Are print music mags passé?

[-]

This is an offshoot of the Fletcher thread , and is likely to be controversial, but hey -- these forums wouldn't be fun without controversy! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

 

First, a short background as to why I'm asking this:

 

From the mid '80s to the mid '90s, I was a music magazine hound. At one time or another, I had subscriptions to Electronic Musician, Keyboard, Mix, and EQ. For me, all of these magazines were my primary source of information for recording techniques and new gear. When I read gear reviews, they often formed my opinion about the gear, long before I got my hands on it.

 

I stopped doing music for a few years, got into computers and the internet, and eventually returned to creating music for fun. My name somehow ended up on complimentary subscription mailing lists for some of the above magazines, so I took advantage of it... And found that, while the quality of the magazines did not appear to have dropped since the days I had been a paying subscriber, I found the information I could get on the internet more interesting, more interactive, and tailored to exactly what I wanted to learn about on a particular day.

 

When it came time to renew my complimentary subscription(s), I didn't bother. I couldn't believe I was doing it, but I was turning down free subscriptions to the very same magazines I would've paid for just a few years ago.

 

And then I found these forums, which (not to offend anyone working on the magazines) blow away any of the printed magazines.

 

For example, when I was wondering what I should look for when buying a house that I plan to have a studio in, I didn't need to see if someone wrote an article in the latest issue or try to track down a back issue (assuming the article was written at all) -- I just asked the question here and instantly received many real-world opinions.

 

So... My question is, do you buy the printed music magazines? If so, what do you get out of the magazines that you can't get online? If not, are sites like musicplayer.com the substitute?

 

I'd like to keep the vibe as constructive as possible with this thread... I'm aware that this might be a sensitive subject given that United Entertainment Media has an interest in both the print and online versions of their publications. But the fact we're able to talk about this issue without being censored (it *is* their web site, after all) also lends these forums to being as terrific as they are...

 

(I apologize to Craig and UEM in advance if I'm stepping out of line with this post. Feel free to delete it if necessary.)

 

 

 

 

This message has been edited by popmusic on 06-22-2001 at 12:22 PM

[RecreationalThinker]

popmusic,

 

I also used to subscribe to all the 'zines, and I got great pleasure from them. I let the subscriptions expire when I was finsihing my degree since every spare cent was needed for school-related expenses. I had thought about re-subscribing now that I have a well-paying job, but I never got around to it. Ever since I discovered this particular forum, I have put off getting back into the magazines because, as you so aptly put it, the information found here is real-time and interactive.

 

I think there is a place for both media. There are timers I am away from the computer, either by happenstance or by choice, and it is nice to have a hardcopy of something that I really enjoy to look over at my leisure. I still refer to all of my old magazines from time to time as reference, or to see how trends in music or technology have changed over the years. Plus, there are no tangetial threads in a magazine: You don't click on a page and go to some entirely different topic. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

 

I guess the internet has made instant gratification possible in many ways, especially in terms of information acquisition. There are still times, though (like when I am sitting by the pool sipping a fruity rum drink with an umbrella in it), that having the old hard-copy is a nice change of pace.

 

I guess I will renew those subscriptions after all...

 

Paul

 

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What's on, your mind?

[G. Ratte]

This is all assuming you've got a reliable 'net connection and whatnot.

Anyhow, I enjoy reading music mags... fun to have on the subway, I can finish one in the back-and-forth. Sometimes you can get a greater depth of info. out of them (such as a tutorial on Metasynth, etc.) that might be sketchy finding on the web. And if you do find it on the web, most of the time it's gonna be a "this one's free, but buy the magazine you scum" dealie on a magazine's site anyways.

 

That said, about a month or so ago I went to this "Music & the Internet" conference at the Garden here in NYC... which was pretty useless other than the big pile of 'free' magazines I got. Spent a couple days reading through 'em, and ya know, news-wise, there wasn't a single thing in there I hadn't already heard about. Between this site, kvr-vst.com, cubase.net, the-gas-station.com, and macsurfer.com (I use Cubase and Macs) I'm waaay more up on all the DAW stuff than the mags ever get into, especially the fringier stuff that doesn't come from the big companies.

