From Hawaii to Las Vegas FTD mastered 5% too slow.

According to a contributor in the latest "Elvis the man & his music" magazine, the recent FTD rehearsal release runs 5% too slow. He blames Lene Reidel for this latest cock up. Anyone know what went wrong this time?

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Yes, there's flooding in the UK!

According to a contributor in the latest "Elvis the man & his music" magazine, the recent FTD rehearsal release runs 5% too slow. He blames Lene Reidel for this latest cock up. Anyone know what went wrong this time?

Looking on the bright side you got 5% extra running time for free .

Alan.

It is slow indeed.

steamroller blues sounded 'slow'~!

According to a contributor in the latest "Elvis the man & his music" magazine, the recent FTD rehearsal release runs 5% too slow. He blames Lene Reidel for this latest cock up. Anyone know what went wrong this time?

This was discussed at length on this forum when it was released. It does run too slow, likely at the tape transfer stage and no-one bothered to check it and correct it. I blame the producers for this - it's their responsibility to make sure things are just so and it's not rocket science to realise old cassette tapes made on old machines may not playback at the same pitch on new tape decks and may need some pitch tweaking. D'oh!

Funnily enough through the long discussion about the speed issue on this forum, many (most) acknowledged it but really didn't seem to care. Basically all songs play about a key lower than they should. A song in D, plays in C#. It is partly why Elvis sounds a little tired and "chilled out" - because the tape is not playing at the correct speed. I wrote this in July:

Perhaps the speed of the cassette deck is to blame?

It is probably a disconnect between the speed of the tape recorder and the speed of the playback deck used for the transfer to digital. Either way it is a very simply fix, one that hasn't been done. If I sound frustrated it is because - 1) I want to get this CD and 2) in order to enjoy it I will have to rip it to the computer, fix the tempo myself, and burn a CD-R and listen to that. For $50 (NZD) per title that is unacceptable to me. Why go to the trouble of acquiring a rare tape, designing pretty decent artwork, going through the hoops to get it released, only to screw up the most important aspect of the release for the consumers - the audio. And don't expect FTD to rectify this mistake - they didn't when re-issuing Live In LA and they seem all but unresponsive about recent mastering errors. I love FTD but damn...

What I find baffling is so many being perfectly okay with the audio playing significantly slower than it should be. Each to their own I guess.

viewtopic.php?p=1061581#p1061581

According to a contributor in the latest "Elvis the man & his music" magazine, the recent FTD rehearsal release runs 5% too slow. He blames Lene Reidel for this latest cock up. Anyone know what went wrong this time?

This was discussed at length on this forum when it was released. It does run too slow, likely at the tape transfer stage and no-one bothered to check it and correct it. I blame the producers for this - it's their responsibility to make sure things are just so and it's not rocket science to realise old cassette tapes made on old machines may not playback at the same pitch on new tape decks and may need some pitch tweaking. D'oh!

Funnily enough through the long discussion about the speed issue on this forum, many (most) acknowledged it but really didn't seem to care. Basically all songs play about a key lower than they should. A song in D, plays in C#. It is partly why Elvis sounds a little tired and "chilled out" - because the tape is not playing at the correct speed. I wrote this in July:

Perhaps the speed of the cassette deck is to blame?

It is probably a disconnect between the speed of the tape recorder and the speed of the playback deck used for the transfer to digital. Either way it is a very simply fix, one that hasn't been done. If I sound frustrated it is because - 1) I want to get this CD and 2) in order to enjoy it I will have to rip it to the computer, fix the tempo myself, and burn a CD-R and listen to that. For $50 (NZD) per title that is unacceptable to me. Why go to the trouble of acquiring a rare tape, designing pretty decent artwork, going through the hoops to get it released, only to screw up the most important aspect of the release for the consumers - the audio. And don't expect FTD to rectify this mistake - they didn't when re-issuing Live In LA and they seem all but unresponsive about recent mastering errors. I love FTD but damn...

What I find baffling is so many being perfectly okay with the audio playing significantly slower than it should be. Each to their own I guess.

http://elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewt ... 1#p1061581

I haven't got around to buying this FTD as yet, but not sure I will bother considering these issues. Another one to add to the list of FTD errors!

I haven't got around to buying this FTD as yet, but not sure I will bother considering these issues. Another one to add to the list of FTD errors!

