You know those ads? Yeah, some Photoshop jockey took the GUI of a plug-in and made it look like a piece of outboard gear, a synth or something. Drives me nuts. For years I couldn't figure out if one plug-in, I think it was Trilogy, was "real" or not. Ugh.
Image courtesy of Sonic Finger
Man, to me it is endlessly charming and comforting. It kind of reminds me of the way that all the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers in the late 80's / early 90's went out of their way to make these terrible bikes that looked exactly like Harleys... As long as the plug in people keep pointing the finger back to the real thing, it only reinforces and reassures my stubborn choice to use real hardware. hmmm - I could spring for an 'Eventide Anthology' Bundle for about a grand, or just pick up an old 910 for less than half that. The front panel looks SO real, and it sounds JUST like the real thing. x Goat.
Many Recording Studios use Apple OS-based machines. Those users know Macs can read Microsoft NFTS (New Technology File System) volumes, but not write to them. If your OSX studio needs to write to Windows NFTS, then you need a...
Here's a clip of a rare Rolling Stone interview with the Lizard King talking about making records around 2 1/2 minutes in.
“I could never produce ... because I don’t have the patience for it. I think that’s the main thing. Who's...
Our pal, Howard Massey, has a new book out, Behind The Glass Volume II. Volume I was a real treat, and Howard also co-wrote Geoff Emerick's excellent Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles. There's a ridiculous amount...
I just read an excellent new essay called The Case Against Free in wihch the author suggests that the "free economy" is drying up the economic resources needed to make quality creative works. The article focuses on recordings. It's a well...
So here it is. The fateful letter that relentless talent scout and A&R honcho John Baccigaluppi sent to my band Vomit Launch back in 1988. Little did we know that soon we'd be holed up in his studio making records, and less than a decade later...
If you want to stay in business you need to record all kinds of bands, including those you don't care for. (This is actually a shock to some people. It is. They don't last long, and their refusal to work with anyone except bands they hand-pick is...
For those that couldn't make it, we'd like to report that the Tape Op Party held during SXSW at the Beauty Bar on March 19th, 2010 was a freaking blast. We had a wonderful set by the band Quasi, DJ sets by Ian McLagan, Rebecca Gates, Richard Barone...
Pitchfork TV (some spinoff of the horrible, snotty music crit site) has launched a series called A>D>D.
"The title for the series is based on the ADD/AAD/DDD codes that appeared on compact discs in the late 80s and early 90s, in which ADD...
Hey, have a listen to the panel we did at SXSW.
Jesse Lauter is an American producer/mixer/engineer. He has worked with The Low Anthem, James Blood Ulmer, Ingrid Michaelson, Elvis Perkins, Marco Benevento, Smokey Hormel, Alela Diane, Diamond...
I'd like to mention all the other things going on around me, outside of "simply" editing Tape Op magazine. For one, I had a long return visit to my former home of Portland, OR, beginning with three weeks of recording without much of a break. It's always good to jump back in like this, and it keeps my mind revving about the recording process - even if I get behind in my editor duties. The sessions were fun and very different from each other in style and execution. I found myself spending part of my time in the studio keeping notes on how Jackpot! Recording could be better and even more efficient. I assume everyone does this continually. Right? I also made plans for the purchase of a new console - the biggest single gear purchase of my career. I did a book reading/signing for Tape Op: The Book about Creative Music Recording, Vol. II at Powell's Books in Portland. Long time contributor Leigh Marble performed some of his fine songs as well. This was the first time I'd ever done one of these! Crazy. Thanks again to Kevin Sampsell for inviting me. I traveled to music events in September - Bumbershoot in Seattle, WA, and the Camper Van Beethoven Camp Out in Pioneertown, CA (near Joshua Tree, see issue #63). Live music is still one of my favorite things to experience - see T Bone Burnett's thoughts on the same subject in this issue as well. Part of my time has been spent filling up Tape Op's entry into the blog world, Tape Log: tapeop.com/tapelog. It's nice to have an outlet for odds and ends, thoughts, travel stories, article additions and other fun items. Check it out and post a comment if you wish. I hope you enjoy this issue, and thanks so much for taking the time to read our magazine.
Until next time, Larry Crane, editor
Correction: Matthew Nistor took the fine photo of Adam Franklin last issue. We're sorry to have misplaced his credit for this. We'll try to be more careful in the future.
PS: Reader Chris Pei (www.chrispei.com) dropped me a line that engineer/poet Yubie Navas passed away at the young age of 42 this year. He worked with Living Colour, Lou Reed, Philip Glass and many jazz players. Check out his memorial fund and site at
Discussion
Plug ins try to trick me all the time.... I think they're out to get me.
Like HAL 9000 or something........
Man, to me it is endlessly charming and comforting. It kind of reminds me of the way that all the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers in the late 80's / early 90's went out of their way to make these terrible bikes that looked exactly like Harleys... As long as the plug in people keep pointing the finger back to the real thing, it only reinforces and reassures my stubborn choice to use real hardware. hmmm - I could spring for an 'Eventide Anthology' Bundle for about a grand, or just pick up an old 910 for less than half that. The front panel looks SO real, and it sounds JUST like the real thing.
x
Goat.