![]() The only problem is that the amount of recorded time is now also reduced by 35%. This is a huge advantage! Yes, the groove still slows down as it moves inward, but the effects are greatly reduced. This isn’t always possible, of course.īUT, if we spin the disk at 45rpm we now have a 35% increase in groove velocity at any point on the disk. And, if possible, make the record short enough to keep the music away from the very end of the disk. ![]() Play the record back with an elliptical or line-contact stylus that has a smaller tip radius. Keep the recorded volume to a reasonable level (read: On scale on the meters) is the first thing. What can be done about it? Many things have been tried, but there is no “magic bullet”. ![]() The problems start when the curvature of the groove equals or exceeds the diameter of the playback stylus. The result is actually a loss in high frequencies, and increase in distortion as the groove moves to the center. That 1.8 seconds at a 12” diameter is covering a lot more territory than at the minimum 4.75” diameter. Yes, it is still turning at 33 1/3 revolutions per minute, but consider: one revolution takes 1.8 seconds. Curvature isn’t usually a problem, per se, on the outside of a 12” 33 1/3 record, but as the groove moves toward the center, its relative speed slows down and curvature increases. Why 45, you ask? Because it sounds better! In record mastering, the higher the recorded level and frequency, the greater the groove curvature. 180 gram virgin vinyl pressings were the next development, and last but not least, around the late 70s, 45 rpm 12” LPs started to appear. Digital computers arrived on the scene in their best role: Out of the audio chain, but doing machine-control to adjust the groove spacing on the record for maximum playing time and recorded volume. The most unfortunate thing about the LP is that it was really starting to flourish back in the mid 80s, just as the record companies tried to kill it.Īdvances in cutterheads (the device that etches the groove in the master lacquer disk) and cutting electronics reached a pinnacle in the early 80s. It has a solid, palpable, satisfying sound that no digital format has yet equaled, let alone surpassed. They will play at the Club at Waterstreet tomorrow night at 9:30, so be sure to pick up their CD and head into town for some good vibes.Why 45 rpm? by Kevin Gray, AcousTech MasteringĪfter 60 years the good ol’ analog LP is still one of the highest resolution sources of music distribution available. JBB has played with Burning Spear, Justin Hinds and Clinton Fearon, performed at the Marley Caribbean Festival and entertained sold-out crowds from Los Angeles to Richmond. The Village Voice has called JBB “a rare and beautiful example of roots-rock reggae at its finest.” The band has been on Rolling Stone’s Top 10 alternative charts, received high praise from Relix Magazine and has consistently been voted Boston’s best roots and best reggae band. JBB’s willingness to hold on to classic reggae, such as in the track “Eyes of the Maker,” while simultaneously discovering new sounds and influences, like with “33 rpm,” has won them praise and respect from critics everywhere. The band has many good things to say, so make sure you do not lose yourself in the music and forget about the lyrics. Kevin Kinsella, JBB’s charismatic lead vocalist and songwriter, has an innate talent for writing spiritual and political songs without making them pretentious. The band’s strength comes from its inspiring and balanced lyrics and perfectly orchestrated rhythms and melodies. This nine-man band of multi-talented musicians has everything you have come to expect from classic reggae ? soulful lyrics and strong voices, a full and crisp brass section, guitars, organs, drum and bass and even a sound engineer for dubs.Īlthough JBB first made a name for themselves with their I-town release, “All Time,” they exploded onto the national music scene with their 1998 Shanachie release, “Among Them.” “Spirits” is a stunning addition to an already remarkable pedigree. Who would guess that Boston and Ithaca would be the breeding grounds for one of the best reggae bands in North America? One listen to John Brown’s Body’s fifth and latest release, “Spirits All Around Us,” however, will quickly strip you of your preconceptions about reggae artists.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |