here
- Posts: 2613
- Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2005 4:22 pm
- Location: Marysville, Washington
Re: Why was the Kikuchi score so inconsistently mixed?
Planned releases do get canceled sometimes, so that makes sense. It's a shame they didn't plan to release the whole score. Hahakei17 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 29, 2021 9:08 am Speaking of the first batch of the Kikuchi score in the OG DB, it was recorded and mixed by Nippon Columbia with a soundtrack release in mind, so it's mixed in stereo and preserved in higher quality. This was confirmed by the producer of DBZ BGM Collection whom I contacted years ago. I guess M7XX received the same treatment as it's the beginning of a new series, but possibly the planned soundtrack release was cancelled for some reason. Maybe it's just that Columbia recorded the score along with the new theme songs. As for the ones mixed mono, Toei Music Publishing played a large part of the productions because they were produced purely for the background music usage. Toei Music Publishing seem to have switched to stereo from M13XX as monaural audio was seriously outdated at this point of time. This doesn't explain why M1XXX (DBZ Movie 3) was mixed in stereo though.
Do you know if Toei or Columbia still have the components of the music to re-mix the songs in stereo? I would assume they do, but just have been lazy.
If the music was sold at the time it was new, then it would be in stereo. So...this release from 1985 or 1986, on vinyl record and cassette, is why there are stereo tracks for early Dragon Ball, and is where the later releases get it from.PurestEvil wrote: ↑Sat Oct 30, 2021 4:45 am I wonder, in which album were those stereo early DB tracks released?
テレビまんがドラゴンボール音楽集 (テレビ ・オリジナル・サウンドトラック )
Terebi Manga Doragon Bо̄ru Ongakushū (Terebi Orijinaru Saundotorakku)
TV Cartoon Dragon Ball Music Collection (TV Original Soundtrack)
So when the tracks were released on CD as a part of the Dragon Ball & Dragon Ball Z Daizenshū (1994), Disc Two had all the stereo tracks from the Music Collection, plus additional songs...in mono.
The Many English Dubs of DB, DBZ, and DBGT
Viz Release Censorship Guide
Scsigs: "Y'know, it actually makes sense that they waited till today to announce [the 30th Anniversary] set. It's Akira Toriyama's birthday."
Shaddy: "I too want my legacy destroyed as a birthday gift."
Viz Release Censorship Guide
Scsigs: "Y'know, it actually makes sense that they waited till today to announce [the 30th Anniversary] set. It's Akira Toriyama's birthday."
Shaddy: "I too want my legacy destroyed as a birthday gift."
- kenisu3000
- OMG CRAZY REGEN
- Posts: 884
- Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2005 2:32 am
- Location: Places and stuff...
- Contact:
Re: Why was the Kikuchi score so inconsistently mixed?
Well, I've finally gotten around to working on a translation of the 5-disc Zenshuu booklet, and here's a little, not-so-encouraging snippet:linkdude20002001 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 07, 2021 4:04 pm Do you know if Toei or Columbia still have the components of the music to re-mix the songs in stereo? I would assume they do, but just have been lazy.
(Emphasis mine.)DISC 2 is a collection of music from the TV version of DRAGONBALL. In fact there exists an uncannily rare, single-disc music collection for DRAGONBALL that was released right after the show first went on the air. This was during a time when LPs were still in their heyday. It contained music cues from recording session no. 1, put together suite-style, but there was a plus factor in that it used the stereo-recorded takes by way of the raw editing elements. After all, not even Toei Animation has the stereo recordings from the first session. So for this release, we've decided to reproduce said music collection in full.
BGM forever! If only more people paid attention to it... well, I intend to change that.