Star Trek: The Next Generation - Opening Theme (Season 1 version)

[captainjellico]

Hey,

Does anyone have a version of the Main Theme or opening credits for Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1? Specifically without SFX?

It's Dennis McCarthy's arrangement of Jerry Goldsmith's theme that was just used for the first season. It's erroneously listed on some releases as the season 1 version when actually they've used the season 3 version. You can tell the difference in the orchestration (the season 1 version has much higher strings). They've got it mislabelled on the Crescendo/La La Land CDs (for example on the Encounter At Farpoint/The Arsenal Of Freedom release).

To my knowledge the theme has never been commercially available, so I was wondering if anyone had a dub or edit of it.

I'd love the closing credits too if anyone has them.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!

 

[KirkPicard]

Have been awaiting a proper commercial release of TNG season 1 theme as heard on TV since 1987. Alas, IIRC in the liner notes of one of the lalaland TNG collections, it was mentioned that the recording of this version was lost/damaged.

 

[Admiral Archer]

Have been awaiting a proper commercial release of TNG season 1 theme as heard on TV since 1987. Alas, IIRC in the liner notes of one of the lalaland TNG collections, it was mentioned that the recording of this version was lost/damaged.

This breaks my heart, as the orchestration of the intro in Season 1 TNG is my favorite tv series theme EVER, and my second or third favorite recording of Jerry Goldsmith's Star Trek fanfare (after the theatrical version of the TMP main title and the End Credits from First Contact)

 

[Mysterion]

Have never liked the way they sped-up Goldsmith's arrangement of this music.

 

[Jason T]

Hi,
I'm a little late to post, but better late than never. Anyway, I've always loved the TNG Season 1 theme used on TV and had been hoping for years that that version would be released. But after the last disappointment with the 50th anniversary album, I thought I would try and recreate the theme myself. I began this project on Dec. 28, 2016 and finished it just last week.

I took the TNG theme that was released with the 50th anniversary album and used that as my main track then cleaned up, equalized, and layered the TV theme over it piece by piece. Listening for every little nuance and adding or adjusting it accordingly. There are a few pieces I couldn't properly restore, so I had to get creative and used pieces of the season 1 ending theme for filler.

I must have started from scratch at least five times during this time while I got acquainted with audacity, but I must say at this point its probably as close to an official release as were going to get.

I hope you enjoy!

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[Sidewinder]

Hi,
I'm a little late to post, but better late than never. Anyway, I've always loved the TNG Season 1 theme used on TV and had been hoping for years that that version would be released. But after the last disappointment with the 50th anniversary album, I thought I would try and recreate the theme myself. I began this project on Dec. 28, 2016 and finished it just last week.

I took the TNG theme that was released with the 50th anniversary album and used that as my main track then cleaned up, equalized, and layered the TV theme over it piece by piece. Listening for every little nuance and adding or adjusting it accordingly. There are a few pieces I couldn't properly restore, so I had to get creative and used pieces of the season 1 ending theme for filler.

I must have started from scratch at least five times during this time while I got acquainted with audacity, but I must say at this point its probably as close to an official release as were going to get.

I hope you enjoy!

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Well done sir! I don't know if I ever did hear season one's version (I was 4), but I like what I hear with this. The latter versions seemed to speed though it too much.

 

[TV's Frank]

Hey,

Does anyone have a version of the Main Theme or opening credits for Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1? Specifically without SFX?

It's Dennis McCarthy's arrangement of Jerry Goldsmith's theme that was just used for the first season. It's erroneously listed on some releases as the season 1 version when actually they've used the season 3 version. You can tell the difference in the orchestration (the season 1 version has much higher strings). They've got it mislabelled on the Crescendo/La La Land CDs (for example on the Encounter At Farpoint/The Arsenal Of Freedom release).

To my knowledge the theme has never been commercially available, so I was wondering if anyone had a dub or edit of it.

I'd love the closing credits too if anyone has them.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!

No doubt if you can find a copy of the original 1987 album release (LP, cassette and CD!) of the Encounter at Farpoint score, on GNP Crescendo, then I'm sure that version of the main title is the proper season 1 recording. I might actually pretty cheap, seeing as how the expanded edition pretty much supersedes it.

