What is a record pad and how do I do it?

KMF wrote:
What is a record pad and how do I do it?

If you're referring to analog tape, the record pad is a section of tape
that is leadered off and used for record alignment throughout the project.

--
Eric

www.Raw-Tracks.com

"KMF" wrote ...
What is a record pad and how do I do it?

"pad" in what context?
A "pad" can be a thick felt mat, or a kind of synth voice,
or an electrical attenuator, and maybe even other definitions.

In article writes:

What is a record pad and how do I do it?

"Pad" means a lot of things. What's the context?

A mat under a phonograph record?

A couple of feet of blank tape before the recording starts?

A dreamy, diddly stringy-synthy background sound that drifts around a
musical piece?

An attenuator?

Something to keep your back from getting tired when you're sitting at
the console?

The place where you both live and record?

In fact, just what the heck IS a "record pad?"

--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

In article znr1102260633k@trad, Mike Rivers wrote:

In fact, just what the heck IS a "record pad?"

It's the cotton thing that keeps good tape-to-head contact on a Uher 4000.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

It's the cotton thing that keeps good tape-to-head
contact on a Uher 4000.

It's more commonly called a pressure pad.

In article writes:

It's the cotton thing that keeps good tape-to-head contact on a Uher 4000.

I thought that was a pressure pad. Sometimes it could be a play pad.

--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

"Mike Rivers" wrote in message news:znr1102280969k@trad...

In article writes:

It's the cotton thing that keeps good tape-to-head contact on a Uher 4000.

I thought that was a pressure pad. Sometimes it could be a play pad.

--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo


Are you absolutely certian this isn't a reference to my house?

DM

On 5 Dec 2004 06:51:13 -0800, (KMF) wrote:

What is a record pad and how do I do it? snip

The "pad" in analog tape parlance is a section of tape at the head of
a reel on which you can record the originating deck's head and EQ
signature using standard alignment tones (100 Hz, 1 and 15 KHz) for
use on another deck for alignment purposes. Blank time is left in the
"pad" to provide some tape for the engineer using a subsequent deck to
set up his record section to match (well, as much as possible)
azimuth, OPL and EQ with whatever the originating deck had. You
started seeing this in the late '60s, when production would jump from
studio to studio at the dawn of the "multi-track era." Prior to that,
in the dark ages of 3 track, you'd get an opening pad of three
alignment tones and that'd be it, but after copious multi-tracking in
different studios became the norm, the pad was enlarged to provide a
"scratch pad" area when the subsequent studio could play with record
parameters, also. Usually the "pad" is marked off from production
takes with a length of leader, although not always. Hopefully, the
sending engineer would scribble out his tone and pad times on the box,
but many didn't.

How to do it? Well, everyone seems to have their own way of doing
this, usually to the consternation of whoever gets the tape later. I
used to start with I KHz at 0 VU (usually 250 nWb/m back in my day)
for 60 seconds, 5 second break, then 100 Hz, break, then 15 Khz, then
a 3 minute record pad, then a leader break. I never got too many
complaints from others about that, although some always want a longer
record pad after the line-up tones, some would want more frequencies,
and some would want longer tones. Want to **** off someone down the
line? Give 'em the tones at 5 seconds each and a 30 second record
pad. The problem with doing that for the subsequent engineer is that
it always required a lot of rewinding to get through the line-up, and
unnecessary winding is a bad thing, period.

Usually, guys that would do this or wouldn't send you tones at all
would also be the ones who'd send you a really screwed up
tape...levels all over the map on takes, tracks pushed way into
saturation, lousy head line-up, you name it. I remember getting some
¼" two track "masters" from a certain funk singer who shall remain
nameless that were so screwed up, I sent them back with a note, "Try
again, do it right this time." He wanted them dubbed to ½" 2 trk,
because "that was mo' betta..." Durrrrrrrrr.... His "pad" was 1 KHz
at some ungodly hot level into saturation, and 100 Hz about 15 dB
down...and no azimuth tone at all. No sheet came with them, just some
indecipherable scribbling of song names on the box with no times. The
clown was running his own machines and obviously had not a clue as to
what he was doing. Also annoying were traces of coke dust all over
the reels. He didn't have many hits after that, either, as he had an
extended engagement at Hotel Greybar to attend to.

dB

Well, everyone seems to have their own way of doing
this, usually to the consternation of whoever gets the tape later. I
used to start with I KHz at 0 VU (usually 250 nWb/m back in my day)
for 60 seconds, 5 second break, then 100 Hz, break, then 15 Khz, then
a 3 minute record pad, then a leader break.

My version, no doubt learned from Steve Guy at Location Recording Service, was
1k, 10k, 50, then Dolby or a 1k through dbx. Nothing following the 50Hz tone
meant no NR, just in case the reel became separated from its box.

