I'm having much the same experience when interacting with the
'30-something' engineering types. I'm 53. It does make me wonder if the
older folks here on the list are having the same experiences.....
Perhaps some of us should take up teaching.
-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
[mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Karl Miller
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2006 9:37 AM
To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Quarter-inch splicing tabs
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)