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From: curt@cynic.wimsey.bc.ca (Curt J. Sampson)
Newsgroups: comp.music
Subject: Re: Perfect Pitch
Message-ID: <1991Mar24.122605.8262@cynic.wimsey.bc.ca>
Date: 24 Mar 91 12:26:05 GMT
References: <1991Mar19.082948.10987@athena.mit.edu> <3722@ssc-bee.ssc-vax.UUCP> <27ec3160.9d3@petunia.CalPoly.EDU>
Organization: Mad Artists' Technological Hangout
Lines: 35

In article <27ec3160.9d3@petunia.CalPoly.EDU>
jdudeck@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU (John R. Dudeck) writes:

> From the technical standpoint, it is VERY difficult to maintain the correct
> pitch of recordings that are made using tape, and especially cassettes.
> I doubt that any of these alleged pitch changes were intentional.  Now if
> the music was recorded all-digitally using Digital Audio Tape and CD's,
> then one could complain, since there is sufficient control.  But tape
> recorders just aren't that precise, unless every machine along the line
> from the original recording through the radio station has been carefully
> calibrated.

Sorry, but professional tape decks of any recent vintage *are* that
precise.  It would be completely unacceptable for a multitrack to
change speed: it would make overdubs impossible since nothing could
be kept in tune.  I have yet to see a reel-to-reel tape deck that
doesn't use a microcontroller-driven PLL or FM capstan (thus making
the speed absolutely constant) in a studio.  Digital tape machines, of
course, cannot have speed problems.

> I once worked in a radio station where we had the programming pre-recorded
> at another studio in 3-hour segments on big reels.  At the end of 3 hours
> the tapes could easily be +/- 5 minutes off.  Cassettes are much worse.

Cassette decks are a royal pain, and many radio stations have
positively antique gear.  But how many stations get music on cassette
or even reel-to-reel tapes?  Virtually everything comes in on LP and
CD.  CDs don't change speed, and most radio stations use the Technics
SL-1200/SL-1500 turntables, which are quartz locked.

cjs
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