YTSEJAM Digest 958 Today's Topics: 1) Subconscious dub site list by email_address_removed (Trey Allen) 2) Dub site nominee... by "DR. TEETH" 3) Best Buy has some good stuff by email_address_removed (godfather) 4) A reminder about finding ACoS by "Paul W. Cashman" 5) I'll sell my Subconscious for $70 by email_address_removed (Trey Allen) 6) Rookie by Fernando Ma 7) one long-ass post by email_address_removed (Marc Respass) 8) James vs Charlie by Mad dog 9) ACOS-bohemian rhapsody by email_address_removed (howard wiener) 10) re:Galactic Cowboys/Alex Lifeson by email_address_removed (Jason Gianni) 11) A Change of Seasons by Oscar van Eijk 12) ACOS EP release in Hungary by Gabo 13) Other Music... by "Damian G. Allis" 14) ACOS UK - It's here!!!! by email_address_removed.co.uk (Mark Tiplady) 15) by email_address_removed 16) Tower Records & ACOS / Party? by email_address_removed (David Neff) 17) Petrucci guitar clinic in Springfield Mass by "Chad L. Cook" 18) Re: YTSEJAM digest 955 by email_address_removed 19) More Audio Crap, Vol. One (NDTC!) by email_address_removed 20) More Audio Crap, Vol. 2 (NDTC!!!) by email_address_removed ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 17 Sep 95 18:41:05 -0400 From: email_address_removed (Trey Allen) To: email_address_removed Subject: Subconscious dub site list Message-ID: These are the name I have so far for people willing to dub Subconscious: (I'll organize them later) Send me (individually) mail if you would like to be on this list... ------------------------------------------------------------- John Hough email_address_removed San Diego, Ca. Mathew Yee email_address_removed San Jose, CA Robert Quezada email_address_removed Central NJ Trey Allen email_address_removed Jacksonville Fl Marc Respass email_address_removed Massachusetts polzin edward george email_address_removed Champane Illonoise email_address_removed (Gregory Cole) Richmond, Va. Dave Delmont email_address_removed Omaha, NE Mail me if your not on here and want to be. ____________________________________________________________________________ "...the Miracle and the Sleeper know that the third is love; Love is the dance of eternity." (John Petrucci of Dream Theater) Trey Allen - email_address_removed - http://junix.ju.edu/UsrWebPages/tallen/home.html _____________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 17 Sep 1995 20:53:31 -0600 (CST) From: "DR. TEETH" To: email_address_removed Subject: Dub site nominee... Message-ID: After reading all the requests for Subconscious dub sites, I guess I could throw my hat into the ring. I'm in Mankato, MN and have a year old stereo system with Dolby B, C, and S noise reduction. If you're interested in a copy, lemme know. Of course, I'm not supplying the tape! ;) Trey: Put me on your list, man! .-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=. | ______ "Hmmmmmmm..." ____ ______ - David Peterson - | | /\_____\ /\ \ /\ /\___\ /\_____\ email_address_removed | | / /___ / / \/ / / / /\ /_/__ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=| | / /\__/\ / / / / / / / / /\____\ "The most beautiful thing that | | /_/___/ //_/___ / / /_/___/ / /_/____ this world has to offer is a | | \_____\/ \_____\ \/ \_____\/ \______\ woman's smiling face" - Me | `-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=' ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 17 Sep 1995 17:47:41 -0700 (PDT) From: email_address_removed (godfather) To: email_address_removed Subject: Best Buy has some good stuff Message-ID: Glenn said--- Regarding Steve in Lincoln Park: Almost every Best Buy I go to has WDADU in stock. Oddly enough, it's always labeled as an "import." I'm out in Downer's Grove, but I think all of them have it. Also, that big book/CD store across Michigan Ave. from Watertower (can't remember the name) has it, as well as the Silent Man single. Glenn finished--- I've checked out two Best Buys in my area. I counted a total of 5 WDADU's, 3 Silent Man singles, and 2 Live at the Marquee's (and of course the usual amount of I&W and Awake discs). They were all labeled imports too, but the prices were pretty good. $15.99 for WDADU, $9.99 for Silent Man, $15.99 for Live at the Marquee. Too bad they didn't have the Lie single though. Ryan ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 17 Sep 1995 21:44:18 -0700 (PDT) From: "Paul W. Cashman" To: email_address_removed Subject: A reminder about finding ACoS