Direct mp3 download or play: Thanksgiving 1982 – Part 1

Part 1

Direct mp3 download or play: Thanksgiving 1982 – Part 2

Part 2

This was recorded on Thanksgiving Day at my Grandmother’s house in Santa Rosa, California. I don’t remember how I recorded this session, but I think I used my Technics cassette recorder with two separate microphones. I can’t even remember what type of microphones were used! I’m usually pretty good at remembering or  having notes in with the cassette tape. One mic was likely stationary and another was handheld. Occasionally, I moved the stationary mic to other locations.

 I played the tape on my Sony TC-D5M cassette recorder (with Dolby B switched on) and captured the audio on my new Mackie USB recording interface. I understand capturing and recording sound this way, and in theory, should have better quality. Members of Negativland and Leo Laporte (The Tech Guy) have suggested the use of an external recording interface for years. In the computer I set up, the free recording software is called VSTHost. The noise level reading with the levels set for recording were nearly -90 db according to the indicator on VSTHost. When I pressed play on the TC-D5M, and before any sound played on the tape, the noise level rose to about -55 db.  The free LoudMax limiter was set to -.4 db on both threshold and output. I had to bring up the input on VSTHost  +6db  in order to match the output of the Mackie when its red overload (OL) indicator was just barely beginning to flicker. I used white noise to set the level, and the recording quality was set to DVD audio (16 bit, 48 kilohertz). I know 24 bit is an option, but I do not believe the difference in quality would have been noticeable. I know some of you may disagree. The MP3 audio  here on the site was made using the latest LAME  (and Razorlame frontend open source encoding) encoder at 192 kilobits per second, stereo (not joint stereo and not variable bit rate). One item that may be a problem, is that when the MP3 was made, (and probably most of my other posts with MP3 audio) the sampling frequency was left at 48 kilohertz, rather than changing it to 44.1 kilohertz. I’ve never had any problems playing these files. Let me know if any of you have trouble playing my MP3 audio. I hope you enjoy this, and as always, be sure to check out “The Willsaphone Stupid Show” and “Weatherman Shows: Over The Edge Radio.”

Technics M245x Cassette Recorder

Mackie USB Recording Interface

VSTHost Setup in Computer