The Role of Computers in Prog

Digital is convenient and inexpensive at a base line level.  I've done a lot of digital recording.  It can sound ok.. but it doesn't get my hairs to raise or send chills down my spine. 

When I cue up a good vinyl cut side by side with the CD version.. it's laughable really. I always play the CD first, then let the listener hear the vinyl.  I have a quality vinyl set up though.

I thought the recording was poor.. very poor, but I tried to listen through that to the compositions.  The keyboard playing was strong.  Not Miner's best work.  I think Tell A Vision was their better work.  They were kind enough to send me the music for a review and asked that I review it here.  I write reviews for other sites and mags from time to time under a different name.  

Bands are claiming to record analog then release on digital formats.  Might as well just record digitally. What is the point?

I haven't been moved emotionally by a prog band since they left tape machines. 

I don't think the tape era is gone.. but it needs to be followed through with a mix to tape machine and then vinyl transfer without digital manipulation.

We had a band come in last night that I have worked with.  Recorded everything live.  Two ambient mics in the back of the room as the major source of the sound recording.  Then what I do is go in very subtly with closer in miking to add to that for detail.  8 mics on the kit, two on the bass cabinet, two on the guitar cab, two on the Leslie, two on a Rhodes running into a 15" with a horn also.  4 mics on a percussionist.  Two mics on a vocalist. One direct and the other on a small PA to add texture.  All that submixed coming into a 16 track tape reel.  The mix is a piece of cake.  Takes 5 minutes to mix it down.  No EQ, no reverb, no computers or plug ins.  It sounds amazing.. but it needs to be played back on a quality system or it just sounds like other compressed digital nonsense.  I would post the session here but it would have no impact in a crap digital format.

Surrealist wrote: I have yet to hear a better rock band than Led Zeppelin.  Their silly Celebration Day is a disaster.  It's so over manipulated that the life has been stripped right out of the 1's and 0's.  Listen to that ... then listen to Song Remains the Same.  Full of mistakes and 1000 times for connecting to the listener.Their have been no better prog bands in the digital age than 70's YES and GENESIS.  No better obscure prog bands than Gentle Giant, or Henry Cow.  Pink Floyd's epic was recorded on analog tape machines as was ELP's classic.  Think about how tight Gong played or Rush on Hemispheres.  It blew people away because it was that good.. even in the analog studio.  With digital, it's just expected now.. a big yawn.  A big roll of the eyes.  Who cares for another perfect album that dies on my ears.

Surrealist, I have read that mastered albums inc. by the 70's greats are compressed and terrible, no bottom end etc, I believe this however my Animals album by Floyd re-mastered is most brilliant and I strongly believe it is brilliant.

I still have a studio.. yes.. and it's a good one.  It's a great one.. but to release music on vinyl while everyone is listening to music on hand held digital phone.. well it doesn't make much sense.

So, yes, I still release on vinyl to about 5 people I know.

Dean wrote: ...so you no longer run an analogue recording studio?

good question?

I'm just a listener like most.  But of course most everyone here is an artist and musician.  We all are.  But when I do mess around with music, I record on tape reel.. mix to a half track machine.  I agree with Jimmy Page, if you record things correctly the first time.. you don't need EQ.  If the room is correct to record in... ( a completely lost concept) then you don't need reverb either. 

Once you process your music.. it's processed. 

I think ultimately all music would be better non processed. 

I am curious now, are you an artist/musician, Surrealist? If so, how do you record, mix and master your music?