HOMEGROWN MUSIC. . .AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS!

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And the faster the tape moves, the better its sound reproduction will be . . . so, for a top-quality recording, use a machine that moves at a speed of at least 7-1/2 inches per second. (Many commercial studios now use systems that can record at 30 IPS!) Also, the amount of "fuzz" and noise is less on better-quality tapes, so get the very best tapes you can afford. (And be sure, in addition, to consult the operator's guide for your recording system . . . since some machines require adjustments for different brands of the sound-recording ribbon.)

If you're dealing with two or more instruments — with some players sharing a microphone — you'll probably want to experiment with placing the mikes at different distances from each of the musicians . . . or you might have the performers vary their volume. Obviously, one of the luxuries of home recording is that it allows you time to experiment with such factors in order to find just the right mix for an ideal cut (whereas, in a studio, you're dependent on the engineer to control such variables).

THE CASSETTE MASS MARKET

Once you've successfully mastered the fundamentals of recording your tunes in a home "soundstage", you may want to branch out into mass production of your harmonies. If so, you should consider duplicating your original tape on a cassette. Even though the latter medium is not ideal for recording purposes (as I've mentioned), the cassette mode is a fine way to release your music to the public market at a reasonably low cost to you.

Playback equipment for cassette tapes is now widespread enough, and the sound reproduction of such systems is good enough, to make the format a viable alternative to phonograph records. The primary disadvantage of cassettes, of course, is the lack of space on the package for cover photos and liner notes ( features which help sell an album ) . . . but that very problem is also a factor lowering your printing costs.

An exciting example of the do-it-yourself cassette release idea was sent to me recently by a group called Soundings of the Planet (Dept. TMEN, P.O. Box 43512, Tucson, Arizona 85733). This "cottage industry organization" is made up of a group of people who've used their own modest recording setup, complete with a high-speed tape duplicator, to produce a collection of cassettes representing the best in music that's expressive of the "New Age" consciousness. Their offering of six tapes — which are packaged with beautifully silk-screened labels — includes such titles as "Desert Dawn Song", "An Evening With Ram Dass", and "Warriors of the Rainbow".

Another fine example of New Age music recently came to me from California. Gabrielle Sylva has produced a cassette called "Tree Music", on which a series of meditative compositions evoke images of springtime in the mountains and life in the city . . . without creating a contradiction between the two! The tape — which is available for $6.00 postpaid from Rocking Unicorn, Dept. TMEN, P.O. Box 1086, Mendocino, California 95460 — features the pedal steel guitar, keyboards, drums, and mountain dulcimers.

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