DC6 Wows in Demo

[DougMac]

Our church kicked off their stewardship campaign by hosting a dinner last Saturday night. Before the meal, members who had interesting "gifts" or interests set up tables to share these interests. One gentleman makes tin soldiers. Another lady makes beautiful stained glass.

I decided to discuss record collecting and audio restoration. I set up an amp and some speakers hooked up to a laptop running DC6. I took in a few "raw" files and gave a scaled down demonstration, mostly using the EZ filter to cut down on time and technical discussion. I first applied the correct rollover to the flat EQ file and demonstrated how much better correct EQ sounded. They were impressed by that.

I then took the EQ'd file into the EZ filter. Since it takes the adaptive filters a second or two to settle in, they were able to hear the noise just melt away. It was fun to watch them get excited about the result.

I had a constant audience during the demonstration period and many told me they thought my demo was the most fascinating exhibit they saw!

I also found a member or two who knew their vintage recordings. One had heard some Luisa Tetrazzini records and felt she was the finest soprano he'd ever heard (he's a music professor).

It was a fun evening for all. The biggest problem was tactfully declining requests to restore old BeeGee records. ;-)

Doug

[Craig Maier]

Hi Doug,

It is fun showing off the restoration process to newbies. Folks who have not seen it done usually find it fascinating. But, I also share that fear that at least a few people are going to ask you to restore some completely horrible music for them! I do not mind restoring good music for free, but its the horrible stuff that some folks have and want restored that I dread. And, I am not such a good politician about it, unfortunately. They might say " - - - Bee Gees" and then I simply point my right index finger down my throat and they usually get the message. Oh well, I would never make it in politics.

[Robin Hinkley]

There is much to be said in favor of leaving no doubt how you really feel about something, Craig. Saves a lot of backpeddling later.

My IBM manager was an avid (okay, rabid, perhaps) golfer and I once told him that the only difference between golf and kick the can was equipment. Actually, that was about one month before I was forced into retirement but I prefer to doubt there was cause and effect there.

Keep the faith!

Robin

[Geebster]

But, I also share that fear that at least a few people are going to ask you to restore some completely horrible music for them! I do not mind restoring good music for free, but its the horrible stuff that some folks have and want restored that I dread.

I don't do restorations for individuals anymore, even though it is tempting at times (for those ultra-rare or priceless recordings). And it's NOT because I don't like someone's music. I come from a music background and can find good in ANY music, and it wouldn't bother me in the least that I was restoring something that wasn't my favorite.

The issue is that there aren't enough hours in the day to fufill all my requests. If I turn someone down it always brings up some sort of resentment... like "why did you do theirs but not MINE?". I'm sorry, and this may sound selfish, but I have too many things to do in my life to worry about what somebody else wants.

I find the best and very simple solution to a restoration request... refer them to Diamond Cut and their restoration software. If somebody is that impressed and wants a restoration done, let them tackle it themselves.

GB.

PS. No music is horrible. Granted, some is better than others. Heck, I even found some parts of Lou Reed's "Metal Machine Music" to my liking. I don't know it's present status, but for a quite long time it had the reputation of being the worst recording ever to be released.

[Craig Maier]

Quoting GB:

"PS. No music is horrible."

------------------------------------------------------

I am going to go out on a long limb here with the following statement.

So called "Rap Music" is horrible. Period. Although not in the dictionary as such, I would define music as a device which exhibits melody and rhythm. Thus, "Rap Music" really does not even qualify as "music" yet a lot of people refer to it that way.

To me it is just a dull drone beat with no melody and a poor use of the English language.

Now, that should get some folks going!!!

[Geebster]

I am going to go out on a long limb here with the following statement.

So called "Rap Music" is horrible. Period.

Boy, you are a brave soul Craig!!! Ha Ha Ha.

That is a pretty strong statement. Saying RAP music is horrible is akin to saying that CLASSICAL is horrible or ROCK is horrible. There is good and not so good in all genres of music.

I'm by no means an expert on RAP music, but I find a lot of it quite enjoyable to my ears. I won't say it is my favorite type of music, but some of it is excellent.

