Outline of Pavlov's lectures on Conditioned Reflexes 1927

What follows is my outline for Pavlov's Lectures Conditioned Reflexes (1927). Bracketed numbers refer to page numbers according Anrep's translation as found in the Classics in the History of Psychology page. The rest are my sparce notes. 

 

Lecture I

 

Recent physiological investigations

Investigative options

Through (then actual) psychology

Brand-new path of physiology stemming by the reflex as described by Descartes

A necessary reaction to an external stimulus through a definite nervous path

Objective and experimental

Thorndike

Pavlov's own frustrations in subjective methods

25 years of investigations and systematization (at the time of the lectures) with collaborators

Description of reflexes in general

These are for the survival of the organism (through adaptability)

Inhibitory and excitatory

Instincts

Chains of reflexes

Identification of reflexes [12]

Example of freedom reflex

Investigatory reflex

Dynamic balance of reflexes in the organism

Signalization

 

Lecture II

 

Methodology

Choice of secretory reflex

Hookup

Isolation from other stimuli [20]

Defense of isolation

 

Demonstration #1 [22]

Plain vanilla with metronome

 

Demonstration #2 [22]

Conditioned reflex. Signalization through sight . Food, conditioned itself

 

Demonstration #3 [23]

Food as an unconditional stimulus

 

Nomenclature of unconditioned and conditioned reflexes

Conditioning as learning

 

Conditions for successful conditioning [26, 392]

1. It must overlap in time with the unconditioned stimulus;

The conditioned stimulus has to have some lead time;

The reverse doesn't generate a bond

2. The organism has to be alert;

And free from any other nervous activity (as that arising from competing stimuli)

3. A good state of health;
4. The stimulus has to be mild or not overbearing.

 

Transformation of an unconditioned reflex into a conditioned one

 

Threshold of stimulus intensity

 

Lecture III

 

Second order conditioning

Third order conditioning found to be impossible

 

Conditioning through rituals [35]

Demonstration #4 [36]

Speculation on nervous connections

 

Characteristics of stimuli

Individual fluctuations in internal or external environment of the organism may, singly or collectively, acquire the properties of a conditioned stimulus

Changes

Interruption

Trace conditioned reflex

Time lapse

 

Inhibition [43]

Types

Direct/internal

Indirect/external

Description of external stimuli disrupting the conditioning of the dog [44]

Lasting effects

Old, established reflexes are more difficult to inhibit

Strength or unusualness of the stimulus has a proportional effect [46] !?

However, if not reinforced, they eventually lose their inhibitory powers !? Hence, they may be termed temporary inhibitory stimuli

Permanent external inhibition

 

Lecture IV

 

Internal inhibition

Develops progressively, often with difficulty, as opposed to external inhibition

 

Extinction (primary)

Weakening of the conditioned reflex by repeated application of the conditioned stimulus without reinforcement

Demonstration #5a

Fluctuations in the curve of extinction

External influences

Internal

Rate of extinction [51]

Peculiarities of each organism

Strength of previous conditioning

Number of trials

Intensity of the unconditioned reflex

Length of pause between successive repetitions

Secondary extinction

When primary extinction is happeningother conditioned reflexes are also affected notwithstanding if these are:

Homogeneous conditioned reflexes

Based on the same unconditioned reflex

Heterogeneous conditioned reflexes

On a different unconditioned reflex

After several extinctions even the unconditioned reflex might weaken [54]

The permanency of the secondary reflex also depends on

Its own reinforcement and extinction

If it's weaker than the primary reflex acted upon

When the stimulus is compound, the individual stimuli also suffer from secondary extinction

Similarly, the stronger the stimulus, the more effect it will have on the weaker and viceversa

Recovery

Extinction beyond zero [58]

Measured by its effects on the secondary reflex

Spontaneous recovery

Demonstration #5b

Recovery by a few pairings

Extinction is regarded (by Pavlov) as a special case of inhibition and thus it cannot be completely destroyed. (Hence, nervous connections are rendered latent and subject to reestablishment)

 

Deviations in the curve of extinction

 

Temporary restoration of the condition reflects is regarded as a dis-inhibition [66] or inhibition of a inhibition

 

Lecture V

 

Internal inhibition (continued)

Combinations of stimuli

Conditioned inhibition/differential inhibition

An unreinforced combination will render an otherwise positive stimulus inactive

Temporal considerations

Overlap of a few seconds in the stimuli is of the essence for inhibition

A clear temporal separation of the stimuli renders the additional one as positive (of the second order) rather than inhibitory (provided it is not very intense, in which case it would work as an external inhibition)

Curve behavior [72]

Other factors

Character of the individual

Intensity of the stimulus

First establishment of an inhibitory process or a succeeding one

Details

Summation or repetition of an inhibitory process [79]

Shortening of its effects

Dis-inhibition [82]

By the introduction of just another external stimuli the inhibition is partially lifted

 

Lecture VI

 

Internal inhibition (continued)

Delay

Interval between stimulus and reinforcement of the unconditioned reflex

Simultaneous

Delayed

Establishment

By retarding a simultaneous reflex gradually

By jumping from a simultaneous reflects to a delayed one

There's an initial disappearance of the reflex, however, it gradually strengthens with enough trials and moves into intermediate position between the stimulus and the reinforcement

