Go to the Tape Op convention!

[Silver Sonya]

Just wanted to encourage everyone to attend the Tape Op conference this year. I think it's the fourth annual one. It is in New Orleans again.

www.tapeopcon.com

It is a very positive event, there is a lot of positive energy in the air. There isn't that engineer macho (the dreaded "I own this much gear, how much do YOU own?" mindset) that you sometimes get at things like AES. It is for everyone who loves recorded music and sound, not just engineers. Every time I go, I come away inspired and I get to hang out with friends (John Vanderslice) as well as meet long-admired heroes (Tony Visconti, totally wonderful guy).

The aesthetic is tilted more towards independent (read: heartfelt and substantive) music but there are plenty of more commercial/mainstream-minded people there too. My hope is that more people who make underground hip hop attend (Dalek, Blackalicious, RZA, Prince Paul) because I think those are some of the most creative people working with and manipulating sound these days.

The main thing about Tape Op: it's almost like being gay and being at a gay bar. Everywhere you look, you're surrounded by... YOUR PEOPLE. All of these people who love music and sound just as much as you do. It's almost a hippie kind of feeling. Love is in the air.

Okay, maybe "love is in the air" is going too far. But you get what I mean. It's good. You should go. You won't regret it.

The discussions are NOT limited to gear, thank God. And also, more and more women are coming each year, which is cool. You know, women have better high-frequency hearing than men, and the contrast broadens with aging. That's a biological fact. It makes you wonder why there aren't more female engineers! And it goes without saying that women LISTEN better than men. But I digress...

I'm speaking on the mastering panel again this year (I did it last year as well). The year before that, my band Beauty Pill played at the conference in Portland with Stephen Malkamus, who proved to be an absolutely ingenious live performer.

Also, New Orleans is an excellent place to eat and drink and talk excitedly about the difference between blackface 1176s and Purple MC77s.

Go! Book your flight now! Thank me later.

--- Chad

[RoundBadge]

I think I'm gonna go stike

[largeunit]

$350 to get in the door?

[CrazyBeast]

Just bought my ticket the other day! I went to last years and had a blast.

New Orleans is fun, great vibe, parties, bands, etc, etc. I agree with everything Chad said. Totally worth the money, and it is a gas to be around other people that are as into what they're doing as I am....

We should organize a GS gathering if there are enough going.

GO!

[nukmusic]

I think I'm going this year......I should, I live here

[De chromium cob]

I'm speaking on the mastering panel again this year (I did it last year as well).

Cool- I'm going with Larry from Silvertone who is also speaking on the same panel! Party time in New Orleans.....Wooo hooooo!

[mattallen]

I got my ticket and hotel room!! It'll be even better than last year I think!!!

[De chromium cob]

Anyone else going?

[Dave Martin]

Originally Posted by De chromium cob

Anyone else going?

I won't know until it gets a little closer. And I find out how much spare money we have...

But I hope so.

[Saucyjack]

I'm there.

I went last year and Chad pretty much summed it up in the first post.

Bottom line it's a blast ,a fun hang and you might learn a thing or two.

[toddro]

[QUOTE=Silver Sonya

The main thing about Tape Op: it's almost like being gay and being at a gay bar. Everywhere you look, you're surrounded by... YOUR PEOPLE. All of these people who love music and sound just as much as you do. It's almost a hippie kind of feeling. Love is in the air.

[/QUOTE]

I was gonna go until I read this....

[travista00]

i'll be there and moderating a workshop on "mixing in the box." come down and try to stump the panel! we'll get drinks afterwards.........


travis

[picksail]

Please, come by and see me at the ProTools panel. I could use your support.

Additionally, I welcome any ideas/topics you all might offer in making this a great panel discussion.

Feel free to post or PM me if interested.

Thanks

[Berolzheimer]

I went to the Portland conference, it was inspiring. Too busy last May to go, & it looks that way for this year too, unfortunately.

But have a gas!

BTW Chad I saw your band that night, it was a great show.

thumbsup

[picksail]

Originally Posted by Dave Martin

And I find out how much spare money we have....

Dave, the offer still stands.

[Fletcher]

Originally Posted by Silver Sonya

The main thing about Tape Op: it's almost like being gay and being at a gay bar. Everywhere you look, you're surrounded by... YOUR PEOPLE. All of these people who love music and sound just as much as you do. It's almost a hippie kind of feeling. Love is in the air.

Originally Posted by toddro

I was gonna go until I read this....

Well you're either some kind of homophobic idiot or have no understanding of how cool it can be to hang with your "brother wizards". I've been to every Tape Op since it started and the one thing that has struck me every year is the spirit of family and co-operation, the spirit that "we're all in this together" really is in the air.

I've learned to look at things from alternative perspectives, I've learned more about how other people will attack the same tasks in a different manner... which has given me things to think about and led to me developing new techniques for myself... many of those techniques have become a staple of my current work.

Everywhere you look you are surrounded by YOUR PEOPLE. That talk in the bars is amazing, the talk on the panels is often provocative, the workshops helpful to attendees of all levels, and the city... well after a day of some serious concentration, there is no shortage of ways to blow off some steam in that town.

I've been going to AES shows for I dunno how many years... you never get the same feeling from one of those shows. This show is indeed about people who are up to their armpits in creating music on a daily basis, up to their armpits in recording music on a daily basis... the attendees of this show come to this show to share their passion, share their drive, quest for learning and understanding at a far different, and in many ways deeper [or at least less "heady"] level than an AES show.

Even the "product exhibition" thing isn't as 'ram it down your throat' as the AES show vibe... so if you're thinking of doing some kind of trade event this year, yeah, a few hundred bucks can sting a bit, but in my mind it's quite worth it... in my case it's worth more than a couple hundred bucks as M-E's kicked in several grand to be a title sponsor [M-A was a title sponsor the first two years, we kicked it over to "M-E's" because it seemed less commercial from our end... go figure].