Re: [ARSCLIST] Beginner's question RE: digital recordings

[Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Lisa:

One question immediately comes to mind -- do you know any details of how the recordings that were 
digitized were done? The "too high level" could be a lousy transfer job. You'd want to know where 
the transfer person took the output of the sonoband machine (I'd bet they don't have a standard line 
output) and some details about their process. There is probably a certain amount of distortion 
inherent to this recording medium, it appears to be a low-fi in-the-field format. So there may only 
be so much you can do. High noise levels, though, for instance, might be indicative of an impedence 
mismatch between the Sonoband recorder and the digital recorder. And "too high level" distortion 
could be a level mismatch (too high output vs. expected input). So, it would be a very Good Thing to 
find out all details you can about the initial transfers that were done -- and get someone who 
really knows their stuff to do the transfers of what's left.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lisa NnNnNn" <waterchild7@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, August 04, 2006 11:03 AM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Beginner's question RE: digital recordings


> Hi Richard,
>
> Unfortunately the museum has no audio lab to speak of, so I am essentially in charge of finding 
> out everything we will need to work on these recordings once they are delivered to us.  All I've 
> been working with thus far in terms of reviewing the digitized recordings already in our 
> possession has been a good set of headphones, realplayer, and my broken old laptop.  Now that we 
> have renewed funding, we're in the position to upgrade our equipment a little bit!
> Yes, that link is about the project that I am working on.  As for servicing the machines 
> themselves, fortunately the company that is doing the converting of the bands to digital format 
> has taken care of all that work.  From what I can tell, they have done an excellent job cleaning 
> up the machines and restoring at least one of them to working order.
> Thank you so much for the suggestions; I'll start looking into those.
>
>
> Lisa
>
> > From: "Richard L. Hess" <arclists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Reply-To: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List              <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx>
> > To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Beginner's question RE: digital recordings
> > Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2006 10:50:39 -0400
> >
> > Hello, Lisa,
> >
> > What digital audio software do you already have in your lab? Many of the packages will do what you 
> > ask. I use Samplitude and it will do a lot of what you ask, and you can add Sound Laundry plug-ins 
> > from Algorithmix. I believe Adobe Audition will also do what you need.
> >
> > Is this your project?
> > http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-05/fm-mr050305.php
> >
> > The remaining players may need service as well. I have no idea who can service them.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Richard
> >
> > At 10:17 AM 8/4/2006, you wrote:
> > > Dear list,
> > >
> > > I have been reading your emails silently for a while, and finally have a couple questions of my 
> > > own.
> >
> > Richard L. Hess                   email: richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Aurora, Ontario, Canada       (905) 713 6733     1-877-TAPE-FIX
> > Detailed contact information: http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm
> > Quality tape transfers -- even from hard-to-play tapes.