London Symphony Orch. - Star Wars 45

Pat:

The various artist compilation CD Reel Blockbusters (Hip-O 40167) is listed in the database, but nowhere is it indicated that "Star Wars (Main Title)" is available on this CD. According to www.allmusic.com, the song is shown as running 5:37 on the disc. Run times aren't always listed accurately on the website, so I'd like to ask... Does the Reel Blockbusters CD contain the long 45 version or a re-recorded version?

Roscoe wrote: ...the 45 version can be recreated from the commercially available soundtrack CD. The first part of the 45 version is from the "Main Title" track, while the last part is from the "Throne Room/End Credits" track.

I'm a little confused by this statement. I was able to successfully create the short 45 version from the 5:18 version on "Instrumental Magic." I would presume this is the same as the 5:20 version on the O.S.T., no?

I'm also puzzled by the above statment that says

This single uses most of the LP version of "Star Wars - Main Title," then splices to the middle of the "End Title" music.

Based on this info, I would conclude that the 45 is different from the LP, but there are no designators for 45/LP version in the database.

aaronk wrote: Roscoe wrote: ...the 45 version can be recreated from the commercially available soundtrack CD. The first part of the 45 version is from the "Main Title" track, while the last part is from the "Throne Room/End Credits" track. I'm a little confused by this statement. I was able to successfully create the short 45 version from the 5:18 version on "Instrumental Magic." I would presume this is the same as the 5:20 version on the O.S.T., no? I'm also puzzled by the above statment that says This single uses most of the LP version of "Star Wars - Main Title," then splices to the middle of the "End Title" music. Based on this info, I would conclude that the 45 is different from the LP, but there are no designators for 45/LP version in the database.

I think I figured out the confusion. When I posted that
back in 2006 (! wow, how the time flies), I was using the
2 disc "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope Original Motion
Picture Soundtrack" CD as my source. I didn't realize at
the time that this CD contained a remixed version of the
soundtrack with some substantial differences from the
original vinyl soundtrack LP. On this CD, the "Main
Title" track runs 2:14 and therefore does not match the
original 45 long version or soundtrack LP. This version
appears on a few listings in the database as "neither 45
nor LP version". Using this CD as a source, I had to
combine pieces of the remixed "Main Title" and "End
Titles" tracks to match the original short 45, which was
why I indicated such in my post from 2006.

The "Main Title" track on the first CD release of the
soundtrack and the 1993 Original Trilogy box set does
indeed run 5:20 and matches the "long" 45 version. This
is correctly listed in the database. The short 45 version
can be recreated from this version by making several very
awkward edits. I don't have the original vinyl
soundtrack LP but my understanding is that the 1993
soundtrack CD and the original vinyl soundtrack both
match the long 45 version (5:20 length).

Bottom line: Avoid the 2004 remixed soundtrack CD if you
are seeking the original LP/long 45 version.



Edited by Roscoe

eriejwg wrote: Would someone mind posting the edit points to recreate the short 45 version?

The best sound quality is on the 2018 CD released by Walt Disney Records.

For authenticity, though, you'll want to start with a mid-'80s mastering. This way you get the same tape dropouts and dynamic range compression that were on the 1977 releases. I used Hear the Light vol. II (1984). They used the same source for the 1983 and 1986 double CD of the soundtrack, so these instructions will work for those releases as well.

If using Audition, one of the Data preferences you can set is the amount of crossfade at the edit points. I recommend 8 milliseconds in order to approximate the angled tape splices.

1. speed up by 0.723% (Audition: interpret sample rate as 44419, then resample to 44100; Audacity: use Change Speed effect) [I verified the speed against 2 different rips]

2. trim leading silence; first real peak at -24 dB should be at 0.007 seconds

3. cut 0:07.430 to 0:48.840

4. from what remains, cut 0:49.341 to 1:30.316 (halfway in between the last two orchestra hits)

5. from what remains, cut 1:39.478 to 3:12.435 (halfway in between the short horn stab and the long one)

Sorry I don't have the exact edit points for the 2018 remaster.

As mentioned, the edits will sound abrupt, but that's how it is on the 45.

Edited by mjb50