Yes, of course---the batteries---so obvious now.
Thanks so much.


-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tom Fine
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2016 10:58 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Cassettes that speed-up---what's up?

Tyra, you could have cases where the recorder batteries were low, which would cause recording speed to slow down and playback speed to increase. I've run into that with oral histories. I usually don't even try to make the result "pitch perfect." Rather, I determine a point where playback speed has gotten so fast that the intelligability has decreased badly. I then go back a bit before that, and select to the end of the field. Then I pitch-alter it for the best overall audibility, again not worrying about "perfect pitch" but rather best audibility of the words being spoken. It depends on how fast and how clearly someone is speaking.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message -----
From: "Grant, Tyra" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2016 11:42 AM
Subject: [ARSCLIST] Cassettes that speed-up---what's up?


> We're transferring a collection of personal cassettes---interviews---mainly from the 90s.
> A few start out okay then slowly speed-up so people sound like The Chipmunks.
> Then, some are okay on one side but the flip side is speeded-up.
> What's up here?
> We'd appreciate recommendations re: the best way to handle these in order to get something
> listenable.
>
> Thanks,
> Tyra Grant
> [log in to unmask]
> 785-864-2034
> University of Kansas Libraries
>
>