Topic: Old Flecktone Tapes

[jazzharper]

I have a bunch of really early Bela Fleck and the Flecktone cassettes.  Some of these tapes are rehearsal tapes from 1988 before the band hit the road for the first time.  Many of them are shows from 1989-1992.  I have been tranferring them from my cassette deck to my Microtrack.  The source isn't great considering they probably 2nd or 3rd generation tapes.  The actual cassettes are from 1987-1992 so that doesn't help.  My question is, what can I do to reduce the hiss of recording directly from the cassette deck? If I can get useable material I will post them in archive.org (the public shows not the private stuff)

Thanks for the help.

[Nick Graham]

For Wavelab 5:
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=26645.0

Cool Edit Pro:
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=13760.0

Adobe Audition:
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=59711.msg788759#msg788759

[Brian Skalinder]

Are you adjusting azimuth on your playback deck?

As for the noise, try to get a sample of -just- noise from the cassette deck while it's playing each side of each tape.  Then use that sample as the noise 'signature' for noise reduction on that cassette/side.  You can then use the s/w noise reduction tools to remove that signature from the recording.  CEP/Audition and other apps will allow you to do this.  Know in advance you won't remove it entirely without fouling up the music, but you can reduce it and still have good audio.  In CEP/Audition, I've found it best to apply small percentages of noise reduction in multiple passes, rather than a larger percentage all it once. 

Likewise, you might be able to isolate the noise via frequency analysis and use a parametric EQ to minimize the noise within a very narrow, specific frequency band.

[cleantone]

I reccomend archiveing some "as is" transfers. Chances are that in 5 years we will have better noise reduction that we do now. Just in case it might be a good idea to archive a version with hiss at a high resolution. Hope that makes sense.

[BobW]

I reccomend archiveing some "as is" transfers. Chances are that in 5 years we will have better noise reduction that we do now. Just in case it might be a good idea to archive a version with hiss at a high resolution. Hope that makes sense.

QFT

Im sure that it's out there now, we just don't have reasonable access to it.
Also, archive at the highest resolution that you can manage, 16 bits will cover the dynamics of a cassette, but 96K may help the NR over 48K

[jazzharper]

I'm using my cassette deck RCA LR outputs into my UA5 into my MT.

is there a better way to get the info off the tapes than what I am doing?  I assume so but it's all I've got and it's a shame to let the tapes not be archived in one way or another as I am sure I am one of the few people that have this aside from the person who gave them to me.

[momule]

how about a small sample.

[Brian Skalinder]

I'm using my cassette deck RCA LR outputs into my UA5 into my MT.

is there a better way to get the info off the tapes than what I am doing?

That's a fine way to go about it.  But adjusting azimuth will have a BIG impact on your sound quality.  More info here:

http://www.phish.net/faq/azimuth.html

[jazzharper]

Thanks for the tip on adjusting the azimuth!  I do that and start over, thankfully I have only tranferred four of the 31 tapes I have.

here's a sample of something most of you probably haven't heard.  The tune shows up on Bela's duo CD with Edgar Meyer as Blue Spruce but the original as written by Bela Fleck and Howard Levy is called No Man's Land

www.thebuddhasgroove.com/bela/no_mans_land.flac

Banjo Blues
www.thebuddhasgroove.com/bela/banjo_blues.flac

Also Tell it to the Gov'ner
www.thebuddhasgroove.com/bela/tell_it_to_the_govner.flac

Is there anything else aside for adjusting the azimuth that I can do to make this stuff sound better?

[jazzharper]

how does this stuff sound to you guys?  I got most of the realy bad hiss out via adobe Audition 2

[momule]

how does this stuff sound to you guys?  I got most of the realy bad hiss out via adobe Audition 2

Honestly.  Kinda rough.
Not trying to knock the work performed by anymeans.  +t for the efforts in trying to get them out to folks who would enjoy them.

It kinda appears the "hiss removal" that was performed on it took most of the 1k-10k freq's with it.
Its very flat/dry sounding to my ears.

 

[jazzharper]

I agree but the hiss was worse and made the tapes nearly unlistenable.  The source recording isn't that good either.  The rehearsal tapes sound really good but Howard thinks Bela will have issue with that stuff being released to the public.  Anything that was playing in a public venue is fair game.  I've got lot's of on the bus rehearsals and new song generation, I even have raw tracks that bela made for Howard to add to and send to the next Vic etc... there's lots of fun stuff but unfortunately these cassettes sat in a box out of their cases on the top of a closet shelf for about 14 years. I have a bunch of ADAT tapes too that are awesome but not for the public at this time.

[Brian Skalinder]

how does this stuff sound to you guys?  I got most of the realy bad hiss out via adobe Audition 2

Are you willing /able to post the originals as a reference?

[jazzharper]

sure not until after this weekend though. I'm on the road.