I tend to like old school rap the best, but I even like quite a few of today's rappers.

I guess I have to like to some degree or some of my music students would consider me an old geezer or something.

If you think RAP in not musical, take a listen to Tupac's "California Love" and get back with me......

GB

[Craig Maier]

Quoting Geebster:

"If you think RAP in not musical, take a listen to Tupac's "California Love" and get back with me......"

----------------------------------------------------

I fear damaging my ears and / or my audio equipment! So, thanks, but no thanks. But, I must say, it is very daring of you to compare Rap with Classical Music or Rock.

[DougMac]

My Strategy

When I was at the church dinner, if anyone brought up their stack of LP's in the closet, I showed them a photo of my record cabinets with 48 linear feet of records waiting for restoration. I told them as soon as I was done with my own, I'd consider restoring for others. They took the hint.

My wife has pointed out (on more than one occasion) that my demonstrated musical tastes leaves me no room to speak disparingly of the tastes of others.

I recently brought home a $2 pawn shop purchase of a Squirrel Nut Zipper CD. She's mystified why I would listen to it.

Doug

[Geebster]

But, I must say, it is very daring of you to compare Rap with Classical Music or Rock.

Every era has had genres of music that the "masses" said that would never last. I can remember my Dad saying when I was a small boy that "that Elvis character is a no talent so and so" and later had even less complimentary statements about the Beatles.

I must admit I kind of thought the RAP movement wouldn't be as large as it is today when I first heard the first mainstream RAP single "The Message". Now, in hindsight it holds up remarkably well and to my ears it is quite musical.

I still tend to grab Tone Loc's* CD when I'm in a foul mood and put it on as it almost always turns my mood brighter.

GB

* Funky Cold Medina as well as many other Loc's tunes are actually more similar to ROCK records than RAP anyway.
All I have to say is ... "cheeba cheeba" Errr... It looks like I know rap better than I thought!

[Craig Maier]

IMHO - - -

"Rap Music" is an Oxymoron!



Craig

[Geebster]

Can we at least agree to disagree? Ha Ha.


Gotta go... I need some funky cold medina!!!

GB

[sus4chord]

I love the line from the movie, "A Mighty Wind", where the two folk musicians reminisce about their past and say something to the effect, "yes, we even got into rap music for awhile. It was when we were living up in Canada. We even got radio airplay; several of our songs were heard on the Canadian radio station (spelling it out) C-R-A-P.

Now, when my wife and I talk disparagingly about something, we call it Canadian Rap.

[Craig Maier]

DougMac,

I like your stratedgy. I am going to have to take a photo of our record collection and keep it at hand (maybe in my wallet). However, it is only around 16 feet long, but that should still work! Thanks for the idea.

[Craig Maier]

sus4chord,

I like that one - - - Rap Crap. Perfect! Now, we just need to write a rap song using that theme. That will take me about a minute.

Craig

btw - is sus4chord short for a suspended fourth?

[Geebster]

I like that one - - - Rap Crap. Perfect! Now, we just need to write a rap song using that theme. That will take me about a minute.

Craig

Gosh, why all the harsh words?.... I don't want to open another can of worms, but it appears that some here are condemning this form of music without actually listening to it much.

If you really listen to it, much of it is merely a combination of genres that have been around for a long time. Why do you dislike it so much?

I think a lot of it is terminology. Some people I know, turn a deaf ear as soon as they hear the word "RAP". If you give it a chance, much of it is very good and musical.

Take for example the great R&B tune "Superfreak" by Rick James. Many of the people I hang around just adore that song, but when it was redone by Hammer in the form of the song "U Can't Touch This", these same fans turned against the song. Pesonally, I can't see that much of a difference in the song, other than the Rick James version is sung not "rapped".

A great song is a great song, no matter what form it appears in.

Any of you out there can dislike RAP music if you want, but I like to keep my ears open to any form of music that I may gain some insight or pleasure from.

It would be a pretty boring musical word if music didn't change and evolve over time. I think change and evolution is a good thing.

GB