I listened to disc 3 from 4/2/83 earlier today as well. It’s a beautiful spring day here, it felt appropriate. Now, that Me & Bobby McGee is perfect.
Not to be a dick, but... pitch accuracy was a concern since the first release we did with the Dead aa it is on every release we have worked on...and claiming credit for correcting our efforts in that regard is a bit much. I mean where were you when we needed you on Sunshine Daydream, which not only had to hold pitch but sync to picture wild without time code or Pilot tone? Measuring absolute pitch accuracy with these guys is a constantly moving target, and the idea that the pitch drift of 20crcts - 1/5th a semitone - is significant error - is hilarious given the notorious intonation problems of this band. On one reel there was a discrepancy between Jerry and Bobby and the piano so that reel landed at A442 - the world did not end. i guess the upside was it gave a few members of the forum a chance to find a crit handle, and as I had said at the time, we don’t like inaccuracies and that oughta be the end of it. 3 days after completing the project I went in for a triple-bypass. So I think on balance it’s a pass. But no, we worked to A440 from day one. SH forum has no corner on that.
I like this place to stay light-hearted, so I say this with some hesitancy, but... Who is the customer here? On one hand you have someone who has striven for perfection for the community for free for many years, and on the other we have someone who we pay to get something even better than what we already have. Because again, we are perfectionists with this band. In another thread folks are talking RIGHT NOW about whether official releases offer a significant value versus what is already out that. If that desire for perfection from Deadheads didn't exist, you wouldn't have a job with this band. So you can't have the business without the nit-picking, it's gonna come with the territory. I just don't get the attitude, is all. The person hoping we buy their product should never be a dick. That applies to all of us in all our jobs, not just you, of course.
Is “12 cents” serious? IMO, the speed is not off more than the PNW box. Subtle, unless you have perfect pitch.
Woah, kinda crapping on @jamiehowarth for his honesty/transparency on the matter. He may have come in a bit hot, but he’s working with a lot more knowledge about this than the rest of us, and that includes the actual production (which we just speculate about). I think it’s fair to cut the guy some slack and not pile on. Vote with your wallet, that’s fine, but this read like pedantic finger wagging and that seems uncalled for.
Well, no you haven't. Just a couple of quick examples, the entire Nov 1973 Winterland Box and several shows and parts of shows from the E72 box and 30 Trips are off-pitch. Those were all your projects. As far as my contribution? I discussed with Charlie Miller back in 2007 about some shows he had just transferred that were noticeably off-speed; he took that to heart and began having amateur musicians work with him to do their best at trying to get analog tape transfers at close to the right speed. Since that time, speed/pitch correction to the best of our abilities has been a consistent part of the unofficial Grateful Dead community. Despite that, it has only been in the past 3-4 years (since the 30 Trips problem was discussed here and elsewhere) that the GD organization acknowledged there might be a problem and began to try to ensure that official releases ran close to the right speed. We certainly appreciate the sonic benefits of the Plangent Process, and I have been a big supporter since I first knew about it. But the fact is that pitch accuracy was NOT part of your projects (at least as far as the GD) until somewhat recently, not from day one.
It’s a constant subtext with him and his posts, occasionally it’s not even subtext. He’s clearly got an axe to grind and never misses an opportunity to take a dig at Lemieux, Jamie or anyone else. It’s obnoxious.
Look, I don't have that one so I cannot comment on the exact variance of pitch on this. But, to answer your question, I'd say that "12 cents" is near the limit of perceptibility of most of us. From what I've read, DP 33 is off more than that. I don't own it, so as a scientist, I refuse to comment further.
Just putting on DP 33 through Spotify Playing in the Band for about 10 seconds to me it sounded pretty sharp. However if I didnt know there was an issue not sure I'd catch it. Actually pretty sure I wouldn't notice.
A "pitch problem" (for me, anyway) doesn't present itself so much with the instruments, as with the vocal integrity. I find it fairly easy to identify a problem with singing that is reproduced at an improper speed. (Sharp is more annoying than flat, in my view.) This, of course, is all a matter of degree -- and I haven't analyzed it to the extent of knowing where the numerical threshold is (of "acceptable" speed deviation). I do know that the human singing voice can easily lose its natural, organic, proper sound, timbre, when listened to at a moderately improper speed. I feel that it should be a priority that such representation is adhered to as accurately as possible.
“It's extraordinary," said Mucho, "everything's been wait. Listen." She heard nothing unusual. "There are seventeen violins on that cut," Mucho said, "and one of them I can't tell where he was because it's monaural here, damn." It dawned on her that he was talking about the Muzak. It has been seeping in, in its subliminal, unidentifiable way since they'd entered the place, all strings, reeds, muted brass. "What is it," she said, feeling anxious. "His E string," Mucho said, "it's a few cycles sharp. He can't be a studio musician...” Baby," she said, helpless, knowing of nothing she could do for this, and afraid for him. He put a little clear plastic bottle on the table between them. She stared at the pills in it, and then understood. "That's LSD?" she said. Mucho smiled back. — The Crying of Lot 49, Thomas Pynchon
I would find a way to stream it yourself and then you can make your own judgement about its speed inaccuracy and whether it affects your enjoyment of the music. I wouldn’t trust what you’ve read on the internet about it. For me, it’s subtle and does not in any way affect my enjoyment of the music. It’s in my top five of the Dick’s series. Wonderful music and great sound.
Unfairly maligned — after a few beers this sounds better and better . . . @notesofachord 2019 Rhino Records (2) – R1-596008, Dead.Net – 0603497851270
And I'd prefer if the music we are paying for is more or less spot on pitch. It seems as if this is too much ask for and if it is, I'd like to know why. If one can Plangent, one can pitch adjust. Maybe I'm DEAD wrong. I lasted some 30 years of off-pitch tapes (buy blanks/trade for recordings: that's the yantra/mantra). Fair enough. Now I'm paying for off-pitch stuff? Get thy crap together.
