Looking at CDs as the finished products they are is probably the farthest I’ve ever gotten into CD mixing and mastering at all, but TapeOp is a magazine that really caters to large amount of people. Most of what they are talking about in the numerous interviews with producers and band members can be broken down into relatively easy-to-understand terms. For those who might be interested in the topic and have more than a fan’s glance into the music creation process, there are absolute loads of information about numerous different methods to record, different equipment, and the like. Don’t let the professional look of the magazine put you off in picking this up – while the magazine may be outwardly professional (and have ads that sometimes infuriate in the frequency that they are seen), the magazine is still cobbled together with a lo-fi vibe. Interviews are both informal and informative, two things that while not exclusive to each other, usually are made out to be with lesser magazines. Humour is somewhat sparse in this magazine, being almost wholly dependent on the penultimate page and Larry Crane’s “Beware of the “Moneymaker””. Instead of feeling that coverage must be only given to those producers and individuals who are household names in the industry, TapeOp focuses on those individuals which they feel can constantly make a solid recording. Make sure to pick up a free subscription to TapeOp at their website, www.tapeop.com .
Rating: 7.9/10
TapeOp #36 ($3.95, PO Box 507, Sacromento, CA 95812) / Reviewed : 16 October 2003 / Released July 2003