The
time has finally come for me to introduce a blog entry topic for the last time.
I know, I know; it’s a terrible day indeed. Hopefully you guys aren’t too sad
to read what I have to say next. Over the past couple of months I’ve taken you
guys on an epic journey through audio recording and playback devices from the
early yet-still-in-use turntable to the most recent practice of using digital
technology to play music. Every music playing device has its pros and cons
which hopefully I’ve gone over in enough detail to make sure that when the time
comes for you guys to buy audio equipment you’ll know what to look for.
Essentially the point of this blog was to give me an excuse to write about what
I’m passionate about, and to hopefully impress upon you guys that same passion.
I’m a strong believer that music is not just a collection of various frequency sound
waves being played by an oscillating plastic or cardboard cone, but a way to
express feelings and sentiments. This is why I’m always listening to music, whether
it be at home surrounded by a 10 speaker array or at school with my headphones
on during French class.
As I mentioned in my introduction, music is the
language of the world. It’s what unites us and helps us understand each other. Doesn’t
matter if you play music on a crappy iPhone’s speaker or a 1920 phonograph, it’s
the same stuff through and through. I hope you guys enjoyed reading my blog. I
know I really enjoyed writing it. If you have any questions feel free to ask
them in the comment section or at school, but I guess that’s it for now. Have a
great time writing your research essays. Good bye.
(In the event of a mistake, please inform me)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84OTvSHdG2TU8oNunWAv5lP-RqNzOHOCDahUGSHHsRcDetALEKnAFYLoXS0Yb3gd7u96nKCrbTzzK5xJJpBUB3aXxZ7gfOopasV0adleNeZO7crXHzi9WQUyDSoM-f7TL-_c-MfVCtUo/s1600/SoundOfMusic_189Pyxurz.jpg
Audio Through the Ages
A brief history of audio recording and playback devices up until today.
Wednesday, 4 June 2014
Monday, 2 June 2014
My bread and butter
Welcome again! This is my second to last blog entry and I’ve
decided to simply take this opportunity to discuss audio in general. There won’t
be any recording devices discussed today. My goal is to make audiophiles out of
at least a few of my readers.
An audiophile is someone who absolutely enjoys listening to
only the highest quality audio available, using high quality speakers and an
expensive pre-amp. Now although the setup I have is nowhere near high quality,
I still consider myself an audiophile because if I had the money I would
definitely go all out. Many people are contented to listen to decent to low
quality audio, whether it be from music or videos. I know I mentioned this in
one of my earlier posts but it’s worth mentioning again. The difference good
quality makes over bad quality is so explicit that a well-trained ear can easily
hear this difference. I cringe when I think of all the people who are
subjecting their ears to awful audio. My passion for audio is literally that
strong.
If you still don’t think the difference is worth the added effort
of acquiring good audio, I propose a challenge. If you have iTunes, find a low
quality audio file, anything under 200kbps should work. Listen to that song and
then find the same song on YouTube. Make sure it’s a relatively recent song so
that the YouTube video’s audio quality is high. Automatically you should be
able to hear a difference between the video and the bad iTunes song. The
clarity will be much better on the video. If you guys have any questions feel
free to post them in the comments section and I’ll try helping out. Hopefully
this post will convince you guys that quality makes a difference. Bye!!
(In the event of a mistake, please inform me)
Thursday, 29 May 2014
Contraband and such
If I told you to roll up music, would you be able to? In the
past literally rolling up music was something that was done quite often to
smuggle music during the forties and fifties in Russia. When the Soviets were
in power they tried oppressing the Russian people by taking away all that was
fun, which included music. The solution to this problem was actually incredibly
clever; anyone who didn’t mind risking their job or schooling for a music fix
would steal, or find someone to steal, X-Ray sheets from hospitals. Records
would then be pressed into them using old refurbished presses. This method
produced very low quality music but at least it worked. Also, the records could
be rolled up and hid into ones sleeve, stumping the law officials.
This dedication
to music is something that really illustrates just how important music is to
many people. I for one hardly go one day without listening to music for at
least an hour. This is entering a completely different domain in the whole
music thing so I’ll get back to music playing and recording devices.
