Preferred FORMAT???

[ONE]

Open question to those who collect &/or issue cassette-only releases:



Do none of you care one jot for the archival integrity of this format?  It's poor.


Excessive tape-stretch over C90 resulting in slower music over time
Saturation issues/other limitations w/ fidelity
Tape decay
Colossal reduction in tape deck manufacturing
Occasional tape-chews
etc..


To my mind, those that release cassette-only are irresponsible towards their art; those that release the music of others this way?  A shabby and Zeitgeist-y decision.


Imagine if history was different for a while:  Forget Edison and his wax-coated tubes and consider where we would be if tape was invented before discs.  What would this mean for our musical heritage and it's appreciation by those in the future?

[ImpulsyStetoskopu]

Open question to those who collect &/or issue cassette-only releases:



Do none of you care one jot for the archival integrity of this format?  It's poor.


Excessive tape-stretch over C90 resulting in slower music over time
Saturation issues/other limitations w/ fidelity
Tape decay
Colossal reduction in tape deck manufacturing
Occasional tape-chews
etc..

To my mind, those that release cassette-only are irresponsible towards their art; those that release the music of others this way?  A shabby and Zeitgeist-y decision.


Imagine if history was different for a while:  Forget Edison and his wax-coated tubes and consider where we would be if tape was invented before discs.  What would this mean for our musical heritage and it's appreciation by those in the future?

Who said that art/music must be long-lived? Who said that tape or other mediums must be perfect and excluded from self- or environment destruction? Where is here natural process of entropy? Is anything in nature which is still the same?

[Scat-O-Logy]

"We must secure the existence of our art and a future for musical heritage."

[ImpulsyStetoskopu]

"We must secure the existence of our art and a future for musical heritage."

Jeezzz, who said that?

[ONE]

Who said that art/music must be long-lived?

Spare a thought for those speculators foolish enough to have purchased any of Willem De Kooning's paintings produced in the 1950's.  He frequently stretched paints w/ olive oil and other unsuitable  materiasl.  Some of his works are now rotting in the frame.

I don't exist in the here and now, I came from distant people and places, and through my child - my stake in the future is secure.  I'd like my child to know who I really was other than the over-worked drone I must appear to be as I fear there will not be enough time for me to reveal that fully whilst I'm still alive.  History and cultural heritage are important to me.  Having my art/music in a format that allows me to pass it down to my child is crucial; it could be argued that those works that do persist through the passing of generations says much about the quality and importance of piece - be it a fugue from Bach, or the Sistine Chapel.

I have no intention of palming my child off w/ a coffee table art book, I will take her to Venice.

[ImpulsyStetoskopu]

Who said that art/music must be long-lived?

Spare a thought for those speculators foolish enough to have purchased any of Willem De Kooning's paintings produced in the 1950's.  He frequently stretched paints w/ olive oil and other unsuitable  materiasl.  Some of his works are now rotting in the frame.

I don't exist in the here and now, I came from distant people and places, and through my child - my stake in the future is secure.  I'd like my child to know who I really was other than the over-worked drone I must appear to be as I fear there will not be enough time for me to reveal that fully whilst I'm still alive.  History and cultural heritage are important to me.  Having my art/music in a format that allows me to pass it down to my child is crucial; it could be argued that those works that do persist through the passing of generations says much about the quality and importance of piece - be it a fugue from Bach, or the Sistine Chapel.

I have no intention of palming my child off w/ a coffee table art book, I will take her to Venice.

So, be free and issue your music in best format by yourself. Respect other artists / publishers who fuck "history and cultural heritage".

[collapsedhole]

for me, it would be most ideal to release everything on vinyl but since that isn't possible tape is the next best thing. i have CDRs from years back that are starting to degrade and some of my oldest totally unplayable by now - a mere 15-20 years later. so that format has always been no good. the degradation from cassette seems miniscule to my ears. i have tapes from when i was a kid i still enjoy.

and theres the whole "theres just something about tape" fetishistic angle...that probably fits me best. and i just dont like change, i'm stuck in my ways.

[lonelyroads]

I Mainly keep my album collection and downloads as flac which is then converted to mp3 using lame at VBR 160kbps. since i use a PSP as my other stuff either died or got lost and because i hear no difference sound quality wise when i compared them.  

[Acne]

Cassettes are the best looking format. They are so small and friendly and conform to the golden mean

[Jaakko V.]

Here's an interesting article about the harsh realities of vinyl pressing today. Too long to quote, so posting just a link...

[Theodore]

Hm, i cant say i have a preferred format although i value physical releases more. For 2 reasons :

1. The fact that someone spend his time and his money to produce a physical product, someway is a guarantee for the quality of the music. At least more than the 10 minutes process of creating a Bandcamp account and uploading every worthless shit produced.

2. In this era, when we can have access almost to all the music we want, [By streaming, YouTube, even piracy ... not always in good quality but still it's access] , the process of ordering, waiting, having a physical release makes me pay more atention to the music itself, keeps me in balance to not get lost in the tons of shit around !