Message-ID: Just remembered this from times past (specifically with Rush's COUNTERPARTS :)).... If you have a really good Target store near you, or possibly a Wal-Mart or K-Mart, they will sometimes, nay often, stock CDs on their shelves before the official release date. I acquired COUNTERPARTS two days early this way. I don't know how widely ACoS will be released, but hey, what the heck.... -- +--- Paul W. Cashman email_address_removed http://www.crl.com/~vanyel ---+ | Rush * Robert Jordan * Queensryche * Michael Moorcock * Metallica | | James P. Hogan * Dream Theater * Robert Heinlein * NIN * Dead | | Can Dance * Mercedes Lackey * Blue Oyster Cult * Raymond Feist....| ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 17 Sep 95 22:42:19 -0400 From: email_address_removed (Trey Allen) To: email_address_removed Subject: I'll sell my Subconscious for $70 Message-ID: Man, I really love this CD, but I really need money (I mean real bad!) and normally I would do it, but if people are willing to pay $75 for a CD I'll sell mine for $70. ____________________________________________________________________________ "...the Miracle and the Sleeper know that the third is love; Love is the dance of eternity." (John Petrucci of Dream Theater) Trey Allen - email_address_removed - http://junix.ju.edu/UsrWebPages/tallen/home.html _____________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 17 Sep 1995 20:20:41 -0700 (MST) From: Fernando Ma To: Ytsejam List Subject: Rookie Message-ID: Hey all, I'm new here. This is my first post, so I hope it's respectable. Has anyone heard Dream Out Loud? It's a KTS import that was recorded in Buffalo. Just wondering if anyone has any opinions. I have it, and although it's not excellent, it is decent (James sounds like he forgot to do his warm ups for the high notes). Also, a question for your fellow bassists. Does anyone know what John is using on the song Ytsejam. I sounds kinda synthy, envelope filtery, and flangery. I cant quite put my finger on it. Thanks all, Fern ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 17 Sep 1995 23:39:09 -0400 From: email_address_removed (Marc Respass) To: email_address_removed Subject: one long-ass post Message-ID: Hi. This is just one big post replying to a bunch of stuff. No appologies for the length, but I did nix my sig :) > this whole mailing list has become the coolest group I'm > subscribed to!! Yeah, man! I can agree with that. > I just got the new Tribal Tech CD. For you guitarist, it > Scott Henderson's project. This stuff is completely > incredible!!! To best sum it up, it's "Erotomania meets > John Coltrane." Very "edged" music, but with the bulk of > the chops being devoted to solos, instead of steady > rhythms. I've seen these guys live a few times. To be > perfectly frank, no band (even DT), comes close to such an > incredible live performance. All these guys are respected > players in their fields, and the music they make together > is beyond description. Check them out. If you have to > take out a loan to get disks, or steal them from a little > old lady, do it. The new one is "Reality Check." I don't know. I have an old Tribal Tech album and I borrowed a friend's "Reality Check" but I don't really like it. Maybe it's because "the bulk of the chops being devoted to solos" I don't know. They just don't do anything for me. I mean, individually they're great players, sure. And Gary Willis is a great bassists. I guess they're just too fusiony to me. The tunes don't grab me and make me listen. I have to try. What I'm saying by that is I think the songs are lame . No awesome riffs. No cool rhythms. Nothing memorable. Erotomania meets 'Trane. I don't think so. Erotomania is great. Lot's catchy stuff. Great playing. Memorable riffs. 