It is difficult to establish a delayed reflex without a previous application of a simultaneous regime

Intervening factors

Character of the individual

Type of conditioned stimulus used [90]

Trials during the preliminary stage

Whether the stimulus is continued or intermittent

Nature of the delay inhibition

Initially strong and not a gradual summation of the excitatory processes nor fatigue

Other stimuli acting on the delay phase

These may disrupt or not the inhibition depending on their type (strength)[94] or their repetition [98]

Initial excitatory behavior versus posterior inhibitory in the delay phase from one stimulus [103]

A compound stimulus is formed with the lapse of time experienced

Latent period

Brief recapitulation [106]

Experimental extinction

Conditioned inhibition

Inhibition of delay

 

Second order inhibition

 

Lecture VII

 

Reflex mechanisms

Analyzing mechanism

By which it selects out of the whole complexity of the environment those units which are of significance

Synthesizing mechanism

By which individual units can be integrated into an excitatory complex

 

Previous investigations of the analyzing mechanism

The superiority of the scope of the conditioned reflex

Contrasts

Generalization

Initially, all the characteristics of the environment serve as a generalized stimulus and after some trials, the relevant stimulus from it come to the foreground, while those that are not, fall back [115]

Not based on dis-inhibition

Establishment of differentiations

Through repeated reinforcement

Not as effective if at all

By contrast [118, 122]

First, establish a reflex;

Present a similar, though contrasting in some aspect, stimuli without reinforcement;

Work from there to even finer contrasts

 

The non-reinforced stimuli lose their excitatory processes through inhibition […, 125]

Though not without fluctuations [120]

Can work with either positive or negative conditioned stimuli

Differential inhibition is the fourth type of internal inhibition

Disturbances

Intensity of the stimulus

Intensity of the unconditioned reflex

Excitability

 

Lecture VIII

 

Instrumentation recap

 

Sense (analyzers) sensibility

Visual

Auditory [134]

Tone, pitch, rhythm

Instrument limits

Tactile [137]

Smell

Taste

Nutritive substances

Rejectable substances

Synthesis [141]

Compound stimuli

Overshadowing of different stimuli in type

Cutaneous is stronger than auditory; stronger than auditory; stronger than visual

Nevertheless, the weaker stimulus is necessary for the production of the conditioned reflects a when it has been compounded with a stronger one. Also on the weaker element can bring down a compound stimulus if it is not singly reinforced (inhibition).

If single stimuli already have served on conditioning, there is no overshadowing when compounded [IX]

Successive stimuli [145]

With same or different analyzers

Modifications of patterns

A set pattern can be differentiated from unreinforced ones although this, takes time

Individual stimuli lose their excitatory properties

Elementary and higher forms of analysis and synthesis [148]

Sense limits

Hemispheres

 

Lecture IX

 

Irradiation and concentration

Internal inhibition initiated in a single definite point of an analyzer, rapidly irradiates over the whole analyzer, after which it is slowly concentrated upon its initial point. This can be traced.

 

Supposition that there is a correspondence between the analyzers and that of the cortex in regards of neighboring areas [154, 214]

 

Investigation of the nature of the phenomena [156]

Places of secondary and primary extinction

 

Auditory specific

 

Lecture X

 

Secondary inhibition of the other analyzers

Inhibition initiated in one analyzer reveals itself in other analyzers as well in the form of inhibitory aftereffect

Dependent on inhibition strength

Nonetheless the effect is weaker than in the primary analyzer

Variations

Experimental methodology [171]

Difficulties [175]

 

Aftereffects of the excitatory processes

 

Generalization of any recently established conditioned stimulus [185]

 

Lecture XI

 

Mutual induction

 

Positive induction

Inhibition leading to increased excitation

Following the extinction in some other area of stimulus within the analyzer

Not the form of dis-inhibition [190]

Depends on

The intensity of inhibition

Coarseness (or just how fine) of differentiation [194]

Coarser differentiation loses its induction when followed by finer training

Represents a temporary, phasic phenomenon in the establishment of inhibition

There are exceptions

Negative induction [196]

Excitation leading to increased inhibition

Difficulties in its investigation

Lecture XII

 

Interaction of irradiation and concentration with induction

These processes interact with one another

Sensitivity [208]

Of single non-reinforcement

Delicacy

Small influences over extended periods

Undulation (waves) in time and distribution of inhibition

Correspondence [214]

 

Positive induction applied to a definite place limits the spread of the inhibitory process

 

The interaction between expectation and mediation is determined either by the face of establishing new relations in the cortex or by the type of nervous system in different animals

 

Lecture XIII

 

The cortex as a mosaic of functions

Some cells respond to excitation while others to inhibition in a localized manner

Suggested problems (unresolved)

Functional demarcation

Its mechanism

Examples

Variability and stability [227]

Dynamic system [232]

 

Lecture XIV

 

Second kind of inhibition: inhibition in the cortex

Under the influence of conditioned stimuli that cortex sooner or later (sometimes very slowly) develops inhibition. This happens in a progressive manner

Frequent repetitions accelerates this process [237, 242]

This is attributed to the sensibility of the cortical elements which become functionally exhausted [244]

In other words, it is a protective mechanism

Countermeasures

Main:

Shortening of the reinforcement delay

Avoiding many repetitions in one session

Interruption of the trials

Subsidiary:

Increase in the strength of the conditioned stimulus

Increase of the number of the conditioned stimuli (positive induction)

Increasing the strength of the unconditioned stimulus

 

When the inhibition has taken hold even the conditioned stimulus fails

A new conditioned stimulus restores the subject [239-241]

 

Lecture XV

 

A general spreading of this inhibition is possible: sleep or internal inhibition

 

Development of inhibitions

Prolonged action of a conditioned stimulus

Perhaps even more so with extinction

In differentiation it is clearer

Happens also with delayed reflexes

 

Starts with drowsiness and develops into deep sleep

The unconditioned stimulus even loses efficacy

With non-reinforcement

Reinforcement delays the progression of the secondary inhibition

 

Powerful stimuli (such as electric shocks) can also be found to develop internal and secondary inhibition

 

Some analyzers (senses) lend themselves more readily to inhibitions than others

 

Internal inhibition is explained as a scattered sleep [253] and functional fatigue [259]

 

Avoidance tactics [254]

The addition of other stimuli [255]

Even add to the sleep [258]

Monotonous stimuli on humans

 

Surgical investigations [259]

 

From sleep to inhibition [260]

With delays

Summation of inhibitions (cf. 256)

 

Excitation preceding drowsiness [263]

 

Final considerations

 

Lecture XVI

 

Transitional stages into sleep

Partial; localized sleep

Alert posture but unresponsive

Complete inhibition in the cortex; motor centers still free from inhibition

Factors

Time   

Subject's previous conditioning history

Numerous applications

Nature of the neutral stimuli

Weak and/or prolonged

Strong and short

May cause the spread of partial division into other areas of the cortex: "animal hypnotism" [269,312]

Catalepsy

Variation of intensity in compound stimuli as a means of comparing them [269]

What can happen over many days (pathological) can be replicated in a few minutes in the transition to sleep

Paradoxical phase [271]

Strong stimuli do not have an effect while weak ones have a disproportionate one

Equalization phase

All the stimuli become equal in their effect

Intermediate (unnamed) phase

Medium strength stimuli have the greater effect

Return to normal

 

Relation to induction [276]

 

Narcotics [278]

Other transition controls [280]

 

No definite order in the phases can be established

 

Lecture XVII

 

Pathological disturbances arising from function

 

Dependence on types

Equal influences do not have the same effects […, 299]

 

Types

Sanguine

Vivacious, but most likely to fall into drowsiness in the absence of stimuli. Predisposition to excitation […, 293]

Melancholic

Fraidy, but more apt to yield regular results under conditioning.  Predisposition to inhibition (Cf. Introverts).

Intermediate types [288]

Phlegmatic

Choleric

more

 

Conflict between excitation and inhibition [292]

 

Disturbances

There is a breakdown of conditioned reflexes [290, ]. Acute neurosis

Over-generalization

Over-differentiation

 

Treatment

Rest [290,]

Stepping back and starting afresh [291, 319]

Chemical compounds [299]

Companionship [296]

Other stimuli [318]

 

Lecture XVIII

 

Transition from inhibition to excitation

Possibilities [311]

From a single point to the whole cortex

As injurious agent upon the cortex

 

Congenital weaknesses [312]

Definite conditions bring forth abnormalities

Types of stimuli according to intensity

The case of Petrograd 1924

Unusually strong stimulus

Breakdown of conditioned reflexes

Their restoration. Neurotic sequels (PTSD?)

Companionship

Constitutions predisposed to inhibition become even more susceptible to it. Chronic pathological state [, 397]

 

Lecture XIX

 

Physical disturbances or interventions

Methodology and difficulties

Experimenter reflexes are the most likely to disappear well inherent, natural, reflexes are the first to resurface

Usually the greater the lesion, the greater it takes to recover

Recovered reflexes are often stronger [324] while inhibitions weaker

Complications [325]

Peculiar symptoms

Extirpation the whole cortex [328]

Simple reflex machine. Unconditionable

Acoustic analyzer centers [330]

 

Lecture XX

 

Visual analyser

Tactile analyser

Motor analyser

 

Lecture XXI

 

Activity after lesions

Example of reestablishment of conditioned reflexes [374]

 

Lecture XXII

 

Investigatory viewpoints

The one taken: the laws governing a complex system founded on the processes of excitation and inhibition

Determination and tabulation of different phases of the cortical activity

Absence or presence of inhibition or excitation

Their conditions

Their interrelations

 

Difficulties encountered [378]

Exquisiteness and complexity of the system

Interpretations

Observations

Reassessment of the old points of view

Secondary conditions [383]

Stimuli intensity

 

Way forward

Reducing the mass of various separate observations to terms of a progressive diminishing number of general more fundamental units [387]

 

Unknowns

Mechanism of dis-inhibition [390]

Necessary elements of conditioning

 

 

Lecture XXIII

 

Results in application to man

Caveats

Foundations

Habits identified as a chain of conditioned reflexes

Graduality in acquisition

Interruptions as disruptions of performance

Other similarities

Monotonous stimuli inducing drowsiness

Alertness and sleep

Pathological cases

Nervous and psychic disturbances

Violent changes in life, powerful stimuli…

(Petrograd 1924)

Cortex injury

Some individuals remain unaffected [397]

Identification with neurasthenia and hysteria [398]

Sleep disorders

Therapeutic measures [401]

Borderline states [404]

Hypnotic states

Automaticity

The conscious and the unconscious [410]

Synthesis

Final words

Much to explore and to systematize there still is

Onward to Leithold: Trying to learn Calculus

Since I focused my studies on finance, I never really was taught calculus. During high school I, with a friend, used to marvel at the enormous brick of a book that was kept in the school library The Calculus with Analytic Geometry by Louis Leithold. We were already having a hard time with algebra and imagined how much more difficult would it be to tackle that landmark book.  Picture it: between its covers one was not only getting the spooky, esoteric subject from hushed legend, but also receiving it awash with heaping doses of alchemical geometry. 

Eventually, my friend went on to study mechanical engineering and he did get to read at least some parts of the book. I, however, have remained mostly ignorant of the subject and a bit piqued by the fact that others successfully get hold of the subject all the time while I still lived in the dark ages.

A couple of years back I decided that I too would learn calculus for my own enjoyment and to read the book that has been beckoning to me all this time. For that, I refreshed my knowledge of algebra and took on plane geometry, which was another gap in my mathematical knowledge. I am now at the threshold of precalculus and I thought it would be a good time to start informally chronicling my journey. I am in no rush and this will take a while, but I'm really enjoying the slow pace without any external pressure.

In this post I describe my project in general and give the resources I'll be relying on.

Geometry

I'll start with plane geometry which I'm about to finish. I have been almost exclusively reading on it from Rich's Geometry from Schaum's outlines series. This one is the best I found in my local library and I was fortunate to find it because it clearly states the principles on which each part of the geometry system is built upon; it is very condensed, meaning it has no fluff, and, as with the rest of the series, has loads of exercises. I have worked my way up to loci trying to solve every proposed exercise with pencil and paper and have been generally successful with it: only a few have left me stumped and I feel confident in my acquired knowledge.

As with logic, there's something very soothing in geometry that it's better than chess exercises. While in all three there is mental stimulation, one is left with nothing to show after doing chess problems (other than presumably getting better at it). The other two not only enhance one's skills, but say something about the world and with no competitive pressure.

Precalc

For precalculus I chose Barnett's because my local library had many copies of it and found the more extended treatment of the subject better than Larson's Precalculus: A Graphical Approach which was my second best find. To be frank, this will be my second attempt with it. The previous one I had to cut it short someplace after function transformations because I had a bout of TMS at that time. Now, I'm all fired up back again and bought my own used copy online. Since this is going to be a leisurely stroll, I felt bad about borrowing one copy from the library for such an extended period, months at a time, even if no one else was requesting it; and also because I wanted to have a good reference book on the topics covered when I finally moved on to calculus proper.

Graphing calculator

I soon saw the need for a graphing calculator. My first shot was my brother's old HP 48 SX which he left in his drawer after he moved out. Overall I found it too complicated, glacially slow when working with graphs, but fell in love with RPN (reverse polish notation) on which it is based. In my first precalculus attempt, I decided instead to settle on the Educalc app for iOS for my graphing needs and use the 48 for quick calculations.

For this time around I researched for a perfect solution, meaning one that relied on just one piece of hardware. After going back and forth I realized that there was no physical calculator that met all my needs in one package: RPN, CAS, college oriented, fast, no rechargeable battery (I don't want my fancy calculator bricked when the battery finally gives up its ghost) and if possible, cheap. Why not go for multiple solutions? In the end, I decided to stick with the 48 for the straightforward operations, get a TI-89 titanium for the rest of the stuff except actually graphing, and the Educalc or Desmos apps for graph viewing.

One of the alternatives that I brushed off out of hand was the Voyage 200 because I thought that a standard-sized calculator was the obvious route.  A few days ago I got my titanium from eBay and dove in to learn how to use it. When I got to the split-screen feature it brought, front and center, the obvious smallness of the screen. I can manage it, but it is still uncomfortable. Then, there's the patent contriveness to getting many of the titanium's functions. This made me look back to the Voyage and while it seemed to alleviate these problems, it also had a big wart itself in that the ribbon that feeds the screen seems to lose contact in some cases after some years of use generating lines on the display. The similar shaped TI 92+, on the other hand is essentially the same as the 89 and Voyage and, judging by number of publications on eBay and mentions on Google, way less susceptible to pixel loss, even despite its age, than the latter. It is also cheaper. So I ordered the 92+ and plan to resell the titanium.

Dummies Books 

One of the incentives for getting a titanium, was that it had a Dummies book written for it. I read somewhere that this calculator had a learning curve, and since I like the approach of the Dummies series, I decided to get a copy. Now, that I have both in my hands I see that while it is true that that the titanium has a load of features buried in it, the manual from TI doesn't do a bad job explaining them, making the Dummies book a good head start, but not really necessary at all. It is also good for the TI 92+

Still, I'm not giving up on Dummies. I plan to acquire Calculus for Dummies. It has very good reviews and there's no harm in backup, since I don't have the benefit of a live instructor. If I want to compare something even further, I plan on borrowing Calculus by Stewart of which my local library has also many copies.

How I study

You won't get any insights from my study habits as they are quite ordinary and nothing special. I can allow myself to 60-90 min daily (including weekends). Most of my learning I get from solving exercises rather than through the dreary explanations, though I do both. In high school I discovered that music makes all the difference in the world and my best listening is during the studying periods. I allocate my favorite artists and vinyls for them which had so much to my overall enjoyment. I find math enjoyable, but this takes it to a different level and keeps me going. I am frequently looking forward to getting back to my exercises.

Now, I have noticed that many of the concepts while the look transparent and almost obvious in retrospect, are not immediately accessible to me. It takes a few tries for those aha! moments and for comprehension to settle in. It is in these instances that I can see what the difference is between highly intelligent people and regular ones is: they 'get' it right away. Once I get traction, I acquire the skill and even, at times, some speed.

Leithold

Prof. Leithold appears to have passed on already. The latest edition of The Calculus is the seventh and I'm getting that.

The journey

I'll be tweeting my journey with the hash tag #onwardtoleithold , just don't expect any frequent posts

Castlevania music: chiptune on vinyl 2

This post has been the making for a long while, because I didn't want to write before having all the announced Castlevania titles in my hands (sorry, no Kid Dracula) and having a back to back listening experience. With the final release of Symphony of the Night, now is the time. All these releases come from Mondo.

Castlevania

Once you get over the stunning artwork on the front cover and the level layout gatefold (I don't care about the Medusa), the most noticeable aspect of this release is its shortness, it's awkward 10 inch size and its relative high price. Being generous, it feels like Mondo had to compromise here in some way for us to have the soundtrack at all. I appreciate having it, but it still an uncomfortable purchase even more than a year on. The music sounds fuller, coming out of a nice system than from the old TV speakers back then and from all the releases here, this one is the closest to the original intention of re-creating a monster movie vibe. I like the inclusion of the sound effects in Walking on Edge, but I believe that they overstay their welcome. I got the plain old black vinyl variant and despite all the color schemes of the rest I think it the most handsome looking.

Listen for: Poison Mind. My complaint is that it is too short. They could have added another extra loop for this one. Everything else sounds lovely as well.

Castlevania II

Simon's Quest presents us with the differing NES and famicom versions. The music from this game is the scariest-sounding from the whole series (not on Silent Hill level but still) and the famicom version enhances the experience with a richer texture. This title shares with Castlevania I both the great artwork and short running time/high price combo. When I ordered I had the opportunity of getting the night and day split and I still kick myself for not doing so. The center labels are also the best for the titles here.

Listen for: the famicom version.

Castlevania III

Dracula's Curse feels the most balanced of the Castlevania soundtracks with each song consistently keeping the momentum going and with no obvious throwaway tracks. If you put aside Simon's Quest for a moment, it is the first one that offers alternate routes and the track selection reflects that with alternating songs from the lower and upper routes which finally meet at the famous Castlevania hallway.

Unlike Simon's Quest, the NES version is way better than the famicom one, so I would recommend to play the latter first.

The orange splatter variant I got for this one is the second-best looking of the bunch. However, is noticeably crackly at parts. This is no problem for me because the music is so good. The inside of the gatefold could have been better, maybe like the one from Super Castlevania IV if they wanted to keep the level layout idea.

Listen for: Evergreen (probably the sweetest song from all the Castlevania canon) and the underground level, Nightmare on NES side (blown by the sound effects).

Super Castlevania IV

Super Castlevania IV represents a vibrant evolutionary path not taken both in game design and music. As such, the score is way out of the usual Castlevania fare, but thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless. Most of the music has been described already as weird jazz by others and it certainly fits that description.  The instrumentation is appealing and the bass is smooth all throughout.

Unlike Dracula's Curse, the included sound effects are spot-on. If there's is anything lacking, that  is the reprise of Simon's theme on the last battle which made the scene exciting in the first place. Oh, well. The grey vinyl is the least exciting of the group too.

Listen for: The Waterfall & the Sunken City. I hated this last one when I played the game, but now I've been won over by it as it really represents the soundtrack as a whole. I hear a clear connection between the tribalism of the Dungeon music to the Tower of Execution and main theme from Castlevania 64.

Rondo of Blood/ Dracula X

One of the best games I never played is Rondo of Blood. A friend lent me the Dracula X SNES version and it was such a letdown. The music, notwithstanding, was on par with the already impressive Castlevania track record. Mondo could have gotten away with just releasing Rondo, but the double album was an unexpected gift. With the benefit of side-to-side comparison I will hand preference to Rondo. The SNES version does make mighty efforts and comes real close in many of the songs, but Rondo is still better sounding and the better soundtrack. The added bonus of Haunted Castle decisively tilts the balance and ushers the whole package to the 5-star club. Oh, can't wait for a release of the Gameboy/DS games if that ever happens.

The inverted gatefold art covering both games, MCs & bosses is the best of the bunch.

Listen for: Den (for the mini-medley), Mary Samba (way to end the game! Not like the dour Richter end theme), & Cross Your Heart. I would throw in Cross a Fear as well from the PC Engine as a good theme that has been forgotten. The best remixes of Vampire Killer and Bloody Tears are the ones found here IMO.

Symphony of the Night

SOTN was certain to be a 5-star no matter what. However, the artwork, though reminiscent of the original, wastes all the available space in just 4 portraits. Mondo had released  a poster with better artwork some months prior. What happened? Why the change? A waste in my opinion.

Now too, the infamous side D is a treat that isn't. In the flurry of good news surrounding the release of Rondo and Symphony one extra bit was the inclusion of tracks from the Saturn version of SOTN. My elation soured immediately when I checked the track listings and found my hopes weren't realized with the absence of the Cursed Prison Saturn-exclusive theme Chaconne c moll. This one is not as immediately catchy as the rest of the soundtrack and its obscurity makes it fall between the cracks, but, in my opinion, it is the most accomplished composition of the game series. It follows closely the example set by Bach's passacaglia BWV 582 which is breathtaking. As far as I know it has never been recorded and it is a shame that it didn't make it into this release. Did we really need more versions of Bloody Tears, Vampire Killer & Beginning? If you have listened up to this point, they are already tired and do not add anything worthwhile (well, the last version of Beginning does get a passing mark on my book).

Finally, I've got to say that I Am the Wind is missing. I am happy for its absence, but it is an integral part of SOTN nevertheless.

Listen for:  all the little things going on the background on much of the music. I'd like to point out the obscure and tender Nocturne and Abandoned Pit, which sounds very spooky isolated now from gameplay sounds. Also check out the Librarian theme for its Arabian Nights feel.

There are no obvious drawbacks with the pressings presented here except the aforementioned CV III.

Recommendations

So, what to aim for? It's surprising, but all releases get high marks and maybe one's budget can't be stretched to cover them all. Here's what I recommend:

If you're a fan: get Symphony of the Night no question about it.

If you're a non-fan: get Super Castlevania IV. I too, didn't expect this, but I think it very interesting musically speaking and more apt to reach to a wider audience. It is far-out, but stems from a familiar base.

If you want to keep finding stuff on repeated listenings (replay value if you will): SOTN & SC IV.

If you are going after value: Rondo + Dracula X or Dracula's Curse. If you played only one of these, go for the nostalgia.

If you want cover art for display, get Simon's Quest.

If you want gatefold art, get Rondo of Blood.

If you don't care about the music at all and just want something to collect and maybe show around, get the original Castlevania.

What's in for the future? The standout absence is Bloodlines. There are three or four themes, foremost Iron Blue Intention and Requiem for the Nameless Victims (probably the best Castlevania ending after Evergreen/Flashback), that are interesting, but I'm on the fence on this one if it ever comes to light.

Now, the gameboy/DS titles from Circle of the Moon on, are another matter. These were given for the most part great themes and are an obvious way forward. I'm all on in on these and if it were up to me, I'd see for there release first.

There's also the parallel project Resurrection of the Night (Materia Collective) which is a funded Kickstarter release. This one is special because it uses real instruments and choir. Once It ships and I add it up to my collection (I backed for its realization and for the vinyl reward), I'll include it here.

Updates:

04/08/20

Got the Materia Collective backer vinyl last year. Still have not listened to it.

There's another recent release that deserves mentioning because it exists, it is a kind of an oddity, and might interest those are not completionists and this is Castlevania the Adventure Rebirth released by Ship to Shore and distributed by various. Judging by the selection of the tracks, this one could also serve as a representative selection from the pre-3-D era in remix form. I myself didn't get it at release time because I had most of the music already, but may do so in the future. This release's rendition of Riddle, which is used for the final battle, is the best I've heard, so there is something to look forward to, especially if one also adds the medley on side B.

Fixing sibilance with a parametric equalizer

What I like best about vinyl are the vocals. Instrumentals, particularly piano, I believe sound just as good on CD than on vinyl, but vocals are different as these are where I notice most clearly the warmth of the format. There's the big problem, though, of sibilance. I have had some success against it over the years and shared some of it on previous posts, but I've learned the hard way that sometimes the source is to blame.

I had always wondered about the pre-out/main in jacks on the back of my preamp and found out that I could hook up equipment through them. A graphic equalizer was an obvious choice, but I didn't like the fact that the bands were pretty much set. As it turns out, parametric equalizers address this and found them readily available on eBay, mostly vintage. I settled for the least expensive SAE 180 from the early 80s at $140 and I received it in great shape.

As compared to the graphic equalizer, a parametric one has the double benefit of allowing the pinpointing of a certain central frequency and the amplitude of the effect. For sibilance purposes I already knew the expected frequencies on which to attack, but was greatly aided by an online recommendation to boost the suspect frequencies in the initial pass to better pinpoint the center. After this, it was only a matter of opening and closing the octave range and decibel volume starting both with the least amount of change possible to get the desired effect, that is mellow the ess sounds while preserving as much as possible the tone of the rest. Just killing the identified frequencies doesn't work because although it may appear that nothing interesting is happening on them, the wholesale removal of brightness makes the music dull and unexciting. Once I tried it, it became apparent to me.

By some experimentation I narrowed the parameters to a general range I could work with. Depending on the source, I tweak a bit. However, I soon discovered what is probably the greatest downturn to my solution and that is the noise floor. My particular equalizer (don't know if this is widespread) has a noticeable noise level that gets worse as one narrows the octave range in the high frequencies. Widening it to around two octaves just barely subdues it to make the whole scheme work, but just barely.

To compensate the loss of brightness by the wide octaves I resorted to raising the level at 1.2 kHz, the highest frequency I could get from the low-frequency sliders, with a three octaves spread by a couple of decibels and very nearly got back all the high frequencies that I had lost, while still keeping the sibilance in check.

