Steve Albini cutting and splicing tape

This is from a session I did at Electrical Audio with Steve Albini back in the winter of 2018.

[BeniRoseMusic]

It's hard to express my appreciation that someone with so much skill, so much experience, and so much talent would still take the time to explain to people what he's doing as he does it. What a guy.

[ScottGrammer]

The tape handling of these old Studers always amazes me. The fast wind is lightning fast and yet the tape is always kept under perfect tension no matter what the operator does. Seriously good design and construction.

[nin]

Didn't fully appreciate how much I liked knowing Steve Albini was out there doing his thing until I heard that he died. Have spent the last week watching every damn video he has ever done....such a bummer.

[SubTroppo]

We see none of the actual cutting or splicing, but we do see a skilled operator's back and catch his banter!

[christopherkalogeris]

So cool to watch the master work. My band recorded there about a year ago and the whole atmosphere of the studio was pure magic. There's a real warmth to that whole building and anybody who plays music needs to go there to record. The fluffy coffee and espresso is to die for as well!

[parlourstepsmusic]

Man, the sound of the flanges shuttling brings back 2am editing sessions; the smell of the tape, the razors, the grease pencils, finding beats with my ears. Keeping a (by today's tech) simple verse v1/ chorus v2 edit straight was a task. You can see Steve having to pause and think it through. What a time!

[tcos]

I love that Steve seems to be very no nonsense, or like a somewhat forbidding presence, but yet not pretentious at all when he gets to talking. He seems like the one hero I’d actually LIKE to meet

[Broyale]

Seeing Mr. Albini work is like watching the great Peter North in his time.

[samiryi]

I learned a lot from that video. RIP legend

[mackenziefan]

Steve Albini can see with his ears and hear with his eyes. Just marvellous to watch someone work like this using his hands, eyes, ears and tape. Doing what he is really great at doing.

[JacobFrey]

cooler than any digital edit. That anticipation and suspense when you play it back . . . and then the high fives you get afterwards . . . it's so fun!

[dukeviking]

That is an absolute ART! I love this technology but can appreciate the ease of doing this in a DAW.

[babalon]

When I was 11 I did this for my dad with some of music for Holiday On Ice back in the 70s. It was fun and it made me feel important.

[NBDY_SPCL]

A master at work. Unreal. Sad you're gone, Steve. Thank you for making such magic happen!

[scottstrang]

I love the sound of tape being threaded.

[bulletproofzest]

I’m amazed that he’s able to do this while people are chatting in the background. I frequently have to tell clients (nicely) to shut up while I do something critical like this.

[pbee]

These guys are the old pioneers of editing, this work looks extremely tedious and should be done with extreme attentiveness. I see very little room for error. I wish I was a part of this era but at the same time I am thankful for the benefits of 1's and 0's! Digital editing is more precise and seamless, and is executed more efficiently! but the digital world (although comes close) can never sound as warm as an actual analog tape!

[bobanalog]

Wow, I absolutely love tape editing! Done it a lot myself and its a joy to see Steve demonstrate it here. Fundamental audio production.

[marcelb]

I am so in awe in front of this ! I have done in my old days editing and cutting on 1/4inch (6.35mm) 2-track tape, but on a 24-track 2 inch tape, it is another dimension. Steve is so impressive, kudos to him !

[The_Absurdistt]

Paging Dr. Albini, you are needed in surgery. Paging Dr. Albini....