"Paul Stamler" wrote in message
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"David Looser" wrote in message
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"Paul Stamler" wrote in message
...
"David Looser" wrote in message
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"Paul Stamler" wrote in message
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Burstein's book is indeed useful; in fact, I hand out bits of it to my
analog recording classes. But it suffers from a couple of problems.


Do you do classes in acoustical recording as well?

Yes.

Why? who does acoustical recording these days?

The Edison National Historic Site, for one.

We study the technical aspects of acoustical recording, not because any of
the students expect to do it, but because it helps place into perspective
the technical, and social, and economic, and musical issues which have
shaped recording and the recording industry.

Excellent, Paul.

As as student, I was always fascinated by early jazz recording, and
was lucky enough to get a job as a trainee in a record company in the
UK which had been around since the late 20s, and still had access to
an acoustical recording machine, and also to people who had
been recording in that era, and knew all about "shaving waxes" etc.

As a study project, we set up a session with a small ensemble having
the same line-up that Duke Ellington used at that time. I had come across
some "technical notes" written by the engineer at Okeh Records who
had recorded much of Ellington's early material. He even talked about
the piece of angora wool which he used to insert into the horn as an
attenuator. He called it a "pad" a term we use (in a slightly different
context) to this very day!

The analog recording class is an entirely different story. Our students
learn the technical and practical aspects of analog recording because it's
still being done, particularly at the higher ends of the food chain, and a
student who knows not only how to use an analog recorder but also how to
calibrate it properly has a leg up in getting a job in the industry.


There is still demand for analogue multitrack, and companies that
have machines such as the Studer A80/24 with Dolby SR can earn
a handsome rental fee. Many bands want the analogue sound, and
choose to record multitrack, and then have the material transferred
to a DAW for editiing and mixing.

Also, many CD mastering facilities have a stereo analogue master
machine which can be included in the chain, at the request of the
client.

Best regards
Iain