No matter the above, if there is digital available, i wont buy the physical. And no matter that, i dont like to be digital available ! As i dont like multiple formats of a release. I dont like to have options. A unique format for every release is ideal for me. Your call which format that would be. After some years a reissue on a different format is ok though.

Edit : As "digital", i mean digital download from Bandcamp etc. Not CD.

[Theodore]

I finally set up the WASAPI plug-in for Foobar.  I should have done this a long time ago.  These probably aren't the correct terms, but what it basically does is isolate your soundcard from all other activity.  It's a hassle because you can't listen to music and then play anything else until you've closed Foobar.  youtube won't even load if you're listening through Foobar.  I've been listening through a digital out, thinking it was my best possibility.  Wrong.  WASAPI makes way for a superior sound.  The difference between a normal soundcard setting+digital out vs. WASAPI+digital out is significant.

*I believe there are similar plug-ins and results with the ASIO plug-in for those with such soundcards.

Late reply on this but check Foobar preferences for a "Release ASIO on background / when not in use" option. That will let you play other PC sounds when Foobar doesnt playback without the need of closing the software. The best solution and what i have done is choose the onboard sound-chip as the default Windows soundcard and at each playback / editing software's options choose your good soundcard with ASIO or WASAPI.

And yes, ASIO / WASAPI sound is like night and day compared with the Windows drivers. Huge difference. Actually if you have boughten a soundcard and dont use ASIO / WASAPI drivers, then more likely you shouldnt buy it at all !

Edit : Ofcource, the solution with the onboard chip as default Windows soundcard requires an extra cable connection with your amp / active monitors and somehow to mix the 2 inputs there or to switch them fast & easy. Even if you cant have both inputs mixed, still you avoid sample rate conflicts and crashes.

[Zeno Marx]

I finally set up the WASAPI plug-in for Foobar.  I should have done this a long time ago.  These probably aren't the correct terms, but what it basically does is isolate your soundcard from all other activity.  It's a hassle because you can't listen to music and then play anything else until you've closed Foobar.  youtube won't even load if you're listening through Foobar.  I've been listening through a digital out, thinking it was my best possibility.  Wrong.  WASAPI makes way for a superior sound.  The difference between a normal soundcard setting+digital out vs. WASAPI+digital out is significant.

*I believe there are similar plug-ins and results with the ASIO plug-in for those with such soundcards.

Late reply on this but check Foobar preferences for a "Release ASIO on background / when not in use" option. That will let you play other PC sounds when Foobar doesnt playback without the need of closing the software. The best solution and what i have done is choose the onboard sound-chip as the default Windows soundcard and at each playback / editing software's options choose your good soundcard with ASIO or WASAPI.

Thanks.  I'm not finding that option in Foobar with WASAPI.  I've looked everywhere in preferences.  It must only be available with the ASIO plug-in.

[Theodore]

Thanks.  I'm not finding that option in Foobar with WASAPI.  I've looked everywhere in preferences.  It must only be available with the ASIO plug-in.

No, you are right. It's me i was confused. Sorry about that. I was thinking that Foobar has this option, every other audio software i use has this. But now checking again and seems i confused that with the "Running with high process priority" option which i think has to do with the processor. No "Release ASIO" option in Foobar here either.

Still, using the on-board chip as default for PC / Browser sounds is the final solution.

[sbtdoh]

good cassettes are like life. if there is deterioration from use. that to me is a good thing. (it shows love and a tape worth investing yourself in for hours/days)  plus the degrading may have been started by the artist who never 'wanted' it to sound digital (more perfect lets say...) at all....

I like the sounds that are crumbling apart just like this world and life as you get older. So sometimes you buy 2 copies and don't open one? (just an option to preserve a tape for many years with no deterioration??)

I will die and my son will most likely get my collection of music which is a gigantically variations of records, tapes and cds. I want to get the music and I do prefer tapes now a days, I will get whatever is available. Music is the only thing I have spent money on since grade school *25 or so years??...

And as a producer of tapes only and as I run a zine that only has cassette tape reviews currently, I am allowed access to such more music based on a low income. Also, I get to hear lo-fi music from around the world on very small runs. Somehow a cd or cdr never gives any great feelings like they do.

And running a cassette tape only label is fun. I can do it without massive debt. I can also have creative control over everything. And some recordings you would never want to hear 'digitally,' they massively loose their charm.

Sure it would be rad to only put out vinyl. But that is not economically feasible and would just make it hard to get a tiny labels music 'out there' both for label and artist. I used to be a huge vinyl guy. But has become so hard for someone on a 'musicians' budget, or someone who does not make enough to spent $200- $300 on records every paycheck....

But there is so much music I only want to hear from the artist by ordering their tape, rather than listening to on bandcamp. or any other digital option. (and I give away all the digital copies for this reason, I only charge for a tape because I spend a lot of time producing the whole release, music, art, what kind of packaging etc...

Just some thoughts. I admire your passion. that is great sometimes it just comes down to economics......again.

take care passing on your treasures to your children. It is really a beautiful process. I am sitting here blasting obscure BM while my 11 year old son sits next to me and loves it with me.,,,

for me that is amazing to feel. regardless of how produced physically. The more important matter is the love for this music!!!

love and passion for the music= beautiful no matter the format.