From: Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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 14:26:17 -0400
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.