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

[Patrick Cooke]

Bob said:
>I have corrected mistakes on some of my recordings

I have heard some big jazz names hit clams, and some of the top bass players
play out of tune on commercial recordings...and these were studio
recordings!  They could have done them over, even just the bass part; but
they didn't.  I guess they were saving studio time, or maybe they were using
a minimum number of mikes and didn't have isolation.  To a guy who pays
close attention to the bass notes, some of them really sound bad.
    Even the top guys have a bad day once in a while; but if it could have
been fixed, I would prefer that it were.
    Pat Cooke


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert S. Ringwald" <ringwald at calweb.com>
To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2004 3:59 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Re: Cut & Paste -- Splice & Insert


> 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
>
>
>
>
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