Logging recordings

[Margaret Carew]

Hi RNLDers

Can anyone point me to useful reference works on logging and cataloguing recorded material? I have a set of digitised tapes from 1993-5 and am currently sifting through them, using Elan to log the content. The content on the tapes is varied, each can contain a number of recording sessions, with multiple speakers, across a range of topics and genres. Also quality is varied, in different ways – background noise, tape hum, clarity of speech, various other limitations that were operating at the time.

The log is simple – it links a summary description of the content of a section of a recording to the beginning and end timecodes – it incorporates notes I took at the time and includes a descriptive comment at the start (basically format shifting the log I did at the time, in a word document). What I want to do in a second pass through is to create a more detailed catalogue of the material that will support further work on these recordings – eg searchable tags linked to timecodes.

I also want to set up a ‘rating system’  that enables me to compare and prioritise different versions of similar material – eg a key speaker discusses his art work many times over a 6 month painting period, covering similar topics. Also performance of songs – sometimes the same song performed several times, I would like to identify the best tokens of certain songs and stories for reproduction (for the speakers’ families to enjoy, for transcription and further analysis etc).

I would be interested in reading on this topic, also from others who’ve undertaken a similar task.

Cheers, Marg Carew