Kia ora Sandy
My suggestion for you regarding your interest in learning more advanced
knowledge in the electronics department for maintaining equipment would be
to approach Wayne Jarvis from RNZ who maintained all the equipment at Sound
Archives and NTS&V before it was moved to Avalon. I used Wayne for our
equipment when I managed the Archive of Māori & Pacific Sound.
Your organisation must have some kind of training budget that you can
enquire about and express your interest in this area? Also, going to night
school, such as the Open Polytechnic in Wellington or the Hutt Valley and
learn electronics there, eg.
https://www.openpolytechnic.ac.nz/qualifications-and-courses/ele1911-electrical-and-electronic-practice-a/
Regards
Marie
On Wed, Aug 24, 2022 at 2:14 PM Sandy Ditchburn <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Thank you to Shai, Abhi, Paul, Richard, James, and Dust for your replies.
>
> It's certainly a tricky industry to navigate with failing equipment and
> manpower, an industry-wide lack of funding, and being geographically
> isolated doesn't help too much. I do feel like a have a decent grasp of the
> work I'm doing, although I've always wanted more advanced knowledge in the
> electronics department for maintaining equipment.
> I tend to have an optimistic outlook and don't believe all is lost. It is
> great to hear that kids are picking up on our enthusiasm and being taught
> too. I appreciate all of your advice on and off this list and look forward
> to possible contact in the future - it's always been a dream to attend an
> international conference, maybe one day funds will allow it!
>
> Kindest regards,
>
> Sandy
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List <
> [log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Shai Drori
> Sent: Tuesday, 23 August 2022 8:14 pm
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] ARSCLIST Digest - 12 Aug 2022 to 13 Aug 2022
> (#2022-151)
>
> Hi Sandy.
> Yes, there are some that are not professing the knowledge. I think it's
> mostly a desire to keep competition out. It's the nature of vendors. I find
> it unfortunate.
>
> As to the professionals on the list, I think it's just that our projects
> are so diverse it's not possible to always sit and explain to someone for a
> few minutes why we choose a certain method or workflow. You would have to
> be working with us for years to learn from us, simply because as with all
> other trades, practice makes perfect. I can't speak for the others but I'm
> sure most would agree that we would love to be able to have a paid
> assistant constantly so we can teach them. Let me ask you this question, if
> the situation arose that you could intern in the States or Europe, would
> you travel there to learn the craft? being in NZ is far away.
>
> Cheers
> Shai Drori
> Expert digitization services for Audio Video 3K scanning for film 8mm-35mm
> Timeless Recordings Music Label
>
> https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.audiovideofilm.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7Csandyditchburn%40NGATAONGA.ORG.NZ%7Cd05cc28f910f4aebb4b508da84dfc880%7C60a05c2c1b0046a4a5e26ec022435638%7C1%7C0%7C637968395756720720%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=zF4oori2KStfaTQ%2FbBGwQVsquT4F26lr%2B7mE1EjRMm0%3D&reserved=0
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
> On Tue, Aug 23, 2022 at 12:42 AM Sandy Ditchburn <
> [log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I've debated replying to this thread for a few days and I hope no one
> > minds it being resurrected. I keep seeing the "younger generation"
> > mentioned as being apathetic to this plight and as one of these
> > younger generations myself (almost 34) I thought I'd jump in with my
> perspective.
> >
> > I started in this industry when I was 25 and other than a degree in
> > audio production I knew almost nothing about the world of archiving. I
> > was taught a lot of what I know now from the "older generation" who
> > had decades of experience and were internationally recognised for
> > their contributions to this field.
> >
> > The trouble it seems is that the teaching only went so far. While I am
> > eager to learn as much as possible because I see that the knowledge in
> > this industry is literally dying out, I've found that my teachers
> > either aren't willing or don't have the resources (including time) to
> > sit down and walk me though every aspect of their craft. As much as I
> > push to be taught there comes a push back as if the knowledge is too
> > personal to be shared. That, or they think that the information is so
> > vast that they couldn't possibly pass it on at a level they would be
> > comfortable with. It's difficult to say exactly where the hesitation
> > comes from but I've been experiencing it for years. What I would give
> > to sit down with someone like Richard Hess and learn! I think more
> > opportunities and trust need to be given to the up and comers.
> >
> > So let me finish with this: If someone new and younger comes along
> > with a passion and enthusiasm to learn please teach them all you can
> > while you can. One day the task of archiving these items will fall on
> > the younger generation and we would love to be as informed as possible.
> >
> > Kindest regards,
> >
> > Sandy Ditchburn
> >
> > Collections Archivist
> > New Zealand
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List <
> > [log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Jim Meade
> > Sent: Thursday, 18 August 2022 3:22 am
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] ARSCLIST Digest - 12 Aug 2022 to 13 Aug 2022
> > (#2022-151)
> >
> > Hey Mike,
> >
> > Yes, very interesting and indeed contains some reasons to be cheerful.
