[Dixielandjazz] Analogue versus Digital recording

[Robert Smith]

Sorry, but I'm getting confused here.

In the case of Bessie's "Cake Walkin' Babies" aren't we talking about distortion on CD's (where the music is created from a stream of binary digits)?

If we are, then someone, even if J.R.T.D. was innocent, has done a conversion from the original analogue recording to a digital version, and I'm still of the opinion that that is where the "gurgles" have been created.

The original recording was done in the Columbia studios by engineers who were probably among the best in the land at the time, and even though electric recording was still in its infancy they knew about the shortcomings of carbon microphones, and it would be basic to them to make the necessary safeguards.

Bessie was a prima donna and had a powerful voice, so it's no great surprise to hear that recording her was the utmost test of the engineers' capabilities, but the very fact that there were often many takes proves that the engineers didn't give up easily, and Bessie herself would surely know that issuing an inferior product would do her no good.

Cheers

Bob Smith