Chocolate Peanut Butter: The Magic of the Analog Sound
It's a feeling that can only come from vinyl. When the drums kick in and hit your eardrums in a thick and smooth fashion. It vibrates form your headphones to your ear, all the way down to your jaw. You feel almost as though you've got a mouthful of Twix, and when you bring your teeth together, it's almost as if you're chewing something smooth and crunchy.This is what I like to call Chocolate Peanut Butter: This is the sensation of vinyl; the analog sound.
It's simply not an experience you can get with digital; CERTAINLY not through the speakers of a laptop.
Let me explain for those who don't know*
Analog technology is continuous. When that needle hits the record, it stays on the record. It travels along the grooves of the record, translating audio signals into pulses of sound waves. Analog technology travels from one wavelength of sound to the next, passing through all wavelengths in between. The sound you get is smoother, warmer, and richer, hence Chocolate Peanut Butter.
Digital, on the other hand, calculates sound wavelengths, and plays only those wavelengths. Digital technology does not travel smoothly between wavelengths. Instead, it jumps from one wavelength to another. Ever wonder why digital instruments on your computer sound so choppy in comparison to real ones? It's because your computer is not bothering pass through all the wavelengths in between when transitioning from one wave to the next. The notes themselves sound pretty much the same, but you don't get the same smooth experience.
I've been checking out vinyl for the past few years, but my first REAL MEMORABLE chocolate peanut butter experience was while listening to an instrumental of "Intoxicated Woman" by DJ Oji (not an easily found single, but if you can get your hands on it, it's worth it). When those drums came in, and that chocolate peanut butter feeling set in, I was hooked. Vinyl is now a necessity for me.
So here's the deal:
There will be at least one recommended vinyl album at the end of every blog post. Consider it your dose of chocolate peanut butter. For those who don't own turntables, don't worry. I will be discussing much more than vinyl throughout this blog.
Here's your first dose:
DJ Oji: "Intoxicated Woman" Single (rare, but worth it)
