Journey - "Separate Ways"

I just did the edit myself. The 45 version is the same as the 1983 video so you can use that as a reference.

Man is that a goofy video.

Indy500 wrote: The 45 version is the same as the 1983 video so you can use that as a reference. Man is that a goofy video.

It is a classic 80's video made on a low budget with no special effects. I know we don't mention much of what is going on in the outside world, but I could not help but mention this quarantined family out of boredom decided to recreate that goofy video.

Please help me if I get that bored...

https://vimeo.com/404483016

LP version

I have the LP version on Columbia's Journey Greatest Hits (1988), where it runs 5:24 and sounds just fine. The 1996 rerelease of GH is just a differently-EQ'd digital clone of the 1988 version.

There's a different analog transfer on Columbia's Journey 3-CD Time (1992), where it also runs 5:24 and also sounds just fine. The very end of the fade has a little noise that's cut shorter on Time, which is pretty insignificant.

The Time set is relatively inexpensive, and is my preferred mastering for the song, although there really isn't much difference between Time and the 1988 GH. Both have great dynamic range, nice EQ, and no evidence of any added noise reduction.

If you're going to use GH to recreate the 45 edit, the timings will be later by about 0.2 seconds and the beginning of the song and about 0.5 seconds at the end of the song. (GH runs about 0.08% slower than Time, which is completely insignificant under normal circumstances.)

45 version

I don't know the actual speed at which the 45 runs, so I'm going to assume that the speed on Time is correct. Using Time as the source, here are editing instructions for creating the 45 edit:

Segment 1
Begins on opening keyboard note, which is on a downbeat
40 beats long
Ends on a downbeat
Extends from 0:00 to 0:18.3 of LP version and 45 version

Remove the 16 beats from 0:18.3 to 0:25.6 of the LP version.

Segment 2
Begins on a downbeat
180 beats long
Ends on a downbeat
Extends from 0:18.3 to 1:41.4 of the 45 version
Extends from 0:25.6 to 1:48.6 of the LP version

Remove the 16 beats from 1:48.6 to 1:55.9 of the LP version.

Segment 3
Begins on a downbeat
236 beats long
Ends on a downbeat
Extends from 1:41.4 to 3:29.1 of the 45 version
Extends from 1:55.9 to 3:43.6 of the LP version

Remove the 32 beats from 3:43.6 to 3:58.1 of the LP version.

Segment 4
Begins on a downbeat
96 beats long
Ends on a downbeat
Extends from 3:29.1 to 4:12.4 of the 45 version
Extends from 3:58.1 to 4:41.5 of the LP version

Remove the 64 beats from 4:41.5 to 5:10.4 of the LP version.

Segment 5
Begins on a downbeat
24 beats long
Ends on the last note
Extends from 4:12.4 to 4:26.3 (with outro silence) of the 45 version
Extends from 5:10.4 to 5:24.3 (with outro silence) of the LP version

Your mixdown will run 4:26, with edits at 0:18.3, 1:41.4, 3:29.1, and 4:12.4.

I know of just three CDs that include the 45 version.

The oldest is Realm's mail-order Gold And Platinum (1986), which runs 4:27. Here, it runs about 0.33% slower than Time. It doesn't sound great here; the high end is pretty muffled. Still, it has a great dynamic range and no evidence of added noise reduction.

Next, it's on the original pressing of Priority's Eighties Greatest Rock Hits Vol. 3 Arena Rock (1992), where it runs about 0.29% faster than Time. It sounds pretty good here, which is a pleasant surprise for a release on Priority. Decent dynamic range (although it's a little loud and clips a bit), good EQ, and no evidence of any added noise reduction. Priority lost the rights to Journey tracks (sometime around 1994), and rereleased this disc, replacing "Separate Ways" with a Pat Travers song.

It's also on a UK promo disc called BBC Hits Of '83, where it has a severely muffled high end. I didn't like the sound here.

My recommendations

For the LP version, I like Columbia's Journey 3-CD Time (1992), but the 1988 release of Greatest Hits will work just fine.

For the 45 version, I made my own edit from Time, using the instructions above. (If the Realm disc runs too slow, and the Priority disc runs too fast, then Time runs just right. Goldilocks and all that.)