What's your earliest memory of R3/Third Programme

[eighthobstruction]

At the time of mortgage, kids etc with less money for free spending on LPs/CDs I recorded lots off air from R3 onto cassette tape. TDK did very well out of me. I have well over a hundred, still there in the garage, which I haven't paid attention to for ages. I should go and take a proper look. There might be some gems in there.

....yes I reckon the number of C90 in boxes in garages would make a mighty mountain....I have a modest half a cubic yard I imagine....

[LMcD]

I have scores of C90s - classical, poetry and jazz - which I still play quite often. Some are off-air recordings - my favourites are of 'Cocktails' - a short season of selections of music from the dance band days.

[Bryn]

....yes I reckon the number of C90 in boxes in garages would make a mighty mountain....I have a modest half a cubic yard I imagine....

Well, it's a start, I suppose. I have probably disposed of something of that order but I still have around as many awaiting copying to the digital domain. Most are of Radio 3 broadcasts (as are a good many reel-to-reel tapes - no working machine to transfer them from at the moment). Then there are the many MiniDiscs awaiting transfer, too. I'd particularly like to be able to transfer the Radio 3 E.N.O/Mackerras broadcast of Martinu's Julietta from reel-to-reel, though I do, ar least, have a transfer from the cassette back-ups.

[kernelbogey]

At the time of mortgage, kids etc with less money for free spending on LPs/CDs I recorded lots off air from R3 onto cassette tape. TDK did very well out of me. I have well over a hundred, still there in the garage, which I haven't paid attention to for ages. I should go and take a proper look. There might be some gems in there.

Same here - well over a hundred, and definitely some gems there. My intention is, of a dark winter evening or three, to work through them to see what's worth saving. Not sure about digitising, especially as I have a working good quality cassette deck.

Does anyone know of a channel for recycling cassette tapes? A friend tells me it is possible to get videocassettes recycled.

[eighthobstruction]

Well, it's a start, I suppose. I have probably disposed of something of that order but I still have around as many awaiting copying to the digital domain. Most are of Radio 3 broadcasts (as are a good many reel-to-reel tapes - no working machine to transfer them from at the moment). Then there are the many MiniDiscs awaiting transfer, too. I'd particularly like to be able to transfer the Radio 3 E.N.O/Mackerras broadcast of Martinu's Julietta from reel-to-reel, though I do, ar least, have a transfer from the cassette back-ups.

....You need a trip around to Bella Kemps....I think it was her who showed a photo of a Ancient Grundig she still has in wardrobe in a thread here recently....I bought a cassette -computer device a while ago [years], but never got around to it. First thing I would digitise though is about 15 x C90 of me reading childrens book before the copious number available now....but that is yet another example of being Boomer resourceful and using initiative....{good for me....ha ha}

[gurnemanz]

Same here - well over a hundred, and definitely some gems there. My intention is, of a dark winter evening or three, to work through them to see what's worth saving. Not sure about digitising, especially as I have a working good quality cassette deck.

Does anyone know of a channel for recycling cassette tapes? A friend tells me it is possible to get videocassettes recycled.

I was a language teacher and we kept using audio cassettes long after most people had abandoned them, for playing listening material and recording oral exams so my trusty Yamaha cassette player stayed hooked up. Music recordings actually still sound OK. I did digitise a couple just to see if I could but found it to be not worth the effort.

[Bryn]

....You need a trip around to Bella Kemps....I think it was her who showed a photo of a Ancient Grundig she still has in wardrobe in a thread here recently....I bought a cassette -computer device a while ago [years], but never got around to it. First thing I would digitise though is about 15 x C90 of me reading childrens book before the copious number available now....but that is yet another example of being Boomer resourceful and using iniative....{good for me....ha ha}

I have a Tandberg (the model the tapes were recorded on) but it needs parts (belts, clutch felts, pinch wheel) replacements. I also have an Akai in similar need of parts. The last time I looked, the Tabdberg parts were very dificult to obtain and the prices were prohibitive.

[edashtav]

I have a Tandberg (the model the tapes were recorded on) but it needs parts (belts, clutch felts, pinch wheel) replacements. I also have an Akai in similar need of parts. The last time I looked, the Tabdberg parts were very dificult to obtain and the prices were prohibitive.

I have a once great B & O reduced to a useless heap by rubber's short elastic life.

[cloughie]

....yes I reckon the number of C90 in boxes in garages would make a mighty mountain....I have a modest half a cubic yard I imagine....