(In the event of a mistake, please inform me)
http://eclectix.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/8f5aa838485179d295c7db4385ab1a4c_vice_630x420.jpg
Tuesday, 6 May 2014
Digital Audio
iPods, Mp3 players, cellphones, these are all devices which
play digital audio. It is the most popular method of storing and playing music
but it is something that has to be done properly to fully enjoy the sound of
music. Many people are satisfied with the perfectly decent sound of an average
bitrate song being played on Apple ear buds. There is nothing wrong with that
but for those who want the best (audiophiles, in this situation) I offer a few
tips.
You may have noticed I used a little known word; bitrate. In
music this is used to measure how much information is being played every
second, measured in kilobits. The higher the bitrate, the better the sound will
be. Now I could go into great detail about the different types of audio
compression and file types but it’s not that important. The most important
thing to look for in music is what I mentioned above, the bitrate. Anything
lower than 200 kbps (kilobits per second) will sound slightly distorted when
played on good speakers. A bitrate of 128 kbps or lower is something to avoid
at all costs. The sound is terrible and it makes for an unpleasant listening
experience. This is the bitrate that the popular Youtube-mp3.org website
converts all audio files to, regardless of the original quality. Many people
have gotten used to that low quality “music” but for anyone who listens to
higher quality audio, the difference is easier to spot than a turtle trying to
pass as a sea lion.
I think I just threw up a bit |
The very best audio out there comes in a lossless file. This
means that nothing has been compressed, unlike mp3’s. When I acquire music I
always look for Flac, M4a or Wave files. These are all lossless encoding
formats that boast bitrates ranging from 800 to well over 1000 kbps. The sound
is flawless and well worth the added size of the file. If those formats are too
hard to find, I’ll look for mp3’s with bitrates of 320 kbps or slightly lower.
These aren’t as good as lossless formats but the difference is very subtle and
often unnoticeable.
It's like music to my ears |
Dat bitrate tho |
(In the event of a mistake, please inform me)
http://johnorgan21.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/mic-vintage-blue1.jpg
Wednesday, 30 April 2014
0111010101110111011011110111010001101101001110000000110100001010
I’ve finally run out of excuses to delay the writing of this
blog entry any longer. The time has come to explain binary or die trying. Before
I begin I’d just like to state that I don’t actually fully understand the stuff
myself; I can explain what it is pretty well but that’s about as far as my
knowledge extends to. Furthermore, the reason I’m explaining binary is because
it really ties into digital audio which I will discuss in a future blog.
I can delay no more, here goes nothing!
In case my title wasn’t explicit enough, binary is comprised
of ones and zeroes. The only difference between the standard way of counting
and the binaric version (yes I just made up a word) is the numerical amount it
takes to “fill up” a “slot”. What I mean is for normal counting, the first “slot” is filled once the number nine is reached. The nine is then replace by a zero
and the following “slot” is replaced by a one. We continue doing so until we reach
the number ninety-nine. The third “slot” will then come in play as we replace
the two nines with zeroes and the third slot gains a one. This continues
infinitely. Still following me? When it comes to binary things change a little.
Instead of having to reach nine or ninety-nine or nine-hundred and ninety-nine
before adding another “slot”, the number that needs to be reached is one. That’s
right, one. Once we surpass that number the one turns into a zero and we open a
new “slot” by adding a one. When we continue counting we keep adding ones
starting with the right “slot” and moving towards the left. A zero becomes a
one and vice-versa. It’s a lot easier to understand with a visual
representation. The first column will be regular numbers followed by their
irregular binary counterparts.
0=0 Understandable.
1=1 Easy.
2=10 Hein?
Pardon the watermark |
3=11 Why?
4=100 Pourquoi?
5=101 Come again?
6=110 wut.
7=111 k.
8=1000 oh
So on and so forth.
These numbers keep climbing in that same manner. You may be
wondering what the use of binary is. Essentially it’s the language of
computers. Everything that has to do with technology nowadays is comprised of
those ones and zeroes. Images, text documents, webpages, audios, everything. Instead
of being something tangible and material like the grooves of a record or the
frames on a video-cassette, most of what we care about today is represented by
those two digits. That is why I felt the need to explain binary. It makes
explaining digital audio a lot easier and may also come up in my seminar. I
hope what I’ve said makes sense. If it doesn’t just let me know and I’ll try
harder.
