the briefcase

I've been struggling the past few days to finish Miracle of Faith, a newly commissioned recording. In the process, I have had ample opportunity to explore the struggles associated with the use of older recording equipment. I am truly amazed at the quality of recordings made before the advent of virtually silent digital recording devices.

I have been using a Yamaha 4-track cassette recorder - a very nice, fairly professional model at the time it was made. I have used this device several times, and I can always hear the hum of the motor in the background. Arrgh! So this time, I devised a plan.

The room in which I was recording did not afford the opportunity to set the recorder outside the door to minimize the noise, so I stuck the whole unit inside a leather briefcase I found at a thrift store. I pressed record, slammed the briefcase shut, and played my parts. It worked remarkably well, although it looked like I was smuggling a bomb or something - there were wires and cords sticking out three of the sides. Wearing the headphones attached to this contraption, I felt like someone in an old spy movie.