Will Analog Multitracks ever be made again?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Victory Pete
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Will Analog Multitracks ever be made again?


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What a great response this thread has gotten. I love the sound, feel, look, nostalgia, maintenance, smell, history, user friendly, tangible quality, and most of all it is tried and true. I couldnt imagine "The Dark Side Of the Moon" recorded on todays commercialized "ProFools" assembly line.
VP
 
Analog seems to be gaining popularity to me. When i think about all the bands i know around town, and the ones ive found online that are really writing some good songs and putting out some really entertaining stuff, you know, people with genuine passion, they are almost all using analog with digital mixing. Now, before anyone thinks im saying this is the only thing happening right now, im not. Im just surprised that people feel that its so dead when all i can see is people seeking it out. There are a couple of studios in town that are always booked solid who do very analog heavy projects. I have small bands constantly coming to me asking if i will record them because they know i have access to tape machines. When im talking to other musicians and we get on the subject of recording they are always really interested in analog tape and many have ended up buying their own reel to reels, or are busy searching around for a 388 as we speak. Of course, they are all bringing it into digital to edit, but thats the way you get the best of both worlds. After all this i guess i just dont feel that interest in analog recordings is going away anytime soon, no matter what manufacturers dictate, no matter what anyone says or does.

It doesnt really matter to me what the mainstream thinks or does. I dont feel the urge to keep up with the times or always be state of the art production techniques. There may be many many project studios that use digital solely that sound great, but from what ive seen anyone whos got a record planned that they put their blood sweat and tears into writing, always wants to record it onto a tape, even at the extra cost of a few reels of 2".

Keep in mind before responding angrily, this is just what ive seen in the bands that i know either around here or that ive met online. And even if that is a "niche", i see zero negative connotation in that word. In fact, i find "niches" to be exciting and interesting spawning points for unique passion and brilliance.

are you implying that people who record digitally do so without genuine passion?

and where is this town where all the bands you know record in analogue?
 
What a great response this thread has gotten. I love the sound, feel, look, nostalgia, maintenance, smell, history, user friendly, tangible quality, and most of all it is tried and true. I couldnt imagine "The Dark Side Of the Moon" recorded on todays commercialized "ProFools" assembly line.
VP

you wouldn't even have known.....


more romantic nonsense
 
yes



Yes, it is quite possible that analog could be gaining or losing popularity, and a person could take note of that while simultaneously disregarding it in his or her own methods.

There is no confusion to be had.
 
Don’t be sorry… I am a romantic. It often comes with the territory… musician, writer and all that, ya know. ;) Music to me is fundamentally spiritual and life in general is quite romantic through my eyes.


and for many of us...but it doesn't stop us being realists either

However, I’m not a romantic or particularly nostalgic about equipment, except perhaps for a guitar that was passed down to me or something like that. Otherwise gear is just a tool…. a means to an end.

Analog machines last forever because they are built well and can be restored relatively inexpensively compared to the cost of a new one. There’s really nothing romantic about that, or anything to agree or disagree with there. People buy analog decks and can literally pass them on to the next generation. The guy who bought a deck for a given studio may be dead, but his apprentice is still maintaining and using it. A machine may go through many owners and most do.

Analogue machine will last as long as there are spare parts and/or enthusiasts to repair them...forever seems unlikely (more romanticism? ;) )

they have running examples of the worlds first automobiles...doesn't mean anything

In contrast, about the only way a new DAW can outlast its owner before being considered obsolete is if the owner gets hit and killed by a truck the day after buying it. :D The social pressure for people to stay current with software releases and such is enormous.

social pressure..from whom?

there is absolutely no pressure unless the user wants it...and once you are on the train of ownership and updates its not as if you are switching software every time...I know people using Sonar 8.5 who have been using Cakewalk since the early 90's...


It would appear to me that one or two imply that only genuine passion can come from those using old equipment...do you know how ridiculous that seems?

Its the same statements Ive heard out of every person who uses or restores older types of machinery...cars, bikes, hi fi equipment..."ah they dont make them like that nowadays"..perhaps they dont, its generally for a reason


That being said, there are people that look at a vintage machine like a classic car, and they like collecting and restoring things, which is a perfectly valid reason buy analog gear and interact on an analog forum. Just keep in mind some of use were artists first and always will be artists first. There are many different reasons for people to prefer analog… there’s no one right answer.

I never read this last bit...seems we are in agreement again...nice to end on a happy note lol :)
 
dude

are you implying that people who record digitally do so without genuine passion?

and where is this town where all the bands you know record in analogue?

If you have been reading my posts, youll know i never claimed anything bad about digital recording. I have also stated i use it myself.

As far as analog studios around here, here are a few great ones:

http://www.myspace.com/513analog

http://www.flyingblanket.com/

http://www.myspace.com/lovelandstudio

I have heard the analog recordings that come out of these places and they sound amazing.
 
i'll say one thing about you old guys and your outdated equipment: y'all are freaking passionate about your recording carriages. i've squeezed more negative rep out of you sensitive crybabies in the last 2 or 3 days than i was able to collect in the previous 5 years on board. :D
 
thats it

Thats it, friend request is being sent as we speak.
 
If you have been reading my posts, youll know i never claimed anything bad about digital recording. I have also stated i use it myself.

As far as analog studios around here, here are a few great ones:

http://www.myspace.com/513analog

http://www.flyingblanket.com/

http://www.myspace.com/lovelandstudio

I have heard the analog recordings that come out of these places and they sound amazing.


no doubt...should we post studios using digital recording?

of course not, it makes no difference..I never said you claimed anything..what are you reading, I asked a question on whether you were implying something, subtly different

I think the tone of your post previous to this implied to me that people in your town (where is that again?) with the talent and passion were using analogue, as well as digital

Id say it doesn't matter a jot what recording method you use if you have passion and talent

and for the record..outside this place, I dont know anyone recording with analogue..but that's just a personal experience, which is what yours are
 
i'll say one thing about you old guys and your outdated equipment: y'all are freaking passionate about your recording carriages. i've squeezed more negative rep out of you sensitive crybabies in the last 2 or 3 days than i was able to collect in the previous 5 years on board. :D

they neg repped you? for what? having an opinion??


you are joking arent you?
 
they neg repped you? for what? having an opinion??


you are joking arent you?

I haven't read his rep comments (I can do that!!) but for sure they neg-repped him for his trolling, not his views on analog v. digital. :D
 
ugh

no doubt...should we post studios using digital recording?

of course not, it makes no difference..I never said you claimed anything..what are you reading, I asked a question on whether you were implying something, subtly different

I think the tone of your post previous to this implied to me that people in your town (where is that again?) with the talent and passion that were using analogue, as well as digital

Id say it doesn't matter a jot what recording method you use if you have passion and talent

and for the record..outside this place, I dont know anyone recording with analogue..but that's just a personal experience, which is what yours are

Look man, the point of posting those studios, and the point of posting that i know alot of bands using analog or who have alot of interest in analog, is that it proves to a degree that interest in analog is not as "dead" as some people think. Its not about me claiming to know everything, or that the way a few people around this town do their thing means its how everyone does or should do it, its simply stating that people still dig it. Its not any more complex than that.
 
yeah 380 million sales versus less than 2 million..


its called a niche market..it'll never be anything much more than that..its always been there

hey, my basic point is that it is not a niche market here in austin, which is considered to be a trend-setting city. it is THE market here amongst most music listeners, a hint of things to come in the future when the rest of the country picks it up. i don't need you to believe me now, you will see in approx. 5 years or so.
 
thanks

hey, my basic point is that it is not a niche market here in austin, which is considered to be a trend-setting city. It is the market here amongst most music listeners, a hint of things to come in the future when the rest of the country picks it up. I don't need you to believe me now, you will see in approx. 5 years or so.

thank you.

To be honest, even though i dont think its the average consumer, there are so many people who buy almost only vinyl out here that i dont know how there is such a denial going on in this thread. It must just be different areas. And these arent older men or whatever, alot of these people are young girls like 18-25 who have much larger record collections than me. Ever want to be attracted to a chick? Stand behind her in line when shes buying 250 bucks worth of Zappa on vinyl.
 
Look man, the point of posting those studios, and the point of posting that i know alot of bands using analog or who have alot of interest in analog, is that it proves to a degree that interest in analog is not as "dead" as some people think. Its not about me claiming to know everything, or that the way a few people around this town do their thing means its how everyone does or should do it, its simply stating that people still dig it. Its not any more complex than that.

so who are you discussing/arguing/look man(ing) with?


no one says its dead. no one says people shouldn't or don't dig it, no one says you claim to know everything....

I am claiming that you allow your personal experience to dictate what your views are rather than being either a realist or looking at anything outside of your small/medium/large world..I wouldn't know, you could live in a village where all three bands use the same tascam??
 
i'll say one thing about you old guys and your outdated equipment: y'all are freaking passionate about your recording carriages. i've squeezed more negative rep out of you sensitive crybabies in the last 2 or 3 days than i was able to collect in the previous 5 years on board. :D

how old are you? most of us here are fairly young i think.
 
hey, my basic point is that it is not a niche market here in austin, which is considered to be a trend-setting city. it is THE market here amongst most music listeners, a hint of things to come in the future when the rest of the country picks it up. i don't need you to believe me now, you will see in approx. 5 years or so.

Trend setting where, for Texas? ;)

you will see in 5 years or so? sorry but that is a ridiculous statement, you have no magic ball

just because vinyl sales have increased 50% -80% (thats a hell of a margin of difference) according to RIAA, in Austin, its still 1% nationally..

niche market, no two ways
 
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