Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Speedy


There are times when I will be completely spur of the moment. There are other times I will just bog myself down in minutiae. And much to my annoyance, I am in the second of those options right now. So I got the turntable, great. I got it set up, great. I have demonstrated I can convert my LPs on to my ipod, great. But I really am completely bogged down and can't start converting everything. Why? Because the turntable pitch can be altered by +/- 10% and I really can't decide if it should be set at -2%. Why put on a variable control if you don't add anything to be able to check speed? Does -2% sound right? Does it sound more natural? Is it playing a little fast when at 0? My old turntable had a strobe thing so you could make sure it was correct. Not on this though. Otherwise such a good piece of equipment. But until I have decided then I can't start transferring things over. And this annoys me even more as I know I am being retentive. But I also know that every time I play a converted track on my ipod I will be listening to it wondering if the pitch is just right unless I sort it.

5 comments:

sally said...

so wish I hadn't read this at almsot 1am when I need to sleep. The problem will keep me awake now...

Merlin said...

Well, you were probably going to be awake anyway and at least it has given you something productive to think about. And you were the one I was relying on to come up with an answer.

sally said...

I was going to suggest singing along, turning the sound down, keep singing, then turn the sound up and see if you are in time..seems the most scientific method to me....

Stuart said...

There seems to be so many other things in life to worry about or am I missing the point!

Merlin said...

Easy enough for you to say when you have been to more concerts in the last week than I have been to in the last 5 years. And you are of course completely right and I am incredibly shallow. But you are also utterly wrong. Without music, without art, this world would be empty and all the things that are made bearable by beauty would no longer be beautiful. And a song played at the wrong tempo, be it opera or punk, is like a Monet with whitewash poured over it.