There are about 117 titles from the Follow That Dream label since 1999, including several books. Do the math. It is an unprecedented run of fan-minded, non-primary releases, given an artist as famous and successful as Elvis Presley.

Please share with us your list of "errors," so we may learn how many great Presley performances you do not own!

I haven't got around to buying this FTD as yet, but not sure I will bother considering these issues. Another one to add to the list of FTD errors!

There are about 117 releases from the Follow That Dream label since 1999, including several books. It is an unprecedented run of fan-minded, non-primary releases, given an artist as famous and successful as Elvis Presley.

Please share with us your list of "errors," so we may learn how many great Presley performances you do not own!

No matter how unprecedented the amount of releases, these items are coming out with errors. The occasional one is acceptable, but FTD fail to learn by their mistakes. And a whole disc running at the wrong spped is unacceptable, wouldn't you say? Or are you happy to pay £20 a pop for a CD that sounds nothing like Elvis did when it was recorded?

No matter how unprecedented the amount of releases, these items are coming out with errors.

Please. You devote a lot of time slagging FTD for very trivial miscues.

Again, show us THE LIST.

And we would like to know, out of those 117 titles, how many do you actually own?

We're curious to see how much moral high ground you can legitimately take if you don't own any, which is likely the case.

The occasional one is acceptable, but FTD fail to learn by their mistakes. And a whole disc running at the wrong spped is unacceptable, wouldn't you say? Or are you happy to pay £20 a pop for a CD that sounds nothing like Elvis did when it was recorded?

These are fair points. After all, these are not bargain bin products. Each regular title costs me $50 a pop. That's 2 1/2 times the price of new mainstream titles. So I'll afford myself the right to complain when mistakes happen. The tape running too slow making it to the final product speaks "amateur production".

Your primary goal should be to find a better vendor. $50 is ridiculous.

Your secondary goal should be to wait until release reviews before making your purchase. Then you will never have to complain about terrible errors ruining your listening pleasure, while lightening your wallet.

Bitching on an internet forum will only waste bandwidth.

No matter how unprecedented the amount of releases, these items are coming out with errors.

Please. You devote a lot of time slagging FTD for very trivial miscues.

Again, show us THE LIST.

And we would like to know, out of those 117 titles, how many do you actually own?

We're curious to see how much moral high ground you can legitimately take if you don't own any, which is likely the case.

I'm sure you are well aware of which titles features production problems and which don't. It's baffling a fan like yourself would deem the likes of mastering errors and serious grammatical mistakes in premium products like these as "trivial miscues" - it's not like they've just started occurring! 'We' would like to know why this is so. Please tell 'us' why they are all so trivial. Perhaps you can show 'us' a list of FTDs you own and tell 'us' which one do not have production problems?

Fans should appreciate what they listen to I seriously think - At least we are able to hear some rarities we have not heard before - At least Ftd delivers some great material for us fans - Its much better that usual releases avaiable at local cd retailers - I seem to find regular cd compilations at stores such as Hmv etc -So lets please not bicker or complain of material that has been released by Ftd - If They seem slower it could be tech probs etc - At least folks they may be future releases in future - This is what i believe - Majority of not all Ftd cds rock just like Elvis - Amen -

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Last edited by karlos on Sat Dec 01, 2012 1:58 am, edited 1 time in total.

Your primary goal should be to find a better vendor. $50 is ridiculous.

The same vendor as you. There is no local FTD dealer in New Zealand, I have to import them. $50 NZD is the resulting cost of a title plus postage, give or take on the rates. It is what it is.

Your secondary goal should be to wait until release reviews before making your purchase. Then you will never have to complain about terrible errors ruining your listening pleasure, while lightening your wallet.

Oh believe you me, I've been doing this for a while now. Waiting for reviews of FTD products in anticipation of another production issue or baffling creative decision is a no brainer. Waiting for FTD to correct production problems prior to ordering was also part of this wisdom, but they don't seem to own up to or fix problems these days.

Bitching on an internet forum will only waste bandwidth.

As is bitching about our views.

It's baffling a fan like yourself would deem the likes of mastering errors and serious grammatical mistakes in premium products like these as "trivial miscues" ...

Put up or shut up.

117 releases.

Please list for all:

1) Mastering errors
2) Serious grammatical mistakes

Then let us discuss who is being pedantic and who is being rational.

It's baffling a fan like yourself would deem the likes of mastering errors and serious grammatical mistakes in premium products like these as "trivial miscues" ...

Put up or shut up.

117 releases.

