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From: ogata@leviathan.cs.umd.edu (Jefferson Ogata)
Newsgroups: comp.music
Subject: Re: Perfect Pitch
Message-ID: <32083@mimsy.umd.edu>
Date: 27 Mar 91 16:30:49 GMT
References: <1991Mar19.082948.10987@athena.mit.edu> <3722@ssc-bee.ssc-vax.UUCP> <27ec3160.9d3@petunia.CalPoly.EDU> <1991Mar24.122605.8262@cynic.wimsey.bc.ca>
Sender: news@mimsy.umd.edu
Reply-To: ogata@leviathan.cs.umd.edu (Jefferson Ogata)
Organization: U of Maryland, Dept. of Computer Science, Coll. Pk., MD 20742
Lines: 35

In article <1991Mar24.122605.8262@cynic.wimsey.bc.ca> curt@cynic.wimsey.bc.ca (Curt J. Sampson) writes:
|> 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.

The problem is not always the consistency of each individual tape deck.
If the deck always plays at the same speed, it doesn't matter when you
record and play back on that deck, since the playback speed is the
same as the recording speed. If you move over to another deck, though,
the playback speed may now be slightly different. As far as I know,
quality reel decks are well calibrated so this should never be a
problem. Many (most?) decks also have a pitch control that can be used
to adjust for inaccuracies in other decks' recording speeds. I use a
Tascam 1/4" 8-track reel deck all the time, and the tape speed is
extremely consistent. I've never heard any drift in the pitch on this
deck.
--
Jefferson Ogata        	        ogata@cs.umd.edu
University Of Maryland          Department of Computer Science