Welcome to Tape Op #18. Some content in this issue may wind a few of our readers up.
I'll warn you now — people will take sides, people will write angry letters and we'll be here, attempting to sit on the fence. Analog or digital as a recording medium? People always assume Tape Op is pro- analog-heck, look at our name*. John and I might have our favorite ways to record, but we don't really care what other people use. Some of my favorite records of the last five years were recorded digitally, like Pinback's recent CD, Heatmiser's Mic City Sons, and many others I might not even know about. It only matters that the music moves you. A great, creative job of recording the music helps to move the listener. Having your recording gear preference, as an engineer, producer or artist, is part of this process. Why do people like Ford pickups over Chevy? Why do some like Mac over PC? I don't have a clue but I know what makes a great record has less to do with analog versus digital than it does with songs, performance and inspiration.
- Larry Crane