 

[KirkPicard]

Hi,
I'm a little late to post, but better late than never. Anyway, I've always loved the TNG Season 1 theme used on TV and had been hoping for years that that version would be released. But after the last disappointment with the 50th anniversary album, I thought I would try and recreate the theme myself. I began this project on Dec. 28, 2016 and finished it just last week.

I took the TNG theme that was released with the 50th anniversary album and used that as my main track then cleaned up, equalized, and layered the TV theme over it piece by piece. Listening for every little nuance and adding or adjusting it accordingly. There are a few pieces I couldn't properly restore, so I had to get creative and used pieces of the season 1 ending theme for filler.

I must have started from scratch at least five times during this time while I got acquainted with audacity, but I must say at this point its probably as close to an official release as were going to get.

I hope you enjoy!

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Fantastic work, thank you!

 

[captainjellico]

Have been awaiting a proper commercial release of TNG season 1 theme as heard on TV since 1987. Alas, IIRC in the liner notes of one of the lalaland TNG collections, it was mentioned that the recording of this version was lost/damaged.

Gutted to hear this The beauty of this arrangement is that it isn't perfect. There are some tuning and intonation issues with the violins for example, when they try to reach the higher notes. In the second season version they've subtly re-arranged this as they obviously picked up on the issue! I guess people have reached out to Dennis McCarthy to see if he has it somewhere? It seems amazing that we have all the versions of the TOS theme tune from 50 years ago, but can't find this one

Hi,
I'm a little late to post, but better late than never. Anyway, I've always loved the TNG Season 1 theme used on TV and had been hoping for years that that version would be released. But after the last disappointment with the 50th anniversary album, I thought I would try and recreate the theme myself. I began this project on Dec. 28, 2016 and finished it just last week.

I took the TNG theme that was released with the 50th anniversary album and used that as my main track then cleaned up, equalized, and layered the TV theme over it piece by piece. Listening for every little nuance and adding or adjusting it accordingly. There are a few pieces I couldn't properly restore, so I had to get creative and used pieces of the season 1 ending theme for filler.

I must have started from scratch at least five times during this time while I got acquainted with audacity, but I must say at this point its probably as close to an official release as were going to get.

I hope you enjoy!

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This is good work Jason, thank you! Are you able to post a link to a WAV/mp3 of the track for us to download? I'd PM you but I haven't been a member here long enough

 

[Jason T]

I really appreciate the positive feedback from everyone. I poured my blood, sweat and tears into this, I'm glad everyone likes it.

Gutted to hear this The beauty of this arrangement is that it isn't perfect. There are some tuning and intonation issues with the violins for example, when they try to reach the higher notes. In the second season version they've subtly re-arranged this as they obviously picked up on the issue! I guess people have reached out to Dennis McCarthy to see if he has it somewhere? It seems amazing that we have all the versions of the TOS theme tune from 50 years ago, but can't find this one



This is good work Jason, thank you! Are you able to post a link to a WAV/mp3 of the track for us to download? I'd PM you but I haven't been a member here long enough

I posted a link to the mp3 at the bottom of the video's description on youtube.

 

[captainjellico]

I posted a link to the mp3 at the bottom of the video's description on youtube.

Much obliged sir, thank you! You've done a very good job.

 

[ThankQ]

End Credits from First Contact

I love the main title theme to First Contact. First Contact is Trek's best outing, musically.

 

[tomswift2002]

I guess people have reached out to Dennis McCarthy to see if he has it somewhere? It seems amazing that we have all the versions of the TOS theme tune from 50 years ago, but can't find this one.

In terms of whether the tape survived, it might depend on what manufacturer of tape was used for the recording/mastering. In the 70’s and 80’s, tape by AMPEX was considered one of the top of the line for audio and video tapes out there. But in the 90’s it was found that AMPEX had used a very dry binder or “glue” that held the magnetic particles to the tape, and when they went to play back these tapes (for archiving on digital tape or copying for filling a request), even after baking them and trying to reactivate the binder, the magnetic particles would just fall right off the tape and the tape was unusable. Now then AMPEX wasn’t the only manufacturer this happened to (each manufacturer would use their own formula for the binder), but it is the one that it happens to the most. So if they used AMPEX tape to master the Season 1 theme, it could be the tape is in the trash because it, literally, fell apart. And they might have other copies (such as a consumer audio cassette dub) but they might not be the quality the are looking for. I know there have been issues with albums from the 70’s and 80’s when the went to reissue them on CD as some of their album masters have disintegrated.