Welcome to issue #28 of Tape Op.

This issue marks the sixth year Tape Op has been publishing, and that's something I'm very proud of. John Baccigaluppi has been my partner in this since issue #11, and without his hard work and skills I seriously doubt I would have kept doing the magazine. It takes a lot of my energy and time just to deal with the editing, emails, discussing stuff with writers and other tasks — and I still think of myself more as an engineer and studio owner than an "editor". I'm just grateful we've built this team around us, with John handling so much of the "publishing" work, Laura Thurmond helping us sell ads, all of our freelance writers who selflessly donate their time and sweat in getting these articles and reviews done, and, last but not least, the many advertisers who have given us a chance and run their ads with us which makes this whole venture work. Tape Op is young, and it's certainly the underdog of the "recording magazine" world, but what we have in place is a reader-supported, grass roots look at the "real" world of making albums and music. I think we will persevere and help change the way people look at our work and maybe even help advance the art of recording in general. And that's what this is all about to me!

Larry Crane

PS: I hope I'll see many of you at the first ever Tape Op Conference in late May. See www.tapeop.com for details!