Tape Trail

Devil's invention

71.224.236.29

Victor Khomenko

M

In Reply to: RE: Hey! Vic... posted by kootenay on July 30, 2024 at 12:08:22

I have strongly negative feelings towards the multi-track recording. The best recordings are made with very few mikes. I realize two or three is a nearly impossible dream, but less than 8 should be the norm for high quality recordings. And they should be arranged all in the real space, not some players sitting in soundproof cells, listening to their phones and adding their line...

That lament aside... this is a very impressive machine. The 2" reels weighs a bit short of a ton, so being able to rewind and stop it is not an easy task, and Studer did it extremely well.

Follow Ups:

RE: Devil's invention - Inmate51 10:44:12 07/31/24 (1)
I'm not a fan of 24-track recorders, either, but for different reasons. The track width is so narrow that a dropout from a flaw in the tape can more easily be a problem - it is approximately 1/2 the width of a 16-track track, and the signal-to-noise ratio is degraded vs 16-track.

I don't think I ever used more than four or five microphones to do a live recording. Even "Peter And The Wolf" with full orchestra and narrator, I used three, count 'em, 3, microphones. Of course, you have to have a good venue to do this. And venues are often the biggest issue for live recording.

In their defense, 16 and 24 track decks do (did) have their useful purposes, primarily in rock/pop studio recordings and similar live recordings, where the artist or producer wants to achieve a "certain sound" or sound effects, and need/want to have control over individual tracks.

*********

We are inclusive and diverse, but dissent will not be tolerated.
- Yes, absolutely - Victor Khomenko 15:51:07 07/31/24 (0)
  A perfect tool for rock/pop and some jazz, although jazz really needs audience.
  
  Good points, thank you! I know there are tricks, such as placing the most important tracks closer to the middle, etc.
  
  With minimal number of mikes you don't just need to have great venue, you also need plenty of time, which is usually the hardest commodity to get, because the optimization takes forever... they say... lots of trials and errors.
  
  But even when the venue is not perfect it is still nice to hear it.

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