Flickers
AUDIBILITIES
King Street Recording Company
Professional Audio Services for Any Purpose You Can Think Of – Video and Photo Too!
Quality Services Since 1967
15 East King Street, Post Office Box 402 Malvern, PA 19355-0402
Volume 78, Summer, 2021 610-647-4341 www.kingstreetrecording.com kingstreetrecord@aol.com
Flickers
Film
Motion picture cameras were developed for the obvious purpose of capturing events as they happened. Since then, the field of photography has never been the same.
The first practical movie camera was the manually operated Kinetograph, developed by William Kennedy Laurie Dickson, a native of Scotland, and an employee of Thomas Edison. By the mid-1890s, the movie camera had become a practical reality.
Between 1909 and 1911, Polish inventor Kaziemierz Pròszynski patented the Aeroscope, which required no hand cranking and resulted in smoother photography.
Several years later, in 1923, Kodak introduced16-mm film stock, reducing the cost of film and making motion photography more accessible to the general public.
Following World War Two, more compact home movie cameras became available, allowing consumers to capture and preserve the people, places and events in their lives with relative ease.
While most professional movie film remained at 35-mm in width, home movies were done with 8- or 16-mm film with exposed film sent away to commercial developers. On return of the processed film, consumers could then display their work with projectors by Bell and Howell, Bolex, Kodak and others.
The drawback, of course, was the delay between the original event and being able to view it on screen. Something new was needed, and that led to the invention of the video recorder using magnetic tape. In contrast to home movies, videotape could also capture sound.
Video
The first commercially viable video tape recorder was the Ampex VRX-1000 developed in 1956. At $50,000 each, only networks and large stations could afford them. In spite of several limitations, they remained the industry standard until 1980 when the helical scan system was introduced.
The first home video tape recorder was the Telcan, developed by the Nottingham Electronic Valve Company. Open reels of tape being difficult to handle, the videocassette recorder appeared in the early ’70s. Among several available recording formats, VHS and Beta became the top competitors, with VHS somehow emerging triumphant over the superior Beta format. Since then, more than a dozen new formats have been introduced including digital technology and the digital videodisk (DVD).
What’s next? No one really knows. There will, however, always be something new!
Got old videotapes? Bring ‘em here for accurate transfer to DVD!
IN THE STUDIO
A-one, and a-two, and a-three…
After being asked several times how I play fingerpicking style guitar, I decided to make a short instructional video of how I do what I do. The basis will be a simple method taught to me long ago by a guitar salesman named Bill Childs. As the schedule here continues to be busy, I’ll have to do this between projects. If you’re a guitar player and have interest in the video, let me know.
Heard a Good Book Lately?
Produced here, and now available as an audiobook, Jim McCusker’s novel, Atlantic City Nights, describes the despicable escapades of a fictional New Jersey crime family in their drive for wealth and power. Take an intimate look into the workings of the criminal minds of Vinny, the boss, Alberto, his loyal consigliere, a dozen or more colorful crooks – and the hapless FBI agent desperately needing one last major bust to retire on. Based largely on real events, order:
Atlantic City Nights
By James McCusker
Available on Amazon.com
FROM THE ATTIC
Small Stuff
A New Jersey client sent me a bit of a challenge in the form of four tiny open-reel tapes, each less than three inches in diameter. Okay, no problem. Transferring the tapes to larger reels made them playable on professional equipment. So far, so good.
Then, in playback, I found that the tapes had been recorded at a super-slow speed that hasn’t been used anywhere in fifty years. Okay, that was do-able. Tricky, but do-able. With a creative combination of analog and digital techniques, the original recording speed was recovered – well, sort of. What do I mean by that?
It seems that the original battery-operated recorder had been defective in a most unusual way. As each tape played here in the studio, the sound gradually increased in pitch until the voices sounded like Alvin and the Chipmunks. Okay, what to do?
Multiple recordings and re-recordings with variable speed equipment, careful listening, and making speed adjustments every 1.5 seconds or so, made it possible to recover normal playback speed.
How long did that take? After watching too many seasons of CSI, the general perception of digital technology is that anything done with a computer will be quick, easy, simple, fast and cheap. It ain’t so! By the time I’d completed the final CDs and flash drive, I’d invested more than 12 hours in what had looked like a simple assignment. My, my, how the hours fly by!
Home Movies
On the three DVDs made from original 16mm movie film, the images were a bit fuzzy. With a little experimentation with digital tools, it was possible to make them a little sharper. And, since the sound track of randomly selected pop tunes was more of a distraction than a benefit, it was eliminated.
Selectivity
In digitizing a standard VHS videotape, I found several sections that were so dark that the faces were difficult to recognize. With careful review it was possible to be selective and isolate those sections, brighten ‘em up a bit, then reconnect them to the rest of the video.