I know when stuff ships that same freakin' day, when updates are released, all that.

 

So I guess I'd say I'd be digging subscriptions to mags like Wired and Smithsonian just for the sheer amount of ...stuff... in them. But for timely stuff, yeah, forget it, it's over.

[KenElevenShadows]

I prefer reading a book or a magazine to staring into a computer monitor.

 

The interactivity, the ongoing conversations that we have hear, I absolutely love, but for me there is no substitute for a magazine or book.

 

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Ken/Eleven Shadows/d i t h er/Nectar

http://www.elevenshadows.com 4 music, travel, more!

http://www.cdbaby.com/elevenshadows

[MusicWorkz]

Magazines are my only vice. And until the gurus figure out a way I can get mobile, full page, full color, lightweight internet content, access, viewer for the price of a magazine, for me, print mags will always be useful to me. What can I say, I like te shiny paper and pictures http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif.

 

I use the internet to supplement my fix, though, getting more in depth and variety of info than the mags offer. This forum is my favorite one to hang out in. I do subscribe to Keyboard and Electronic Musician, but I buy Mix when there is an article of interest. All the others,I get on-line.

 

 

This message has been edited by MusicWorkz on 06-22-2001 at 01:06 PM

[-]

Originally posted by RecreationalThinker:

I think there is a place for both media.

 

Well, I still definitely dig books for certain things (a PDF is no substitute), but I've found that print magazines have pretty much outlived their usefulness for me. (The Musician's Friend catalog is a different story, though http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif )

 

On a similar note, I read this article claiming that 3 out of 4 U.S. teens use the internet, and many of them are hooked on Instant Messenger -- which these forums are similar to, in a way.

[Hippie]

I still have not got my internet connection running to the "porcelin throne", so I'll still have to keep buying the music mags. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

-Hippie

[KJ]

You said it Hippie!

 

I do think the Internet provides more info than magazines, but I do enjoy the mags' portability, I don't have Internet at my campground, and I like having them available as a handy reference, I don't have to worry about an expired link or an article no longer being available on a site. So, yeah, there is a place for both media.

 

 

 

------------------

KJ

-------------------

bari man low

[kent_powellpalmercay.com]

True, Hippyman. Still, I'm letting most of my subscriptions

die off. When I got the latest rag which I'll refrain from

naming, there's a review of the new AT 3035 mic. Turn a few

pages and there it is, a full page ad for what else, the

AT 3035. And I ask myself, what am I doing here? What does

this experience offer me that catalogs do not? Can I trust

their words more than those of a politician or sales weasel?

 

Of course, that's not to say I don't occasionally glean some

learning from columns such as that of our illustrious moderator.

I just don't know if that's reason enough for me to shell out

year after year. YMMV, but I bet I'm part of a trend.

[Tedster]

I'm with MusicWorkz, Pop, and Hippie. I'm a faithful Guitar Player subscriber. Love getting it in the mail "Cool, Buddy Guy on the cover"...reading the articles, looking at the cool glossy pics. And magazines' sites are sometimes severely truncated. I can save the issues I want without filling my hard drive. Usually with PDF I end up printing out the pages I want anyway, 'cause the reader's such a pain on the 'puter.

 

Re: Instant Messenger...that's a PAIN IN THE ASS...usually someone you reeeally don't want to talk to IM'ing you when you don't have time. These forums are better 'cause you don't have people constantly in your face, you can walk away when you want. My kids do the IM thing...and end up walking away from it. Then I walk over to where my son has been sitting and see:

 

cutegirl423: don'tcha think Derek?

cutegirl423: Derek?

cutegirl423: Are you there?

cutegirl423: Why aren't you talking to me?

cutegirl423: Oh, I SUPPOSE I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU NOW!

cutegirl423: Well, if that's the way you want it...

 

YIKES!!!

 

Then I tell Derek "cutegirl423" has been trying to contact him and he says,

"Oh, she's a real pain in the butt"

 

Sigh...

