IDM Mailing Archive

Hi all! Has anyone noticed that in the beginning of track 3 (the u-ziq mix) of Aphex Twin's "On" there is a serious tape drop-out. (I was playing that track on the radio and the technicians came rushing into the studio shouting at me to "be careful with that tape recorder!!!"). I love the music that Apx makes, the "Surfin on sine waves" CD is the best CD in my collection, but it is also the CD that has the most shitty sound quality I've ever heard! Does anyone know if Richard did this on purpose or if he really cares so little about sound quality? /Oskar

In our previous episode, Skye Merlin Poier said: > Well, it seems to be RJ's signature. From what I hear, he records his songs > once, then takes the DAT and plays it for all his friends around town, then > fires it off to Warp or whatnot. I suppose the masters take some abuse and a > less than pristine when they arrive (although, it does give the mu-ziq mix a > strange, faded, worn-in-a-good-way sound... its odd, sure enough) It's not DAT noise--if the tape was worn and the error correction chip couldn't handle it, it would just drop out. It sounds like it was recorded on analog equipment (probably the case for early stuff) or introduced intentionally (sounds likely for ON). Someone else mentioned DAT noise on Analogue Bubblebath 3. It does indeed sound like the 'chainsaw' noise you get when your heads are dirty, but it could have been wire connections, or, again, intentional. Now, the noise you get on the vinyl copy sounds like a cheap record label... -- Brian sex = differentiation = death bhostetl@indiana.edu bhostetl@silver.ucs.indiana.edu

And verily Brian Hostetler doth spake unto thee:

quoted 2 lines could have been wire connections, or, again, intentional. Now, the

> could have been wire connections, or, again, intentional. Now, the > noise you get on the vinyl copy sounds like a cheap record label...

Oh, I'm sure that my On remixes problems are in the pressing... I have some nasty pops in the reload mix (grrr) and a bit of crosshatching too. Its certainly odd, because my copy of Ginger has *excellent* sound quality, not a pop to be heard. Maybe Warp switched pressing plants? I was just relating some RJ-folklore with the last bit. :) -- M. Skye Poier .... 40% zestier than yesterday Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty f(x) on CJSF 93.9 FM Cable with your host DJ Eli 2-4pm Mondays

quoted 2 lines It's not DAT noise--if the tape was worn and the error correction chip

> It's not DAT noise--if the tape was worn and the error correction chip > couldn't handle it, it would just drop out.

I think this got somewhere off topic somewhere along the way. There is a dropout on one of the tracks -- I forget which -- which could very possibly be a tape dropout. Cosmic

quoted 3 lines Have any of you vynl phreaks tried correcting pops and scratches with

> Have any of you vynl phreaks tried correcting pops and scratches with > a fine sewing needle ? use good light and a magnifying glass, and you > can literally correct bad slabs of plastic this way.

I've often thought that with care one could probably make a bad scratch less obtrusive -- though of course one can never put back the information that's been lost. How much success have you had with this....? I don't really have the nerve to try it on any vinyl that's dear to me, but I can probably find something to experiment with.... Cosmic

Have any of you vynl phreaks tried correcting pops and scratches with a fine sewing needle ? use good light and a magnifying glass, and you can literally correct bad slabs of plastic this way. Cheers, Mark ObIDM: Anyone managed to buy (in the US) any of Australia's Clan Analogue stuff ? e.g. Oceania (I think thats what it is) ?

40% zestier Skye than yesterday wrote:

quoted 3 lines btw, this was all mentioned before about 1.5 months ago for you deja vu types.

> > btw, this was all mentioned before about 1.5 months ago for you deja vu types. >

Whoa...thought I was caught in a timeloop! -djkc ObIDM: Check out Biosphere's "Seti Project" single. "Can you imagine...an extra terrestrial DJ?"