Here is a list of places to buy master tape copies, updated list Feb 2014.
Opus 3 : http://www.opus3records.com/
International Phonograph Inc. : http://internationalphonographinc.com/
The Tape Project : http://www.tapeproject.com/
Yarlung Records : yarlungrecords.com
Premonition Records : premonitionrecords.com
Ultra Analogue Recordings : ultraanaloguerecordings.com
Groove Note Records : Can't find a web site but the tapes are available from Kevin Berg with Elusive Disc.
Master Tape Sound Lab : http://www.mastertapesoundlab.com/Ma...b/Welcome.html
NEW! February 2014:
http://www.analog-audio.eu/en/master...nre_en_tid=All
http://www.abcrecord.com/en/index.asp
Hi Myles, No I just ran across these two sites and I haven't received any tapes from them yet.
Obviously I talk to people all the time about tapes and tape decks and I am always surprised when people say...
"There isn't much, if anything, available at those sites that I am interested in"
Sometimes I will play tapes from those sites all day long at the shows and people seem to like them quite a bit. The Opus 3 Sampler tapes are a no brainer and there are just a bunch of tapes from that group of companies that are quite nice.
Obviously I talk to people all the time about tapes and tape decks and I am always surprised when people say...
"There isn't much, if anything, available at those sites that I am interested in"
Why are you surprised? It seemed to me that 75-80% was classical so if you don't listen to much classical then what's left is slim pickens. I realize it is unfair to compare this to vinyl, but I can go to any vinyl site and find 50 records that I want or own.
One of the recordings I am interested in is Patricia Barber's Cafe Blue. However, it doesn't seem like it is available.
As I said, there are several Tape Project recordings I am going to buy, but I have heard that people have had to wait several months, if not more, to get copies.
Cafe Blue is available on tape last I saw. Have it here.
I agree it would certainly be great to have more rock on tape but the issue is cost. Thus most of the software is limited to jazz and classical.
#1-Record labels DON'T WANT to give out their irreplaceable master tapes and especially to anyone they don't know. See why Sterling, Gray, etc. master which LPs for Chad. Or why Grundman remastered the RCAs. Companies would much rather just send you a digital copy. Do you think the Beatles send out the original tapes?No you get some safety copy they created. And who knows the quality of that safety copy????
#2-Royalty fees.
#3-Record labels demand a ridiculous, no hideous amount of money up front.
As I stated before, the companies that present the best possibility for releasing tapes are those that own their own music eg. someone say like Opus 3 or Groove Note. Now too bad we could't get Proprius interested too!
So if the funding for accessing a copy of a desired master tape and releasing it on Open Reel Tape in some configuration isn't so straight for ward due to the kind of money the record labels wants to make and the uncertainty of such a venture then you have to think in other solutions or ways around it.
Solutions would include
- getting some philanthropist fellow to come along paying the bills until it becomes a viable venture.
- or have said philanthropist buy an artists catalogue with the intention of issuing it on 7'' 1/4 7.5 2 track stereo as about 47-48 minutes will fit 1,5mil tape on a std small hub 7'' reel. And also 10.5'' 1/4 15ips 2 track stereo, for just the higher speed.
Or circumventing the old catalogue, in favour of creating a new one:
- invest some time and efforts in recording some acts local to you with the intention of making a small run or interested parties. Making a CD-R appetizer and having people order 1:1 copies in the format they want, from the formats you can offer. With a simple web presence, and email to order and using PayPal or such for payment you can keep a very small production running.
- offer artists to help with facilities to make demos using tape for recording and making CD-R for the artist to send out and copies of the tapes to people like us. Such ventures could lead to securing a live date for recording for exclusive issue on open reel tape.
- yes, creating a new catalogue independent of record labels means creating a record label yourself....
-Mikkel
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