Mastering for Records, the methods and problems Kindle Edit

[tamstudi]

Although not so comprehensive as the Boden book I aimed it for a modern and more general readership. Also, its cheaper!

My original short article has expanded over the years to give a better oversight for the whole process of mastering gramophone records. I have expanded the general information into a longer article, written from my personal viewpoint (and biases!).
I further added the text from the book Physical Processes of Cutting Gramophone Records written by Frits Nygaard, Kirsten Hauberg and Tony Batchelor for Ortofon A/S. Reproduced with their permission.
Finally, this eBook ends with a copy of the original IEC Publication 98 Processed disk records and reproducing equipment. This has been revised by the IEC and is available as IEC 60098:1987. I have also included the 1971 specification for four channel records from the Japan Phonograph Record Association.

The book is available at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IFBODS0 where there is a link to "Look Inside"

I hope a few people here will enjoy it!

Tony Batchelor

[Aussie0zborn]

Welcome Tony. And thanks for posting here.

Tony was there at the height of vinyl back in the day. He knows his stuff and is a lifetime member of the AES. I'm looking forward to reading the book.

I mentioned him here many years ago :

http://www.lathetrolls.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2387&p=12843&hilit=Tam#p12843

[tamstudi]

Thanks for the comment. I hope you enjoy reading the book.
I am very excited about publishing it at last. Not something that I thought possible until Amazon introduced self-publishing for Kindle.

Particularly I am very happy that Ortofon allowed me to include the whole of their 1979 paper which only had a very limited distribution of a few copies back then. I have been able to make good clear images of the many technical drawings, and with images of the formulae I think the original paper comes over very well.

Tony

Welcome Tony. And thanks for posting here.

Tony was there at the height of vinyl back in the day. He knows his stuff and is a lifetime member of the AES. I'm looking forward to reading the book.

I mentioned him here many years ago :

http://www.lathetrolls.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2387&p=12843&hilit=Tam#p12843

[rootz]

It was really worth buying for me, a lot of useful information for me as a newbie.
Thanks a lot for sharing the knowledge!

[handcut]

This is incredible. Thank you.

[Soulbear]

Hi Tony,
Appetite certainly whetted with the short on-line intro to this book. May I ask, do you have any plans to publish a print version of it? Like my music collection, I prefer to have my books as a tangible, physical artifact (Hence the rather large number of gramophone records I own) and not some digital download. If there are no print plans from you, for the forseeable future, though I'd prefer not to, it looks like I might have to make an exception and go the digital route.
Regards Soulbear

[tamstudi]

No, I gave up on trying to get books printed! Publishers are only interested in quantity unless an author is prepared to pay all the costs up front.
I did once try to publish a print version of a book and couldn't do it for any sensible cost
I did start to prepare it for the new Amazon Createspace system which is very good but I have now started to reconfigure that one to also be published as a Kindle book.

Once Amazon introduced their Kindle Direct Publishing system I have at last been able to make my own books available. To ensure that they read well enough I test them on my Kindle Reader device. Also on an Android Tablet and a desktop PC using their reading apps. If you don't want to buy a Kindle, then I can recommend the two apps (also one for Mac) and they have the advantage of using your own (bigger) monitor. You can find the apps on the Amazon website for free. Look under Kindle for reading apps.

Tony

Hi Tony,
Appetite certainly whetted with the short on-line intro to this book. May I ask, do you have any plans to publish a print version of it? Like my music collection, I prefer to have my books as a tangible, physical artifact (Hence the rather large number of gramophone records I own) and not some digital download. If there are no print plans from you, for the forseeable future, though I'd prefer not to, it looks like I might have to make an exception and go the digital route.
Regards Soulbear

[subkontrabob]

I bought the book, it is wonderful, but like others, I HATE reading on a screen. Have spent the last hour or so looking for a way to print. Deplorable............ Amazon is "big brother". Horrible, bullying business model. I don't understand why they don't offer at least a PAID printing function?

