DCC Archive Tape storage, and mastering.

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by wes, Dec 16, 2001.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. wes

    wes Senior Member Thread Starter

    Hi Steve, I was wondering if you relabled the Highway 61 tape to "Master" on it since it was labeled with "Do not use." Or did you just tell the storage dudes to relable it and store it in a better place?......

    And when it comes to tapes from -'74 to '86 which other tapes did you have to bake besides the Eagles? Did you have any problems with the Cars tapes? There debut was in '78. I'm sure that one was coated with synthetic lube. What about Joni Mitchell's Court and Spark '74, and Linda Ronstadts greatest hits? Any tape troubles?

    -Wes
     
  2. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    The Cars, Linda R, and many others were mixed on Agfa. No need for baking....

    I've baked a bunch of others, but really don't want to get into names here. Makes Record companies nervous.

    ;)
     
  3. Unknown

    Unknown Guest

    Steve,

    Would I be wrong in assuning that the problem tapes requiring baking are the older Ampex 456? I know I've has lots of problems with it shredding. I've had to bake a number of them in order to transfer to newer tape. Was the only way to save the original music recorded on them.
     
  4. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Laserdude,

    Almost any Ampex tape from 1974-1989: 406 and 456. Also (not to leave them out) a lot of Scotch 226 and 250 from the same era.

    Remember, a dried out analog tape, once baked will sound amazingly good. Doesn't last, though. BUT, if baked again, it will play again, etc.

    I've baked a tape (just to see what would happen) over 20 times. Still OK.

    My point? DON'T THROW AWAY YOUR ORIGINAL TAPES JUST BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE BAKED.

    OK?

    [ December 16, 2001: Message edited by: Steve Hoffman ]
     
  5. wes

    wes Senior Member Thread Starter

    That's pretty interesting. I know they had to bake Pink Floyd's mid 70's on up. Well, despite all the baking. The tapes must be pretty durable.

    -Wes
     
  6. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Want to hear something really sad?

    I know of at least two official record company mastering studios that now bake EVERY MASTER TAPE THEY USE, no matter what the age of the recording. They just bake it automatically before playing. Could be from the 1950's to the 80's.

    Isn't that something? :eek:
     
  7. Sckott

    Sckott Hand Tighten Only.

    Location:
    South Plymouth, Ma
    Betty Crocker Easy Bake Tape Oven.

    Batteries Not Incl. ;)
     
  8. Gary

    Gary Nauga Gort! Staff

    Location:
    Toronto
    I can easily see that happening - and I can see WHY that's happening. On a previous post, you commented that baking does not harm the tape - you can rebake it (you tried it up to 20 times!). So, for safety reasons and because the mastering studios don't think their *wonderful* engineers can distinguish between what needs to be baked and what does not, they decided that baking everything is the best way to go. I also remember that you commented that some engineer ruined a master tape by playing it back on the WRONG equipment. I don't know how they can prevent that, but I am sure they are thinking about it!

    Sort of a sad statement on the quality of some engineers, don't you think? Ahh well, looking at the quality of some (a lot?) of remastered work these days, why should we be suprised? :(
     
  9. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    Roger Nichols likes to tell of how he once caught a second engineer trying to play a Steely Dan digital tape on an analog machine. Needless to say, that guy didn't last long.
     
  10. wes

    wes Senior Member Thread Starter

    Oh my god, that's pretty ignorant. You'd think they would be more knowledgeable and on the ball with stuff like that....... guess not.


    -Wes
     
  11. wes

    wes Senior Member Thread Starter

    Ignorant.....meaning the baking "all" the tapes.
     
  12. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    There's something wrong with the system when knowledgable, skilled people can't get jobs in studios or tape libraries but they'll take any ol' intern with little interest in engineering and no knowledge of music. It's all because of money. You don't usually have to pay an intern.

    [ December 17, 2001: Message edited by: Grant T. ]
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine