# How do you play digital music backwards!



## thewitt (Jan 27, 2003)

Logic will do that for you. But if you are capturing vinyl, why not record it backwards. Open up the turntable and twist the belt so it runs backwards while you capture.


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## VertiGoGo (Aug 21, 2001)

Just install SoundRecorder. It's available on most Mac magazine CDs under utilities. It has that basic function. 

If you're just looking to have a little fun and not too worried about top-of-the-line audio quality...that should do the trick.


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## Heart (Jan 16, 2001)

The turntable is long gone, and so are the records. But as I rebuild my collection of digital / CD music I was kinda curious.

Gonna check out SoundRecorder.

I played with Quicktime and found that the fast rewind button << plays backwards but does it forwards.

It is kinda odd, going backwards but still the words are correct????????


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## capitalK (Oct 21, 2003)

1. Open file in Quicktime

2. Press Command and the left arrow key

3. Enjoy the hidden message "do it"


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

I may be imagining this, but I think there's a command-key modifier that will let QuickTime play backwards....

_(Mark goes off to bang on the keyboard)_

Hah!  That's funny... but not useful. Pressing COMMAND-LeftArrow will play the video backward, but the audio is some kind of odd stuttered forward/backward mesh.

FWIW, SparkME will play the audio backward (and give you a cool waveform), but it's not available for download anymore (unless you know someone)

 
M


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## gordguide (Jan 13, 2001)

Anyone who wants to play with audio will need full-featured editing solutions which most basic players won't do, but at the same time the more advanced programs usually cost advanced cash.

However, there is a good multiplatform solution that has a decent intermediate level feature set. And it's free.

Go to the Sourceforge page for Audacity. 

To accomplish what you want specifically, open an audio file (AIFF, mp3 **, etc) and:
From the Edit menu select:
Edit: Select: All
Then, from the Effect menu select:
Effect: Reverse
Save (if desired) or just hit Play. Enjoy.

** To work with mp3 files, including saving as/converting to mp3, download the codec from Audacity's site. Because mp3 is a proprietary codec, it's not included with Audacity (because the developers would have to pay a fee for each download, which wouldn't make it free anymore. It's the same reason Apple charges for QTPro; Apple is willing to pay for some, but not all of the codecs in QuickTime when it gives the player away for free). Get an mp3 codec separately and install it into Audacity if mp3 support is important. See the Audacity FAQ page for more details.

[ October 22, 2004, 10:24 AM: Message edited by: gordguide ]


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## Heart (Jan 16, 2001)

You know..... those hidden messages on records....









I have couple satanic  messages from the 80's that I would like to document. (read:listen to again).

I kinda miss my old LP's........


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## lindmar (Nov 13, 2003)

What are some of the better songs know to containt 'hidden messages' when black backwards?????


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## gordguide (Jan 13, 2001)

I don't know of any "real" messages placed on albums. (There could be some, though).

There are some supposed messages that require very close listening, a good imagination, and some prior suggestion as to what to listen for.

We've had the technology to insert perfectly clear (ie as clear as the songs played normally) messages "backwards" on recordings for about 45 years. So, if it were intentional rather than a curious accident, I think they'd be way easier to hear.

The Beatles "White Album" is supposed to be full of them (for example), but I guess I'm not blessed with the special hearing Satanists or the Fundamentalists who keep us safe from them are. Certain so-called "Christians" made all kinds of allegations about Devil Rock-N-Roll during the 70's, and "subliminal reverse messages" is one of their claims.

It's even easier with digital recording to do (not that it was hard with tape); there might be some deliberate insertions on recent music, but I don't know of any. I enjoy Devil music played the "right" way too much to bother trying to find them.

There also used to be little under-pillow speakers you could buy and listen to notes and lectures you previously recorded on cassettes; you listened while you slept. The idea was you subliminally learned your college classes while you slept off Friday night. No-one I know who tried it ever graduated, though.


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## kermit (Oct 9, 2004)

Soundstudio by Felt Tip Software will do the job, and a few other things as well, for $35US



> I don't know of any "real" messages placed on albums..................................The Beatles "White Album" is supposed to be full of them


Wasn't it the ending of "Sgt. Peppers' that started all the backwards/subliminal stuff? The needle just kept skipping back over the end of the last track. Everyone was trying to figure out the message.


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