Now I'll have to take you back a bit. Yes a way back.
When the Micro Manager and I got married in 1966 the thing to do was to record your wedding ceremony on an audio tape recorder. That's right folks ...non of the video stuff. We used a reel to reel tape recorder. That was before cassette tapes. I bought the reel to reel tape recorder in 1965. I used it for listening to music. At that time it was pretty good sound. You could borrow somebody's LP and record it. Now the recording went like this. You'd set up couple of microphones attached to the tape recorder. Then you would start the record player and tape recorder at the same time and you taped somebody's LP.
Since this technology was just about obsolete I bought something else for listening to music. I haven't touched my old reel to reel tape recorder for at least 40 years.
Fast forward to today. The micro Manager wanted to get the wedding tapes changed to cassette. Well, she said it would be easy. Turn on the reel to reel tapes and turn on the boom box and hit record! I should have been listening a little closer. There is no input on my boom box so I can play my tapes forever and nothing will be recorded.
So today I turned the machine on. It ran but was too slow so the sound was distorted. After cleaning a few things it ran close to the proper speed but the sound was awful.
What now? The micro manager is not one to give up. My ipad has a microphone. But then she said how would we get the music to cassette ? CD wouldn't be for her.
So look for some more obsolete technology in the house. Yes, the so called stereo which hasn't been turned on for more than twenty years. We found a microphone and input jacks. so that should work.
Well, that will have to be tomorrow because with all the fooling around today there was no time left.
We could have done video, but we only had my brother to shoot photos, and the photos were more important.
ReplyDeleteWe each make our decision and run with that. We've only listened to this one once or twice.
DeleteOur wedding was 2005 and on cassette tape. I need to get that on a DVD who knows when even those will be obsolete?
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting Hiawatha House.
DeleteReel to reel used to be the way to go.I am sure there are some labs that do that , maybe even put it on a more current cd
ReplyDeleteI wasn't looking for anything fancy. We'll see what happens.
DeleteThis is why we keep "stuff" - you never know when it's going to be needed!! lol
ReplyDeleteI hope you can get the tape transferred to cassette. Those moments from the past are precious.
I did not think it was too interesting but when I listened to it all kinds of memories came back.
DeleteA definite blast from the past!
ReplyDeleteAt 78 , I'm definitely a blast from the past.
DeleteThere are many places now that will copy things like that for you at a reasonable cost so it can be preserved. Do you have Costcos there? I use them to transfer old video tapes and slides to DVDs. I scan my own photos but the tapes and slides are more trouble. I know they can do sound tapes as well. I also saw http://www.canadahomemovies.com online that does things like this. It is hard to know what format to save things in these days since it is all changing so fast! I am saving to DVD and also digital on my computer and external hard drives. For things that are special to you with a lot of memories I think it is worth it to have it done. I can see where you would want to save your wedding vows. That is really neat to have! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThese reels were sort of put away and forgotten about until my wife wanted them reproduced.
DeleteThat tape is precious Red. You should be handing it to a sound expert with technical know-how to get the best recording possible - probably on a CD rather than a cassette. Come on old timer! You have shelves of money in the bank! Use some of it to do this job properly. Phone The Melodious Design Recording Co. for advice.
ReplyDeleteOkay, okay. I know I have lots of money. Like maybe 50, bucks. But this tape and ceremony are not at the top of my to do list. Sorry!
DeleteIf you need it properly digitized and restored, perhaps I can help you, but you would have to bring your reel to reel out here!
ReplyDeleteI don't think Jean really knows what she wants. I'll tell her that you might have a look.
DeleteWe recorded our 1969 wedding the same way, but the old reel to reel tape deck has been gone a long time, and subsequently so has the cassette tape deck. We have CDs, but now most of our music of on my iPod. Oh, we do still have vinyl and a turntable. I gave up ever listening to our wedding long ago.
ReplyDeleteHey, you're an old timer like us if you married in 1969. It seems like yesterday.
DeleteGood luck! I hope it works! Sounds like a real project! :)
ReplyDeleteAfter reading all the comments, it seems that your best bet is to have a professional do it for you. Let me know how it all works out, Red. :-)
ReplyDeleteAmazing - and daunting - how soon things become obsolete. Funny, now that you mention it, we were married in 1969, too! Ft Wayne, Indiana!
ReplyDeleteI remember when I was growing up, in the '70s, reel-to-reel tapes were reputed to have the best sound -- better than cassettes or vinyl albums. If I were you, I'd have the recording transferred to a digital medium too, like CD or a sound file. That way you can share them with your relatives (or anyone else) via the internet.
ReplyDeleteI had one of those reel to reel recorders back in the 80s. Loved it. A great piece of equipment in its day.
ReplyDeleteI used to make elaborate tapes to share with friends using a record player, a big old reel to reel tape recorder and then copying it to cassettes. Great fun but I no longer have any of the equipment.
ReplyDeleteI hope it works! I'm surprised you still have a cassette player that works. We have some precious things on cassettes, like our children's first words for example, that I fear we will never hear again.
ReplyDeleteOh, gosh! I'd forgotten about those! Good luck.
ReplyDeleteMy neighbor bought a movie camera a few years back and she thought she was doing me a favor to give it to me.. It is so obsolete that I could only view it on the tiny screen after I took shots. It uses cassette tapes. She is at the age that she thought she was going me something valuable and I just thanked her for it. I hope the taping goes well tomorrow.
ReplyDelete