Variation
The introduction of the camcorder and VHS videotape in 1977 allowed the average American to produce home movies that required neither film nor development. As the original cameras were a bit bulky, a variation in the form of the VHS-C format made camcorders smaller and lighter in weight. With the aid of an adapter, the smaller tapes would play in a standard VCR.
On receiving several of these, made some twenty-five years ago, I was surprised by how clear the images were. After digitizing, they were carefully transferred to DVD.
Did You Know? Broken VHS videotapes can often be repaired!
Family Reunion
About twenty years ago, a group of relatives got together for a series of informal meetings to review and discuss the people, places and events in their history. The meetings were recorded, some on standard audiocassettes, others on micro-cassettes – the little bitty ones. In preserving the recordings on CD, all was going well here in the studio until one of the tiny tapes broke. Oh, oh!
Micro-cassettes are not considered repairable. However, the material on the tape was of importance to the client. What to do?
My nickname is “Dr. Kingstreet,” so, quite naturally, I donned scrubs and gloves and prepared for surgery.
By carefully opening the cassette shell and putting the tape on the “operating table” I was able to splice the broken ends back together. This left me with two tiny hubs of tape. They had no sides to contain the tape so one wrong move would have spilled the tape down to the floor in a hopeless tangle.
Having no idea what to do next, I just left the tape out in plain view and waited for inspiration to strike.
Eventually I thought of a way to use some small parts from my basement workshop to contain the tape on one of the hubs.
Now, how do I wind that half of the tape onto the other hub so all of it will be in one place – again, without spilling it?
A few days later, the light bulb went on over my head again and I found a creative way to re-use the original cassette shell. Problem solved. Now all I had to do was hand wind the tape until all of it was on one hub. With that done, I could then open an empty standard cassette shell, splice in the tape from the micro-cassette and hand-wind it into the new cassette shell. (Do not try this at home, by the way – it’s tedious, and hard on the thumbs.)
Ready now to digitize the recording, I found that micro-cassettes play in the opposite direction from standard cassettes. Correcting that involved refurbishing an analog system I retired twenty years ago but never discarded. There are times when the old ways are better. I call it O.P.T. – older, proven technology. More about that next time.
From the Archives
Although archival copies of client materials that haven’t been used for ten years are usually discarded, there are exceptions. Some clients become Frequent Flyers as a result of many years of repeat orders. Some have been hangin’ around here for a long time – twenty-five years isn’t at all unusual. When a client in Montgomery County requested a copy of a 12-year-old CD, it was a simple matter to dupe and mail.
Word Gets Around
Running one of the longest-running sound studios in the country has an advantage – word gets around. The newest addition to the growing client list is a professional musician based in Chicago – referred by another professional musician in Hawaii.
In the Photo Shoppe
As a promoter and presenter of large-scale special events, Larry saw quite a bit of the world in his many years of travel. Along the way, he was able to document his journeys with 35mm photographic slides.
Now, he’s brought them here for conversion to video for safekeeping. Thanks to his skilled photography I’ve been able to continue my armchair world tour with visits this time to South Africa, Argentina, Costa Rica, England, France, Greece, Hungary, India and Japan.
Where have you been that I might like to visit vicariously by converting your slides to video?
FAQ
Q: With the pandemic still raging, I’m almost afraid to ask, but… how’s business?
A: Quite good – at least so far. Yeah, it surprised me, too! Most clients deliver their materials in person, with some recent orders brought here from Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. A lot of new stuff gets here by mail.
Q: Back in the ’60s when you started your studio, what did you think your future in this business would be like?
A: I had no idea! Looking back, though, I can say that the nature of the business has changed a lot over the years. A lot of the early work was fairly simple – I could get it done fairly quickly. Now, many client requests are for more complex projects that can take weeks to complete. One order kept me pleasantly busy for more than three years.
What’s New in the Reading Room?
Informative and Entertaining Articles for Your Business – and Your Life
• That Was Then, This Is Now
A brief history of change in the marketplace – and how to deal with it.
• Balance Your Business and Boost Your Profits
Why technical mastery isn’t enough
• Tips
How food servers can increase their gratuity income.
To Order, Go To
* * * * *
What’s On the Menu
at King Street Recording Company?
By Emmet Robinson
As I was heading down the street to the Post Office, a passerby stopped me and asked, “What do you do up there in your studio?” Interesting question.
Returning from my errand, I got to thinking about that. Over the course of an hour or so, I’d developed an interesting list. So, after fifty-three years of continuous evolution, this is what’s on the menu.
• Restoration of vintage materials, including
Open-reel, cassette and micro-cassette tapes
Original disk recordings
Videotapes
Photographs, documents, letters, awards, etc.
