What does "cut a tape" mean, and why and where does that come from?

(This is something we would commonly say; someone is
trying to track down the history of this phrase.
I'll refrain from posting my interpretation here.)

On 1 Jul 2004 00:15:17 GMT, (Christopher C.
Stacy) wrote:

What does "cut a tape" mean, and why and where does that come from?

It means "record" a tape. I suspect the origin is from the days
before magnetic recording, when recordings were made mechanically on
discs, literally "cut" into the disc by a stylus.

To this day many people refer to the tracks on a CD as "cuts." Old
linguistic habits die hard.

Mark Howell

In article ,
Christopher C. Stacy wrote:
What does "cut a tape" mean, and why and where does that come from?

(This is something we would commonly say; someone is
trying to track down the history of this phrase.
I'll refrain from posting my interpretation here.)


1. To record a tape. Probably a follow-on to the notion of cutting an
acetate, where the disc would physically be cut.

2. To edit tape.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Mark Howell wrote:
On 1 Jul 2004 00:15:17 GMT, (Christopher C.
Stacy) wrote:

What does "cut a tape" mean, and why and where does that come from?

It means "record" a tape. I suspect the origin is from the days
before magnetic recording, when recordings were made mechanically on
discs, literally "cut" into the disc by a stylus.

Perhaps also at least in part a reference to the days when one literally
cut (and spliced) tape as part of the recording/production process.

(To think we now have a generation of radio folks who have never had
to splice tape...)

-Shawn Mamros
E-mail to: mamros -at- mit dot edu

It's involved with the editing process in addition to simply recording.
Here's a dictionary definition, listing several uses:
http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/CUTTING
noun:
1: The activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them
together to create a film
- film editing



An example: In filming or taping, there's the "cutting room floor."



verb:
10: Cut and assemble the components of
"cut recording tape"
- edit , edit out

19: Make a recording of
"cut the songs"; "She cut all of her major titles again"

20: Record a performance on (a medium)
"cut a record"


Gary Schnabl


"Christopher C. Stacy" wrote in message
...
What does "cut a tape" mean, and why and where does that come from?

(This is something we would commonly say; someone is
trying to track down the history of this phrase.
I'll refrain from posting my interpretation here.)

In article , says...


On 1 Jul 2004 00:15:17 GMT, (Christopher C.
Stacy) wrote:

What does "cut a tape" mean, and why and where does that come from?

It means "record" a tape. I suspect the origin is from the days
before magnetic recording, when recordings were made mechanically on
discs, literally "cut" into the disc by a stylus.

To this day many people refer to the tracks on a CD as "cuts." Old
linguistic habits die hard.

It's arguable that the pits on a regular CD (not a CD-R) are "cut"
(althoug some say "burned") at mastering time. So the terminology is not
far-fetched at all when applied to mass-replicated CDs.

Tape is another matter.