[-]

Originally posted by Tedster:

I'm with MusicWorkz, Pop, and Hippie. I'm a faithful Guitar Player subscriber. Love getting it in the mail

 

Maybe I didn't clarify, but I've let just about all of my magazine subscriptions die off. (Even "Runner's World", which is a magazine I enjoyed, but no longer feel like I have a need for.)

 

When a telemarketer calls me and asks me if I want to subscribe to the local newspaper, I respond with, "Sorry, but I get all my news off the internet." (Not much they can say to that, but it's true!)

 

I feel like most magazines only occasionally cover what I'm interested in, and if there's something I want to learn more about, I can go to a search engine and dig stuff up. If it's a gear review, I'd rather read the uncensored opinions of a bunch of people on a forum such as this instead of one reviewer who might tip toe around the limitations of a product. (I'm not picking out any particular reviewer or magazine, but I've seen it happen a number of times with both music and computer magazines... It's just a reality of advertising and magazine publishing.)

 

But yeah, I agree with you about the IM stuff. I've got friends who have tried to talk me into using it, but I think it's an annoyance when you're trying to do something else on the net and someone wants to chat... http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

 

 

 

This message has been edited by popmusic on 06-22-2001 at 04:17 PM

[Anderton]

<

naming, there's a review of the new AT 3035 mic. Turn a few

pages and there it is, a full page ad for what else, the

AT 3035.>>

 

Reality check: I assume you're talking about a recording-oriented magazine, not Field & Stream or something. Well, the readers want to know about recording gear, such as microphones. Advertisers of microphones want to advertise in magazines whose readers are interested in microphones. What's so friggin' weird about that?

 

The question you're sidestepping is whether the advertising influences the content of the review. With some magazines, this is true. I have not seen this in the UEM publications, however. Advertisers regularly cancel ads because they don't like reviews, or didn't get mentioned in a show report, or whatever.

 

See, the problem is people don't dig beneath the surface. You see an ad for a mic in a magazine with a review of the mic, and you figure there's some correlation. But you DON'T draw a correlation when you read a review and note that there ISN'T an ad by that manufacturer. It never occurs to you that maybe that ad isn't there because of violent arguments over how they were handled editorially, and that the magazine stood its ground.

 

A real problem is that the magazines whose editorial is fluff makes it hard for the magazines that try to do a good job. For example, if magazine X writes a highly favorable review of a product and you know they are just lackeys for advertisers, it makes it hard if the product is indeed really good...'cause if Keyboard then writes a really favorable review, it's assumed they're writing fluff too.

 

Give me ONE EXAMPLE of a review in Keyboard, EQ, Guitar Player, Bass Player, etc. that lacks credibility because you think the copy was manipulated by advertisers. For instance, show me an example where some significant flaw was overlooked or omitted, or where the reviewer said something that was factually incorrect. Take yout time, I'm not going anywhere.

 

One more thing about ads. Suppose you're a manufacturer and a magazine runs a favorable review of a product. OF COURSE you're going to put an ad in there!! A review doesn't close a sale, it merely expresses opinions and facts. An ad can close a sale.

 

Look, I'm not saying that all magazines are pure. Far from it, there are constant pressures from advertisers and a great many magazines succumb to that. What disappoints me is that many of you seem unwilling to give props to the magazines that DO stand up to advertisers, DO get ads pulled, and DO suffer the consequences. But hey, if you can't tell the difference, maybe we should just write happy reviews and cash a bunch of checks from advertisers.

[plus3dbnetzero.net]

No way are they Passe

 

You may be out of the loop on your own fruition...but every generation brings a new bunch of subscribers.

 

Mags are going strong with EQ leading the bunch. Tape Op is a bright new comer and Mix seems has been dumbing itself down to the project studio level for the past couple of years..it used to be high-brow/high-tech industry mag.

 

But EQ rocks. This forum is a product of EQ, thanks fellas!