People keep feeding these huge bullying monopolies...... I hope to see them burn

[subkontrabob]

Apparently Amazon does offer paperback printing in their direct publishing program. Presumably it has to be somehow initiated/unlocked/activated by the author?

https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201834340

[tamstudi]

If you look at the heading for the Amazon page you will see it is in the section "Publish your book". Note the word 'your'. As you surmise, it is only the author who can do that.

I did add that possibility to my authors rights in Amazon so it is possible to do it from the material I already have. BUT, is there enough demand to make it worthwhile?

For Amazon to act as sellers there has to be enough demand for them to have it available in their files ready to "print on demand". Otherwise I could do all the preparation and then have Amazon print me a number of copies that I could post to customers. BUT (again!) how many would that be?

I like the idea, but not the cost for a problematic return!

I am pleased that some people like the book - I wonder if Soulbear ever got a copy
I once made the book available as a free special offer. Quite a lot of copies went out, but the publicity wasn't enough for a rush of buyers!

Any other suggestions? I think that the book is even more relevant with the recent loss of the lacquer factory.

Tony

PS I know that Amazon has its faults, but without KDP thousands of authors would never have the chance to get their work to readers.

[subkontrabob]

Hello Tony,

thank you for kind your reply, and please do excuse my emotional outburst.....

I have skipped through the book, and will read it thoroughly when I have the time. Thank you again for publishing it!

The way I have understood the whole idea of "on demand" printing, it means that there is no upfront cost involved at all? I read through some of the KDP information pages that I linked to, and didn't find any mention of additional associated cost for on demand printing. Only notices about regional VAT differences, and the royalty calculation scheme.

https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201834340

[ ...]you don't have to pay any costs upfront or carry any inventory.

According to the simple formula provided on the page, the printing cost for your 153 page book would amount to 2,70$.

I would be very grateful if you can find the time to look into the possibility of enabling KDP on-demand printing. I will buy it without hesitation, regardless of price. I found the pricing for the digital edition very reasonable, and would expect to pay more, which should also entail a well-earned, higher royalty for yourself.

Best Regards,
Robert

[talbanjean]

hello tony,
how can i purchase the book or file?

[subkontrabob]

hello tony,
how can i purchase the book or file?

How about clicking the link in Tony's first post?

[tamstudi]

Interesting information - Amazon have considerably improved the Print on Demand system since I first looked at the possibility.
But, although there is no prefront cash cost now, there is still a lot of work involved in turning a book's layout into one suitable for printing.
For example, in a Kindle ebook text and images are fluid and can fit the page no matter what size font is chosen. Images can be resized to suit the reader.
To check the appearance properly on a printed book it will be necessary to pay Amazon to print an author copy - maybe more than once.

Needs thought!

Tony

PS Interesting although the comments have been, I also checked on orders. 9 books have been ordered in the last month which is quite a surprise to me.

[subkontrabob]

Hello Tony,

I have to admit that reading in the kindle app on my smartphone is rather convenient. The variable scaling and zoom options work well. I have read most of the book, except for the quadrophonic chapter. There are some very useful bits of information in your original chapters.

I referenced an illustration in the Ortofon book in a thread about absolute polarity here on lathetrolls. I posted a screenshot of the illustration, i hope you don't have objections to this.

[tamstudi]

Hello Tony,

I have to admit that reading in the kindle app on my smartphone is rather convenient. The variable scaling and zoom options work well. I have read most of the book, except for the quadrophonic chapter. There are some very useful bits of information in your original chapters.

I referenced an illustration in the Ortofon book in a thread about absolute polarity here on lathetrolls. I posted a screenshot of the illustration, i hope you don't have objections to this.

That's OK. I hope you referenced the book link
I made sure that I got clearance from Ortofon to use their data. After all, I was a co-author!
Please copy the lathetrolls message link here as I would like to read it.

Tony

[subkontrabob]

I hope you referenced the book link

I certainly did!

Absolute Polarity discussion:
https://lathetrolls.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2573