This is true. The Mercury team referred to all the 2-mic experimental recordings as "binaural" to
separate them as a class from "stereo" 3-channel recordings. Because thrre-track tapes were lost in
a handful of cases, the "binaural" edited master was what was used for the CD. If I remember
correctly it's fewer than 5 cases, maybe only 1 or 2. (There are other cases where the 2-track tape
recorded from the live 3-2 mix when the LP was cut was used, again because the 3-track master was
lost, only a handful of those cases too).
I think, in the early stereo days, only Emory Cook consistently recorded true "binaural" tapes, in
other words those designed to be listened to through headphones only.
-- Tom Fine
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Stamler" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2014 12:14 AM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Accidental stereo (again)
> On 9/3/2014 2:11 PM, DAVID BURNHAM wrote:
>> Traditionally, "binaural" means designed to be listened to using head phones. In other words,
>> each channel is designed to reach only one ear. Usually these recordings are made using an
>> artificial head or a single pair of mikes spaced roughly 20cms apart with a baffle in between.
>> Spot mikes shouldn't be employed. It is difficult to convert such a source to a true stereo
>> recording.
>
> All true, and this is the classic definition of "binaural". But for decades the word was
> occasionally and loosely used to denote any two-channel recording system. Caused no end of
> confusion.
>
> Peace,
> Paul
>
>
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