(In the event of a mistake, please inform me)
http://www.johngarvens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/binary-Language.jpg
http://mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Neil-deGrasse-Tyson-GIF-2.gif
Friday, 11 April 2014
KitKat time
I was originally planning on writing about binary for this
blog post but I still have a lot of research to do before I understand it
properly. Instead I’ll discuss the CD, or as no one refers to it as anymore,
the compact disc. I would now take the time to explain how a compact disc works, but if
I’m to be completely honest, I know less about this subject than what I do
about binary. Seeing as I’m not the type of person to regurgitate what the
Internet has taught me without first understanding it, I’ve decided to simply
ramble on about CD's.
I’ve never really been a fan of the CD. When I was young it
was the cassette that had the spotlight. The CD was present in my life for only
a short period of time because mp3 players soon took over. A CD is a decent way
of listening to music but it has quite a few flaws. As a stand-alone audio
source, the compact disc is terrible. The size and shape make it impossible for compact
players to be developed. Furthermore, a CD is generally costs more than digital
music, and, as I’ll discuss later, digital music is very versatile. In today’s
age a CD is only useful for those who cannot connect an iPod or phone to their
stereo.
Only the coolest of cats could rock one of these |
If I ever figure out how a CD works, I’ll be sure to write
about it. Basically, what I’m confused about is the fact that a light bounced
off of a piece of reflective plastic and metal can be interpreted into two
simultaneous tracks of music. Makes you wonder about DVD’s, am I right?
Well that’s pretty much it for now. I decided to keep it
short as I’m sure many blogs will be posted by many people tonight. Next up
will be either binary or mp3 players.
(In the event of a mistake, please inform me)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CD_player
http://amichael6801.wikispaces.com/History+of++Music+1990-2010
Thursday, 3 April 2014
An attractive package
I don’t know about you guys, but I would have loved to have
been born a decade early. ‘Why?’ you ask. Because mixtapes, my friend. I’m sure
we’ve all had the chance to play a cassette or two but sadly CD’s took over
before any of us reached our teenage years. We now have to rely on good looks
or smooth plays to woo our intended target instead of using pure music-editing genius.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think making a mixtape is easy, to the contrary; it is
probably very difficult. For someone who sucks at talking to anyone of the
opposite sex, however, simply handing over an assortment of songs arranged in a
playlist is the easier way out.
Other than being a good way to express ones feelings to a
crush, cassettes do have actual benefits. The audio quality is nearly on-par
with that of a CD, and although tapes do tend to deteriorate over time, they
are easily manipulated. That is to say; it’s relatively easy to record and
re-record on a cassette. Furthermore, compared to their older brother [the
8-track (named so because they had enough storage for about 8 songs)] the cassette is far more advanced. Tapes didn't skip every time your vehicle encountered a
small bump or mild gust of wind and they were also a fraction of the size.
The cassette we know and love today has gone through quite a
few changes since its development in the thirties. These early designs were
very primitive so I’ll stick to explaining the function of the "modern" tape.
The magnetic tape is really just a thin plastic band coated
in a ferromagnetic material such as ferric oxide. All this fancy talk basically
means that the tape will “remember” the nature of a magnetic field it comes in
contact with. It is just a simple matter of using one or two (mono or
stereo) electromagnets to write on said tape. This process is more easily
understood if one knows of binary and the functioning of magnets and speakers
(explained in my next few blogs).
I believe that’s all I can really say about cassettes. They
were fun while they lasted but figuring out how to put them in the darn player
was always a hassle. CD’s are definitely easier to use and more practical, as I
discuss later. Good day.
(In the event of a mistake, please inform me)
http://mixtapedc.com/images/mixtape_main.jpg
http://www.photo-dictionary.com/photofiles/list/2285/2990audio_cassette.jpg
http://www.goner-records.com/images/CassettePlayer.jpg
Thursday, 20 March 2014
'round and 'round she goes
Heads-up: There are two different uses of the word record in
this blog. Ruh-cord, meaning to capture and wreck-erd, meaning vinyl disk. To
avoid confusion please read carefully.
As I sit here, listening to a piece of plastic being
scratched by a diamond, I think to myself; “Could this music get any better?”
My stereo is half-decent, the cables I’m using are not high-fidelity, and the
albums are old. These drawbacks are the only things preventing me from
answering my question with a “Yes”. What I do have right, though, is the source
of my music.
In case you haven’t figured it out, I’m using a turntable to
play my music. Despite the many flaws of this system; the lack of portability,
the size of the records and the “annoying” crackle, the record player will
forever be my favorite audio playing device. As I've already mentioned, my
set-up has many flaws yet it is still a joy to listen to.