> > I'm in the course of reading it right now. Bob Hodge reckoned most of
> > our tape is in pretty good shape. But, of course, past performance is
> > not a guarantee of future returns, as any good stockbroker will tell
> > you. While better storage facilities at MOD 2 will help to retard tape
> > deterioration and increase our window for digitization, the other
> > elephant in the room was beyond the scope of this document.
> >
> > I know you're aware of this, but I'm not sure we've ever put it in
> > writing for anyone else: obsolescence of tape playback equipment is
> > our nightmare, not sticky shed syndrome or other symptoms of tape
> deterioration (so far).
> > For example, MCI last manufactured our tape machine models when Belfer
> > was founded in the early '80s, going out of business shortly after. So
> > these machines are forty-year-old electro-mechanical devices (would
> > you teach your kid to drive a car that old?)
> >
> > We've been informally hashing out the case for building up our Burrell
> > funding for at least one new tape machine (I think we need two), and
> > my 2c is it's worth promoting that discussion sooner rather than later.
> >
> > George Blood summed up the new CLIR/LC report: "A worthwhile read that
> > shows if kept in low temperatures, these tapes can last for 100 years.
> > What the study does NOT show is the dwindling number of machines that
> > can digitize such material, and the limited number of suppliers of audio
> heads.
> > While the material will last 100 years, the machines to play them will
> > not".
> >
> > Other ARSCLIST posts respond with a litany of nightmares such as the
> > advanced age of current and often lone suppliers of tape head
> > services, machine parts, refurbishment, etc. One or two small glimmers
> > of hope notwithstanding, this situation sounds like the death knell
> > for tape digitization as no "younger generation" is stepping into the
> > breach, and who could blame them?
> >
> > These are just some thoughts that occurred on the release of this report.
> >
> > Cheers
> > jm
> >
> >
> >
> > Jim Meade|Audio Preservation Engineer
> > Department of Digital Stewardship - Belfer Audio Archive E.S. Bird
> > Library|222 Waverly Ave.|Syracuse, NY 13244 T 315.443.2318
> > [log in to unmask]
> >
> > Syracuse University
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List <
> > [log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of ARSCLIST automatic digest
> > system
> > Sent: Sunday, August 14, 2022 12:00 AM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: ARSCLIST Digest - 12 Aug 2022 to 13 Aug 2022 (#2022-151)
> >
> > There is 1 message totaling 105 lines in this issue.
> >
> > Topics of the day:
> >
> > 1. New publication on tape longevity
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2022 16:44:54 +0300
> > From: Shai Drori <[log in to unmask]>
> > Subject: Re: New publication on tape longevity
> >
> > Hi Roger.
> > I think you are missing the point. The problem is not software related.
> > Yes, there are some niche manufacturers of tape and decks (at
> > ridiculous prices BTW), but the hardware is disappearing. While analog
> > may be salvageable, there are less than five head manufacturers, and
> > none of them, to the best of my knowledge, manufacture heads for
> > cassette decks, for example. The heads that are made for reel to reel
> > are in the $750 range. So even if we assume that they'll be around for
> > 20-30 years, that not good enough. On the video front, the situation
> > is even direr as no new equipment and heads are made. There is AFAIK
> > only one company that rebuilds heads for video use (I have never used
> > their services, so will not repeat what reviews I did hear of them).
> > Add to this the age of the people that are in this field and you should
> start to see why everyone is alarmed.
> > Richard Hess, Richard Deihl, DC, and others have probably crossed the
> > 60 YO mark. I'm relatively young and inexperienced at 52. The only two
> > people that I can think of that are around 30 are Matt Patoray, and
> > one more person I forgot the name of (please forgive me). So the
> > knowledge base is dwindling and the parts are becoming scarce. While I
> > was never a follower of dooms day date (like 2025), with an estimated
> > 250,000,000 hours of analog media still left untouched (report by AV
> > preserve IIRC), it is clear that even if all of us vendors work till
> > we die of old age, we will not get even half of it done.
