It was July 10, 2021 for what we called the "620th Session". We still refer to them as "tapes" even though with have not uttered a word on tape since 2YK. Yep, a LONG time. Our reel-to-reel tapes we used from 1967 to 1982. Between 1982 and 1985, Bud dubbed all the reel-to-reels to cassette. Now, you may hear that you lose quality on a tape when you copy it (unlike digital), Three separate cassette decks made everything go. Two were for music, the third for jingles. In 2000, we bought (at the time) the top of the line computer with a digital audio record system enclosed. It was a Sony Vaio. They don't even make them anymore.
As technology advanced, you no long need a special computer for audio recording. You just need one with enough memory (currently we use an HP with 2 TB) and external mixing board. What cost nearly $3,000 in 2000 can bought now for around $750. And the systems are so much better. We use iTunes to play music & jingles. Now Bud can be in on the party rather than working the cassette decks and before that the turntables. The quality of our first year in 1967 wad awful. We had a mono recorder and bad mikes.
By 1969 we had a stereo recorder and got better mikes. Now, the quality wasn't nearly as good as the radio. Now with digital WTIT sounds better than over-the-air radio just as Sirius XM does for the same reason. Our playlist consists of five types of music. In order of percentage of play WTIT's music consists of Rock, Alternative, R & B, Pop & Country. 2021 is the first year we added some country music. We've played country-rock since the 60s, but not straight country until recently. It's still only a tine portion of our 17,000 songs that we play. Most over-the-air (or terrestrial) radio stations play less than 1000! Some even fewer. That's why people complain, "I hear the same songs at the same time every day". While that's not true, it sure seems like it.
We will next record after Labor Day (the due date of Bud's 9th grandchild, ironically). We hope to have an internet radio station up & running this year. It's going to e a busy one here at WTIT.
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