Back in the days of analog recording, the master tape from the studio was sent to the manufacturing house where plates were cut from the analog recording. It was strictly an analog to analog transfer. Now, for anyone wanting to produce a record, a digital to analog copy. What makes it more interesting is that there is no exact recommendation for how the recording needs to be done. Many professional recordings are done at 24bit even though CDs maximum sample rate is 16bit. So, what should the ratio be when producing a new vinyl record?

In doing some reading, there was a comparison made of viewing a photo in 16 bit on an analog monitor and the same photo in 24 bit. If things go well in the presentation, you might see all sixteen. But if there is anything lost, the photo is no longer at 16, but more like a lower number. Thus, this number may be too low. On the other hand, 24 bit has room to spare if degradation occurs.

So how does the previous relate? With the change to digital music media in the 1980s, 16 bit was the standard adopted for CDs. On the other hand, a vinyl record if compared equally, would be able to play better at 24 since it is able to reproduce a wider range of frequencies than digital can.

If there is a choice (and there is), to choose between 16 and 24 bit when recording for the intended release on vinyl, I would choose going 24 bit and allow music to have as much glory as it can get.

With new compact gear and computer recording technology, it has become possible to almost record a whole song or album in a personal project studio, mix it down and publish it to the whole world in a number of different methods. This fast paced production in some ways, I feel, has allowed music quality to become mediocre rather than good. Combined with artists who are not good lyric writers, the number of songs which are considered timeless have depleted. We still turn to recordings which were done in the old fashioned method with dedication, time, and talent.

It may be a mixture consisting of the record companies and the artists that have allowed this to happen. Since the record companies are not as daring as they once were to accept new material, artists are not willing to expend the time to create material which will be overlooked. If cookie-cutter is what is being sought after by the labels, than nothing new will ever transpire unless independent labels take over.

What would make the album different? The biggest difference I could see is in the sound that they have. The JB have a sound that almost resembles The Rembrants and Rick Springfield. People really get into the home based sound and personal life involvements. That sound combined with many Christmas favorites would make for a great album.

By Daniel Medeiros…

The life of a professional musician has all the allure of a million dollars and a one-way ticket to being famous. Is it worth it? Heck, yes! But the only way to becoming a professional musician (and by “musician,” we mean singers and bands, not professional flautists) is to land a record deal. Whether you’re aiming for a mainstream or an indie share of the pie, you need that label to get heard.

Wait, but it’s tough to get signed to a label, right? True. And while there are many changes happening in the music industry right now (especially on the technological side), there is still no better way to make money as a musician than by having an established record label market your music. So how do you sell your soul to the corporate devil? It’s rather tricky, but we’ll walk you through the steps. (And don’t worry, it won’t involve an evening with RIAA President Hilary Rosen, a bottle of tequila, and a Barry White album.)

Unless you’re the next Beatles, there are a thousand other bands like you – so make yourself stand out from the rest by being professional from the beginning…No one will want to sign you unless you’re going to make them money. As such, you and your band must be confident, experienced, dedicated, and have it together (in other words, you must look like you will bring in money).

I have the assumption that you do not have a manager and that you are trying to get signed on your own. If you do have a manager, let the poor guy or gal do his/her job and you just stay out of the way. Otherwise, you need us bad.

http://www.reverbnation.com/jazzalikes

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/no-business-mindno-record-deal-605842.html

About the Author:

DM is an excellent allround world jazz guitarist ,fulltime studio musician,project leader,show case session host and a full time concert touring artist in the music business and entertainment projects…As an unsigned and independent artist he’d released various CD compilations on his name such as “remix & pickups”,”Spreads”,”MindCure” which contain not only his own original work material but as well influences of other world artists he likes,played with or scouted…he works always within legal contracts,uses discipline passion and fun in his own work…works with different people but only the finest…He is an improviser who uses talent and virtuosity combined with technic..Travels for his own work,composes,arranges and believes in nature…He is a capricorn by birth and on earth that’s what he believes!…He is a child of the world a world cosmopolitan someone with an interesting character to know, a friendly guy always ready to help others in any circumstance of life but depends what and who!… Somebody experience courageous ambitious, warm,with a dream…A hard worker,direct to the point but always respecting the meaning of others…Somebody who’s not to be taken for granted & who’s never afraid to speak languages or to be mixed in different worldwide cultures socially and musically.

http://www.reverbnation.com/jazzalikes

When looking to do a recording, one of the decisions that could make or break a record is where and how it is recorded. With today’s recording technology, recording can be done just about anywhere allowing greater options to the performer. One can choose to record in the traditional studio or somewhere else which can give the recording a little extra flare. The location can also greatly affect the mood of the musicians playing allowing the recording to be more relaxed. Using an alternative location may also offer a unique effect that no electronic effects generator could reproduce. For example, recording a choir in a gothic cathedral would far outweigh the quality of the recording compared to doing the same recording in a studio or even in a concert hall. The accoustics of the high ceilings along with the materials the building is made from will offer a characteristic that is non-reproducible electronically.

No longer is location an issue when it comes to recording. It used to be that the better recordings were accomplished in the studio. With the way that music technology has evolved, it is now possible to do great works anywhere and sometime better.

When recording first started almost 100 years ago, things were very simple. In fact, most studios did all recording with one microphone in the center of the room and the artists would be distanced from the microphone to produce the spacial feeling wanted. Take it, this was also in the days of mono recordings. As years past, recorders got better and the technology improved, but the accessibility still required knowing people. As recording matured, the ability to record and overdub on multiple tracks came into the forefront. With more tracks available, we are enticed to add more and more inputs. However, sometimes the best recordings are still accomplished with just the basics.

Whether it be a choral concert, instrumental concert, or band, we have the ability to over-mic. Some like to put a microphone on everything and others feel they can get the same result using 2 microphones in the room. What can be ironic is that some recordings done with two microphones end up sounding better than a recording with a whole cabinet full of microphones setup.

So, the next time you have a great song idea or a concert that should be recorded, remember to keep it simple and let the music be the focus, not the recording.

Since we can’t all go to the concert venue every day, we rely on the great invention of Thomas Edison, the sound recording. Sound recordings allow us to experience music over and over again from wherever we are, the only difference is we don’t have that “Live” experience. Recordings are second generation from the original. One looses the physical experience of being there and having the sound envelop them. Yes, a recording done of a live concert has more of the interactive feel since it was based on the interaction of the audience with the performers, but the feeling is no longer there. Studio recordings are different as they are “manufactured” by the assistance of people and equipment in sterile environments.

Lately, with digital music players, there is something even more important lost and that is sound quality. If we were to listen to a live concert, then a recording, followed by a compressed digital version of the same recording, we would begin to notice differences. Sound is lost in the transfer from one to the other. The recording of the live concert was the greatest, the live recording is almost like being there as only a little was lost sound wise, but the third, if we really trained our ears to listen, would certainly teach us a lesson about compromising quality.

Even though records were replaced by CDs for the pureness, there was something about a record in terms of sound quality that outperformed digital. Records had the ability to reproduce a fuller reproduction of the original sound. Therefore, the listening experience was closer to the real thing and making a tape copy was a close second for similar reasons.

Regardless of media, there is one thing that has been lost in the compromise of sound quality and that is that there are less audiophiles (people who are fanatic about sound). Most of us have come to accept less than great, thus affecting our music appreciation of live music.