it's beautiful to see someone that obsessed with their art, I'm a visual artist and I've been inspired by his work for over a decade now, thanks for sharing, never knew tiny telephone was this tiny, such a lovely view!
Interesting that I just watched a video with Bob Clearmountain talking about how discouraged he'd get back in the days of analog because when he played back a take from the tape machine it would sound dull. I like what JV has to say, but audio wise for me it veers into dogma--ie only one way to make a beautiful recording.
You can't blame the performance on the recording tool. It's a matter of calibration of the equipment, it's a psychological thing as well as the crimes of 1990s engineers from not wanting to do things right and fucking up the digital remastering.
I've got a feeling while watching this... it's like witnessing a generation old craft extinct under the pressure of new technology and development. Blacksmiths were replaced by automatical conveyors, now the analog falls into oblivion due to digital. Meanwhile even the digital-only folks lack knowledge of their working environment. Difference between 44.1/48/192 kHz? The continious loudness wars (that's a phenomenon, lookup the Wikipedia article)? The latter affects the quality directly - the consumers don't care and neither does this industry. In the end only enthusiasts are left, like Vanderslice, who stick to their principles keeping technologies alive or improving upon them beyond the strict cost-benefit calculation of businesses. Props to them.
The whole "we enforce recording on analogue tape" thing is false. John doesn't dictate how clients work with their engineers--that's down to the engineer and the client. I mean, their own website lists their PT rig: Digital: Pro Tools HD2 on Mac Pro with 24 I/O, 2 Lynx Aurora converters. If they have Lynx converters, they're not messing around. John's just doing a shtick to seem retro and cool, I guess (even though...why? The studio is very cool the way it is). I have a friend who has recorded lots of albums at home on PT and overdubbed drums and vocals at TT. Also worth noting: I recorded an EP in 2006, my engineer happily backed up my work to their non-Lynx converter HD rig, no questions asked, which allowed me to add additional tracks, edit, and mix at home.
This is from 2012. They didn't always have a digital rig over there! You're right, it's totally great to get those back-ups to do our own work on tracks after the fact.
The problem with digital quality, is that we're stuck in shitty compressed 16bit/44khz mp3 era (which sounds even worse than CDs). Mass market should have moved to 24bit/96khz digital formats long ago.
Things change and move forward. Digital isn't "disgusting". What's disgusting is not looking at digital as a different way to do the same thing. This is obviously outdated and tons of studios use tape and are using both most the time. Vinyl has and continues to make a huge comeback. There's a lot of companies making tape and tons of studios recording to tape now days. Being elitist and a gatekeeper of the methods and ways artists choose to record their craft is completely up to them. Embrace new technologies and roll with the punches. Things change, get over it.
Why this analog vs digital debate is still on??? So fucking hilarious. I don't get people looking backwards and trying to stop time. Not gonna happen anyway... who wants to listen to tape or watch videos on vhs on a vacuum tube television? Why these nostalgic people cant let it go? It happened already...
Wait, first of all, John Vanderslice is such a character. I endorse his analog ways and he runs tight ship over there at TT. What I am trying to figure out is your attempt at humor as an editor? At the end of the credits with all those backer's names and layers of people involved in ur TP (Tiny Production, pun intended), surely that was hyperbole in the vein of Monty Python? Come on now, a 9 1/2 min video with that many names attached to it is just absurd! With that many greenbacks spread among so many people. It's just such a turn-off. I did like what Vanderslice had to say, albeit that's all him of course. Back to my point, your inefficiency astounds me.
I though about this video recently. It's a shame John isn't more famous and the San Francisco studio is shut down now.
I've seen JV a few times on tour and met him a few times. One of the nicest people you'll ever meet.
Just saw him play and met him tonight. Can confirm. A very awesome dude.
Love analog, thanks JV.
it's beautiful to see someone that obsessed with their art, I'm a visual artist and I've been inspired by his work for over a decade now, thanks for sharing, never knew tiny telephone was this tiny, such a lovely view!
Great piece Jason! Thanks for releasing this! Looking forward to the forthcoming 6502 and Arcade documentaries!
Wow. This takes me back to watching the BBS documentary
Love that studio. The bay is so different than L.A lol
best place for quarantine
There should be more people like this guy in the world !
