Showing posts with label Jazz Vinyl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jazz Vinyl. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Prog Rock Records In Authentic Vinyl, Sharing The Limelight Of The Music Industry

Back in the 60’s, in England’s regions an evolution of a novel music kind was recorded. Psych rock symphonies of the past influenced the growth of progressive rock or prog rock. Typical attributes of this unmatched type of music revolved around concepts and ideas that are not just incomparable but also explicit. Known to be made with a feel of musical theater and a mix of jazz rhythm and prolonged keyboard and guitar instrumentals, this foremerly valued recording arrangement settled and remained flourishing with the subsistence of jazz vinyl records.

Certainly, these costly items are amongst those contained in music anthology of true blue fanatics and lovers. Because the esteem allotted to this music medium is absolutely distinctive, the longing to add them in one’s anthology is certainly understandable. As some say, most of the interest drawn to prog rock records is due to matchless cover arts, but the majority conferred that it is the extraordinary music that this format emanates is what certainly makes it a cut above the rest.

Nearly all collectible titles of prog rock music remain to be recorded in its original format in LP. Wholly remastering music formats from analog to digital CD forms is one feature that prog rock music producers fail to carry out.

In the 1960’s, as more and more prog-rockers articulated their affinity towards their very own sort of music, more record albums in the said variety were released. As more of them sincerely embraced the notion of prog rock birth, music firms took advantage of this profitable chance and had the newest tracks covered by this distinctive tune. To give way to the growing fame of music that is more orchestral and thematic in the year 1969, producers shook off earlier psychedelic hymns in favor of prog rock.

It was in 1972 when prog rock format achieved the most of the public’s support as its notoriety peaked despite of the changeable rise and fall. It was the most productive year which also gave rise to the fame of numerous artists rooting for this medium. Prog rock supporters began their attempt to promote this variety with a goal of bringing rock music to another level of ingenous reliability, and indeed they succeeded.

The complex instrumental qualities and patterns of this music type remained typically incorporated in rock vinyl formats though some attempts have been made to fit them into recent music forms. It was in 1990 when the interest of music enthusiasts were restored along with prog rock revival. Sharing parallel worth of vinyl records, the world of music would has never been complete without the birth of prog rock.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Facts On Vinyl Classics

Vinyl Albums just like jazz vinyl and rock vinyl comes with a complete cover art jacket and linear notes. It is definitely more than just a compilation of songs rather than a personal starter to innumerable artists, opportunities by which you sensed a deeper connection to their music.

Vinyl records were known as the unshakable substitute to shellac records. Aside from the truth that these can be stored and reproduced very easily, their wraps and sleeves are also perfect collections. A 12-inch disc is best utilized when storing songs. Extended play records are ideal for small connections.

The most common pace of many vinyl records is available in four varieties. Vinyl albums must be played on a turntable to obtain high quality sound. Before, they only have 16 and 78 RPM records for the speed. Currently, 33 and 45 RPM vinyl records are more widespread.

Vinyl records can be purchased in 7, 10, or 12 inches. 7 and 10 inches are designed for single plays (SP) while a 12-inch discs are for long playing (LP) records.

The time is determined by the record’s length and width and speed. In case the dimension is not large and the rpm is elevated, it'll spin faster. LP records which are 33 rpm in speed and are 12-inch in sizes typically play for 25 minutes per side, making around 50 minutes of music. On the other hand, a 7 inches SP with a 45 rpm speed can play 2 songs each side. It can play continuously for 6 minutes. A 12-inch Maxi SP records can play music for 12 minutes per side. A 10-inch SP is uncommon but you could find a 33 rpm SP.

Vinyl records are also available in a variety of hues. The hue has no effect on its operation, but some state that colored albums are easily broken. A few discs have patterns on the sides. They have sheer wraps to reveal the designs.

The mass of the album is important. Usually, vinyl albums are similar in weight. LPs weigh 120 grams while audiophile records are around 200 grams. The heavier the record, the more is the volume because the grooves are deeper producing a better sound.

Properly handle your vinyl albums. Jazz vinyl and rock vinyl will simply observe the shifting times by means of appropriate cleaning, handling and stowage. To help make your vinyl album lasts longer, clean, handle and stow it appropriately.

Monday, December 20, 2010

When Technology Brought About Vinyl’s Gradual Demise

Loving music is common to most people. Even before several scientific developments, people have developed a particular love to music. Even if the populace is mainly filled with qualms and rapid changes, music goes on to be one of the few things people love.

At the times of yore, before the birth of digital technologies, there was a preferred medium for popular jazz music reproduction, a flat disk manufactured from petroleum-based plastic – jazz vinyl. In the twentieth century, functions of recording and playback units were converted from the earlier wax-based systems to the modern versions in vinyl medium.

Rapidly sensational vinyls suddenly made wax-based cylinders outmoded. Vinyl records become so phenomenal throughout those times for motives other than reproduction and storage. The artistic purpose of vinyl protective coverings and sleeves were maximized by musicians for profitable opportunities.

Music makers utilized vinyls to make a recording of their music that were later advanced for business in the international markets. Achievement was unstoppable for the music industry with more people recognizing a varied setup of music replication. But as a result of the developments in technology, those in the music arena had to move on to keep up with the needs of the society. Sadly, the flimsy nature of records in vinyl ended up to be their untimely undoing. Vinyl easily breaks, that is why people see it to be of less sensible worth.

To deal with the quandaries related with vinyl records, new items were made available in music hubs and record outlets. Durable cassette tapes made their debut and swiftly gained the favor of the people in the 1970's. The growing esteem of cassette and cassette player qualities were paralleled to design and convenience by people.

A cassette tape is pretty smaller as compared to a vinyl disk but it’s highly capable to store various songs tracks. People can ably store their recordings and music in cassette tapes. The length of play of this music medium lasted for quite long with more and more people resorting to this format for recording and music playing.

Years after, the masses’ devout attachment to cassette tapes was defied by the innovative breakthrough of compact discs. It became the new medium in producing songs, recordings or even videos. Song recording kinds of large quantities that can’t be done in cassettes or vinyl is possible with compact discs.

These days, though rock vinyl has turned out to be outdated by some other recording medium, there are those that yet made them in small amounts for amateur rock performers who are holding on a close budget and for concert singers who use vinyl records for distinctive scratching effects. Moreover, music fans persist to compile these records for they prefer the old-time sensation of hearing an organic yet more perfect classical sound echoed by vinyl.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Vinyl Records And Other Kinds Of Modern Media

In spite of the advent of contemporary repository media like MP3s, CDs, DVDs and Blue Ray, vinyl records are even so utilized for recording intents these days. Vinyl records have been an essential feature in the increase of music recording and they go on to be extremely well-liked up to the present. Taking the world by appeal, jazz music producers and supporters together dole out the same fervor of having their songs played on jazz vinyl.

The recognition of vinyl records stay the same despite of the distinction and usefulness of modern media. Just about idem time, where a few people are getting comfortable to iPods, web downloads and other modern technologies, there are as well some who are starting to apprise vinyl records. Earlier and recent generations are equally excited with the 60’s to 70’s type of LPs that are proven to be able to keeping longer records.

Original vinyl records are approximately 30 cm in diameter length. Nowadays, LPs are becoming characteristically attractive as a result of their different shapes and artistic designs. Vinyl records even now keep the approval of people all throughout these years, in the face of its lack of portability. Vinyl record albums will not once go outdated provided there are those who will exhibit renewed interest regarding this media design.

Currently, MP3 and compact discs are the usual recording medium for artists and groups; but some even now choose that there music be likewise recorded in vinyl record designs. These records have a tendency to adjust to the request of new listeners on account of the fact that these brands are together with the priciest compilations in the industry. Vinyl records are appealing because they do not only possess excellent sounds, they likewise upsurge in value throughout the passage of time. Business industries are advanced with the truth that different from other media format, vinyl records are unfeasible to be illegally acquired.

To break the barrier between current and traditional music listeners’ selection of media format, some companies are presenting ways to work together LP and MP3 music. Vinyl records are now come along with with free MP3 downloads so that listeners from different generations can appreciate the music anywhere and anytime they please.

Vinyl records are trending in the market at present. Rock vinyl, or any genre for that matter are noted to have heightened in sales as well as in market value.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Sustain The Luster Of Jazz And Rock Vinyl

Vinyl records are really fragile that’s why they should be held with delicate hands. Jazz vinyl and rock vinyl will only observe the shifting times by way of accurate cleaning, handling and storage. Don’t you want to still be able to play your jazz vinyl and rock vinyl albums after so many years? If you take care of them, it’s achievable.

Cleaning

Don’t set a dirty vinyl album on the turntable or back to its sleeve. Dust and other can easily find their way on the grooves of the album, much more if you haven’t listened to it . To forestall skips, ticking noises and eternal scratching, frequently clean your albums. Is there a proper technique to get rid of the muck and filth on jazz vinyl or rock vinyl records? All you need is polish it with smooth, lint-free cloth moistened with distilled water. Polish in circular movement from the midpoint of the grooves to the edging of the disc.

Include the stylus of the turntable while you’re cleaning the vinyl records. It also needs to be replaced every now and then.

Handling

Our body produces natural oils, and together with the grime and muck, they could cling to the albums if they are not handled tenderly. Don’t let this be the grounds of the variation in the sound quality of the album. It just takes a little extra measure when holding jazz vinyl or rock vinyl like wearing cotton gloves or handling it in the midpoint or at the perimeter.

Storage

When you’re done listening to your jazz vinyl or rock vinyl, ensure to store it correctly. Don’t forget to cover it with its wrapping and sleeve prior to returning it to the sill. Never leave it sitting around naked on a table or the floor as this could gravely damage your vinyl records.

Improper storage is not exactly a vinyl album’s best friend, just like dust and muck. Have a metal sill or a specifically designed record storage rack to keep your albums in a vertical edge position. Since vinyl records are very delicate, keep them away from direct daylight, heat vents or hearth and other similar locations.

If you aspire to make your jazz vinyl or rock vinyl maintain its sheen for as long as possible, you only need to do these three things. These are just some simple things you can do for your own vinyl album collection.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

The Blue Note Design Innovation

For album lovers everywhere, one of the biggest draws to the vinyl record is the palette format that creates for distinctive cover art. And album art has become more than just an industry term, but a full-grown medium, regardless of what genre you choose. While software such as Photoshop has enabled today's designer to produce vinyl album covers that challenge tradition, they owe a debt of gratitude to those that pioneered the form.

For jazz aficionados, the parade of distinctive Blue Note Records covers remain symbolic not only in the musical world, but in pop culture as well. The photographic style of Francis Wolff is maybe the central factor in creating the signature look that defines jazz vinyl art. Emigrating to the United States in 1939, Wolff quickly found his childhood friend Alfred Lion, one of the co-founders of the label. Wolff was also instrumental in keeping the fledgling label's catalog in print during World War II.

Blue Note found the last piece of the design puzzle in 1956. The label hired Reid Miles, an artist who was employed by Esquire Magazine, and the greatest line of jazz vinyl covers was born. The cover art produced by Miles, often featuring Wolff's photographs of musicians in the studio, proved to be as important in the world of graphic design as the music would be in the world of jazz. Blue Note suddenly became known for their noticeable jazz vinyl cover designs under the supervisory hand and attentive eye of Miles. Key elements such as tinted black-and-white photographs, the use of sans-serif typefaces and a careful restricting of the color palette - often black and white with a single color - and the frequent use of solid rectangular bands of color or white, were directly influenced by the Bauhaus school of design. Some of Reid's best-known work includes Sonny Clark's "Cool Struttin," Art Blakey's "A Night in Tunisia," John Coltraine's "Blue Train," Kenny Dorham's "Trompeta Tocatta" and Herbie Hancock's "My Point of View."

Though Miles' work is closely associated with Blue Note, in his personal tastes, Miles was only a casual jazz fan. Blue Note gave him several copies of the many dozens of jazz vinyl albums he designed, but Miles gave most to friends and sold them to second-hand record shops. Further emblematic of the influence of the Blue Note design work, a few mid-1950s jazz vinyl covers feature drawings by an as-yet-known Andy Warhol.

From Factory To Hi-Fi

You love your records. I'd nearly bet they're precisely structured, their plastic sleeves free from any wrinkles. Collectors don't come much more serious than those who have fallen in love with vinyl albums. And whether your passion is rock vinyl, jazz vinyl or just about any genre under the sun, have you ever thought about just how that perfect little piece of wax gets into your hands and on your turntable? It's a surprisingly simple process.