> > Cheers
> > Shai Drori
> > Expert digitization services for Audio Video 3K scanning for film
> > 8mm-35mm Timeless Recordings Music Label
> > https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.a
> > udiovideofilm.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7Csandyditchburn%40NGATAONGA.ORG
> > .NZ%7Cd05cc28f910f4aebb4b508da84dfc880%7C60a05c2c1b0046a4a5e26ec022435
> > 638%7C1%7C0%7C637968395756720720%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wL
> > jAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&
> > amp;sdata=zF4oori2KStfaTQ%2FbBGwQVsquT4F26lr%2B7mE1EjRMm0%3D&reser
> > ved=0
> > [log in to unmask]
> >
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Aug 12, 2022 at 7:38 AM Roger Kulp
> > <[log in to unmask]>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Not sure what you mean Richard. As with all other types of vintage
> > > analog sound equipment, there is a dedicated niche market devoted to
> > > restoring, and rebuilding vintage multitrack recording technology,
> > > and saving these remaining old classics from the scrapheap. This
> > > includes old guys coming out of retirement, and teaching a new
> > > generation how to work on these things. Granted, the cost of getting
> > > this equipment restored can run into the hundreds, if not thousands,
> > > of dollars per hour, something a cost cutting corporation or
> > > institution might balk at, but the services are out there for anyone
> > > willing to spend the money. Considering both the rebirth of the
> > > vinyl record in recent decades, as well as the ongoing proliferation
> > > of indie record labels run by younger generations with a solid
> > > appreciation for vintage, analog sound, I don't think this is a
> > > business in danger of dying any time soon. And while many of the old
> > > names are long gone, there are companies that are making brand new
> > > professional, archival quality,
> > blank rolls of analog tape for recording masters. So I wouldn't worry.
> > >
> > > Roger Kulp
> > > ________________________________
> > > From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List <
> > > [log in to unmask]> on behalf of Richard L. Hess <
> > > [log in to unmask]>
> > > Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2022 6:36 PM
> > > To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
> > > Subject: [ARSCLIST] New publication on tape longevity
> > >
> > > Hi, All,
> > >
> > > I did not see this posted, and I think it adds substantial new
> > > information to the tape degradation literature.
> > >
> > > I agree with George Blood's post on LinkedIN
> > >
> > > > The Council on Library and Information Resources has published a
> > > > study on the longevity of legacy magnetic audio tapes that was
> > > > conducted by the Library of Congress and Fuji Film. A worthwhile
> > > > read that shows if kept in low temperatures, these tapes can last
> > > > for
> > 100 years.
> > > >
> > > > What the study does NOT show is the dwindling number of machines
> > > > that can digitize such material, and the limited number of
> > > > suppliers of audio heads. While the material will last 100 years,
> > > > the machines to play them will not.
> > >
> > > While outside of the scope of this study, it does not look at
> > > projecting life of tapes that are degrading, such as those with SSS
> > > (although some are used as controls).
> > >
> > > But I've been saying for years now, the tapes, the tape machines,
> > > and the operators are all aging. This does not bode well for the
> future.
> > >
> > > Still an interesting read.
> > >
> > >
> > > https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.
> > > clir.org%2Fpubs%2Freports%2Faccelerated-aging-of-polyester-based&
> > > ;d
> > > ata=05%7C01%7Csandyditchburn%40NGATAONGA.ORG.NZ%7C02a2ff54c3ec40096e
> > > 72
> > > 08da80648603%7C60a05c2c1b0046a4a5e26ec022435638%7C1%7C0%7C6379634665
> > > 00
> > > 961052%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiL
> > > CJ
> > > BTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=C%2FuGEHB5EOAh
> > > 8r
> > > Id5pEctWvSKNHN9MgV8FpzclRX1iU%3D&reserved=0
> > > -legacy-audio-magnetic-tape-stock/
> > >
> > > --
> > > Richard L. Hess email:[log in to unmask]
> > > Aurora, Ontario, Canada 647 479 2800
> > > https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww
> > > .r%2F&data=05%7C01%7Csandyditchburn%40NGATAONGA.ORG.NZ%7Cd05cc28
> > > f910f4aebb4b508da84dfc880%7C60a05c2c1b0046a4a5e26ec022435638%7C1%7C0
> > > %7C637968395756720720%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLC
> > > JQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sda
> > > ta=IBL6GS2f1l4iiE80fNJZ6gCbQELWuDTxcjOHNIKWvvM%3D&reserved=0
> > > ichardhess.com%2Ftape%2Fcontact.htm&data=05%7C01%7Csandyditchbur
> > > n%
> > > 40NGATAONGA.ORG.NZ%7C02a2ff54c3ec40096e7208da80648603%7C60a05c2c1b00
> > > 46
> > > a4a5e26ec022435638%7C1%7C0%7C637963466501429715%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZs
> > > b3
> > > d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D
> > > %7
> > > C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Mn1H5nQKghwlzBfSaXMgmTMalxKfXC5sAvsNFgs0Pe4
> > > %3
> > > D&reserved=0 Track Format - Speed - Equalization - Azimuth -
> > > Noise Reduction Quality tape transfers -- even from hard-to-play tapes.
> > >
> >
> > ------------------------------
> >
> > End of ARSCLIST Digest - 12 Aug 2022 to 13 Aug 2022 (#2022-151)
> > ***************************************************************
> >
>
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