'Trane, what can you say? I'd say fusion. Tribal Tech is a fusion band. That's all. If you isolate and listen to one specific aspect, say the guitar playing, it might be great. As a band. OK. > C'mon, guys, he [Sherinian] went to Berklee too, and you > gotta be good just to be considered for admission. I hate to bring this up again, and I don't wanna knock Berklee, but you don't have to even play an instrument to be considered for admission. You have to have good grades, good SAT's and a check that clears. Then you need someone to say that you've studied some sort of music for a little while and they think you should go to Berklee. Lot's of people were there who were "vocalists" because they didn't play anything. I just don't want people saying, "oh, he went to Berklee? He must be good." That may be so but not necessarily. Wait until you hear him play. That's all that matters. Can he play. Can he write. That's how Sherinian will be judged by the fans. > Sure, he's fucked up here and there, quite blatantly, but > it's unrealistic to expect anyone not to fuck up > occasionally. So true. He did have that giant mistake where he had to start over but didn't that happen only once. Truthfully, there is almost nothing worse that could happen to a musician. He cannot cover up a mistake like that. He just has to live with it and probably doesn't want to be reminded of it. When I saw him, he was excellent. > It is well known that LaBrie misses notes here and there. And, damn. People pick at that like crazy. He's a person. He's not gonna be perfect everytime. Give him a break. > I want to be in the fan club,thanks. You're welcome ;) > I'm just being anal retentive anyway, I know, and you don't > need to flame me. I just have this bad taste when I know > that somebody isn't doing a cover song exactly right, Well, this isn't a flame, just a comment. Your attitude is a real rock attitude. Like when Vai said that he plays solos live exactly as on the album because when he went to a concert that what he wanted to hear. Would you think that Petrucci played something wrong if he played a different solo from the album or even a variation? Some people (very few in the rock world) don't like to play the same thing. Sherinian probably knew (alright, maybe he didn't) that he wasn't playing it exact, but that's part of the fun of playing a cover. You can do it your way. If you want to hear the Queen version go listen to it. Again, not a flame, just another viewpoint. To me, the reason for a cover is to do your own version of a song someone else wrote. --Marc Respass ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 17 Sep 1995 20:55:58 -0700 (MST) From: Mad dog To: ytsejam Subject: James vs Charlie Message-ID: I was asking a local store if they'd have ACoS i saw a boot i havnt seen before called like "Dream Theater, Live & Alive, Vol 2" Take the Time ~10 minutes Wait for Sleep ~4.5 minutes Learning to Live ~12 minutes Metropolis Pt 2 [sic] ~11 minutes [yes, this is just the song we all know and love, kinda] Afterlife ~5 minutes [To Live] Forever ~4.5 minutes Guitar Solo ~5 minutes Only A Matter of Time ~6.5 minutes I was able to listen to it in the store, the quality didnt sound all that great, but i'm not really an expert on this... The quality is also varied since it was from at least 2 different shows, 1989 and 1992. The problem is this. Charlie sings [for lack of a better word] _Metropolis_, and yes, James sings [for lack of a better word, again] _Only a Matter of Time_. Yes, you heard me right. In case you didnt, i said that the vocals on both songs were butchered. Charlie also sings TLF, and actually does a decent job of it, not like James on LiT, but respectable... I absolutly love James everywhere else i have heard him, icluding the WDADU material on LatM. I also like how Charlie sings on WDADU, but not _Metropolis_... If any of you have heard what I'm talking about and you like it, fine, it just disturbed me so much that I had to run home and play I&W to hear _Metropolis_ with James (then again, that isnt all THAT disturbing...) Considering the fact that it does have LtL, a very rare live track, it might be a decent deal at $20, but i have too much good stuff to buy, ACoS tuesday [a guy in the store actually knew that it was coming out then!!!], Spumkins in a month, the three Marillion I dont have... btw- if i already sent you this (speaking to friends on the list) tough. A "Mad dog shaven head bottle boy Freak" aka John Haveman --------------------------------------------------------------- Stones, then rocks, then boulders, pranced past him like clumsy puppies, only much bigger, much, much harder and heavier, and almost infintly more likely to kill you if they fell on you... -- Douglas Adams, _Life, the Universe, and Everything_ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 17 Sep 1995 22:51:39 -0400 From: email_address_removed (howard wiener) To: email_address_removed Subject: ACOS-bohemian rhapsody Message-ID: >Damon M. Fibraio > Can I just say, that Derek did make a very big error, at least in my