[Anderton]

<>

 

Well...yes and no. A lot of those opinions are, if you'll excuse me, uninformed. I'd rather read one Jim Aikin review than troll the net for hours. I know what kind of effort he puts into reviews. I just reviewed Sonar, but did Jim take my word for it? No, he tested everything I tested, tried the bugs I found to see if he could replicate them, ran the program on THREE DIFFERENT COMPUTERS using different drivers to check for latency, carried on a constant dialog with Cakewalk, AMD, and MIDIman about esoteric driver issues, and called me virtually every day for over week to check on various facts and opinions.

 

Not only he, but John Krogh and Greg Rule at Keyboard looked over the review as well, and made their own comments. Each one of us was trying to "break" the program, find missing features, or discover things that didn't work. Why? BECAUSE A MAGAZINE'S ONLY STOCK IN TRADE IS CREDIBILITY. We can't afford to miss something, because if we do, people will assume we weren't thorough. I can't guarantee we caught everything -- it's a massive program -- but we caught a minor bug or two that had NEVER been caught by Cakewalk's legions of beta testers beating up on the program for months.

 

Now, there are guys like David Fenton on here who just happens to be writing a book about Sonar, and he's EXTREMELY knowledgeable. In fact, some of his postings were invaluable in helping ME to figure out the program. But then there was Terry James, who got on here and said that Cakewalk could never work. And there are manufacturer's representatives under assumed names logging on and saying how great something is. If you think you need a BS detector to read magazines, that's fine...but you need a finely-tuned, industrial-strength BS detector when you hit the web. Just a warning, not a criticism.

 

I feel print and the web complement each other. I agree that magazines are a dead issue when it comes to news and show reports. But in-depth shootouts, product comparisons, long interviews, and many other types of articles work best in the print medium. We're still sorting out which works best for which types of articles, but we'll figure it out soon enough.

[-]

Originally posted by Anderton:

Give me ONE EXAMPLE of a review in Keyboard, EQ, Guitar Player, Bass Player, etc. that lacks credibility because you think the copy was manipulated by advertisers. For instance, show me an example where some significant flaw was overlooked or omitted, or where the reviewer said something that was factually incorrect. Take yout time, I'm not going anywhere.

 

Craig, I know you were responding to someone else's post -- not mine -- but I hope you know that with my posts I am not attacking your credibility or the credibility of any magazine in particular.

 

I *can* give a concrete example of what I was getting at regarding magazine reviews, though. Not long after Cubase 5 for Windows was released, there was much, much, *much* grumbling on the Cubase.net forums. Some users seemed to have no problems at all with the new version while other users were barely able to function.

 

Cubase is a complex program. There are *tons* of possible hardware configurations on the PC. There are also *tons* of ways you could use Cubase. Steinberg (to the best of my knowledge) never released a "recommended hardware" guide. So it was kind of a crapshoot if your particular system worked well with version 5.

 

I followed the discussions over there at Cubase.net for a while, and some of the issues sounded pretty severe (things like tracks totally disappearing after recording). Again, some users had *tons* of problems -- although they had no problems with the previous version of Cubase -- while others had no problems at all. Some users had so many problems that they downgraded back to version 3.7, which was the last "stable" release of the program.

 

When I read a review in a particular music magazine about Cubase 5 for Windows (I do not think it was in Keyboard or EQ, but in another magazine), there was no mention of bugs. Of course, the reviewer could have been one of the "lucky ones" who wasn't having problems with the software. Actually, now that I think about it, I read a second review in a computer magazine (of which I had received a complimentary subscription), and it too made no mention of bugs.

 

However, had I only read those two reviews and not read about the problems that those in the trenches were having, I might have rushed out and bought Cubase 5. It might have worked perfectly on my system or it might have been unusable, but I wasn't about to spend $300 to find out. (I ended up buying version 3.7, which was the previous version that nobody was having problems with.)

 

So it's not that a reviewer might skew a review to be favorable... But if that particular reviewer knew about the problems which seemingly many other users were having from reading the forums at Cubase.net, I doubt s/he would have alerted their readers. It's not their responsibility to do so, but if they did, I'm sure it wouldn't exactly sit well with the advertiser either.