• Repair of damaged audio and videotapes
Precision splicing
Replacement audio and video cassette shells
• Recording and production of acoustic (unplugged) music
Demos for singers, songwriters and musicians
Complete albums of either original or cover songs
• Recording and production of spoken word
Narrative for educational and promotional video
Audiobooks
Radio commercials
Narrative for TV commercials
Poetry
Voice recordings for meditation, relaxation and pain management
Music-and-information-on-hold for business telephone systems
Pre-recorded eulogies
• Writing and editorial services
Articles
Books
Advertising materials for small business
University application letters
Poetry
Song lyrics
Business presentations
Seminars and training programs
Speeches
Newsletters
Posters
Effective business card design
• Professional entertainment
Concerts based on The Great American Songbook from 1925 to 1955…and more.
Professional one-man shows with voice, guitar, fresh arrangements and original humor.
• Instruction and personal coaching
Acoustic guitar 101
Where to place those stubborn fingers – and why
Vocal training for singers, narrators and speakers, including:
Breath control
Phrasing
Vocal accuracy
Vibrato
Range expansion
Tone and expression
Musical arrangement made simple
Verbal presentation skills – the power of the spoken word
Stagecraft 101 – what to do after the announcer says your name
Getting your butterflies to fly in formation
Boot camp for business owners, including:
What products or services to offer
Location X 3
Marketing and advertising: letting the world know
Sales made easy, simple – and profitable!
How to keep your customers forever
Career Change – finding a new employer who deserves you.
Well, that’s pretty much what goes on up here at “King Street Recording Company World Headquarters.”
(Was that a little over the top?)
What’s next? I expect you to tell me. Everything listed above was the result of someone’s inquiry or request.
If you don’t see what you need here, please ask.
You just might get it!
Emmet Robinson
Chief Executive Poobah-in-Charge
King Street Recording Company
610-647-4341
* * * * *
Emmet Robinson’s Reading Room
Informative and Entertaining Articles
for Your Business and Your Life
(Free Sample Article at bottom of page)
In business, and in life, no one knows everything (although, when I was twelve-years-old, I was sure that I did!) Useful, helpful – and sometimes entertaining – information can come from unusual sources. A recording studio, for example. After more than forty years of writing articles for professional publications across the country, I’ve decided to make some of them more accessible by posting them online. Which of these titles appeals to you most?
Tips (New!!) ……………………………………………………………………………………. $1.50
How to Increase Your Gratuity Income
That Was Then, This Is Now (New!) ………………………………………………………… $2.00
In a changing business culture, those with the greatest range of responses will dominate.
Balance Your Business and Boost Your Profits (New!) ……………………………….. $1.00
Why technical mastery won’t be enough to help you survive in a turbulent marketplace.
Six Reasons to Cut Back on Your Advertising ………………………………………………..…. $1.50
And why you won’t like the results you get!
Amazing scientific Discovery! ………………………………………………………………………..….. $1.00
How useful information can come from unexpected sources
How to Work a Business Card Exchange ……………………………………………………………. $1.00
How to make the most of the most powerful marketing tool you have: your face!
Are You Running Your Business Backwards? ……………………………………………………. $2.00
Why defensive management only helps your competition
Cheated ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… $2.50
Why you’re paying more at the supermarket – and getting less!
(The real reason behind the eleven-ounce “pound” of coffee)
Differentness ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… $1.00
How being open and receptive to others “not like you” can enrich your life
Hello? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… $1.00
How to Get Paid for Answering Your Business Telephone
How to Stay Motivated ……………………………………………………………………………………..…. $1.00
Yes, even when times are tough – like now, for example!
How to Run a Health Club – Into the Ground! ………………………………………………….……..$1.50
How the secrets of running a successful gym apply to you
You Can’t Shake Hands on the Internet ………………………………………………………………… $1.00
How the personal touch can boost your bottom line
.
Leadership Made Simple ……………………………………………………………………………………… $1.50
How to profit by setting a good example
Slimming Down and Shaping Up ……………………………………………………………………..…… $2.50
Easy, simple, proven ways of recovering your ideal weight and improving your health
Starting Over
Handy hints and simple suggestions for finding meaningful employment
Volume-01 “What happened to my job?” ……………………………………………………………….. $1.00
Volume-02 “Fireproof” …………………………………………………………………………..………….…. $1.00
Volume-03 “Fond Memories” ………………………………………………………………..………….….. $1.00
Volume-04 “Great Expectations” …………………………………………………………..……………… $1.00
Volume-05 “Time Moves on” ……………………………………………………………….………………… $1.00
Why Can’t You Be the One I Really Wanted? …………………………………………………….…….. $1.50
The inside secrets of happy relationships
Stagecraft ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….….… $1.00
Show Biz – What to do after the announcer says your name
Coming Soon to This Location!
Cheap: the Downside to Cost-Containment
Order From
The above titles are just the tip of the iceberg. There will be many more to follow.
Don’t see what you want? Ask. It might already be written.
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