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. Where we are: I'm fairly certain that everyone who browses this website have noticed a sharp decline in new publications. Restrictions that were put into place due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation are still affecting the staff members on a personal level. Lass is still at her parents house while Sentinel is still caring for family members in need. Buccaneer has also taken this time to be close to his family, namely his wife and child. Another factor is also disrupting the current flow of the website but it's something that was planned for 2020 and it is close to becoming a reality.
. What is currently happening behind the scenes: It was previously mentioned by Buccaneer that Vinyl rips were going to be a big surprise for 2020. This is still going to happen. Buccaneer and Sentinel were going to be the 2 main suppliers of Vinyl rips since they own the most records. Because of the current predicament, Sentinel may be the sole supplier for the time being. Lass doesn't personally own any records but since she is currently staying with her parents, she has been helping them specifically her mother, digitize her record collection.
If you follow Lass's posts, you'll know that she has a sizeable collection of 80's Synth Pop and New Wave music. Much if not all of what she is currently digitizing is of the same genre. While I have not received confirmation that she will be a supplier for the upcoming Vinyl section, I do know that she is currently using the same digital turntable that Sentinel and Buccaneer have purchased the year prior. Sentinel is currently digitizing some of his records as well and is experimenting with different settings. I was told that Sentinel is very confident that his current settings produce quality rips - so much that Lass is also using the same settings for her parents rips.
To avoid any mishaps and errors, the staff will be using the same digital turntable model as well as the same settings for the new Vinyl section. The model of the turntable, the settings that were used, photographs of both the records and the turntable will also be provided to everyone via the FAQ's section when the section goes online. This of course brings us to the next problem the staff is currently facing - cover art. Because the pandemic has disrupted the parcel service, the staff have been unable to find, purchase or order a scanner large enough and with a resolution high enough for the record sleeves to be scanned. Until an acceptable scanner or something else can be found, the Vinyl rips are currently on hold.
I received word from Sentinel that he may have found a work around to this. His goal is to begin publishing Vinyl rips within the next week. The first set of rips will be specifically tailored to our Mexican/Latin American audience. Other genres in his possession will also be published later on. The reason for this delay is due to Sentinel's desire to grow both that audience and those styles of music since, according to him "that style of music is for a specific audience"
Lastly, the staff has confirmed that only albums that were only released on Vinyl will make the final cut. That's right. Vinyl rips of albums that are already featured on this website will not be provided. So if you were expecting a Vinyl rip of say, Cyndi Lauper's "She's So Unusual" you are not going to get it. There will be exceptions but only slight ones. An example would be "Pentagram" by Pentagram - as in "Pentagram" not "Relentless" as I was told "Pentagram" features a different mix on Vinyl that was never reissued on CD. If Lass decides to be a supplier to the new Vinyl section, than some of her CD's that are too scratched to produce clean rips will receive a pass. I was told that "Rhyme & Reason" by Missing Persons falls into this category. With that being said, should this happen then a CD rip will not be published for that album or any other album if the Vinyl rip goes up first.
. Where we want to be during the next few weeks: If the Vinyl situation is resolved or is put on hold indefinably, expect more output from the staff. Lass has confirmed that she will be ripping the remaining Grunge CD's that she has in her possession - mostly music from the Sub Pop record label. If you're a fan of Grunge, Sub Pop or both, this is something to look forward to. Sentinel has confirmed that he will begin to rip the rest of his R&B collection as well.
Please understand. Although there is so much that the staff members want to do for Mediasurf it is currently difficult for them because of the current Pandemic. Above all else, the true goal is to salvage the remainder of 2020 since the beginning of the year proved to be the worst in the website's history. If the Vinyl section must be put on hold or pushed forward to 2021, the staff will do it. Increased output is what they currently want and what Mediasurf needs. We thank you all for your continued support and patience.