I’ve got several boxes resting on the rafters in the garage - not examined them for about 12 years, but as 5hey are where they are not inconveniencing anyone - are they playable? - don’t know - some were transferred to minidisc around twenty years - the material on many of the cassettes was from long discarded LPs. All was fine in terms of listening the MDs until recently when the machine decided to be temperamental over ejecting the discs - hopefully a local hifi repair man can sort it! I don’t think at my time of life it is a good use of time to go through the arduous task of digitally transferring anything.
There was always of course the C90 gamble when recording - would it or wouldn’t it fit on - you know Hedenleben, Tchaik 4 5 6, Scheherazade, Brahms 1, 2, 4 - often worked on the basis of knowing the conductor but also occasionally using the pause button between movements!

[Bryn]

I’ve got several boxes resting on the rafters in the garage - not examined them for about 12 years, but as 5hey are where they are not inconveniencing anyone - are they playable? - don’t know - some were transferred to minidisc around twenty years - the material on many of the cassettes was from long discarded LPs. All was fine in terms of listening the MDs until recently when the machine decided to be temperamental over ejecting the discs - hopefully a local hifi repair man can sort it! I don’t think at my time of life it is a good use of time to go through the arduous task of digitally transferring anything.
There was always of course the C90 gamble when recording - would it or wouldn’t it fit on - you know Hedenleben, Tchaik 4 5 6, Scheherazade, Brahms 1, 2, 4 - often worked on the basis of knowing the conductor but also occasionally using the pause button between movements!

Re MiniDisc ejection problems, have you tried an Internet search for the problem? When I encountered it in both upmarket Sony Minidisc players I have (the second bought due to the problem with the first. I found the solution quite easily, indeed both a short term fix and a long term, if rather fiddley, replacement of a little drive band. The short-term cludge was to prod the stuck MiniDisc with another while pressing the eject button.

[Bella Kemp]

....You need a trip around to Bella Kemps....I think it was her who showed a photo of a Ancient Grundig she still has in wardrobe in a thread here recently....I bought a cassette -computer device a while ago [years], but never got around to it. First thing I would digitise though is about 15 x C90 of me reading childrens book before the copious number available now....but that is yet another example of being Boomer resourceful and using iniative....{good for me....ha ha}

I have lots of ancient things in my wardrobe and in other parts of my house (and mind!) but, alas, not a Grundig - so it must be someone else you're thinking of eighthobstruction!

[cloughie]

Re MiniDisc ejection problems, have you tried an Internet search for the problem? When I encountered it in both upmarket Sony Minidisc players I have (the second bought due to the problem with the first. I found the solution quite easily, indeed both a short term fix and a long term, if rather fiddley, replacement of a little drive band. The short-term cludge was to prod the stuck MiniDisc with another while pressing the eject button.

Thanks Bryn yes I had diagnosed it as that and have I think got to the end of the short term - I use a ruler but it has become increasingly stubborn more recently and I am unsure about dismantling the machine myself - and also sourcing the drive band - although it does not look to be a difficult job.

[Bryn]

Thanks Bryn yes I had diagnosed it as that and have I think got to the end of the short term - I use a ruler but it has become increasingly stubborn more recently and I am unsure about dismantling the machine myself - and also sourcing the drive band - although it does not look to be a difficult job.

I found the little plastic bands sold to children for some sort of stringing together creativity thing were just about the right dimensions and had reasonably acceptable elasticity, strength and flexibility. That was a couple of years ago, so the bands I found have probably dropped out of fashion by now.

[CGR]

Listening to the Saturday evening classical guitar programmes in the 1970s when I was a teenager.

Also, I remember tuning-in to the Critics Forum programme to hear them discuss the TV 'I Claudius'. That got me hooked on the old Critics Forum programme and opened up the world of the arts for me. One of these programmes was followed by a String Quartet recital including Bartok and I was hooked on to string quartets to this day.

I loved the seriousness and intelligence of Radio 3 in those days. Serious music and ideas treated seriously with the assumption that the audience would keep up. So different from our dreadfully dumbed-down R3 of today.

[Serial_Apologist]

Listening to the Saturday evening classical guitar programmes in the 1970s when I was a teenager.

Also, I remember tuning-in to the Critics Forum programme to hear them discuss the TV 'I Claudius'. That got me hooked on the old Critics Forum programme and opened up the world of the arts for me. One of these programmes was followed by a String Quartet recital including Bartok and I was hooked on to string quartets to this day.

I loved the seriousness and intelligence of Radio 3 in those days. Serious music and ideas treated seriously with the assumption that the audience would keep up. So different from our dreadfully dumbed-down R3 of today.

Spot on!