 |
'Leslie' Baxter & Theremin - 78rpm record find |
tikifish
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2720
From: Toronto,Canada
|  Posted: 2002-04-15 09:54 am Permalink
While up in Eastern Ontario for the weekend I came across an old 3 record (78's) box set (3 sleeves in a book-type jacket) of Theremin-infused music arranged by "Leslie Baxter" published in 1947... Called 'Music in the Moonlight' or 'Moon Music' or 'Moods and Moonight' or something like that, I forget the title... (I'll post it later after I check at home). Unfortunately I cant listen to it as my record player doesn't play 78's.
I am assuming "Leslie" is Les?
Anyone else know anything about this recording?
Also, I just have to gloat, I paid only 3 bucks for it...
|
kahukini
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 28, 2002
Posts: 555
From: Saint Louis
| Posted: 2002-04-15 10:06 am Permalink
here's an interesting interview that includes some info about theremins:
http://search1.npr.org/opt/collections/torched/fa/data_fa/seg_139163.htm
|
MonkeyGod
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 47
From: Monkey Island (L.A.)
| Posted: 2002-04-15 11:27 am Permalink
Hey Jane,
Is it possible you're talking about "Music Out of the Moon?" It was released originally in 1947 (rereleased in 1950, I think) and it supposedly the best-selling theremin record of all time. Les Baxter did record an album (I think only one) under the name Leslie.
You got a great deal!!!
_________________
- Monkey God (Teddy T.)
|
tikifish
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2720
From: Toronto,Canada
| Posted: 2002-04-15 12:15 pm Permalink
Yes! That's it! I just saw one on Ebay. Hmm. Either people list it under Les Baxter, or under Theremin, but never 'Les Baxter AND Theremin'. If I list it on Ebay like that, I think I will net me some sweet coin. After I burn it to CD of course!
OK, so it's not super rare, but it still is a very exciting find. Wooowowoowoo
(insert theremin sound here)
|
Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4806
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2002-04-15 1:29 pm Permalink
<<After I burn it to CD of course! >>
How? Did you find a way to play it? I was thinking you might play it at a slower speed and be able to speed it up through software. I have some crazy ideas how, but will keep them to myself for now.
_________________
Mai-Kai Memories Series Custom ceramic mugs!
|
tikifish
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2720
From: Toronto,Canada
| Posted: 2002-04-15 1:37 pm Permalink
My boyfriend had that same idea. I will hunt for a 78 player first, but if I can't find one I will give that a try!
|
BONBONVIC
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 29, 2002
Posts: 123
From: Los Angeles, CA
| Posted: 2002-04-15 1:58 pm Permalink
Restoration Hardware has a nifty player. It is self contained and plays 45's,33's& 78's. Sells for $129.00. It looks lika a small suitcase.
|
Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4806
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2002-04-15 2:19 pm Permalink
33 1/3 converts to 78 as 2.342, so if there is a recording rate that is 2.342 times slower than another.. Or 45 to 78 is 1.73.
I have accidentally recorded at one rate and played back at a different and gotten music too fast. So maybe you can manually set a sample rate 1.73 or 2.342 times slower than normal and it will play back normally. And it may actually make the quality better and the pops and crackles less, or more...
_________________
Mai-Kai Memories Series Custom ceramic mugs!
|
PiPhiRho
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 978
From: Redondo Beach
| Posted: 2002-04-15 5:31 pm Permalink
78 rpm turntables and cartridges are still available. In fact, I got one last year on ebay and got a pretty good deal on it. I got it as part of a project to transfer old recordings to CD. My mom used to work in the recording industry in the late 40s and 50s and has an extensive record collection from that era - including "Music Out Of The Moon" in it's original 78 album. Needless to say, it and some of the other exotica is high on the list for recording.
|
Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4806
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2002-04-16 06:45 am Permalink
<<I got it as part of a project to transfer old recordings to CD. >>
Any suggested software for the job? I am using SoundForge and I wish there were a "Smooth pops" or "Delete background hum" button. I have been basically recording, normalizing, and on bad records, smoothin individual pops and then re-normalizing. I am sure there is a better way. I am hoping it might be a plug-in for what I have or a nice cheap piece of software.
Kiliki and I are eagerly awaiting a new kick ass computer this summer and then we will get more into converting records to CDs. Maybe we can then offer up the giant vault of Hawaiian vinyl for trade. That would be a good thing to do here. I doubt any of this will ever see the light of day otherwise.
_________________
Mai-Kai Memories Series Custom ceramic mugs!
|
kah706
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Apr 04, 2002
Posts: 17
From: San Francisco, CA
| Posted: 2002-04-16 11:52 am Permalink
No need to worry about burning it to CD, because it is available in a really nice boxed set put out by Basta Records (www.basta.nl) here in the Netherlands. The set includes Baxter's "Music Out of the Moon" and "Perfume Set to Music" and Billy May's "Music for Peace of Mind" with Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman playing the theremin on all recordings. The CDs are each in miniature versions of the original sleeves and a very interesting and informative booklet is included. A couple of the cuts were also on the Ultra Lounge "Spacecapades" compilation. Still, always nicer to have the original records.
~Kelly
|
PiPhiRho
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 978
From: Redondo Beach
| Posted: 2002-04-16 12:36 pm Permalink
We've been using Roxio Platinum for the most part. A couple of others, too. Roxio has filter software built in that will remove a lot of the hiss, hum and scratchiness, but not all of the more pronounced pops. It works pretty good but you do lose a certain amount of frequency response. Enough that it's noticable. The trick is to record with the best equipment you can get: a good turntable, a better cartridge and a quality preamp. Then you have a better recording to work with when you filter it. The end result sounds good, but it's never going to sound like it was recorded digitally. It is amazing, though, how much you can improve on old tinny pre hifi recordings.
|
thejab
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2984
From: Forbidden Island, CA
| Posted: 2002-04-16 4:30 pm Permalink
Great find, tikifish! I have that 78 album also and I especially enjoy the cover. For my 78's I bought a 70s-vintage Dual turntable at a thrift store and had a new cartridge put on that has a 78 stylus. The stylus can be switched for playing non-78 records. The grooves on a 78 are wider so the stylus must be wider otherwise the needle rests on the bottom of the groove giving bad sound quality. My 78s sound great and I have been taping them as I don't have a CD burner. The cartridge with the 2 styli came to about $100 but the turntable cost me only $12. 60s and 70s Duals are excellent turntables - very heavy platter and low noise. They come up on Ebay frequently but it takes patience as they often sell for well over $100.
_________________
|
