05.13.07
The Music Fades
Two weeks ago my Fostex X-30 4-track cassette recorder met it’s end. It was a sad moment.
Now, it’s not as if I’ve been using it for anything – it had been retired about 15 years ago when I moved on to other recording gear. Coincidentally, I even spent some time a few months back dumping many of my old 4-track recordings to my computer to remix them and preserve them in digital form. What made me sad was the fact that I spent more time with that recorder from about 1987-1992 than I did with most people. It was like saying goodbye to an old friend.
I still haven’t brought myself to actually discarding it. I can’t seem to let go just yet…even though there seems to be no chance of fixing this. Saddest part is that there are many recordings I didn’t transfer. Old jam sessions, old song and things I recorded for other people.
I suppose it’s a bit ridiculous to get sentimental over a piece of out-dated recording equipment, but it was one of those anchors to the past that we all tend to keep around for no real good reason.
Perhaps it’s better that it did happen. Sometimes holding onto the past can be dangerous. Though, I’m beginning to learn that sometimes getting reacquainted with things from my past can be good…but that’s a post for another time.
