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Re: arsclist Assistance for Armenian Ethnomusicology Archive
At 10:54 AM 10/29/2002 +0100, George Brock-Nannestad wrote:
From: George Brock-Nannestad, Preservation Tactics
Dear All,
while the Americans are quibbling about who knows the most
about the usefulness of US equipment for Armenian use, please
consider the following quotes from the original query:
"we need
advice which kind of equipment we need for rerecording (very
detailed,
with prices) on CD , to preserve our archives."
----- this also means practical advice on how to connect to a sound
card, for instance in a computer.
Not necessarily. A standalone recorder may be the preferred solution to
capture the recording; subsequent processing from the digital master is
another issue.
" recorded on
cassetes and some of them still on an open-reel magnetic tape.
the records
was made by portable mashine started from 1930-1988."
----- do note that they were recorded on cassettes! And it seems
that some mechanical recordings must also exist, at least before
ca. 1952. A whole new can of worms
Because of the Philips patents, there is little question about transferring
cassettes. Again, a standalone CD recorder may be used for capture. The
issue then resolves to dealing with the open-reel tapes which are likely to
be the most difficult to work with.
"Of course
we'll be glad to make a sound restoration at the mean time, but it
depends on the cost of equipment"
----- so it is preservation copying by the cheapest means. Some
loss of quality is inavoidable, but speeds, equalisations may be
corrected at the cost of signal-to-noise ratios later.
Exactly. SNR implications from an analogue source tape are unlikely to be
serious; the dynamic range of 16-bit digitizing is great enough that one
can throw away even 20 db without degradation.
"we will be happy even with used one"
"may be even this way we can find persons who can donate a used
equipment"
----- so, as they are not likely to bid on Ebay, do donate!
Adequate cassette hardware is not unlikely to be donated or inexpensive. I
purchased a new standalone CD recorder (Philips CDR 778) last week for less
than $200. But a suitable open-reel recorder, even used, will run several
times that, will require a reasonably sophisticated operator and is
otherwise the key to the process in hand. I believe that that is the reason
our focus has been on that aspect.
I believe that the institution in question must be:
Erevan Komitas State Conservatory Library
Date founded: 1926
Sayat-Nova 1a
375009 Erevan
Telephone: +374 (2) 581 164
Subjects:
Music/Music performance.
Media:
Books. Periodicals. Scores/libretti/music
There are local institutions in Yerevan (Erevan) which must
certainly already be able to help, such as:
Central State Archives of Cinematographic, Photographic and
Audio Documents of the Republic of Armenia
Tbiliskoye Chaussée 25-a
375052 Erevan
Telephone: +374 (2) 285 406, 284 895
A N D
Erevan State Institute of Fine Arts Library
Date founded: 1944
ul. Isaakyana 36
375009 Erevan
Telephone: +374 (2) 560 726
Subjects:
Dramatic theatre. Opera.
Media:
Books. Periodicals. Manuscripts. Scores/libretti/music. Sound
recordings/CDs.
The Phonogrammarchiv of the Austrian Academy of Sciences is
known to have in the past provided services and advice to archives
that have not yet been able to accomodate to the incessant
changes in format.
All of the above local information I found on SIBMAS
International Directory of Performing Arts Collections and
Institutions, at www.theatrelibrary.org.
Kind regards,
Thank you for that information, but until there is some consensus here, we
would need an e-mail address in order to involve them in our discussions.
Note that I am *not* a librarian beyond the sense of mantaining my own
library and attempting to make portions accessible to others. As I stated
initially, I can provide insight only into the portions of the issue on
which I have limited knowledge, but that I am pleased to do.
Part of this story we know only by implication. The tradeoff among speedy
capture before materials deteriorate; accurate capture to preclude repeated
transfers; cost of equipment; training of personnel; and other factors must
be made by the institution. As far as I can determine, there is no blanket
solution best for all users. If my guesses based on the limited information
in the query are correct, the priority is clean capture in digital form of
delicate and deteriorating tape material. Someone knowledgable in cassette
transfer may recommend hardware and availability. If a standalone CD
recorder is sufficient, any model will do though there is a tradeoff of
hardware cost against media availability and cost (i.e., semipro or
consumer model). If more than standalone is needed, we would need to
understand the requirement. But a professional open-reel deck is the
critical issue and I see no easy solution; we can assist in defining the
issues, which is where the focus has been so far.
Mike
mrichter@xxxxxxx
http://www.mrichter.com/
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