mind, >on one of the covers on ACOS. It's theoretically correct, but notewise, it's >wrong. On Bohemian Rapsody, (I know I spelled it wrong), at the end, where >the piano part comes in, he has that part all wrong. Iknow this because I >remember the Queen version....I have this amazing talent of knowing songs >exactly as they sound, every note, every part, and can tell when somebody is >varying a part. Derek does not play the Queen song exactly right. I just have >this bad taste when I know that somebody isn't doing a cover song exactly >right.... So what if he is not playing the song exactly the same. Is it not true that doing cover songs is all about doing them YOUR way and how YOU like to do them and how YOU think that they will sound better. Is this guy sure that he can hear EVERY SINGLE NOTE BEING PLAYED? That is very hard to do, pal. Saying you have perfect pitch and actually having perfect pitch are two completely different things. There are music majors here who dont know the differece and stick their foot in their mouth every time they open them up. The coward dies many times before death itself. The valiant never taste of death but once. --Shakespeare-- LET'S GO STATE---HAIL TO THE LION, LOYAL AND TRUE "Don't expect your own Messiah, this neverworld which you desire is only in your mind." ---Dream Theater--- "O, that this too, too solid flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into dew!" ---Shakespeare--- "Adesso che ho perso la vista, ci vedo meglio e di piu." --Dream Theater-- ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 17 Sep 1995 20:57:38 -0400 From: email_address_removed (Jason Gianni) To: email_address_removed Subject: re:Galactic Cowboys/Alex Lifeson Message-ID: Hey all! Yes, I heard today that Galactic Cowboys will have a new album out around, I believe, this coming February. I heard that it is called "Machine Fish," and I'm pretty sure that Dane is NOT on it; I did hear the new guy's name, but I don't remember it right now. Can't wait to hear the new material! Oh, I also heard a rumor that Alex Lifeson has a solo album coming out next month! Did anyone else hear this rumor? Confirm, PLEASE...... I'm on my way out to see if any record story has ACOS now. I doubt it, but hell, I can't wait anymore; AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! Jason ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 18 Sep 1995 09:57:34 EDT From: Oscar van Eijk To: email_address_removed Cc: email_address_removed.nl Subject: A Change of Seasons Message-ID: Hi There, Now 'A Change of Seasons' (ACoS in netlanguage, but I hate abbr. :-}) came out in the Netherlands last friday, it's time for me, as a professional lurker to write my first impressions about the album. That's easy; since what's to write about it ?!? It's just amazing! Last summer, Dream Theater played the song at the BosPop festival in Weert, where I heard the song for the first time, and I was really impressed, but now I've been able to lay back in a lazy chair and listen to it, I realized once more why this is the only band I've got all albums from and saw playing every time they were in Holland. Pity tough London was too far at January 31st. --------- Abandon Hope _-. O s c a r .-_ And my Spirit All Ye _..-'( oscar@uniface.nl )`-.._ Is Crying Who Enter Here ./'. '||\\. (\_/) .//||` .`\. For Leaving ./'.|'.'||||\\|.. )*.*( ..|//||||`.`|.`\. - Led Zeppelin ./'..|'.|| |||||\``````` " '''''''/||||| ||.`|..`\. ./'.||'.|||| ||||||||||||. .|||||||||||| ||||.`||.`\. /'|||'.|||||| ||||||||||||{ }|||||||||||| ||||||.`|||`\ '.|||'.||||||| ||||||||||||{ }|||||||||||| |||||||.`|||.` '.||| ||||||||| |/' ``\||/` '\||/'' `\| ||||||||| |||.` |/' \./' `\./ |/\ /\| \./' `\./ `\| V V V }' `\ /' `{ V V V ` ` ` U ' ' ' ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 18 Sep 1995 10:56:29 +0200 (MET DST) From: Gabo To: email_address_removed Subject: ACOS EP release in Hungary Message-ID: Hi Ytsejammers! I'm a fellow jammer from Hungary, and I have to report that A Change of Seasons was available on 11th September!!! I don't know how that came along, but I can assure you that it's something worth waiting for!!! The EP is 57 minutes long (I don't even know if it's an EP yet...), and it includes The Best Song Ever (IMHO). ACOS simply rules! Petrucci really pushes himself to the limits with his 7-string Ibanez, and I can tell you that it sounds great (even better than on