This model has a button to activate/deactivate the tone effects and has rec out jacks presumably to pass the signal on the yet another processor.

A couple of small negatives: there's no power switch; presumably it has to be plugged on the rear of your preamp to pop into life when you power the system on; the manual surely makes this clear, but the only place I could find the download online required registration and I couldn't bother. Higher models have an on/off button. Another thing to consider is it small overall shape which doesn't allow straightforward stacking: some sort of space has to be found on the side for it.

In the end I got 85 to 95% of my wish and am very happy about it. Is it just cosmetic? Yes. Does it fix the underlying problems with my set up? Not at all. Does it work for my ears? You betcha.

Approximately what my frequency  curve looks like (using Magix ACL 11)

When I add back just a bit of brightness

Dragon Quest Symphonic Suite + String Quartet

So now that I had acquired the more elusive We Love Wizardry, I was looking forward to getting hold of the Dragon Quest LPs from the 80s. These comprise I-IV, are orchestrated but also include the famicom chiptunes.

While browsing around, and adding up what it would cost me to get good copies, I came across a compilation CD purple box set on Amazon's Japan store which made me scuttle my original project. For less money, I could get all the orchestrated versions from I to VII in new condition and pristine sound if I could let go of the original chiptunes and the Akira Toriyama artwork which aren't included on the CDs. Since, in the end, I cared more for the music itself I bought the box set and I'm perfectly happy.

There was a rival black box set that included up to IX which was of even more limited issue. I decided against it for its approach which groups the themes in similar groups for comparison as in all the town themes, and all the fight themes together, etc. I rather wanted more the traditional sequential presentation for each game where I could follow the drama through my ears. I could always buy the additional CDs up to the present individually.

The music for the purple box set is performed by the London symphonic orchestra and here are some of my musical impressions of it. Be, however, informed that I only ever played DQ I & II and had the opportunity of watching the anime series (90s). This means that I was not familiar at all from IV on which shows in what follows.

Dragon Quest I + II

DQ I

Overture March. The title music is probably the most memorable piece from the whole series, if anything because it is retaken by each game. Here, in its first appearance, consists in the fanfare and march followed by some small variations. Variations are the norm for this first release and in my case they are always welcome because they play on the things you know and love. The fanfare and march is very exciting and sets you in the mood for the things to come.

Château Ladutorm. The castle theme is played delicately on strings followed by a small fantasy on its theme.

People. The town theme, now that I can hear it orchestrated, feels very pastoral-like. This one now is extended moving from strings to glockspiel to woodwinds. So playful in its entirety that it could function as a theme for a children's show.

Unknown World. The overworld theme played by a single flute occasionally supported by heavy strings inspires a sense of loneliness. As you know, there was just a lone hero for this first game with no party system. This theme is the least changed from the game rendition. 4/22 edit: I find some resemblance to a theme in Lyapunov's Rhapsody on Ukrainian Themes here.

Fight. Now, the battle theme is one of the worst, if not the worst, battle music I have ever heard. The first time I played the game I thought that it was broken. With the benefit of the orchestration is now more listenable and some enjoyment can be drawn out of it. The battle alert is played out and an extension for the theme adds more drama.

Dungeons. The loveliest piece is this one, narrowly edging the overworld theme. There is a feel of cool, spooky darkness where you can almost feel the condensation on the dungeon walls. In the NES version, once you got to the castle of the Dragonlord the music became slower and deeper the further in the player explores it. This effect is reproduced here with variations.

King Dragon. I'm not especially fond of the gong at the beginning of the final fight with the Dragonlord as it gives an out of place Chinese feel to it; however, the rest of the track more than makes up for it. The growing pressure clearly reminds me of Mars from Holst's The Planets. There is something else that rings a bell… Bolero?

Finale. This first victory theme for the series is very solid and in part so touching that it gives me the chills especially the rising crescendo.

DQ II

Dragonquest March. The title fanfare for the second installment has a more brassy feel.

Only Lonely Boy. One of the longest in its original NES inception is surprising now in its instrumentation work  performed only by plucked strings. I would have liked some other idea, but as it is, it is welcome.

Pastoral ~ Catastrophe. I cannot remember having heard this one at all before though, it is still evocative.

Château. I believe this one is the most polished track for this title and and the most Baroque in the box set. Sounds like an adagio Bach would write in a calmer season. Sadness.

Town. As you would expect, the jolly town theme is yet another jolly town theme. This one has an extension and I like those horns.

Fight in the Dungeon~ Devils Tower. This one gives me the sensation of listening something out of the Smurfs were evil is not really evil but fun, safe evil. Impressionistic as well.

Requiem. Another effective theme that ties up well with the Château music.

Endless World. The overworld themes bouquet starts melancholicly as if recovering from defeat and then setting the eyes high. The oboe solo makes me want to remember something. The lonely theme from the first game sounds now even more lonesome than before and the third overworld with hope and power. In conjunction, these three together are the most cinematic up until now.

Beyond the Waves. I don't really care much for the ship themes, but there are really many of them all throughout the games. This one sounds like a waltz for a ball.