Please list for all:

1) Mastering errors
2) Serious grammatical mistakes

Then let us discuss who is being pedantic and who is being rational.

Too Much Monkey Business (2000) - mastering error on Loving Arms
Easter Special (2001) - mastering errors resulting in digital clicking and noise throughout.
New Year's Eve (2003) - mastering errors resulting in digital noise.
So High (2003) - production fault on So High (take 1). FTD replaced the disc.
Elvis Today (2005) - mastering error resulting in significant volume mismatch between master takes and outtakes.
Unchained Melody (2007) - mastering error on Where No One Stands Alone.
Live In LA (2007) - mastering error, tape has not been speed corrected and thus runs too slow.
Elvis (Fool) (2010) - production error on disc 2 resulting in repeated take of Fool. FTD replaced the disc.
Live In LA (Again! - 2011) - straight CD re-issue of the book's CD. Previous mastering error not fixed.
Stage Rehearsal (2011) - mastering glitch on Patch It Up guitar solo.
Fashion For A King (2011) - legendary for its terrible grammatical problems and ironically FTD's best selling book.
Our Memories Of Elvis (2012) - mastering error on Are You Sincere.
Welcome Home Elvis (2012) - many grammatical problems.
From Hawaii To Vegas (2012) - mastering error, tape has not been speed corrected and thus runs too slow.
From Memphis To Hollywood (2012) - grammatical problems, though less that its predecessor.
Hits Of The 70s (2012) - incorrect version of My Way in place of the correct 1977 single.

And this list ignores such releases as Southern Nights (2006), featuring terribly sloppy editing work between songs, and does not delve into the arena of questionable creative decisions on some recent titles. What this list does reveal is that there is an upsurge in problems in the last couple of years, and that furthermore FTD have gotten quieter and quieter in addressing customer complaints, adopting a sort of "lalalalalalala, can't hear you" approach. But here's anticipating a "rational" rebuttal that these releases either do not have any problems, that the problems are "trivial", or that FTD have released so many wonderful titles without problems that those with production issues can be all but ignored and forgiven. Maybe "we'll" be surprised.

I tend to sit in the camp that fans who highlight issues have a voice that helps facilitate change - such as the significant shift in audio mastering aesthetics beginning with Kevan Budd in 2004, brought on in part because the hardcore fan base had been calling out for improved audio-work for sometime.

Thank you, Matthew.

*

If there have been 117 FTD releases, I'm quite positive that with all of the errors put together they would total more than 117 (probably in Fashion for a King alone!).

I find it quite disturbing that our resident "guru" is defending an official release that runs 5% slower than it should do.

The defence of such a release simply goes to show the amount of bias in that person's posts regarding what is and what isn't good. Either the Doc doesn't care how the music is presented to him (unlikely), or his own associations skew his critiques of releases (something which has been obvious for some time now). Or, alternatively, he's on FTDs payroll.

1.) There is no excuse for a CD to be released at the wrong speed.
2.) There is no excuse for a track listing to be incorrect.
3.) There is no excuse for a technical glitch on a CD pressing, or mastering errors, or production faults
4.) There is no excuse for grammatical/spelling errors in books and booklets to the extent that we see from FTD.

If you (anyone) can defend the above, or if you (anyone) don't care about the above, then any comments you (anyone) make on this forum lose all credibility, because it means you basically don't give a sh*t about the music or the performer.

If you can tell us any good reason why any of points 1-4 are acceptable on a release by one of the biggest companies in the world (which FTD is an offshoot of), then please do so.

If you can tell us any good reason why a fan who has shelled out good money for a release should accept without complaint any of points 1-4. then please do so.

No doubt a reply will come back saying that we should be thankful for FTD, they do a wonderful job on a small budget, blah blah blah. But it's old news. It doesn't take a big budget to sit down with a finished product and listen to it to make sure it has no errors. That's one hour of time.

