6) What is a Tape Tree and how does it work? (Grateful Dead)
Description
This article is from the Grateful Dead FAQ, by John J. Wood, Eric Nay and Ihor Slabicky tcgdd@hotmail.com with numerous contributions by others.
6) What is a Tape Tree and how does it work? (Grateful Dead)
Somebody offers a tape(seed). Someone volunteers to be the administrator
of the tree, and thus "run" it. If the administrator is not going to be
the "root", it's a good idea to know who will be ahead of time, or find
someone who is willing to be. After consultation with the seed, the
administrator posts a message to the net soliciting applications to be on
the tree. The first person(root) (maybe the offerer, maybe the
administrator, maybe not) who actually gets the seed tape makes
up to 5 copies and sends them out to 5 people (branches), each of those
people make up to 5 copies and send them out to either other branches,
or to leaves (who make no copies), etc., until everybody who signed up
gets a copy. The person structuring the tree ("administrator") may or may
not be the person who provides the original tape ("seed") or the person
who makes the initial 5 copies ("root"). To get on, you send mail to the
administrator following a posting. When on, you make up to 5 tapes
for people below you (if you're a "branch"), or none (if you're a
"leaf"). You send the person above you either other tapes in trade,
or blanks if you can't trade. IMHO, if trading, each person pays
postage one way. If sending blanks, you pay postage both ways.
For most current or recent shows, the seed usually provides a DAT tape,
and therefore it's a good idea for the root to have DAT capabilities
as well, thus enabling most people to get high quality, low-generation
analogs.
There is no payment for this service, ever. Don't do business with
anyone who wants payment for taping. Most heads are only too happy
to make copies for anyone who asks.
Q: I don't have two decks (or a dual deck). Can I still be on the
tape tree without making copies for other people?
A: If you cannot make copies for others you are considered a "leaf" on
the tree, and will be assigned to a "branch" of the tree, that is,
someone who can make copies.
Q: Does it matter if I have a dubbing cassette deck instead of two
separate decks for making copies?
A: Many dubbing decks are cheap and do not do a good job on quality
when making a copy of a tape, partly because the consumer companies
don't think people will notice the difference...NOT. Deadheads are
audiophiles. The reason you are on a tree is: 1) You REALLY want
the shows and, 2) You want the best possible quality tape you can
get for a free recording. There ARE dubbing decks out there that
do a good job, but cost more and are usually worth it (both Sony
and Denon make good high-end dubbing decks). If you have a dubbing
deck, NEVER, repeat, NEVER use the high speed dub when you are
making a copy for someone. Why? You will reduce the quality of
the tape, for the person you are making it for and any copies they
will make. Always make the best quality tapes you can with the
equipment you have on hand.
When a tree is started the administrator will want to know what
equipment you have (brand, type, number of heads, etc...). This
information is needed so that when the administrator sets up the tree
everyone gets the best possible recording they can get, no matter what
type of equipment you may have.
Q: What should I set my recording levels at?
A: Recording levels are really a function of the deck and the
type of tape being used. For instance, you can probably
set the peaks at +5 dB for metal tapes, but at +3 dB for
high bias tapes. The key here is to KNOW YOUR DECK. The
suggestion is to try different tapes and choose the one that
works best with your deck. My preference for recording tapes
(depending on the source) are the new Maxell XLIIS tapes.
Q: If you miss the request cuttoff date for the tree, is there
any way to get on the tree?
A: In general, no. You can try sending mail to somebody who's
making fewer than 5 copies, and ask if he'll make you one.
Often, the tree administrator will indicate people who've
offered to make more copies than they've been assigned.
You'll probably have better luck doing this if you offer to
trade.
Q: When everybody trades tapes on the net, what is the customary
way everybody does this?
A: Generally, by trade. You offer a tape to somebody and ask
for a list of what you can get in return, and choose something.
If you are going to be doing a lot of trading, you should get
on the tapehead mailing list (send mail to
tape-heads-request@fuggles.acc.virginia.edu and ask to be added
to that list).
Also common on the net is a posting requesting a tape of a
particular show, and offering to trade from your collection of
### hours of tapes, or offering blanks if you cant make tapes.
Probably a good idea to put GROVEL or REQUEST and the date in
your subject heading if ya want a response.
Additionally, Wayne Folsom now runs an informal Tape Server,
whereby you send him a request for certain tapes/sets, and he
posts the lists of wants to the net every week or so. If you
would like to make a request and need more information, email
him at wfolsom@bbn.com
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