The Knudsen collection is a 5000 cassette collection that is going to digital flac format one entire tape or tape side at a time.

All transfers and numbered releases are "raw" files. They are unedited, unmastered and untracked @ one digital flac file per tape or tape side.

The cassettes were donated to www.shnflac.net by J. Knudsen in 2018. This is a Gems "shnflac.net" production.

                            ************************************************   The GEMS Knudsen Unmastered Project (a detailed description)  *************************************************

  In 2018, Jeff Knudsen bestowed his tape collection to the AZ GEMS team for distribution and archiving. We have cherry picked some shows and relesed them. We have only scratched the surface. The process of producing a complete and accurate file set is time consuming: select the show, compare to existing sources, adjust the tape deck, transfer to digital, speed correct, master, aquire the source ID and torrent. We realized we would never release the collection if done in the traditional way.

  As long as music is on tapes in a closet, it is useless. If it circulates it is preserved for others and for the future. Rather than go through the whole file set creation process, we transfer each tape or tape side as one digital file. A two tape concert will consist of 4 big audio files: one for each side of the two cassettes. We transfer professionally using the best gear and a high quality Anolog to Digital device. The Azimuth and Dolby settings correct. We will release these files for everyone. We will not evaluate the quality of the source, master it, or track it.

  The GEMS Knudsen Unmastered Project is about sharing the tapes.

  In each numbered release, along with the digital music files, we will include a photo of the tapes and the gear used. The goal is to release as many of the tapes as possible to the website www.shnflac.net.

  Looking forward, we think the fruits of this project will be interesting as time passes. We believe that acces to raw, properly transferred audio will be of value to both present and future listeners, researchers and others. Audio mastering is moving at breakneck speed. We can only imagine the future technology that will be available. Having access to unmastered sources could be invaluable.

HISTORY

  The collection was started with a box of tapes Jeff Knudsen recieved from his friend Dick Latvala in the late 70's. Dick was just a regular guy in Pahoa, Hawaii. At that time, tapes were currency and Jeff had gold. His collection increased to about 5000 coveted tapes, via mail trades and all night copy-athons. Jeff shared them freely and widely. If you had a soundboard tape in your collection years ago there is a good chance it came from Jeff Knudsen.

WHAT CAN I DO WITH IT ?

  Every release in this project is from a band that allows it's fans to trade music non-commercially. We neither add or take away from that permission. We ask that you credit the GEMS Knudsen Unmatered Project. We ask nothing else of you; and you and you do not need to ask permission to use them. Since we ask nothing of you, we will not entertain any complaints. Take what you need and leave the rest.

LINEAGE QUESTIONS

  The notion of documenting lineage is a modern one, or simply one Jeff did not entertain. We do not have lineage information on most of these tapes. Some of the tapes sound absolutely fantastic. Others may remind you of a tape you had long ago. Now the rest is up to the community, with whom we have absolute faith in the ability to discern.

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Contact shnflac@gmail.com if you need more information.