[Too Much Monkey Business (2000) - mastering error on Loving Arms
Easter Special (2001) - mastering errors resulting in digital clicking and noise throughout.
New Year's Eve (2003) - mastering errors resulting in digital noise.
So High (2003) - production fault on So High (take 1). FTD replaced the disc.
Elvis Today (2005) - mastering error resulting in significant volume mismatch between master takes and outtakes.
Unchained Melody (2007) - mastering error on Where No One Stands Alone.
Live In LA (2007) - mastering error, tape has not been speed corrected and thus runs too slow.
Elvis (Fool) (2010) - production error on disc 2 resulting in repeated take of Fool. FTD replaced the disc.
Live In LA (Again! - 2011) - straight CD re-issue of the book's CD. Previous mastering error not fixed.
Stage Rehearsal (2011) - mastering glitch on Patch It Up guitar solo.
Fashion For A King (2011) - legendary for its terrible grammatical problems and ironically FTD's best selling book.
Our Memories Of Elvis (2012) - mastering error on Are You Sincere.
Welcome Home Elvis (2012) - many grammatical problems.
From Hawaii To Vegas (2012) - mastering error, tape has not been speed corrected and thus runs too slow.
From Memphis To Hollywood (2012) - grammatical problems, though less that its predecessor.
Hits Of The 70s (2012) - incorrect version of My Way in place of the correct 1977 single.

Looking at your list without question shows 16 titles out of 117.

That's 14% of all releases since 1999. Or, to put it another way, you choose to ignore the fact that 86% of the Follow That Dream catalog cannot be faulted. That sounds like an excellent batting average for a fan-based, secondary label.

Now, let's take a closer look at your list.

First of all, you own each of these, correct? The other complainer went silent on this one. What a surprise.

Secondly, both So High and Elvis (Fool) issued replacement discs, and yet they remain on a list of "errors"? Do they still press the disc that needed to be recalled? "Damned if you do, damned if you don't" must be your philosophy.

Thirdly, the track of complaint on Hits of the 70's was a bonus cut and has not been verified as "incorrect."

Finally, the books you list do not have "grammatical problems."

They do unfortunately have errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar. Perhaps you should be more sympathetic.

In addition, these books were under the FTD imprint, but managed by people who are not a part of the core FTD team. Their publication was approved primarily because of the rare and beautiful photographic content.

So, by any fair measure, we can knock that 16 count down to 10, and this makes titles with "errors" to 9% of all FTD releases.

91% of this fan label's product is pretty darn good. What in God's name is your problem?

Have a nice day.

What did I tell ya folks!

What did I tell ya folks!

So glad you invested in my reply as I did yours.

The truth hurts, as I knew it would.

It shall be noted that neither you nor the other complainer bothered to respond to my question about how many of these "error-laden" products you have purchased. Your silence is all the answer I need.

We'll enjoy the label and the hours and hours of great material from FTD, and the hundreds of beautiful, unpublished images of Elvis Presley, more than 30 years since he died.

You two can sit in a circle and complain about CDs and books you don't own.

Have fun!

What did I tell ya folks!

So glad you invested in my reply as I did yours.

The truth hurts, as I knew it would.

It shall be noted that neither you nor the other complainer bothered to respond to my question about how many of these "error-laden" products you have purchased. Your silence is all the answer I need.

We'll enjoy the label and the hours and hours of great material from FTD, and the hundreds of beautiful, unpublished images of Elvis Presley, more than 30 years since he died.

You two can sit in a circle and complain about CDs and books you don't own.

Have fun!

Your opinion is not truth, sorry if that truth hurts.

You didn't invest in my reply, you (pre)dismissed it - as anticipated.

As for how may of these I own, how many do you think? Does it change the problems inherent with the products? Oh right - they are problem free!

I, like many others enjoy all the excellent - and there are many of them - FTD titles that are error free from throughout their vast run (and have praised them on this very forum!) But a high batting average doesn't remove the right to stick one's hand up and go "ahem, excuse me?" when a run of problems occur.

I'd like to ask the Doc a question.

If you went on to Amazon and bought an official EMI CD of outtakes from the Beatles Abbey Road sessions, and found out that it was mastered 5% too slow, would you be happy with the release?

A yes or no answer will suffice

Here's a few more errors fans...
The stereo master of 'Angel' on the 'FTD' FTD sounds a little wobbly compared to the TCM version.
The cover of the 'Wild In The Country' FTD stated Presely on the spine (they did replace that one)
'Tuscon '76' anyone... replaced quietly on the sly
The original 'Girl Happy' had the wrong take of 'You'll Be Gone' plus an all new tinny reverb on the masters. Had to buy the repress for that one!!
I know it's a fan/collectors label but as mentioned they aren't cheap, they never get reduced into a bargain bin and more importantly they do have a pretty big mother label, it would only take a test press to be looked and listened to with some keen eyes and ears!! I can't seem to remember many of the mass market Elvis releases having as many, if any, errors...