Many Tape Op readers likely can’t imagine that issue #1 was Xeroxed and hand-folded 28 years ago, but it was. People may think of us as DIY, but there’s a long history of so many helping this magazine be its best, beginning with friends who dropped by to collate and staple for free beers! Thanks to all the folks that have worked so hard with us, and to all the amazing subscribers out there! -LC
Tape Op is a bi-monthly magazine devoted to the art of record making.
Steve AlbiniRemembered by Larry Crane
On Jan 19, 1987, I clambered aboard a yacht in Emeryville, CA, to interview Steve Albini and the band Big Black for BravEar Magazine, a conversation that unfortunately was never published due to the mag folding...
by Larry Crane
In 1996 my life changed. A few years earlier, I had been in a busy band (Vomit Launch, a precursor to what became indie rock) putting out albums and touring for almost eight years. In late 1992 we called it quits. I’d moved...
So my wife runs the fabulous PantyLine Press, and she scored a sweet interview with Rick Allen (of Def Leppard) and his partner Lauren Monroe to talk about the music they are working on and all sorts of other stuff. She posted a shorter version on...
I thought I'd seen it all until I heard about collectors that pass around bootlegged copies of the test tones and bias pads from all genres of artists and albums. From an article in MOJO this month:
"Sorting their collections by "tones at head" or...
Craig Schumacher, one of the country's best engineer/producers and our intrepid gear reviewer and former head of TapeOpCon has been dealing with head and neck cancer recently. He's doing better after treatment but needs help catching up on bills...
In a fascinating and really open Facebook debate initiated by fellow producer, cycling enthuiasist, and coffee-drinking pal, Eric Ambel (www.ericambel.com), I was alerted to what was finally a clear insight into how and why Spotify could possibly...
Jonathan Mann is the "song a day guy" of Songatron. Since January 1st 2009 he's posted a song and video a day. Septemeber 28th 2011 he'll have recorded 1000 songs. Wow. In June Nick Krill and Thomas Hughes of The Spinto Band joined up with...
I finally figured out what makes for a successful tracking session: simply eliminate the variables. On one level this could be seen as pre-production combined with concise decision making. Certainly those can help - but what I'm talking about is...