Very nice
Nice interview.
Interesting that I just watched a video with Bob Clearmountain talking about how discouraged he'd get back in the days of analog because when he played back a take from the tape machine it would sound dull. I like what JV has to say, but audio wise for me it veers into dogma--ie only one way to make a beautiful recording.
Is he claiming he can hear past 20 kHz?
Very cool. Give the cat a blanket to cushion the resting spot, perhaps...
You can't blame the performance on the recording tool. It's a matter of calibration of the equipment, it's a psychological thing as well as the crimes of 1990s engineers from not wanting to do things right and fucking up the digital remastering.
I've got a feeling while watching this... it's like witnessing a generation old craft extinct under the pressure of new technology and development. Blacksmiths were replaced by automatical conveyors, now the analog falls into oblivion due to digital.
Meanwhile even the digital-only folks lack knowledge of their working environment. Difference between 44.1/48/192 kHz? The continious loudness wars (that's a phenomenon, lookup the Wikipedia article)? The latter affects the quality directly - the consumers don't care and neither does this industry. In the end only enthusiasts are left, like Vanderslice, who stick to their principles keeping technologies alive or improving upon them beyond the strict cost-benefit calculation of businesses. Props to them.
Well it gets worse than that. Music is going extinct in SF as we speak. The lesson should be, art is life and tech bro's are the death of art!
That's a lot of hate for digital audio.
this is awesome!
damn, he really went in on those strawberries.
Organic does have chemicals, sorry to burst his bubble. Nicotine, copper sulfates, ect... all of which are more harmful for the environment.
The whole "we enforce recording on analogue tape" thing is false. John doesn't dictate how clients work with their engineers--that's down to the engineer and the client. I mean, their own website lists their PT rig: Digital: Pro Tools HD2 on Mac Pro with 24 I/O, 2 Lynx Aurora converters. If they have Lynx converters, they're not messing around. John's just doing a shtick to seem retro and cool, I guess (even though...why? The studio is very cool the way it is). I have a friend who has recorded lots of albums at home on PT and overdubbed drums and vocals at TT. Also worth noting: I recorded an EP in 2006, my engineer happily backed up my work to their non-Lynx converter HD rig, no questions asked, which allowed me to add additional tracks, edit, and mix at home.
This is from 2012. They didn't always have a digital rig over there! You're right, it's totally great to get those back-ups to do our own work on tracks after the fact.
uh-oh, security violation @7:02 !!
I want a cat again!
can we please... clone this guy
1000% 😎👍🏻
JV, national treasure.
The problem with digital quality, is that we're stuck in shitty compressed 16bit/44khz mp3 era (which sounds even worse than CDs). Mass market should have moved to 24bit/96khz digital formats long ago.
mp3 is not 16/44 man, you have no clue what you're talking about.
2" and analog live is the ultimate experience, digital continues to try and sound like analog.....SMH
What an absolute crime that analog is dead. Digital is disgusting
Things change and move forward. Digital isn't "disgusting". What's disgusting is not looking at digital as a different way to do the same thing. This is obviously outdated and tons of studios use tape and are using both most the time. Vinyl has and continues to make a huge comeback. There's a lot of companies making tape and tons of studios recording to tape now days. Being elitist and a gatekeeper of the methods and ways artists choose to record their craft is completely up to them. Embrace new technologies and roll with the punches. Things change, get over it.
Why this analog vs digital debate is still on??? So fucking hilarious. I don't get people looking backwards and trying to stop time. Not gonna happen anyway... who wants to listen to tape or watch videos on vhs on a vacuum tube television? Why these nostalgic people cant let it go? It happened already...
Wait, first of all, John Vanderslice is such a character. I endorse his analog ways and he runs tight ship over there at TT. What I am trying to figure out is your attempt at humor as an editor? At the end of the credits with all those backer's names and layers of people involved in ur TP (Tiny Production, pun intended), surely that was hyperbole in the vein of Monty Python? Come on now, a 9 1/2 min video with that many names attached to it is just absurd! With that many greenbacks spread among so many people. It's just such a turn-off. I did like what Vanderslice had to say, albeit that's all him of course. Back to my point, your inefficiency astounds me.
settle down