[78-L] Fwd: [ARSCLIST] Columbia tape adoption

[Dave Burnham]

I'm forwarding this to 78L so dl will see it. He has some knowledge about this recording. 

db

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Dennis Rooney <dennisdrooney at GMAIL.COM>
> Date: August 1, 2014 at 11:03:45 AM EDT
> To: ARSCLIST at LISTSERV.LOC.GOV
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Columbia tape adoption
> Reply-To: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List <ARSCLIST at LISTSERV.LOC.GOV>
> 
> It's possible tape was rolled at the sessions. The tapes used for the first
> CD issue were copies from lacquer masters made for Lp mastering. If there
> were original tape parts, they would have been filed under the matrix
> number and wound on 10.5in reels (until late 1951, all recording was made
> in segments corresponding to 78rpm discs. It was because the contracts were
> written in those terms. Victor did the same thing (the "Tinker Toy"
> masters) at the time. At the time of the first CD issue, the original tape
> parts were not readily searchable in the Sony archives. Without access to
> original documents or the first CD issue, I am stating an educated guess,
> so if there is contrary information in the booklet I will stand corrected;
> otherwise, my scenario seems the most plausible.
> 
> DDR
> 
> 
>> On Fri, Aug 1, 2014 at 10:47 AM, Stewart Gooderman <DrSFG at att.net> wrote:
>> 
>> Wasn't the Original Cast Recording of South Pacific recorded both on
>> acetates and magnetic tape in April 1949, the tape version being used for
>> the 1st CD release?
>> 
>> DrG
>> 
>> On Jul 31, 2014, at 10:13 AM, Dennis Rooney <dennisdrooney at GMAIL.COM>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> It is true that Columbia began master recording on 17.5 and 16" lacquer
>>> discs commencing in 1939. The last Masterworks sessions recorded at 78rpm
>>> were in 1940.
>>> 
>>> Whoever claims that Columbia began mastering on magnetic tape "by
>> mid-1947"
>>> is completely incorrect. There are no seasons for which tape parts exist
>>> prior to late 1949, and backup discs continued to be cut until 1951. My
>>> assertion is based on extensive personal exploration of surviving
>> Columbia
>>> masters and parts. Tape originals did not enter into Lp production until
>>> late 1949. The lp and xlp matrices for Lps were second or third
>> generation
>>> copies from disc originals.
>>> 
>>> DDR
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Thu, Jul 31, 2014 at 7:45 AM, Carl Pultz <cpultz at earthlink.net>
>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> The question of Columbia Records' adoption of new technologies came up
>> here
>>>> recently. By coincidence, I came across a memoir of the development of
>> LP
>>>> by
>>>> Edward Wallerstein. According to this, the company had started
>> recording to
>>>> 33rpm 16" vinyl discs in the late 30s, which later helped them to create
>>>> quiet masters for LP. But, additionally, they were early into tape:
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> "Columbia also had an advantage in that we were the first people in the
>>>> U.S.
>>>> to use tape for master recording. [Adrian] Murphy was one of the first
>> to
>>>> see a German Magnetophon tape recorder in newly liberated Luxemburg
>> after
>>>> the war. He quickly packed it up and shipped it back to CBS. Not long
>>>> thereafter both EMI and Ampex came out with machines, and we immediately
>>>> placed an order for both. By mid-1947, we were using them and had
>>>> discontinued direct disc cutting. The Ampex proved to be the better
>>>> machine,
>>>> so we sent the EMI machines back. Of the originally issued LPs about 40%
>>>> were from tape originals."
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Interesting essay, though how reliable I'm not sure. (For instance, how
>>>> much
>>>> mag tape was available in mid-47? I think Mullin was still hording
>> scraps
>>>> of
>>>> BASF at that time.) It has probably appeared elsewhere, but I found it
>>>> here:
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> http://www.musicinthemail.com/audiohistoryLP.html via
>>>> http://wallyheider.com/wordpress/
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Carl Pultz
>>>> 
>>>> Alembic Productions
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> --
>>> 1006 Langer Way
>>> Delray Beach, FL 33483
>>> 212.874.9626
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> 1006 Langer Way
> Delray Beach, FL 33483
> 212.874.9626