31
Prerecorded Tapes / Re: Stereotape history and predecessor to Tape Project(Sonar)
« on: March 28, 2009, 09:33:09 AM »
I once owned the original 30 ips 1/2 inch masters from the old Sonar label. They produced real time dubbed tapes out in 7.5 ips two track and quarter track formats in the 70s on mastering tape in both stereo and quad formats.I vaguely remember some 15 ips tapes, but am not quite sure if they made any. The 'Quad' tapes were really just stereo tracks with ambiance in the rear channels, so they were much less gimmicky sounding than quad tapes from the major labels. The 1/2 inch tapes had the stereo tracks in the middle and the ambiance channels on the outer tracks, a somewhat unique layout. The recordings were very closely mic'ed. Lots of detail, both extraneous and otherwise. Mostly classical music on this label, solo piano, guitar with Michael Newman(age 13?!), chamber music and orchestral. There are some very impressive organ recordings that have content to 16 cycles that were recorded on a huge organ in Hartford, if my memory serves me. The masters were recorded on Scotch 250 and by the time I played them, the oxide layers were peeling off in huge patches. Luckily, they made back up copies in stereo at 15 and 30 ips. Mitch Cotter was a consultant on Sonar. Not quite sure exactly what he did there.
Speaking of predecessors of Tape Project, one should not forget Sound Ideas. I have a wonderful David Grisman Quintet recording at 15 ips/2 track that is packaged with a copy of the LP on Kalidoscope. Wonderful music and sonics. I think they had other titles as well.
Rich Brown
Acoustic Arts
Portland, Oregon
Speaking of predecessors of Tape Project, one should not forget Sound Ideas. I have a wonderful David Grisman Quintet recording at 15 ips/2 track that is packaged with a copy of the LP on Kalidoscope. Wonderful music and sonics. I think they had other titles as well.
Rich Brown
Acoustic Arts
Portland, Oregon