Forward: These sound bytes have been extracted from original disk and tape recordings. We have retained the original surface and tracking sounds with the limitations of frequency response available in the 1930’s / 80’s and the bandwidth of the old NBC network, some 5,000 cycles
(However, the digitizing process has given us a crisper sound with a pleasant “presence.” We hear the nostalgic, record tracking interference without being annoyed!)
The “Phone” quality of these sources is but one reason for the file compression being used. (8 bit 11 kb / second, mono) That is, this material doesn’t ‘suffer’ from the constriction. We are even more constrained by today’s file size when using (w.w.web).
THE SOUND RECORDER: The wave recorder comes with the Windows package and is used here. Its editing features are easy to work with and were used for these extractions. I find the 60 second limit, limiting! My edits are as short as 15 seconds. Long enough for Mr. Anthony (KFI) to say his name. My favorite, I never tire of hearing him.
Perhaps the most important feature of this sound editor is the ability to choose sound bytes start/stop times down to .01 second! This position of the 60 second, recording frame, is shown by a traveling pointer that one can position precisely.
Most often, you will use the delete all sound before pointer and delete all sound after pointer positions. Note the time to start and stop as you listen to the sound. Err on the side that allows you to take more away from the proper edit with successive cuts if needed. (Should one make a mistake and still hear an unwanted sound, note the part of a second that contains that sound and position the pointer for delete.)
Work with a copy of your sound sample. So, you can edit with confidence. You can change your mind or start over if needed. Also, I found that a given sound sample could be harvested for additional smaller bytes of your extraction, making shorter versions, separating voices etc.
More than one edit can be made at the same time. A repeat of an effect can be made in the same edit. That is, the volume can be adjusted more and more by clicking more times! One can add echo even reverse the sound!
The solid state, sound is electronically, edited without listening to the sample.
You may improve on my edits or may only use part of them. There is a feature where a mix can be made.
The Sound Recorder menu also keeps a sound file, registry. One can move any file back to be altered, saved and parked. Windows displays this independent of the Sound Recorder. When you have a byte edited as you want, Click, SAVE.
This is for those who have very old sounds and equipment and want to duplicate the early days of radio recording.
REQUIREMENTS:
A copy of the sound recorder pgm, there should be one in this library.
A PC with a Soundcard and a mike, in it or plugged into it.
A turntable for the speed of your disk or a tape player for the tape or cassette used.
Some of the first music on KFI, on 50 watts in LA was transferred acoustically! The telephone mike was held up near the phonograph! Everyone nearby remained silent. When the record was over, the same mike was spoken to again.
If you have no mixer, studio, inter-connecting cables to your players, or the various input impedances are incompatible and you have no matching transformers, you may record acoustically today! This library was formed in this manner.
We make all of our adjustments and placements as much like the original as now possible. The mikes were never touched, no one “kissed the mike” The mike was placed at a conversational distance. Today’s artist is “blowing” in your ear.
I placed the speaker of my tape/disk players at about 18 inches, the distance our KFI announcer stood at dance band remotes. I set the volume at the approximate level he used. I set the PC mike level to produce the normal sound level from it.
The end result is to mix the sound that pleases you. We are avoiding, distortion, mismatched audio, background hum or hum loops in the combination of grounds and most of the noise from mechanical parts nearby.
This level of mike setting will ignore all the little room sounds, your breath etc. We are only recording for a few seconds. (So far, the ringing telephone has never happened!)
We will hear the clicking of switches and tape levers etc. We will need to have the tables and tapes up to speed. So, we will record a second or more than we want and edit off both ends of the ‘take’. (If you will need a full 60 seconds for your out take. These cut offs must be kept short.)
Make use of the natural pauses in speech. It will be easier to make the edit and will not disturb the flow of sound.
Be aware that there are imperfections in speech. Slurs, miss-emphasis incomplete syllables and improper throat and mouth sounds. Certain edits will make these more noticeable. These, editing can throw away, but not fix.
Try not to edit parts of a speech made before and after lunch. Or recordings combining work from different days or times of day. Edits will bring out noticeable, variations of the same voice.
The ‘splice’ sound is a click that comes from the Sound Recorder. This is not on a fixed position on the byte. On a given edit, one may or may not hear this ‘spurious’ sound at different intervals as the byte is used.
Re-play the byte several times this sound may go away or not happen at all. The point being, don’t fault the edit or discard the recording.
When possible, play back recordings on the same machine on which they were recorded. Whether or not it be, tape, disk or cassette.
As a general rule, don’t transfer old disk recordings to tape to “save” them! Rather transfer old tape recordings to CD. Oxide is flaking off my old tapes leaving drop outs where we see through the tape’s plastic backing.
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We have a number of old disks and tapes as source material for more edits. However, sounds require enormous, file space. More sounds may be posted on a rotating basis, as we are able. Some other sound bytes will be posted on my web site.
One may record live announcements, make audio captions etc. in the same manner that he has recorded other sounds. Use similar sound levels and positioning by trial. Set the PC sound level as best for your voice. One may make “Voice-overs” by speaking while your sounds are being recorded. You will be your own mixing engineer as you balance your voice with the other sounds.
If at any time during recording, you have unwanted audio coupling to the PC speaker, reduce the volume level or use earphones for your monitor. (I didn’t have this problem.)
You may choose to uncover one ear while monitoring your own voice with earphones.
nw