a couple of days ago, my friends Stephen and Adrienne helped me to record an art song (music set to poetry) I had written in college using 3 stanzas from Ray Bradbury’s poem, “Something Wicked This Way Comes.” it’s a perfect performance caught entirely on analog tape, with surprisingly low noise floor, and surprisingly hi-fidelity for the format. earlier this month, we recorded 2 more, original, songs, “The Tail End/The Wolf,” also captured on reel to reel tape. you can listen to both on bandcamp.
*format geeking out–
just like computer files, bigger is better in terms of quality. a larger file means more content, and in analog’s case, translates to faster tape speeds–which means more physical tape and generally better quality. at home, the fastest we can go is 7.5 inches per second, which gives just enough hiss, warble, and warmth for a nicely rounded recording.
*concept geeking out–
these tape speeds, and tape size (1/4 inch thick), also mean that our hands are tied on any post-performance editing. with digital recording, we can cut, copy, paste, and make nearly anything sound square (which is awesome and not to be frowned upon folks). think, TV vs theater: neither is better or worse than the other, just different, the latter being a little more organic (“organic” is not hierarchical in this context). so, like good fermentation, it means that Person, Place, and Time are the stars of home-analog recording at 7.5ips.
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-the People are stars of the performance, they are marathon runners much like stage actors. from start to finish, their performance has to be flawless. from breathing just right, to keeping tempo, to not stepping on that squeaky portion of carpet, everything about their performance matters because all of it is being recorded entirely live.
-the Place is in the recording like none other. the “noise floor,” as we call it, is usually much higher in these recordings, meaning that the sound of the room itself can be heard in the recordings. creaks, woody walls, carpet vs hardwood, fans and cars driving by. again, not better or worse, just very unique.
-the Time of these recordings, given the above 2 factors, is both essential and integral to performance. we often choose to record either very early in the morning or very late at night, because neighborhoods and buildings are quieter at these times. it also means that the performers are a little more tired, and perhaps a little more weird. time is an icebreaker of sorts in art and performance, and home recording can often capture this.
*the responsorial
Steve and I are recording at 15 inches per second, using 2 inch wide tape, performing in sound-proof rooms, and splicing parts together (recording instruments separately and stacking them together)–and perhaps it is the particular pressure of this Time and Place that make analog recording that much more scary. we worked for 5 hours this past Wednesday without any finished product, eventually having to stop because my left hand was stiff, cramped, and nearly raw from playing one chord for 8 minutes at a time about 10 times over. guitar creakiness, lip smacking, one missed note, all of it, resulting in performances that just weren’t quite A+. beautiful and humbling, repetitive and far from instinctual, holding our breaths and sighs of relief, the recording of the responsorial is an analogous (pun-intentional) process to the writing of the album. that to say, we are still working, albeit slowly and meticulously, parsing out grains of sand and reassembling art from ash. and I am excited to share it with you. if you would like to pre-order the album, you can do so below.
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–buy digital
–buy cassette
–buy vinyl
–merch bundles
THE RESPONSORIAL OUT NOW 