 

I felt as though I was able to make a well-informed purchase from reading the forums on Cubase.net -- at least, moreso than had I only read the reviews in the magazines.

 

(BTW: There is a happy end to the Cubase story. Steinberg finally listened to the complaining users and instituted a public beta program. The last I heard, users were very happy with the stability of the program.)

 

 

 

 

This message has been edited by popmusic on 06-22-2001 at 06:08 PM

[D. Gauss]

<

 

a nice, big, silicone enhanced, fully airbrushed & retouched, wall hangable, bathroom approved CENTERFOLD!

 

-d. gauss

[Anderton]

<>

 

Or he may have read the manual . But seriously, I understand what you're getting at. I was one of those who didn't have any problems, except for the vcache settings (in the review on this site, I mentioned this and recommended a setting that gave me better results). Also in my review, I mentioned that I had heard of people having problems with the Prosoniq vocoder, although I had not experienced that problem myself.

 

Another issue with magazine reviews it that you can't write a review that goes like this: "I tried to use Cubase 5, but there was a problem with my computer motherboard and it wouldn't run. Please proceed to the next article." We HAVE to figure out what's wrong so we can evaluate the program and write about it. And that's where the forums REALLY come in handy: many times someone will have encountered the same problem, and mentioned a way to fix it. In fact, that's how I found out about the vcache setting.

 

I guess the bottom line is that all info is useful on some level, as you can see all sides of an issue and hopefully draw your own conclusion. But I certainly wouldn't discount the expertise of a professional like Jim. If he says one thing but a bunch of people on the net say something else, I'd be inclined to put my faith in Jim.

[gtrmac]

I was also following the progress of the Cubase5 releases since I too am a Cubase user. I have been particicpating in the Cubase.net forums for almost two years also. I think the important point made above is that magazine reviews AND Steinberg were not making people aware of any potential problems with the software. Some of the users were frequent posters to the forum and experienced engineers as well. I found that the initial release would not let me install VST instruments, a main feature of the software. Steinberg put a Public Beta procedure in place as a damage control measure and has at this point gotten the software to a very reliable point. I was watching the forum closely after the release and was aware of the situation, waiting for the right time to upgrade. I felt sorry for new purchasers of the software. I wasn't running any esoteric hardware by the way, I had an Intel based system with an RME audio card. Actually I got all the information necessary to build the computer from the internet.

I will say one thing about the publications from this group. They are my favorites. I was a subscriber to Guitar Player from the first year of publication and although my subscription lapsed many times I always came back to this mag. They have done some great stuff. I still enjoy the mag but I only purchase issues which feature artists that I admire. I save these copies. But as far as information seeking I think that the internet is much more useful.

I asked, in the Guitar forum, why don't we have good online publications. I don't need to see an online copy of a print mag. What's the point? This only discourages me from buying the mag. I am waiting for multimedia content which I can not get in the print copy. The other day I viewed in real time a video interview with David Bowie's guitarist Reeves Gabrels, complete with a guitar lesson. Someone on one of these forume pointed me to a whole website with these interviews. How come this is free but I have to pay to read a print interview. The logic escapes me.

 

------------------

Mac Bowne

G-Clef Acoustics Ltd.

Osaka, Japan

My Music: www.javamusic.com/freedomland

[gtrmac]

In the interest of fairness I paid a visit to the musicplayer.com online pages and checked out some articles and various multimedia stuff. I have to say that it's pretty good. I checked out a lesson, a video about Buddy Guy, and some product reviews. I don't miss paper. Like I said if a mag has a feature on someone I really love I buy it just to collect but otherwise electronic publication suits me fine. I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth but I'm wondering why all this stuff is free. TV is free, subsidised completely by ads but the revenues are much larger there, as is the audience. It must be tough for publishers now. They have to have a presence on the Internet as an investment but the print is still forced to subsidise it. I assume that there is a somewhat lower cost of producing content for electronic publication since you don't have to print the magazines but the content still costs money. I'm just curious as to when we will be weaned off paper and asked to subscribe to these websites.

