John Gatski is the Publisher & Executive Editor of Pro Audio Review.
To say that the computer has revolutionized professional audio is massive understatement.
Since the early 1990s, the continual evolution of computers has allowed audio engineers to become faster, more capable at their tasks with equipment that costs a few thousand instead of hundreds of thousand of dollars.
All facets of recording have been affected by the computer: recording, mixing, post production mastering, and duplication. Almost gone are the days of a studio’s craftsman-like, tape operator threading analog machines and making continual adjustments for tracking. Today, the person responsible for operating the recorder (who often is the mixer as well) simply manipulates a mouse in a menu on the computer workstation.
And it is simply amazing that the computers continue to improve in their raw processing power. Look at Russ Long’s review on the Apple MacBook Pro in the issue The machine puts considerable distance between itself and the G5s that we thought so advanced a couple of years ago.
And for me, the ability to run cross platform is a huge step in the evolution of the computer that is likely to have long-term implications.
An Intel Dual Core processor can run Windows and Mac native on the same computer. Yes, the old Motorola-based Macs could run Windows with software such as SoftPC, but nowhere near as efficient as the new Macs.
I believe this capability is a significant shift in favor of the end user. Most folks who use computers don’t really care what operating system it uses, they just want to work with their chosen software. Maybe some day there will be no proprietary OS. You will buy any computer and install any software that you want — and it will work.
Odd and ends
Hope to see many of you from the pro audio community at the AES show, which runs from Oct. 6 - 9 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Stop by our booth (1038) and say, Hello. If you have not signed up for the digitally delivered version of Pro Audio Review, you can do that at the booth or go to (http://www.proaudioreview.com/subscribe) if you are not going to to the show.
Since Aug. 2005, our digital issues, complete with turning pages and click links, have collectively received about six million page views from readers worldwide. From the e-mails that I receive, the international PAR audience members have become fans of the magazine and all our “end user” reviews. Like their counterparts in the U.S., they just want to read about the best gear to buy.
One correction from the last issue. I misspelled the last name of Angel Fernandez, the always busy Latin Music engineer, and multi-instrumentalist who is the musical director for Marc Anthony.
Reissue update
As I have said in this page on one or more occasion, I am always on the look out for reissues of recording from yesteryear that have been out of print or were remastered to offer a better sounding version.
A recent offering smartly offers four remastered albums on one CD. Linda Ronstadt’s The Capitol Years features Linda’s post-Stone Pony’s LPs: Hand Sown, Silk Purse, Linda Ronstadt and the pivotal Heart Like a Wheel. Being a big fan of the country-influenced pop music of the late 1960s and early 70s, these albums typify the genre to varying degree of success but with always, at least, a couple standout songs. The sonics are much improved with space and dimension that the earlier CDs —and even the records — did not have. (Of course, I wish either DVD-A or SACD versions of these recordings were available, but I will leave that argument for another day.)
The most impressive and cohesive standout album, I believe, is Silk Purse, which is very country but yet contains pop underpinnings with songs like “Long, Long, Time” and the cover of “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” Now, all we need is the rest of Linda’s 1970s albums similarly packaged.
Search for Microphones Broad-line distributor web site features real-time stock status and pricing, online ordering, RFQ, technical support, product datasheets and photos.
Mitsubishi Audio & Visual Presentation Equipment Bring New Levels of Performance to Your Business & Home. Mitsubishi's Line of Powerful DLP™ & LCD Projectors & Monitors Bring Great Ideas to Light.
Site
contents Copyright 2008 NewBay Media, LLC All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction
in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission
of NewBay Media, LLC is prohibited.
for reprint information.
