Last week I attended the British Library’s open day for perspective and first year doctoral students. And a good day out it was too.

One session was taken by Janet Topp Fargion who was explaining how the British Library record fragile items from wax cylinders and 78 rpm records. In many cases, the first recording may be the only one or best that can be made.

Fargion suggested that the British Library record items at 24bit and 96 kHz sample rate using  .WAV format. The CD standard is 16bit and 44.1 kHz. Many portable handheld Digital Recorders  record at 16bit and 44.1 kHz or higher.

On the 11 November I spoke at the Folk Song Conference at Cecil Sharp House about the historical folk song collecting activities of Tony Wales in the Horsham area in the late 1950s. These recording were made on reel-reel tape recorders at either 9.5 or 19cm/s. At that time, the standard recording speed for broadcasting and other similar activities was 19cm/s or higher.

At the Folk Song Conference some speaker indicated that in pre-planned recording sessions they were recording at rates lower than 16bit and 44.1 kHz, some using mp3. Am I alone finding this a worrying trend? Recordings should be made at the highest level possible for later reproduction or broadcasting and for whatever new technologies may come in the future. Recordings must be made future proof.

One speaker went further and suggested that substituting videoing (or Digital Recording) was an answer as that showed the actual performance including sounds and visuals. I would suggest that the highest quality sound and visual rates must be recorded. Song collectors and others who capture performances (either sound, visual or both) must record at the highest possible rates. If necessary two or more machines must be used. As we all know, data storage units, such as portable hard drives are becoming cheaper. Just remember to back everything up to avoid loss!