Sep/Oct 2000

Welcome to issue #19 of Tape Op.

 

I've realized that although some time ago I promised to share more "personal" information in these Tape Op intros, that I've gotten off the track and started sounding kinda business-like and distant. Okay, so here's what I've been up to! At the end of last year I worked with producer John Goodmanson on the recent Sleater-Kinney record, All Hands on the Bad One. It was a blast. I recorded some records for the Dickel Brothers and Sarah Dougher and in February started a "reunion" album for the Go-Betweens, which I engineered. That was truly a dream-come- true, as I've been a big fan of their albums for years. To have them asking my opinions during the recording was almost surreal. I've worked on many more records since then: Luther Russell, Braille Stars, The Swords Project, Sugarboom, Honey Baked Goodness, Joe Davis, Sean Croghan and more. It's been pretty busy — freelance engineers Jeff Saltzman and Joanna Bolme have taken up a lot of slack — but it's rewarding to help bring these albums into the world. I'm exhausted sometimes, and I worry if I take enough time off to spend with my girlfriend and her daughter. I question whether I have a life outside of music — do I need other interests to keep me sane? I don't know, but I'm driven to keep making records and to keeping Tape Op going. Maybe it's to preserve my little piece of immortality by making a mark on the world, as Jim Dickinson mentions in this issue. Yeah, maybe that's it. 

— Larry Crane, editor

In This Issue See more →

The Ex

by Heather Mount

It made sense that in the summer of 1999, the 10th anniversary show of the current line-up of The Ex took place in Amsterdam and included Shellac as well as a host of great experimental Dutch...

Mixing Tips & Tricks

by Pete Weiss

When I first sat down to write this piece I was a bit apprehensive. Over the years there have been countless magazine articles on mixing techniques and tips. I kept thinking, "Man, every Tape...

Top 10 Recording Tips

by Barry Rudolph

#10 ALWAYS DOCUMENT THE RECORDING SESSION IN SOME WAY. Take numbers, mic placement, effect settings, date of recordings, song titles, artist and writers names, reel numbers, BPM and SMPTE Song Start...

Some 4-Track Cassette Tips

by Leigh Marble

Here's two routing tricks for cassette 4-tracks: 1) When recording, bypass the channel mic inputs and instead use line or aux inputs whenever possible. This can audibly increase the clarity of the...

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Columns See more →

End Rant

A Mono Proposal

by Larry Crane

Audio reproduction formats have been in flux since the first cylinder spun over at Edison's workshop. The mechanical "horn" system of playback, used on those early recorders and 78 players, gave...

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Gear Reviews See more →

Spark XL

by TC Works  |  reviewed by Barry Rudolph

Following on the heels of Spark 1.5, Spark XL is a new version for Pro Tools users who would like to use their TDM plug-ins inside of Spark. Spark 1.5 is a stereo, real- time audio editor with...

Audio Buddy, DMP2

by Midiman  |  reviewed by Rich Hardesty

One thread that runs quite regularly through the PC-based recording newsgroups I monitor involves mic preamps. Not, so much pertaining to "which ones sound the best?" but more often- "uh, what do they...

VFM Mixer

by Trident  |  reviewed by Steve Pogact

When studio recordists think of Trident, they envision the classic English console, a stately oak trimmed board, eleven feet long, suitable for the world's great studios and costing many tens of...

R-121 Ribbon Microphone

by Royer  |  reviewed by Steve Albini

The Royer microphone couldn't have come at a better time. With every electronic company in Christendom exploiting the availability of Chinese condenser mic capsules (and entire microphones) for OEM or...

386 Dual Vacuum Tube Preamp

by DBX  |  reviewed by Rob Lodes

More and more the computer is becoming a part of the studio. In many studios it has even replaced the tape machine. Because of this many companies are putting a lot of effort in to creating tools for...

VSM 1

by CAD  |  reviewed by Larry Crane

Several years ago I was looking around for a tube mic for my studio. There were very few "non-vintage" offerings out there, and I ended up buying a used Manley Cardiod Reference mic, which I never...

Music Reviews See more →

Music Reviews

Fontanelle CD

by Fontanelle | reviewed by Larry Crane, Roman Sokal

Fontanelle, a Portland, Oregon, quartet which includes orphaned Jessamine offspring Andy Brown and Rex Ritter, paint a bipolar musical landscape that is both soothing and sardonically ominous in a...

Music Reviews

The Beginning CD

by Jandek | reviewed by Steve Silverstein

Ready for the House and Later On CD reissues The mysterious figure known only as Jandek started lo-fi home recording in 1978, long before anyone thought of using those words. The Beginning marks his...

Music Reviews

Mastica ‘99 CD

by Mastica | reviewed by Roman Sokal

Mastica are a culture all of their own. And something as experimentally cabalistic as this trio could only originate in Austin, Texas, a creative culture that is equally as magical. Their premier...

Music Reviews

s/t CD

by Saint Low | reviewed by Dewey Mahood

This new outfit led by singer/guitarist Mary Lorson (of spunky popsters Madder Rose) play breezy tunes rife with gorgeous melodies and a smokey lounge mood. The down-tempo vibe of Lorson's songwriting...

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