joshnich Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 (edited) A very interesting book for folks who share this audio hobby. It is called Perfecting Sound Forever An Aural History of Recorded Music. by Greg Milner. The title pretty much says what the book is about! As he says on the linear notes.. “(This book…….)It is not an exhaustive history of recording or the art of record production, although those subjects play a large role in this story. And its certainly not about every sonic innovator who’s ever committed music to tape, disk, or hard drive. It is an attempt to find some of the important fault lines in the narrative of “recorded History” - the points where people with access to the technology decided that this was how recordings should sound, and this is what it means to make a record. Ultimately, this is the story of what it means to make a recording of music - a representation of music - and declare it to be music itself. “ And it is a good read. It is more about how the music gets to a point - prior to when we all tend to discuss or argue about the various merits of reproduction. He starts at the beginning with Thomas Edison and the original phonograph and the early disagreements regarding the benefits of acoustic recording - promoted by Edison versus electrical recording as promoted by Victor ( prior to RCA) . Along the journey he goes into significant detail (sometimes a little to significant for me) regarding the role of the studio and the impact on the sonics, the rpm wars, the introduction of digital and the technicians engineers and producers who made the decisions and invented the products that effected the end results of the recordings that we listen to. There are interesting anecdotes about everything from the birth of magnetic tape,to the merits (or lack there of) of various sound boards and digital devices. He highlights the early adopters of technology from Leopold Stokowski to Brian Wilson to King Tubby. He also points to the records that are evidence of the various changes along the way or that are examples of the introduction of various technology. Good information on compression and the loudness wars as well. The title of the book itself is a play off the reported claims of Sony and Phillips on the invention of the Compact Disk. An ad for the new format claimed “perfect sound forever”. The author covers changes along the way not only for the effect on the recording itself but the impact beyond - record plants, sound studios, professional musicians, music stores etc etc When I read a lot of comments and discussions on this forum and others regarding accuracy etc, I think of this book and what exactly are we attempting to recreate with our “systems” . I highly recommend at least skimming through this book. I know I learned a lot! Edited February 1, 2015 by joshnich 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 I hope it's on Kindle! There's some irony in this statement. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eth2 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Michael's point is right on. With all the debate about digital vs analog, the subject of digital books relating the story of analog recoding is truly ironic. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 To clarify, I'm being smug and cheeky, not "ha, I caught you and <insert ad hominem>" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 My mistake. I thought Michael found it ironic that I would buy a digital book. This is good stuff guys, way more significant than a mere history. You made a great post in the "what's in your audio future" thread talking about the tactile experience of listening to vinyl, the artwork, the gatefolds, and the permanence of ownership. I just assumed that preference applied to all entertainment in your life - books especially - and so I found it amusing to see you hoping for a Kindle version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJIann Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Thanks for the recommendation. I'm going to grab a copy tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I surf this daily for free Kindle bookshttp://ereadernewstoday.com/category/free-kindle-books/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted February 1, 2015 Moderators Share Posted February 1, 2015 Thank you for posting your review Josh, I thought I was the only one who went in for this kind of thing. I picked it up in '09 and I think your review is spot on. I wish everyone who is interested in how and why audio sounds the way it does would read this book. I think the historical aspect is very accurrate, my Dad was with Ampex when all of the stuff with tape, Col. Orr and audio recording started to take off in the US. It has been awhile since I read it but I believe some of the technival information he obtained about Beatles recordings is in error, but there are two very definative sources on the technical aspects of Beatles recordings, which deck, techniques, etc. if people want to delve into that. I tend to buy up everyrhing regarding the history of recoring music, especially the tape era. I have a few other reccomendations if someone really likes this kind of stuff and wants to dig deeper. Thanks again for a great review. Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjimbo Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Is there a Cliffs Notes version? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted February 1, 2015 Moderators Share Posted February 1, 2015 My mistake. I thought Michael found it ironic that I would buy a digital book. This is good stuff guys, way more significant than a mere history. You made a great post in the "what's in your audio future" thread talking about the tactile experience of listening to vinyl, the artwork, the gatefolds, and the permanence of ownership. I just assumed that preference applied to all entertainment in your life - books especially - and so I found it amusing to see you hoping for a Kindle version.I'm full of inconsistencies!I was an early adopter on Kindle, because the nature of my reading habit is impulsive. I've downloaded books in the middle of the night because I get to thinking about some author or subject that suddenly interests me. That benefit quickly outweighed all the digital downside! Someone bought me a Kindle last August and I am loving it. I will never go back to a regular book for pleasure reading unless for some reason it isn't available on Kindle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Michael's point is right on. With all the debate about digital vs analog, the subject of digital books relating the story of analog recoding is truly ironic. How perplexing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joessportster Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Is there a Cliffs Notes version?Yes. Here it is.Recordings are not music. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 so in essence, the pursuit of realistic reproduction of studio recorded music is a futile exercise and one should instead focus on creating a system that presents studio recorded music in a pleasing manner? and live recordings are their own beast of inconsistencies. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 That sounds about right. I have alway believed that strive for what is pleasing to you. Unless you can reproduce the recording studio, the best you can hope for is a decent reproduction of what the engineers intended for it to sound like in your home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted February 2, 2015 Moderators Share Posted February 2, 2015 While I think the example in the book about the politics between the producer and the band is a great one, having dealt with journalists enough myself, I know that you have to look at their sources for quotes with some skepticism. It is no different here and there is some dispute about Bongiovi's claims starting in 2009 when the book was released. Ed Stasium was the recording engineer on that album and when he heard about Bongiovi's claims in the book he responded as follows: "A pal of mine informed me of this discussion.... This will be brief...I want to set the record straight about Tina playing on TH77. At the sessions Bongiovi would show up once in a while and when he did he would proceed to the lounge and read airplane magazines. Lance was there most of the time, I was the only person involved in the recording of the project who was there for every minute of the process. Tina played bass on the ENTIRE LP, Bob Babbitt did come in and overdub on one or maybe two songs but at the mixing stage I did not put Babbitt's bass up in the mix and the "producers" knew none the better! I seem to recall that I may have "Ghosted" Bob on the chorus (for effect) of "Love Has Come To Town" under Tina's bass for alas, I was WAY on the band's side. David could not stand Bongiovi and did not want him present whilst he recorded vocals, David informed me of this and I was the one who broke the news to Bongiovi (who did not care). Jerry has since remixed all of the Band's LPs for 5.1 etc. and he would be the one to know (from the track sheets) which of the tracks Bob played on. But geez, it's been 32 years....c'mon! Oh... and as for the Bongiovi quotes in Greg Milner's "History" My lovely wife Amy found the book and the first thing she did was read me several paragraphs and I choked on the tremendous amount of BULLSHIT squatted out by Bongiovi! Mr. Milner should get a truthful source for the addendum that should be added to that chapter. I manned any razor blade that was wielded on "Psycho Killer" (at the band's request), and there are no ******* TYMPANI on "Sheena". The only person who did not know what was going on during those sessions was Bongiovi himself.......I suppose I could go on but I must prepare dinner! Drinks for my friends!.....cheers.....ed" Like all things, the truth is probably in the middle. Regardless of what really happened, Milner's point in the book is valid, there is frequently a battle between the producer's concept of what the music should be and what the band wants to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I've mentioned in the past that it was my own theory that the "loudness wars" began in the 1950s with unairconditioned cars. Music with dynamic range need not apply. Even into the 70s the DBX 117 was recommended for decreasing dynamics on cassettes for use in cars. Certainly, there is a huge gap between the acoustic and the studio realm with nothing really in common except the distribution medium. Further "...they'll always choose the loudest..." fails to specify overall peak volume or volume compression. No jazz, classical, or other lover of the acoustic medium is going to choose a compressed version of a recording over a natural dynamic range version. Such music sounds AWFUL compressed to a few db of range. In that book and in this thread there is a mixing of discussion of such issues between musical genre that have little in common. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Trying to locate my Nook so I can download the book. However, I read the "freebie" section on Amazon and it covered Edison's efforts. I found it fascinating that he so championed acoustic over electric recording as being "pure." First to reject processing! The number of folks fooled by real vs. Edison also seems amazing. I've never heard an Edison Blue or Amber Ambersol recording played back properly but would love to do so. In fact, I have one in my music room. His claims of absolute silence, full fidelity, and general perfection are quite obviously hyperbole...but there must have been something to them as I've yet to read anyone exclaiming "You've GOT to be kidding!" Interesting also is the public...discs preferred as easier to handle, cheaper, and having longer playing time over the apparently sonically superior Edison discs. Whilst he was able to match the recording time by reducing groove width, it also cut the volume. Lose/lose situation. Old Edison made the same mistake as others in assuming what the public wants is quality. Then, as now, it was about price and quantity. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angusruler Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 gee, did I miss something? is/are digital books on kindles somehow controversial? is it kinda like lp's and cd's? Hahaha! love my kindles....just sayin'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 gee, did I miss something? Yes. No discussion about the relative merits of analog vs digital books. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 No question, Mark. Like I said, having trouble locating my Nook. Probably in a suitcase from a trip in the fall. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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