tenrAn Audio Transfers demo CD is available.  The demo CD demonstrates how the different options work and what vinyls and cassettes of different ages and conditions sound like when transferred to CD.

There are seven tracks on the demo CD.

1.  Two tracks from  Creation Rockers Vol. 1, 1979.  The recordings were made in the 1960s.  12 inch vinyl LP original.  The tracks are joined together in the copy (option 1).

2.  Three tracks from Mozart's  The Magic Flute, 1984.  The recording was made in 1964.  Audio cassette original.  The tracks are joined together in the copy (option 1).

3.  The track iron hand  by Dire Straits from on every street, 1991.  Audio cassette original.

4.  Prelude and Fugue No 1 from Book II of JS Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier performed on the harpsichord by Helmut Walcha, published 1975. 12 inch vinyl LP original.

5.  Des profondeurs de L'abîme, from Olivier Messiaen's Et Exspecto Resurrectionem Mortuorum, published 1966.  12 inch vinyl LP original.

6.  Extract from the first movement of Brahms' Symphony No 2 in D major Op. 73, published 1975.  Audio cassette original.

7.  Coriolan overture by Beethoven.  78rpm records original.  c. 1940?

 

More information about the tracks.

1.  Two tracks from  Creation Rockers Vol. 1, 1979.  The recordings were made in the 1960s.  12 inch vinyl LP original.  The tracks are joined together in the copy (option 1).

This is part of a six-volume issue by Trojan Records of a series covering the history of reggae.  Each album begins with tracks recorded in the second half of the 1960s and also includes tracks recorded in the late 1970s.   Volume 1 includes tracks by artists such as Baba Brooks, Derrick Harriott, Carlton &  the Shoes, U.Roy, Niney the Observer, Errol Dunkley, Big Youth, Gregory Isaacs and Johnny Clarke.  The original LP is in good condition.

2.  Three tracks from Mozart's  The Magic Flute, 1984.  The recording was made in 1964.  Audio cassette original.  The tracks are joined together in the copy (option 1).

This was issued by EMI and is a recording of highlights from the opera.  The performers are the Philharmonia Chorus & Orchestra conducted by Otto Klemperer.  The singers include Nicolai Gedda, Walter Berry, Lucia Popp, Elisabeth Schwarzopf and Christa Ludwig.  The tracks on the demo, all from Act I, are:

• Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja (Papageno, sung by Walter Berry)
• Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön (Tamino, sung by Nicolai Gedda)
• Recit: O zittre nicht, Aria: Zum leiden bin ich auserkoren (Queen of the Night, sung by Lucia Popp)

This tape is in fairly good condition.  This is only one very noticeable flaw on the tracks included on the demo, though there is some deterioration of the tape because of time and wear and tear.

3.  The track iron hand by Dire Straits from on every street, 1991.  Audio cassette original.

This was issued by Vertigo Records.  There are seven tracks.  The original tape is in good condition.

4.  Prelude and Fugue No 1 from Book II of JS Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier performed on the harpsichord by Helmut Walcha, published 1975. 12 inch vinyl LP original.

This was issued by Archiv Records and is part of a box set that includes the complete 48 preludes and fugues and other keyboard music by Bach such as the two-part and three-part inventions.  The performers include, apart from Helmut Walcha, Ralph Kirkpatrick and Karl Richter.  The track on the demo CD was recorded in 1973.  The instrument used is a harpsichord by Jan Ruckers the Younger (Antwerp 1640).  The original LP is in good condition, though there is a little wear.

5.  Des profondeurs de L'abîme, from Olivier Messiaen's Et Exspecto Resurrectionem Mortuorum, published 1966.  12 inch vinyl LP original.

Issued in 1966 by CBS.  Performed by the Group instrumental a percussion de Strasbourg & Orchestre du Domaine Musical conducted by Pierre Boulez.  The full title of the track on the demo is Des profondeurs de L'abîme, je crie vers toi, Seigneur, Seigneur, écoute ma voix!  The original LP is in good condition apart from some wear.

6.  Extract from the first movement of Brahms' Symphony No 2 in D major Op. 73, published 1975.  Audio cassette original.

Issued by Phillips.  Performed by the Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Bernard Haitnik.  The tape also includes Brahms' Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56a.  The original tape is in quite bad condition.  There are frequent drop-outs and there is a lot of hiss. 

7.  Coriolan overture by Beethoven.  78rpm shellac original.  c. 1940?

This track is compiled from a 78rpm shellac record from the 1940s (probably).  The performance is conducted by Weingartner.  The records are in very good condition with no noticeable scratches.  For a 78rpm record the sound quality is very good.  The piece was on one two-sided record.  To obtain a continuous piece of music each side was first recorded direct to CD.  The files on the CD were transferred to a computer using Audacity software then  joined together using Wavelab software.  As a 78rpm record plays there is a gradual change in sound quality as the needle approaches the centre of the record.  This is normally so gradual that the change is not noticeable.  However, when two sides are edited together the joining point is for this reason noticeable and on this track can be heard around 3:49.

A free copy of the Audio Transfers demo CD is available; email info@barrymitchellmusic.com