Logically, the method of producing and pressing the records of today has its roots in the steps first provided by Thomas Edison's photograph. But a medium is necessary before anything similar to a vinyl record is produced. In the studio, a master recording is made, where musicians, producers and audio engineers work hand in hand to perfect the recorded sound.

Once the master is obtained, a lacquer is placed on a record-cutting machine. The polish finish dries out to a perfectly shiny exterior during its production. As it rotates, electronic signals from the master recording are transmitted to a cutting head, which holds a stylus. An engineer moves the cutter and a microscope then inspects the test groove and adjustments are made to the cutter. Since the recording is one continuous groove, a computer observes the cutting and modifies the spacing between the grooves as needed. Although not a vinyl record yet, it's beginning to take shape.

From there, the imprinted lacquer is sent to a pressing plant - perhaps a more industrial-looking environment than most vinyl album enthusiasts would like to admit. Then the varnish is rinsed with soap and water and sprayed with liquid tin chloride and liquid silver. Creating an inverse of the lacquer, the resulting metal master has ridges as opposed to grooves. Then the metal master is utlized to produce a metal record, also known as the mother. A stamper is born from the mother. The stamper is put on a machine, which punches a hole in the center and removes the edges to make a diameter of 12 inches. Negative versions of the original recording known as stampers will be utilized to make the real vinyl albums.

To finish, the stamper is put in a hydraulic press. Black Polyvinyl chloride pellets are placed in an extruder, which turns them into small "biscuits". The biscuit is then placed in the press which has two stampers mounted within - one for each side of the record. Steam softens the plastic while the stampers create impressions of the master recording onto soon-to-be-vinyl albums. Cool water is then used to solidify the disc. The final step? Finding its place in your vinyl record collection and on your turntable, whether its rock vinyl or jazz vinyl.

Facts Behind Jazz And Rock Vinyl Album Collecting

There are many reasons why people collect albums. In 1982, the compact disc (CD) was introduced; however, it didn't triumph in replacing the LP albums. On the contrary, it even powered the rebirth of the classic vinyl albums' popularity to musicians and music lovers alike. Each year, millions of vinyl records are sold to a lot of vinyl record collectors who switched to CD collecting out of convenience. Why do people collect records? For some, they are attracted to a piece of their past and for others, they just found the feel and sound of vinyl, be it jazz vinyl or rock vinyl, to their liking.

You can't really pinpoint the exact group of people who collect vinyl. They usually go by the names "audiophiles" or "geeks", but they are people from all walks of life. Doctors, lawyers, businessmen, housewives, politicians, factory workers, waitresses, rock musicians - name them all. These collectors would go anywhere just to find that one special record that perfectly fits their collection. However, their collection could never be complete as they go off again finding the next special piece of record. You can find these people in garage sales, church bazaars, flea markets, record shows, online aution, yard sales, and a lot of them are just behind their computers, browsing the Interent for their next find.

Vinyl album collecting is not an easy task; you have to invest your time and effort on it. Each piece in your collection must be categorized, cleaned, organized and taken care of. But feeling the grooves on your hand before playing it on the turntable is priceless. A piece of live history was just in your hands and of which you are now listening to. It has outlive reel tapes, track tapes, cassette tapes, and CDs. Vinyl records are still alive despite the presence of iPods and digital downloads; they have not been totally phased out.

DJs who keep on spinning rock vinyl records in clubs and artists who press for vinyl releases of their albums; anyone who buys vinyl for its sound quality and for purists who want to preserve not only the vinyl records themselves, but their jackets and sleeves - vinyl records are here to stay. Collectors, local bands, and record companies keep a piece of the past and our culture; for them, it has become a way of life.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Blue Note Records: A Foundation Of Jazz

In the annals of music history, certain names rise above the rest. In the 1940s, jazz exploded into American pop culture backed by the vision of two men, who believed in its complex rhythms, soaring melodies and mathematical chord progressions. Putting out nearly numerous undying jazz vinyl, Blue Note Records would soon take its rightful place as one of the primary forces in pushing both jazz's popularity and development.

