Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1512678
C A S Q U A R T E R L Y I W I N T E R 2 0 2 4 81 Photo courtesy of M:NI PATRICK SPAIN CAS: Bruce, your situation seems quite unique. How does it generally work? BRUCE GORDON: Well, one of the 73-odd libraries [in the system] will send us material that they want digitized and preserved. And, basically, what we try to do is preserve the original object and the context that goes with it. For instance, when we digitize something that's two- sided, we will start the first side at zero hour and the second side three seconds after the first ends, but in a single timeline. We'll do that and create a BWAV 96 kHz 24-bit file and an AES standardized EDL. Is that a standard transfer rate and bit depth for these audio archives? Yes, for the most part. Is that a way for you to "future proof" these files? Yes, and especially if you need to do any restoration [such as] use DSP on it. For instance, you would want to start with more resolution than less. So, it's become standard in the industry to at least do 24-bit and, at the very least, 48 kHz. Many years ago at Ocean Way Recording, I was digitizing stacks of Barry White's 24- and 16-track 2-inch masters for a boxed set and the tapes were being baked down the street at Bernie Grundman's, but I have no recollection what resolution we did those at. I remember some of the first tapes we got back being warm and having to let them get as close to room temperature as possible before we put them up. We were afraid of stretching or otherwise warping the tape. That's a good idea. Here, we usually leave them in the oven until they have completely cooled. Often, we'll let them sit for a day, and then they are good for about a week. After that, they start to revert, depending on the humidity. After that week, the tape's backing has sucked up too much moisture? Yeah, that's the deal. The polyester tape backing is hydroscopic, as is acetate, but no one is using that anymore. Bruce Gordon