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HI

having encountered Asperger through research to help my clients at work I came t realise first that I had a fair few things in common with folks who were presenting as Asperger diagnosed, and followed it up with some detailed research for myself and soon came to realise I was ticking boxes mentally for issues from my lack of grasping non verbal communication, not understanding speech is not clear and specific, the intensity of some of my interests and general clumsiness, bad space judgement etc , so time to link up with a few more guys in the same boat. Here goes with some general stuff taken from the suggested opening questions....


What is your first name? mark
Age: 41

Location: wolverhampton

Hobbies and Interests:

have a bit of a thing for history, especially the middle ages, ecclesial and secular, love medieval English literature (in original language), also the industrial revolution and the then new technologies. Love music from middle ages through to modern day, enjoy films, reading fact and fiction a relaxing drink, coffee and have a thing for the colour red - rather much in evidence in my home, although politically I am a Thatcherite free market supporter.

In brief pursue on a regular basis:

medieval English literature
medieval music (play medieval/renaissance woodwind and had a medieval/renaissance band when at university some years ago)
sarum rite
renaissance music
Elizabethan, Jacobean and Caroline literature
classical music from 1600 onwards
1920's hot dance and jazz
metal
steam engines in all their forms
vintage cars
gramophones, early recordings and history of recorded sound (have worked on sound restoration)
early cinema and silent films (have had the privilege of having a hand in restoration)
love reading a wide variety of fact and fiction
enjoy modern films, a decent drink (real ale or absinthe)
love radio - regular listener to BBC Radio 4, 4 extra and 3

Why are you here? having realised that I've had the condition for years (research has been quite an eye opener as I mentally tick off the boxes) its time to explore more

When were you diagnosed?(skip if you don't have a disorder):

Lets just say many things fall into place from childhood up from the lack of non verbal communication to the clumsiness

Favorite subjects: see hobbies and interests above

Year/Grade:

Favorite music: medieval, renaissance, classical, jazz, 20's and metal

Books: medieval, renaissance Jacobean and Caroline literature, books on history (see hobbies), historical novels

TV shows/Movies:

love silent films and early TV (there's a group making good headway on re-launching broadcast 405 line tv)
all time must watch for me would be:
ben hur 1925
blood and sand
intolerance
anything by Harold Lloyd or laurel and hardy
metropolis
operation daybreak
pierrepoint
TV:
ascent of man
Elizabeth R
new tricks

many more but I'll try not to bore

Instrument: shawm, crumhorn, 6 hole pipe

Do you like sports? never been interested - far too ungainly



Clothing:

for formal events like to turn out immaculate, and keep reasonably tidy for work, otherwise comfy jeans and a top does nice

How did you find this website? recommended by a friend

Job: employment advisor

Plans for the future? I'm sorted at the mo, see what opportunities come along in life

hello,

I also like classical music, but my favorite periods are baroque and romantic, not early. welcome to WP.

thanks for the reply

I'm into a wide spectrum of classical music, it does cover the romantics too

Greetings and welcome to the Wrong Planet. I am sure you'll find all kind of people here that share similar interest have fun.

Hi
I have used CEDAR although it doesn't work for all recordings.

For example the graphophone cylinder that may contain Queen Victoria's voice:

6 recordings were made (there was a desire to have it laser scanned but the science museum was against the cylinder going to Japan for the scan, not as lasers at the tie would have probably given anything more)

Only a few words can b made out on the most promising track and at the time re-copying the recording to tape to replace cylinder noise with tape noise proved far more promising

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

I believe that the library of congress in Washington used IRENE or something similar to clean up the Berliner phonautograms (5 and 7" single sided discs recorder by Berliner first experimentally, 2 survive from his lecture in 1888 to the franklin institute, 1 was deemed unplayable but the other was copied none to clearly in 1988, and others are later experiments) then some issues for a German toymaker with whom he got a contract and then more with his own Berliner company. They've also copied some early discs issued from the gramophone co's hq at 31 maiden lane London. They're available to listen to free of charge on the library of congress website and some are remarkably clear restorations given the age of the discs and that they are less well etched and usually from early vulcanite pressings (the same material used for coat buttons at the time) rather than the later and more successful shellac/clay compound.

Have a listen and see what you think

mark

^^^
so you must be a pro at the audio restoration/archival sound thing. you are my new tech hero
btw, have you heard any news on the phonograph scanner front? only one tantalizing clue on the web was back in 2002 an Israeli computer scientist and music lover tried to use a flatbed scanner to scan an old LP recording of Vivaldi, with barely listenable results. I wish more work could be done in this regard, that would be a great way to "play" records by just optically scanning them!

Hi

I've used a number of systems, most of the work ive done is in making repairs to original discs so that they can be played and copied, including using a variety of glues to fit rare records back together and then cedar or similar has been applied to take the click out.

I've never been one for "cleaning" the sound up more than that as the result tends to be boxy, very mono and a distortion of what a good acoustic gramophone (with thorn rather than steel needle where possible) can give.

There have been several experiments to play vinal records with lazers, and most are sadly poor, I doubt there's enough commercial interest to make much funding available so it may be along time before research for something entirely different with a profitable commercial purpose will alow a cross transfer to hit on a viable system, but if and when achieved may well be the best way to get the best from recordings of the vinal era and save on wear to discs.

Whatever can be done to make early recordings of all types of music available easily to a wider audience in a quality which will in some way bear up against what is possible now is a bonus.

I had an obsession with gramophones and early records from a kid and made some good contacts through the city of London phonograph and gramophone society, including chris proudfoot who worked for the sound archive and things went from there, just lucky to make the right contacts.

Ive got 3 gramophones and about 8000 records, plus silent films on amateur gagues of 9.5mm 8.. and super8, then there;s the books...........



what collections you got then, on the record side its 78's vinal open reel, cassette tape and cd with everything from medieval thru classical to 20's hot dance, jazz and metal, plus some spoken word

I think its gonna be a few years, but eventualy there will be an optical scan system for old recordings, in the meantime use a good stylus or if 78's on a gramophone thorn rather than steel needles where possible. little tip for open reel tape, get some meths on a cloth and hold it gently against the BACK of the tape and win it thru, don't half shift a load of grub and improves the sound