Awake!). James uses his clean voice which I prefer (I know many of you agree). Yes , they removed the long classical-style solo from the end of the song, but the new part is even better! I think emotionally it's the greatest DT song, for it has plenty of mood changes according to the lyrics. About the covers... I don't like Elton John that much... DT couldn't make me like him, too. Otherwise, the covers are OK - especially Perfect Strangers! James' voice sounds really cool during the live performances, which (having listened to 10 of their boots) is unusual... I don't know if there were any re-recordings... I also picked up a boot CD in San Marino during the summer, it's called Mind Control, and I recommend that for all of the fans! It has some really cool improv' jams, incl. The Awake Heavy Jam from Subcon, and it features the studio version of Rush's Tears! I don't know where that came from, but it's a lot better than on Subcon! One more thing: could anyone send me a full tracklist for the Japanese version of ACOS? I heard it includes some extra shots, too. Bye, Gabor Dobronte "We can hope for the future, But there may not be one..." Mike Portnoy (ACOS) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 17 Sep 1995 15:44:11 -0400 (EDT) From: "Damian G. Allis" To: Ytsejam Subject: Other Music... Message-ID: I've been getting some pretty pissy e-mails from people that don't like my emphasis of "other" music during my past few messages. I respect that they are keeping it off the mailing list, as not everyone needs to read this stuff. However, I don't feel like having to write so many messages back to people. So, I'm posting it here. It might even be good for the heads out there who haven't found the time to write me yet. Well, maybe those of you that wrote me are right. This is a mailing list for DT only. No one needs this extra crap here. So, I will stop writing it. Lets talk about DT. So, have we decided if DT is a progressive band yet? They kind of sound like...er...oops, I forgot. Only DT. Well, they must be progressive, because all of this mainstream music...er...sorry again. That's not DT stuff again. Well, they must be progressive to themselves. What a Cartesian Paradox. Far out. O.K. We can't have that conversation. Well, what about ACoS. We've had healthy discussions about how good it is. Boy that piece is great. And the other pieces are...er...sorry, they're not DT originals. We can't discuss non-DT stuff. This is only for DT music. O.K. We'll discuss something else... I'll tell you. If we got rid of all the Rush stuff, Tape types and INFERNO stuff from the previous few lists, this would be a much better DT list. To that, I say BULL SHIT! How do you expect to talk about Dream Theatre if all you do is talk DT. You can't have intelligent conversations about something if you don't bring up other aspects of the conversation to give people direction in as to your train of thought. I just got three more messages about trading some of my "other" music for DT bootlegs. A great trade, as everyone involved is getting something different to listen to. Mr. Peele sent me a very cool e-mail about helping him find a drummer. I've been doing electronics for a while, so the tape message didn't help me. I did, however, make a copy of it and sent it to a friend of mine who can never get it right. Does it bug those of you that left me messages that there isn't pure DT material on the list? Don't you hate it when people start talking about Rush? How about you, MR. KEEGAN, does it annoy you when people ask about other music on this mailing list? Does it? Don't you kringe when people talk about Tesla? Who needs Megadeth, anyway? Metallica? Who gives a shit? I would have to have the neural connections you do (those of you know who I'm directing this to), to hate anything that doesn't fit what the gist of what the material is supposed to be about. I wonder how Mike would sound behind the drums if he didn't listen to and Frank Zappa. For that matter, I wonder how Frank would sound without all of the ethnic music he listened to. Which makes you wonder, how would Mike sound without all of the influences of his influences. It would be a shame if the members of DT had the close-minedness of those that left me messages. Damian Allis ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 18 Sep 95 12:24 BST-1 From: email_address_removed.co.uk (Mark Tiplady) To: email_address_removed Subject: ACOS UK - It's here!!!! Message-ID: Just picked up ACOS in my local record store here in the UK. It's going for £9.99. I'm listening to it now and it's sending shivers running up and down my spine it's _that_ good! Love the new intro to ACOS, and the live stuff is just awesome, fantastic production. If you can, crank it up through a decent sub-woofer, I've got my walls shaking :) Mark. '...your arms cover me like a blanket, maybe that's all that I need...' Kevin Moore. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 18 Sep 1995 05:05:28 PDT From: email_address_removed To: email_address_removed Message-ID: <"18-Sep-95 13:05:42".*message_id_removed> send help ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 18 Sep 1995 07:16:11 -0600 From: email_address_removed (David Neff) To: email_address_removed ('smtp:email_address_removed') Subject: Tower Records & ACOS / Party? Message-ID: Hey ACOS-Awaiting Jammers, Quoth Jun-Dai Bates: >I went to Tower records the other day, and looked up on their list of >releases-to-come. Surprise,surprise, A Change of Seasons was not on the >list. [etc] Hmmm, I went to my local Tower Records and they have the ACOS release date as Sept. 19. I also picked up the Live In Tokyo vid there (too cool). I wonder if they have pinheads working at yours? Doesn't seem too likely tho. And now for something completely different ... For you Over-21 guys and gals within range of Philadelphia, Hairball and I came up with the idea of having our own little YtseCon or ACOS release party or something. It was really cool meeting THE Hairball a while back, and we think it would be worth our while to plan some sort of informal social gathering for us local ytsejammers. Whaddya think, anybody up for some adult beverages? Maybe we should have it at the Four Seasons - HA! get it? The Four Seasons, A Change Of Seasons? Oh, never mind. Sorry, sorry. Hey, if we go to a place with a DJ, maybe we can get him or her to play something from ACOS and grace all the fortunate patrons there with the sweet strains of our beloved Dream Theater. Imagine, converts by the hundreds! Enough blathering. Anybody interested, please drop me a line and let's see what we can arrange! Huh huh, that would be cooool. - Dave Neff (email_address_removed) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 18 Sep 1995 09:03:22 -0400 (EDT) From: "Chad L. Cook" To: email_address_removed Subject: Petrucci guitar clinic in Springfield Mass Message-ID: Hi all, I just got word of a guitar clinic in Springfield mass on Monday Sept. 25 at 7(I think), the cost is 10 dollars, I'm not sure where in springfield it is though.. I'll try and get more details! Anyone in Hartford CT area find the ad? (A friend in hartford who told me about it, saw it in one of the papers there)... Chad +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | == ====== ============== Chad L. Cook | | == ====== ============== System Administrator Phone: 617-873-4159 | | == == == == email_address_removed FAX: 617-873-5386 | | == == == == == == == | | == == == == == == == Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc. | | == == == == == Systems and Technologies Division | | ========================== 10 Moulton St. | | ========================== Cambridge, MA 02138 | +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 18 Sep 1995 09:10:02 -0500 (EST) From: email_address_removed To: email_address_removed Subject: Re: YTSEJAM digest 955 Message-ID: Hello everyone, it's BABS. Wanted to share my little tale with you. This past Saturday I popped into our local record store, Buzzo's. Don't ask about the name, too long of a story. Anyways, I asked him if he happened to have ACoS already in the store. He looked at me and smiled (this dude is about 50-something and left over from the 60's, as a matter of fact he has a poster of Former President Nixon, with Army Gear on carry a gun, a pretty funny picture to see indeed and yes, the poster is meant to be a joke). Ok, back to where I started. He looked at me and said "who wants to know?" and I say "me" of course. I start to ramble on about how it's put out by EastWest, but I believe that they were bought out, blah blah blah. And he says, "hold it right there, my brother works for Warner" I just kind of looked at him pensively, wondering what the significance was about that comment (never did figure out why he mentioned it). He then says "what is the release date" so I tell him Tuesday, September 19. He then says "what's the date today sweetheart?" So I tell him the 16th. He then tells me "come back on Tuesday and I will have a very special copy for you - try to get up here by 1:00 pm". He then bent my ear for about 45 minutes explaining that there is a special reason why release dates are set, that it's to keep things fair between the stores,etc. and that even though it's annoying it's a good thing in a way...... I just had to share that with you all, why I don't know? -BABS PS To Tim in CT. I'm sure that I can get you a copy of ACoS w/ no problem, contact me Tuesday after 1:00 pm (giggle). ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 18 Sep 1995 09:46:23 -0400 From: email_address_removed To: email_address_removed Subject: More Audio Crap, Vol. One (NDTC!) Message-ID: WARNING: This post, and the two from me that follow should be skipped if you don't give a flying fuck about audio recording, cassette bias, Dolby NR,Tape Speeds, Width, or anything else related to the above; Or, if you're sick of me running on like a leaky faucet, just skip ahead. ***You have been warned.*** >My casette deck records with HX-Pro (which sounds great and >doesn't require any special tape equipment for playback) Right - but HX-Pro is not a noise reduction. To the best of my knowledge, what that actually does, as an "encode only" process (which is why you don't need to "decode" it), is to allow more highs onto the tape itself. >The fact that was recorded with HX-Pro and Dolby B Noise Reduction >had an effect on the recording... Can I just go on record now as saying that I hate consumer deck dolby NR? =) hehe... >Those were my opinions of the sound quality based on what I've >recorded for myself and my family...If those who want a copy don't >think the difference is that big of a deal, then send me whatever type > you want. Whoa...slow down! No one is insulting you - don't take it personally. Jim Gallagher is a phenomenal engineer, and I quoted him as exactly as my memory allows. Besides, as most 'Jammers (should) know, I am an anal-retentive f*ck, who nit-picks everything. NEVER take anything I say personally, unless it starts out like: "You are a total, and complete idiot!" Okay? As He said, there is a difference between these tape types. The point he was trying to make was that the difference in sound quality between the three was _more_ noticable between Normal & CrO2, than CrO2 & Metal...and that the _price_ difference (I didn't mention this before, incidentally) between Chrome & Metal versus that sound quality difference pointed him towards Chrome. Of course, from his stand point, DATs are the only tapes worth using, but, that's a whole other lecture of his. =) Point is, either CrO2 or Metal _do_ put Normal to shame, in that medium. >Some tape decks, like mine, select the tape bias automatically Well, that's cool...my tape deck does that as well. However, I had a CD/ Tape/Radio "boom box" that used to make really tinny & piercingly sharp recordings on CrO2 tapes. I found out later that the bias was set to "normal," and that I had to record _only_ on normal tapes. Gag. Anyway, the reason I put "Normal Bias" on the tape labels is because some people, who *do* have switchable bias controls, would see "CrO2" on the tape, and switch it to that. =) And, seeing as I've sunk a "small" fortune into nothing but amps, guitars, basses, keyboards, 8-Track Reel-To-Reels, ect., I still don't own a decent CD player/stereo unit. =) There was no real point to that...just thought I'd bitch. =) >If I recorded something on a CrO2 tape, the tape deck shows I can turn >it up to 3db on the Peak Level Meter. Any higher and the sound would >most likely be distorted. If it were a Metal tape, it shows >the recommended limit at about 6db. Normal bias shows it at 0db. That's right. =) However, remember: there's exceptions to every rule. My cassette of Asia's "Astra" album is a normal bias tape, and it peaks at around +6. =) Not only that, but, Normal tapes just DON'T cut it in terms of reproducing highs. >Tape decks that have Automatic Metal, like my car tape deck for >example, will turn on Metal playback for CrO2 and Metal tapes. Yeah, well, I just know that if it can be changed, I run normal & CrO2 tapes back in "Normal." The Normal/CrO2 switch is _always_ on Normal, EXCEPT when there's a tape that is particurally "tinny." Generally speaking, CrO2's reproduce the highs better in normal position. ...and on to Mr. Keegan, in the next part of this rambling... ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 18 Sep 1995 09:46:40 -0400 From: email_address_removed To: email_address_removed Subject: More Audio Crap, Vol. 2 (NDTC!!!) Message-ID: >> And, as most of us know, play back your CrO2 tapes with your >> playback deck set to NORMAL bias. You'll hear more highs! =) >While this is true, it can't be natural. And it wouldn't be the way the >original was mastered. Well, you can't bring out something that's not there to begin with. However, as I just re-restated, the chrome tapes are designed to be played back in normal position. >When you play the tapes in normal, doesn't it just bring out more highs, >while not extended the range?? Aren't highs part of the extended range? Ever heard a really muddy sounding tape? Go buy one of those 3-for-a-Dollar cassettes at your local drug/grocery store. See how well it reproduces the highs. See, if I recall correctly, Jim's "speech" that day on how much cassettes suck came out of his lecture on reproduction of highs, and how hard it was to capture those waves...blah, blah, blah. Of course, I'm not 100% sure, because: a) I had him for two semesters in a row, and b) he tended to repeat himself. =) To answer your question, I'm not sure exactly what you're asking. "extended the range?" I'm _sure_ that's just a typo, but, it's kind of important. In engineering - among other things - the higher the tape speed, the better the reproduction of the sound: it occupies more tape if it's running faster. Think about it this way: Tape something on your VCR in SP, LP, and EP modes. Watch 'em back. SP will give you the best quality picture & sound. EP will give you the worst. Thus, in analog recording: There are multi-track recorders that run at a wacked out rate of 30 inches per second (ips)...at that speed, the material being recorded is _usually_ NOT encoded with NR. At 15 ips, you're still getting good sound, but, many choose to use some kind of NR - Dolby SR is becoming the NR of choice...and one of these days, I'm gonna get the specs on it! =) 7.5 ips - usually appears on stereo reel to reel decks. Not bad, but, there's obviously better. 3 3/4 ips (I think - someone check this?) - appears on some reel to reels. Nice way to save tape, but, your audio is getting really down graded... And, finally the audio cassette: that runs at 1 7/8 ips. SLOW. Not only that, but, the cassette's width is actually divided FOUR TIMES*- Left & Right, Sides A & B. So, mathematically speaking, you're looking at a TINY area of a TINY piece of tape trying to reproduce the 2 Inch, 30 ips master's sound? =) (* - which, if you don't know, is the principle upon which 4-Track cassette recorders were built upon. ) SO, the short of it is: How well a tape reproduces the HIGHS is a good way to judge its QUALITY - simply because HIGHS are the hardest thing to capture and reproduce. Bass? Well...that's something else. That depends on a lot of other stuff. However, no highs to compensate for a bassy tape will piss me off more than a tinny tape with no bass, because I can turn the noise reduction on. =) >And what about taping in Dolby and playing back without dolby. This also >brings out the highs. I guess it all depends on what your ear likes. Yeah, well, as stated above, I hate the home deck units' NR encoding. I like to hear the highs, myself. Sure, it usually grates my hearing (too many years in bands) if something is incredibly bright, but, that's what makes a good recording a good recording, IMO. Why else would most studios in this country use Yamaha NS-10's (or something similar) for near-field monitors? NS's don't really reproduce much below 80hz, but, reproduce the highs VERY well...in fact, Jim said that a lot of people, when setting up their studio monitors EQ's (with a white noise generator, and an analyzer), they will intentionally lower the amount of highs that the speakers put out - thusly, they're HEARING less highs than are being Recorded/Mixed, simply to try and get the mix/recording sound more bright... ...I don't wanna get into monitors. =) Of course, most studios have various sets of monitors that do different things...but...that's got NOTHING to do with the question... =) And Finally... ------------------------------ End of YTSEJAM Digest 958 *************************