Donated my MX5050 to a school...

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biasvoltage
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Donated my MX5050 to a school...

Post by biasvoltage » Sun Dec 14, 2014 8:20 pm

This week, I donated my old Otari MX5050-8 (along with the MRL) to the high school where one of my friends teaches a media production class. He was telling me that the kids think that anything analog - like cassette tape - has that "superior phat analog sound"

So now, maybe they can learn all the awesome things you need to learn to get that sound:

1. How to set the azimuth and bias on the machine only to do it all over again when the temperature and humidity change halfway through the day...
2. How to minimize the number of overdubs because the top end starts to disappear after repeated playback...
3. How to arrange a song to make the most out of a limited track count...
4. How to break it to the singer that the last take is really gone .. recorded over... GONE
5. How to break it to the drummer that no, we can't move that one late snare hit around...
6. HOw to break it to the guitar player that there are no more tracks onto which he can place his rad ideas for a backwards solo...
7. How to break it to the keyboard player that his 32 minute magnum opus isn't going to make it onto the album because he can't afford enough tape and is limited to 16 minutes in any event...
8. How to call the whole band back in because you recorded test tones over the intro and first verse...
9. Why you don't put the master tape in the trunk near the speakers, in the van next to a guitar amp, or under your phone...
10. That there is no magic hidden in those spinning reels; if your songs suck or your performance sucks or your mic technique sucks or your arrangement sucks or your drums sound crappy in the room or your guitar has never been intonated ... recording on tape isn't going to make it sound like Abbey Road, Back in Black or even the Starland Vocal Band


I hope they enjoy it as much as I will enjoy the tax deduction!

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ott0bot
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Post by ott0bot » Mon Dec 22, 2014 8:49 am

this is pretty funny, thanks for posting.

Also:

Mention editing, then enjoy the priceless look on their faces as you hand them a China marker and a razor blade.

also, rewinding...no you can't hear that take until it's cued in...now experience the joy of actual punch ins...

and....markers!! what markers?

Some of this is what makes analog fun, but anyone who grew up digital will be in for a shock with the amount of technical skill required to actually engineer an analog recording.

kslight
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Post by kslight » Mon Dec 22, 2014 4:18 pm

I hope you also donated some tape?purchasing tape alone could probably kill a high school media class budget in a hurry?.

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