Scott Fraser

On 06 Dec 2004 02:40:25 GMT, (ScotFraser) wrote:

My version, no doubt learned from Steve Guy at Location Recording Service, was
1k, 10k, 50, then Dolby or a 1k through dbx. Nothing following the 50Hz tone
meant no NR, just in case the reel became separated from its box. snip

Calibratable "NR" of any kind was a LITTLE before my time. Remember,
this was back when Scotch 250 was a "miracle" tape.

There was considerable disagreement about which highs and lows to use
back then. Some argued that, due to different head geometries, 50 was
too low, as expected reproduce levels at 50 were less predictable than
at 100 between different head makes, but that all machines would be
just as well EQ'd for bass at 100. Still others (including me) argued
that 10 KHz was too low to achieve quick resolution of azimuth for
phasing issues, especially on the tall multi-tracks where gap scatter
was a invariably a problem. Most of what I'd get was 100/1/10, I'd
send out 100/1/15. 15 would be a good way to let the other end know
if their heads were in need of lapping, too!

dB

In article ,
ScotFraser wrote:
Well, everyone seems to have their own way of doing
this, usually to the consternation of whoever gets the tape later. I
used to start with I KHz at 0 VU (usually 250 nWb/m back in my day)
for 60 seconds, 5 second break, then 100 Hz, break, then 15 Khz, then
a 3 minute record pad, then a leader break.

My version, no doubt learned from Steve Guy at Location Recording Service, was
1k, 10k, 50, then Dolby or a 1k through dbx. Nothing following the 50Hz tone
meant no NR, just in case the reel became separated from its box.

I learned to just do 1KC in the broadcast world. It was a few years before I
saw 1K and 10K tones.

These days I put a full tone ladder down. Why not? Somebody might need it
someday.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

you guys are generous with the clients tape. I do 30 sec each of 1k 10khz
and 100hz and a one minute pad
--Lou Gimenez
The Music Lab
2" 24track w all the Goodies
www.musiclabnyc.com



From: (Scott Dorsey)
Organization: Former users of Netcom shell (1989-2000)
Newsgroups: rec.audio.pro
Date: 6 Dec 2004 10:25:53 -0500
Subject: What Is the record pad

In article ,
ScotFraser wrote:
Well, everyone seems to have their own way of doing
this, usually to the consternation of whoever gets the tape later. I
used to start with I KHz at 0 VU (usually 250 nWb/m back in my day)
for 60 seconds, 5 second break, then 100 Hz, break, then 15 Khz, then
a 3 minute record pad, then a leader break.

My version, no doubt learned from Steve Guy at Location Recording Service,
was
1k, 10k, 50, then Dolby or a 1k through dbx. Nothing following the 50Hz tone
meant no NR, just in case the reel became separated from its box.

I learned to just do 1KC in the broadcast world. It was a few years before I
saw 1K and 10K tones.

These days I put a full tone ladder down. Why not? Somebody might need it
someday.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

"DeserTBoB" wrote:
On 5 Dec 2004 06:51:13 -0800, (KMF) wrote:

What is a record pad and how do I do it? snip

The "pad" in analog tape parlance is a section of tape at the head of
a reel on which you can record the originating deck's head and EQ
signature using standard alignment tones (100 Hz, 1 and 15 KHz) for
use on another deck for alignment purposes.
snip

Putting it on the tail is probably better. I learned this the hard way when
I let the intern do the alignment on the multitrack for a mix session. For
some reason he decided to do record alignment as well, and apparently didn't
notice the 15 or 20 seconds of leader between the pad and the first song
while recording the bias tone.

The drag for me persoaally about that was that I got fired instead of him
since it was technically my responsibility.

-jw

John Washburn wrote:
Putting it on the tail is probably better. I learned this the hard way when
I let the intern do the alignment on the multitrack for a mix session. For
some reason he decided to do record alignment as well, and apparently didn't
notice the 15 or 20 seconds of leader between the pad and the first song
while recording the bias tone.

Another good reason for putting it at the tail is you don't need to
rewind all the way to the beginning of the reel to do the alignment. If
it's at the tail, you just need to thread the tape and rewind into the
tape about 3-5 minutes, rather than the full 16. Seems trivial, but if
you have a dozen other things you need to get done before a session
starts, the last thing you want to do is sit and wait for tape to rewind.

--
Eric

www.Raw-Tracks.com

"EricK" wrote in message
...
John Washburn wrote:
Putting it on the tail is probably better. I learned this the hard way
when
I let the intern do the alignment on the multitrack for a mix session.
For
some reason he decided to do record alignment as well, and apparently
didn't
notice the 15 or 20 seconds of leader between the pad and the first song
while recording the bias tone.