 

------------------

Mac Bowne

G-Clef Acoustics Ltd.

Osaka, Japan

My Music: www.javamusic.com/freedomland

[masternfool]

I have every recording mag from the past 5-6 years saved at my day gig..Many times I have gone back to a review from 1 or 2 years past and found the (quirks,workarounds,ins/outs)of a particular piece of equipment.

They are also great in the BATHROOM!!!

MY latest search...Anyone have a MEEK C-2 compressor they want to part with? Harry

[Anderton]

<>

 

One advantage of online is that people read the articles, like them, but realize that the articles go up after they've appeared in print. If they want the articles ASAP, they decide to subscribe. Also, we make people aware of other magazines. For example, a lot of Keyboard or Guitar Player readers might do recording and therefore be interested in EQ, but if they haven't seen the magazine, they might not subscribe. By seeing some EQ articles online, they might decide to subscribe. I believe that since MusicPlayer.com started, magazine subscriptions for the UEM group have increased. Now, that could be due to other factors, but certainly we haven't hurt their sales.

 

BTW if anyone wants to check out the rich media content, there's a button on the home page called Slide Shows and Videos that lists just the rich media pieces. It's being updated right now to include some of the newer posts.

[Chip McDonald]

I can't remember if I've ever bought anything based on the review. If it's an audio piece the review ultimately usually comes down to some subjective adjectives that are ambiquous at best: "the unit reveals a very warm sound" or is not qualified comparatively "the unit sounds geat" (relative to what?). I'm speaking generally of course, but I'd rather read another interview with an Industry Insider than a review - but I suppose that's magazine economics.

 

I still think reviews could be made much more useful and "real world". See my rant about them in the guitar forum awhile back...

 

But with *software* - I think a different approach is needed, both in the music application sense and otherwise.

 

Craig reviewing Sonar is one thing. How about an article on usability written by say 3 non-pros and their experiences running it on their machines? The balancing act could be that if problems/complaints occur a "Professional Reviewer/Advisor" could step in to see if the problem is a dumb mistake. This would allow for more real-world combinations of hardware AND installed software to be tested.

 

An article on first-time use of a couple of DAW programs would be interesting as well. Having watched friends try to get into it who are professional musicians, it only proves my suspicion that most every software company has done NO real world testing of their products. I know SOOOOOO many people who have tried/wanted to get into computer based recording, and were thrwarted by a dumb interface. An article accounting the mishaps of maybe 10 "Average Joe" musicians trying to do something using a DAW as computer recording virgins would be interesting and INFORMATIVE to the software houses making these programs.

 

 

 

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New and Improved Music Soon: http://www.mp3.com/chipmcdonald

[RecreationalThinker]

I've "rethunk" my position about this...I'm starting to get overwhelmed with print material. I recently decided to cancel my subscription to the local paper because I got tired of the old issues stacking up and having to be bagged and taken for recycling. I just read the paper online now. Al I really miss are the comics...

 

I would pay an online subscription for content *identical* to what I could get in print. I'm running out of room for hardcopy in my shelves, and I would rather not have all that paper guilting me into eventually recycling it. If there was something I just *had* to have a copy of, I could print it out. Otherwise, I would be able to peruse at my leisure. Besides, I have plenty of other material to read when I am camping, or in the bathroom, or camping in the bathroom.

 

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What's on, your mind?

[b_3guy]

Originally posted by Chip McDonald:

Having watched friends try to get into it who are professional musicians, it only proves my suspicion that most every software company has done NO real world testing of their products.

A friend was installing Native Instruments B4. He calls me. He said the installer opened to a picture of a B-3/Leslie & stalled. Couldn't move it, etc. Went over to his place. He uses 2-17" monitors set to 800x600. The bigger size allows him to place his monitors several feet from where he sits. The continued button was below the edge of his screen. I consider myself pretty computer savvy. I said you have to adjust the resolution of your monitors. We had his monitor settings just about torn apart when I said whoa. Let's just try opening the Installer & hitting the Enter button. It worked. Just when I think computers & software are really getting good, along comes another bonehead trick.

