Re: [ARSCLIST] Quarter-inch splicing tabs

[Karl Miller <lyaa071@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sat, 11 Mar 2006, Marie Azile O'Connell wrote:

> There was something comforting about editing the 'old' way.  I used to love
> moving both reels back and forth to get the exact position, mark it, cut and
> splice, and have it as perfect as can be.  But, I love a challenge!  The
> learning curve was digital, and it did take longer, and at times I would
> despair!  But, 'seeing' the waveform was so cool, and after a while that came
> easy to do.  I almost feel like I am cheating.  Progress......

As for nostalgia..."when I was a kid" my first semester of electronic
music, c.1970, was devoted exclusively to the techniques of musique
concrete. I still recall splicing blocks where the edit would be spread
out over a foot...which was the only way to get a long attack on the
initial envelope. Talk about needing sharp razor blades...and of course we
used acetate tape...

I have often wondered about all of those tapes that
still probably reside in the electronic music labs...I am reminded of all
of the different formats we used over the years...8 channel pieces on 1/2
inch tape, dbx encoded, etc. I wonder if anyone has been doing work with
these artifacts.

And speaking of nostalgia...at a wedding on Friday night I was seated next
to some "kid" (probably in his early 30s) who had an interest in the
history of electronic music. He quizzed me like I was some relic from the
ancient past.

I keep my 8 inch floppies (Fairlight), old reels (Music V) etc as a
reminder of how quickly things change...well for me, it seems "like it was
only yesterday..."

Indeed, I do feel like I am cheating today. It also makes me appreciate
all that much more the craft of those engineers of the past. At times I
think that as the technology improved, the number of edits increased...

Karl (feeling old at just 58)