Over 50 million albums sold |
I've never been able to pin-point why I love listening to
vinyl so much. It could be the fact that it is literally a chunk of diamond (or
other hard mineral) being dragged in microscopic grooves cut in a circular
piece of hard plastic that then vibrates in such a way to create
sound. It could also be because stereo sound (two separate tracks of sound
being played at the same time) is possible with a single record. Something else that intrigues me is the fact that electricity is not even needed to play records. You can actually hear the needle vibrating without any amplification required. But perhaps the
most attractive element vinyl has is the sound quality. As I
will get around to explaining in a future blog, most digital music is
compressed, meaning that its quality is diminished. Records, on the other hand,
are not compressed (unless you count the fact that the vinyl is literally
compressed to make the grooves haha!) Essentially, what the artist records is
what you hear every time you play a record. This fidelity is why records are a
favourite for avid music listeners, hipsters, or just people looking to hear
something new in old favourites.
If you've got the money (or an older relative willing to
part with their baby) I highly suggest acquiring a turntable and some records. The change will make all other music sound terrible and you'll wonder how you ever managed to enjoy music without it.
Sadly that's it for now. I know how you guys love reading my blogs. Expect another one soon though, I shan't be gone long.
Anyone
wishing to receive actual historical facts on this subject should either
research it themselves or request it and, if the demand is high enough, I may
write another blog on the topic.
(In the event of a mistake, please inform me)
http://www.wallpapervortex.com/wallpaper-22902_1_other_music_record_player.html#.Uyt29vldVJs
http://www.timesunion.com/entertainment/article/LPs-turn-65-Top-selling-vinyl-records-of-all-time-4605208.php#photo-4796329
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3b/Dark_Side_of_the_Moon.png
Wednesday, 19 March 2014
It’s been around longer than you would expect
Before I jump into this blog entry I’d like to inform you
guys that I will avoid using dates and boring info. If you’d like to read
something containing those things I suggest searching the Web. What I will
include, though, are my opinions; that is primarily what you will be reading.
Let us now begin. Before I even start writing about
recording devices I would like to discuss music and its influence before it
could be captured. I never really thought of the fact that it’s only until
recently that music could be played back at will. iPods haven't always been found in
everyone’s pocket. Music, however, could be found in pockets. It appeared in
the shape of flutes carved out of bone. These flutes can be dated to as early
as 38,000 B.C.
A 32,000 year-old bone flute from Dordogne, France. |
Mozart, a total stud |
Despite the fact that many great artists lived long before
their works could ever be recorded, I believe the music industry did not
take-off until music could be properly recorded, distributed and played. I will
be discussing the earliest of these methods and devices in my next blog post. Stay tuned.
(In the event of a mistake, please inform me)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1920_in_music
http://media.web.britannica.com/eb-media/97/101097-004-94F5878D.jpg
http://mythicworldtours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/mozart1.jpg
http://media.web.britannica.com/eb-media/97/101097-004-94F5878D.jpg
http://mythicworldtours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/mozart1.jpg
A word of welcome!
Velkommen, bienvenue, welcome! Although these words may
sound and look different, they mean the exact same thing. It has been said (by others
and myself) that verbal communication is the major barrier preventing a united
world. There are simply too many languages currently being spoken for any sort
of master language to develop.
On the other side of the spectrum, away from linguistics and
towards the fun stuff, we do find a global language. No matter where you go in
the world, whether it be a small town outside of Shanghai or the great city of
Boston, music remains the same. The style will vary, and so will the language
in which the songs are sung, but the way in which it is written will not. That
is what really captured my interest in music. It is something that billions of
people can share and love together. What I’m really restricting my blog topic
to, however, is the manner in which audio (I’ll be concentrating mostly on
music) has been, and is, recorded and played back.
Binary jokes are fun |
The various methods that I will be discussing are extremely
ingenious and deserve to be awed. Until recently I’ve never given it much
thought. It’s probably safe to assume that most of you guys have taken music
for granted as well. It is when we think of what music really is, though, that one
cannot help but wonder how it can be captured and stored almost indefinitely. I
hope to convey my fascination of audio and music on to you guys so that every
time you plug in your headphones to an iPod or raise the volume of your car
stereo you realise that you’re listening to a bunch of ones and zeroes (keep reading and that sentence will make sense).
You'll be hearing from me in a few hours. Until then, happy blogging!
(In the event of a mistake, please inform me)
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