[strat0124]

Fortunately I don't have to buy EQ and Recording, cause an associate gets them through his job. However I won't buy them, because they have all but abandoned analog recordists, and sometimes have an elitest attitude about recording. I think Craig said it best in another post about how he despises gear snobs. I do know that if I post something that has to do with analog recording....I get maybe one if any responses to it, which to me is thumbing the nose. Especially since practically everyone was "analog" at one time or another.

My fave publication is TapeOp, which mixes old and new, and preserves the notion that making good recordings is not just because you've got the finest tech money can buy, rather it's because you're using the gear you have with artistry. Guitar mags to me have become like teeny bopper mags.......half full of tabs, and useless adverts aimed at either the wealthy or the beginning guitar player.

Online publications are so fractured, full of snippets and half articles. The newsgroup style forums are a place to get some views on gear, but don't venture in unless you have a pretty tough hide, thin skinned folks don't hang long. And we all post subjectively.....from our own experiences or preconceived notions. It's still cool to hear from Johnny NotSoRotten in California who has an amp or recorder just like you! Or someone who's got a similar interest. The mags in print are ok....just aimed at a target audience.....and I'm not it. No problemo......

[Anderton]

<>

 

I don't think it's a question of thumbing one's nose at you; rather, that analog just isn't in that much use any more. I don't believe any new recorders have been introduced in many years, so just keeping one going can be effort (getting parts etc.). It's like being into classic cars -- they're cool, but kind of a hassle if you just want to go buzzing along the highway. Fortunately, many reference books were written during the days when analog ruled, so it's still possible to find information. But I wonder how much longer they'll stay in print?

 

Anybody want to buy my TASCAM Model 58? Hmmmm...didn't think so... I kind of hate to see analog get killed off, whether you like it or not it does offer something digital does not.

[strat0124]

Thanks for the response Craig......and I somewhat agree with you. I realize for a working studio, analog recorders have went the way of Edsels.....however I've seen a huge interest in analog recording of late, including some national acts who have sworn off Pro Tools. And the plethora of both indie and corporate acts getting into the old tech again......and I'm not even including the home recordist who are way more educated starting out than I was. Of course I'm into all the old stuff, whether it's old tube mic's, preamps, etc. I buy up all I can find within my budget. In the Alt-Country realm a la "No Depression" style, you'll find a helluva lot of true believers. And YEAH....I'll buy that sucker if you price it right! And (laughing) I don't even know what it is!!!! All I know is if Craig Anderton owns it.....it's probably pretty cool stuff. Take a peek at a few TapeOp issues......it's an eyeopener.

I am still gonna buy a DAW, when I find one that meets all I'm lookin for in my budget (hey the wife's already approved it!), but think of all the fun I'll be missing demagnetizing and aligning!!!!! : )

Thanks Craig....we do appreciate you!

Gene

[dansouth]

Forums are great for (almost) instant feedback, but a well-organized article summarized info in a way that a forum can't. I think they're complimentary.

 

Plus, with the magazine, you occasionally get a bonus like the Emtech ads. I haven't seen anything like that on the boards. Maybe Future Music should start a "page 3" feature. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Chip McDonald]

So what I don't understand is...

 

... does EQ not want me to buy the magazine anymore?

 

If I read it online, am I missing anything in the print version?

 

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New and Improved Music Soon: http://www.mp3.com/chipmcdonald

 

This message has been edited by Chip McDonald on 07-01-2001 at 03:37 PM

[Mr. G]

Originally posted by Chip McDonald:

So what I don't understand is...

 

... does EQ not want me to buy the magazine anymore?

 

If I read it online, am I missing anything in the print version?

 

We still want you to buy the magazine. For the past few months we've been putting the entire issue online; I believe our subscriptions are actually up a bit.

 

I'm finding that people still want the print magazines (a few notables above excepted) and prefer to use the Web as a resource/archive.

 

 

 

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Mitch Gallagher

Editor

EQ magazine