[Dixielandjazz] Re: Cut & Paste -- Splice & Insert

[Robert S. Ringwald]

I have corrected mistakes on some of my recordings.

It is not that I am trying to make myself sound better than I really am.  It
is just that the recording will be around for many, many years longer than I
will be.  Plus, it will be heard by many people who will probably never hear
me in person.

I may play something correct 99 times.  but, that 100th time that I played
it & made a clam, might be the time the tape was rolling.  If the mistake
can be fixed easily by a splice (now splices are made electronically) or
insert, rather than play the whole thing over again, why not.

Besides, if you make the whole band play it over again, someone else might
blow a clam & then you'd have to do it over again.  This takes up
unnecessary studio time which costs money.

When you hear some of the great recordings by Sinotra with Billy May or
Nelson Riddle, you don't hear any mistakes by either Sinotra or anyone in
the orchestra.

It is very few musicians or singers that can do a whole recording session &
not blow a clam.

Bob Havens told me that when he was with Al Hurt & Pete Fountain, they once
recorded 48 tunes in 3 days.  They practically did not have to do a 2nd take
on any of the tunes.  Now, that is musicianship.

Most of us are not that good.  Some of us might have the potential to be
that good if we ate, drank & slept music 24 hours a day as those musicians
did.  Also, playing 6 nights a week as the Cullum band does, can enable you
to take less takes when recording.

IMNSHO- It is not being artistically dishonest.  It is just making the
recording better.  After all, why would you want to sell a shoddily made
recording?  Why would you want your "15 minutes of fame" to go down with a
clam in it?

I am sure that when artists do a painting, if they don't like something on
it, they take it off.  They are not stuck with it forever & ever.

When films are made, they do multiple takes of the same scene.

IN the early days of TV, when tape was not available, plenty of mistakes
were made.  But, as soon as tape came in, those mistakes were cleaned up.

The pros do not pass on mistakes or clams along to the consumer.  As
Traditional Jazz musicians, why should we?

Listen to the recording of Eddie Condon on "How Come Ya Do Me" where Dick
Cary blows a clam.  He really only goes for a high note & cracks on it.
Could happen to anyone.

Dick told me that of all the recordings he has made, that is the one that
people remember & comment to him about.

Dick made enough great records so that, that one clam is just a point of
interest.  I don't make that many recordings.  I also don't want to sell
someone a recording with mistakes on it.

There is no reason to do so.

Bob
mr.wonderful at ringwald.com
Placerville, CA, USA, Earth, Sol's System, Milky Way
Amateur (ham) Radio Station K6YBV
Fulton Street Jazz Band
See: http://www.ringwald.com
Boondockers Jazz & Comedy Band
See: http://www.theboondockers.com