Founded in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, Blue Note instantly grew into a force in the world of jazz. A 1939 session with pianists Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis in a rented studio was the pair's first venture into recording and jazz vinyl. Conventional "hot" jazz and boogie-woogie were the label's first releases. Blue Note's first hit - the infectious performance of "Summertime" by saxophonist Sidney Bechet, which Bechet had been unable to record for the recognized companies - proved to be a breakthrough in the early days of jazz vinyl.

In Blue Note's earliest days, musicians were frequently supplied with alcohol as they recorded late into the night after their evening's work in the clubs and bars. The label quickly became famous for treating musicians unusually well, arranging sessions sometimes that were convenient to working musicians and giving them freedom and input as to the record's production.

While World War II proved to be a disruption to Blue Note's development, by late 1943, the label was back in business recording musicians and supplying jazz vinyl to the armed forces. Willing to record artists and styles that majority of other labels easily passed over, Blue Note brought some of the best musicians the U.S. has ever made to the forefront of the national music scene.

Through the 1940s and 50s, Blue Note found themselves at the forefront of the bebop and hard bop sounds, delivering them around the world on now-legendary jazz vinyl LPs. During the same era, iconic names like Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Hank Mobley, Lou Donaldson and Sonny Rollins all cut sides for the label or sat in as session players. Those recordings, still considered to be the best jazz ever recorded, stand as a witness to Blue Note's reach and influence.

The commercial feasibility of jazz came into questions also while America changed in the coming decades. Blue Note records lay dormant by 1979. But, EMI purchased the company that still owned Blue Note and launched an assertive reissue strategy in 1985. These days, the renaissance's remains in full swing as many of the class jazz vinyl reissues have become mainstays in vinyl albums' resurrection.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

The Thrill Is Gone: Jazz Vinyl and Rock Vinyl


B.B. King previously sang "The thrill is gone," (sounding better on vinyl album) and when it comes to the present state of music, I have to agree. Music is an art form that must forever evolve whether we're admirers of those changes or not; I'm not one to assess one period to another and state either better. When I say the thrill is gone, I'm speaking about the way we, as enthusiasts, interact and use our music. Let me make it clear.



I'm a member of a unique generation. I was born into what some people only a few years younger might call a world of Luddites. Vinyl LPs and turntables were the norm, but as technology marched on, our music became portable. What we sacrificed in matter, we compensated in handiness, as is normally the case.



But then again, what makes my generation unique is that we entered a world with technological limitations in spite of that, embraced any and all advances. At present, I love my iPod. I admit it. The prospect of thousands of songs at my disposal is fantastic. And let's face it, hauling crates of records, not to mention turntables, amps and speakers along with me is just plain unfeasible. Even so, soaked in a sea of MP3s, torrents and burned CDs is the very lore that made music such a primary part of my life.



Vinyl Albums - complete with the cover art, jackets and linear notes - were more than just a collection of songs. They served a personal introduction to countless artists, doorways by which you felt a deeper connection to their music. Every vinyl lp was a case study where you'd follow along with the lyrics in that perfect marriage between the written word and melody. You discovered who wrote the songs, who produced them, where and when they were recorded and any other tiny information you could store away in your memory banks. Even that little nod from artist to listeners that said, "This is how I'd like you to hear my music", the sequencing was crucial. Listening to music was an active pursuit, hardly a passive afterthought.



Now we've traded titles for track numbers, cover art for skins and probably the worst of all, quantity for knowledge. I've encountered various records in the previous year that I've absolutely appreciated. Even so, beyond a name of a band and perhaps the name of the vinyl album, I don't have much for you. I can relate to you which tracks are my favorites but to name them would be just an educated presumption. I couldn't single them out of a magazine. I can't even tell you their names. They are faceless, nameless, a mere collection of riffs. I can pick and choose the songs I like, destroying the lost art of the album. The thrill, B.B., is without a doubt gone.



If this is the tragedy of digital music, then it is a sad ending: the lost sense of a combined culture that we experience through music. The boasting of our iTunes libraries and the mere analytics of bit rates contradict the reason in sight. They're a red herring, a path that only leads to true heartbreak. I want my music to have heart again, to have a soul, to be mine. I desire it to be human once again.