Re: [ARSCLIST] Quarter-inch splicing tabs

[Rod Smear <rod.smear@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

agree whole-heartedly on the "1 take" method of recording. The great records of my favorites, ie. Dylan, Neil Young, Van Morrison, are all 1 take, live in studio.."mistakes" or not...most times, the other musicians playing alongside don't even know that they only get 1 chance.

Rod Smear

-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
[mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx]On Behalf Of steven c
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2006 4:03 PM
To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Quarter-inch splicing tabs


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Karl Miller" <lyaa071@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> I have often wondered if there is not something lost in the editing
> process. I have worked on releases (won't mention names) where a ten
> minute movement could have as many as 15 edit or more edits. Some
> musicians I have worked with have an almost unearthly ability to pick out
> a measure here and a measure there and then put together an extremely
> complex puzzle. In such instances, while I am amazed at the continuity
> they can maintain, I wonder if such a practice actually destroys some form
> of continuity in the communication, a continuity that is not obvious on
> first listening.
>
> I am also reminded of doing side joins on 78s where conductors had to stop
> mid movement...some times one take will work better with another, but yet,
and
> maybe it is just me and knowing how things were done, but a broadcast
> performance, recorded on 16 inch lacquers, seems to be more
> convincing...not just the spontaneity of it, but somehow it seems to be a
> question of continuity...even when one considers how masterful those
> musicians were at keeping tempi right from one side to the next. For
> myself, one those rare occasions I had the opportunity to
> conduct...stopping (say in rehearsal) is a bit like being interrupted when
> you are about to say something in an argument. The part after the
interruption
> never comes out exactly the say as it would if you had been allowed to
> continue your thought without the interruption.
>
> Since many of you have done plenty of editing...I wonder what your
> thoughts might be.
>
Well, I can give you my take...from a fairly odd perspective. I have
had a couple of opportunities to be a "recording artist" (popular
music, not classical) and I have found that as soon as musicians
find out the opportunity for "changes via edit" exists, they
immediately discover a near-infinite number of "flaws" in their
solos which need to be corrected!

It also seems to me that the best method of recording, if you want
records which really represent the sound of the artist/band/group,
is what is called "live off the floor"...simply play the music with
the recording device running, and no second takes unless there is a
major error in the playing or recording. Even more than two takes
of a number will produce a noticeable loss of spontaneity, becoming
"going through the motions!"

Steven C. Barr