- Posted by Victor Vale on 8/10/2020 for Mediasurfer.ch
. Where we are: I'm fairly certain that everyone who browses this website have noticed a sharp decline in new publications. Restrictions that were put into place due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation are still affecting the staff members on a personal level. Lass is still at her parents house while Sentinel is still caring for family members in need. Buccaneer has also taken this time to be close to his family, namely his wife and child. Another factor is also disrupting the current flow of the website but it's something that was planned for 2020 and it is close to becoming a reality.
. What is currently happening behind the scenes: It was previously mentioned by Buccaneer that Vinyl rips were going to be a big surprise for 2020. This is still going to happen. Buccaneer and Sentinel were going to be the 2 main suppliers of Vinyl rips since they own the most records. Because of the current predicament, Sentinel may be the sole supplier for the time being. Lass doesn't personally own any records but since she is currently staying with her parents, she has been helping them specifically her mother, digitize her record collection.
If you follow Lass's posts, you'll know that she has a sizeable collection of 80's Synth Pop and New Wave music. Much if not all of what she is currently digitizing is of the same genre. While I have not received confirmation that she will be a supplier for the upcoming Vinyl section, I do know that she is currently using the same digital turntable that Sentinel and Buccaneer have purchased the year prior. Sentinel is currently digitizing some of his records as well and is experimenting with different settings. I was told that Sentinel is very confident that his current settings produce quality rips - so much that Lass is also using the same settings for her parents rips.
To avoid any mishaps and errors, the staff will be using the same digital turntable model as well as the same settings for the new Vinyl section. The model of the turntable, the settings that were used, photographs of both the records and the turntable will also be provided to everyone via the FAQ's section when the section goes online. This of course brings us to the next problem the staff is currently facing - cover art. Because the pandemic has disrupted the parcel service, the staff have been unable to find, purchase or order a scanner large enough and with a resolution high enough for the record sleeves to be scanned. Until an acceptable scanner or something else can be found, the Vinyl rips are currently on hold.
I received word from Sentinel that he may have found a work around to this. His goal is to begin publishing Vinyl rips within the next week. The first set of rips will be specifically tailored to our Mexican/Latin American audience. Other genres in his possession will also be published later on. The reason for this delay is due to Sentinel's desire to grow both that audience and those styles of music since, according to him "that style of music is for a specific audience"
Lastly, the staff has confirmed that only albums that were only released on Vinyl will make the final cut. That's right. Vinyl rips of albums that are already featured on this website will not be provided. So if you were expecting a Vinyl rip of say, Cyndi Lauper's "She's So Unusual" you are not going to get it. There will be exceptions but only slight ones. An example would be "Pentagram" by Pentagram - as in "Pentagram" not "Relentless" as I was told "Pentagram" features a different mix on Vinyl that was never reissued on CD. If Lass decides to be a supplier to the new Vinyl section, than some of her CD's that are too scratched to produce clean rips will receive a pass. I was told that "Rhyme & Reason" by Missing Persons falls into this category. With that being said, should this happen then a CD rip will not be published for that album or any other album if the Vinyl rip goes up first.
. Where we want to be during the next few weeks: If the Vinyl situation is resolved or is put on hold indefinably, expect more output from the staff. Lass has confirmed that she will be ripping the remaining Grunge CD's that she has in her possession - mostly music from the Sub Pop record label. If you're a fan of Grunge, Sub Pop or both, this is something to look forward to. Sentinel has confirmed that he will begin to rip the rest of his R&B collection as well.
Please understand. Although there is so much that the staff members want to do for Mediasurf it is currently difficult for them because of the current Pandemic. Above all else, the true goal is to salvage the remainder of 2020 since the beginning of the year proved to be the worst in the website's history. If the Vinyl section must be put on hold or pushed forward to 2021, the staff will do it. Increased output is what they currently want and what Mediasurf needs. We thank you all for your continued support and patience.
- Posted by Victor Vale on 8/10/2020 for Mediasurfer.ch