Another good reason for putting it at the tail is you don't need to
rewind all the way to the beginning of the reel to do the alignment. If
it's at the tail, you just need to thread the tape and rewind into the
tape about 3-5 minutes, rather than the full 16. Seems trivial, but if
you have a dozen other things you need to get done before a session
starts, the last thing you want to do is sit and wait for tape to rewind.

Also, if there happens to be a genius take towards the end of the reel that
goes long, it's not the end of the world if it records over the tones--it's
lot better than running out of tape would be, anyway.

-jw

"KMF" wrote in message
om...
What is a record pad and how do I do it?

You rent buy or borrow a place to live, set up all of you gear and then
invite hep cats and mellow dudes over to record at your pad. ( black
lights, bean bags, bead curtains, and cute girls body painting each other
strewn about can make it a totally groovy scene. YMMV )

John L Rice


PS - sorry, just having some fun, please explain a little more of what you
are trying to do and we'll be better able to assist you.

On Sun, 5 Dec 2004 12:33:32 -0800, "John L Rice"
wrote:

( black
lights, bean bags, bead curtains, and cute girls body painting each other
strewn about can make it a totally groovy scene. snip

Hmmmm...sounds like American Recording back in the early '70s!

dB

On Sun, 5 Dec 2004 12:33:32 -0800, "John L Rice"
wrote:


"KMF" wrote in message
. com...
What is a record pad and how do I do it?

You rent buy or borrow a place to live, set up all of you gear and then
invite hep cats and mellow dudes over to record at your pad. ( black
lights, bean bags, bead curtains, and cute girls body painting each other
strewn about can make it a totally groovy scene. YMMV )

What, no mention of lava lamps? Or are those standard equipment at
even non-pad studios?

John L Rice


PS - sorry, just having some fun, please explain a little more of what you
are trying to do and we'll be better able to assist you.


-----
http://mindspring.com/~benbradley

"Ben Bradley" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 5 Dec 2004 12:33:32 -0800, "John L Rice"
wrote:


"KMF" wrote in message
. com...
What is a record pad and how do I do it?

You rent buy or borrow a place to live, set up all of you gear and then
invite hep cats and mellow dudes over to record at your pad. ( black
lights, bean bags, bead curtains, and cute girls body painting each other
strewn about can make it a totally groovy scene. YMMV )

What, no mention of lava lamps? Or are those standard equipment at
even non-pad studios?



Whoops! Thanks Ben, yes, a lava lamp and maybe a strobe light. Oh yeah!
Color organs next to the near fields!

John L Rice

On Mon, 6 Dec 2004 20:34:28 -0800, "John L Rice"
wrote:

Whoops! Thanks Ben, yes, a lava lamp and maybe a strobe light. Oh yeah!
Color organs next to the near fields! snip

HAR! I actually saw this being "reality" back years ago. Imagine
some Altec A-2s with COLOR organs sitting next to the
horns...priceless! And yes, were was a full compliment of lava lamps
in behind the glass, too. Don't remember too many glass beads in that
one, though.

"Color organs" are making a comeback, of sorts! Some plasma TV hawker
(Philips?) is putting "Envirolight" or some such nonsense on its
overpriced home TVs. Lots of blue in the sceen? You get blue glow
out of the sides. Lots of daylight? Yellow side lights! Pool or red
blood? Red "envirolight!"

Hmmm...I wonder what'd happen if they were doing one of those
fraudulent "reality shows" live and happened to point the lens into a
toilet? BROWN light????

dB

Does anyone know what the original poster was really asking about?

--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

Mike Rivers wrote:

Does anyone know what the original poster was really asking about?

He wanted to know what's a "record pad". He means "home studio", like a
pad, as in where someone lives, and where they also record. Get it now?
g

--
ha

"hank alrich" wrote in message .. .
Mike Rivers wrote:

Does anyone know what the original poster was really asking about?

He wanted to know what's a "record pad". He means "home studio", like a
pad, as in where someone lives, and where they also record. Get it now?
g

--
ha


Like I said... he was asking about my house. :-\

DM

On Tue, 07 Dec 2004 04:20:40 GMT, (hank alrich)
wrote:

Mike Rivers wrote:

Does anyone know what the original poster was really asking about?

He wanted to know what's a "record pad".

I'm sure he was asking about a felt pad to put on the turntable of
his record player, thus a "record pad." I recall Scott saying
something about it in another recent thread.

He means "home studio", like a
pad, as in where someone lives, and where they also record. Get it now?
g

-----
http://mindspring.com/~benbradley

Mike Rivers wrote:

Does anyone know what the original poster was really asking about?

He wanted to know what's a "record pad". He means "home studio", like a
pad, as in where someone lives, and where they also record. Get it now?
g

--
ha

Apparantly, the original poster never watched The King and Odie.