Deathfight~ Dead or Alive. The final boss fight sounds now way better than it used to. The drums give and take and on the whole, is the most complex for the game. A quick note here: this is the hardest final boss encounter I've ever experienced. In one round the enemy would deal a brutal amount of damage; in the next one, it would cast heal all on himself.

My Road My Journey. The final theme is a crowning achievement in emotion. This one is probably in my top two ending themes of all time and it is reused for the anime series. This is what an ending theme should really sound like. I frequently tear up a bit when I listen to it or remember it.

Dragon Quest III

Roto. Another good version of the fanfare and march. Unextended.

Adventure. Also occurred in the anime series.

Dungeon ~ Tower ~ The Phantom Ship. This one contains another solid dungeon theme which was also featured in the anime series. The phantom part reminds me of the music you hear in the lower levels of Castlevania III.

Into the Legend. The final theme is on par with the previous two.

Dragon Quest IV

Overture. This version of introductory theme is different enough to be enjoyed on its own.

Comrades. This one is a long succession of great themes, including one in Spanish style, which by itself makes the album.

In a town. Some jazz.

Dragon Quest V

Of the collection, I feel this is the weakest title. Not bad, but I couldn't find a theme to hang onto. Maybe perhaps the battle music?

Dragon Quest VI

Things noticeably pick up in this installment, though not quite on par with the first four titles.

Through the Fields~ Wandering through the Silence~ Another World. Another nice musical collection of themes which brings the world to life. There is more jazz here as well.

The final piece clearly reminds me of the main title and march from A Fistful of Dynamite by Ennio Morricone. It even has corresponding instrumental wah wahs.

Flying Bed. Sounds to me as it were composed by Leroy Anderson.

Dragon Quest VII

Overture VII. The main theme once more. By now it hasn't really changed over the last three installments.

Strolling into Town. More jazz this time is Sinatra style.

Memories of a Lost World~ Moving through the Present. The first part reminds me of a Final Fantasy IV theme.

Fighting Spirit~ World of the Strong. Another good fight theme.

Screams from the Tower Monsters. Very effective. I liked it.

Orgo Demila. I hear some Rite of Spring in here.

In the end this is an excellent collection yet one that is not uniformly so. It would appear to me that that the composer's best ideas were used up on the first four installments and on the later games he coasts on a trodden path. Notwithstanding, he still manages to surprise from time to time and the orchestrations is what any game music aficionado could hope for.

Now, the experience doesn't end here.

String Quartet "Dragon Quest"

While completing my order I came across and added the string quartet adaptations album. In general I like how strings sound, but I cannot wrap around my head how to enjoy a proper string quartet. I figured that with uncomplicated, beautiful known melodies I could have some traction. I left this album last, after I had been acquainted with the box set and am happy to say that it was not disappointed in the least. This unassuming album indeed is a very special one that not only retakes the themes but manages to incorporate more compositional ideas to them. The music stands on a different level than the already great box set. I believe that each piece, each track represents the best version the composer could dream of. Each one by itself is like a gem for its quality and would be a standout anywhere else. Having them all set in one place is just breathtaking. There is no chaff here and I call it now: this is the best album of the year for me.

If you're going to buy only one album I would recommend you to be this one. It can be identified by its white cover and ivy motif. 

What's next for the future? There's a bewildering amount of releases for the Dragon Quest series judging by the videogame music database page on it. I'm very glad of having struck gold on my first attempt, but I'm not so sure if I would like getting more and more albums as I feel I would be getting negative utility quite soon. In other words, I feel I had already had my fill. I intended to get the symphonic from VIII to the present, each album bought separately. These other albums appear to be well rated by others, but I would need some other push to order them. Had I actually played the games, things would surely be different. Now however, if there's ever another string quartet release, I will pounce on it in a heartbeat.

The Babadook vinyl by Waxwork Records review

If you're anything like me, you might have wondered where to get the title pop-up book after watching the Babadook. As it turns out there was a limited edition of them and have been sold out for years now. Copies can still be bought at auction sites and such, but for hundreds of dollars. After getting wind that Waxwork Records was going to release the standard for this title last year I decided that it was the best next thing to the actual book.

Here is how it rates as I see it:

Pros

• It's the freaking Babadook +1 star
• The cover visually matches that of the book +1
• We get a pop-up in the centerfold +1
• As compared with Nosferatu, the pressing is dead silent. Bravo. +1
• Separate artwork, notes from the composer and a nice splatter +.5
• Inclusion of hype sticker and some label postcards  +.25

Cons

• I got a torn inner sleeve. Not really a problem. -0 stars
• The length of the soundtrack is on the short side, but doesn't feel lacking. -0
• For the second time for a Waxwork release (out of two in my case) I find that it is really difficult to get the record in and out of the outer sleeve -.25
• The cover is non-textured. It looked as if it would come this way, but didn't. I feel this omission hurts the overall experience as they let go one of the senses, touch, which kind of was already implied. Maybe some manufacturing issues came into play, but I feel that Waxwork dropped the ball on this one. -1

After all this, however, I feel it gets half a point back for the actual music which lives up to the oniric theme and places the whole release on a more balanced footing between music and looks.

Not scientific, but fair: 4 stars

We Love Wizardry LP review

The first time I learned about Wizardry was from a review on Game Pro magazine for the NES version. I was fascinated by the secrets and the winding corridors shown in the maps. I begged to have this game for Christmas and enjoyed it fully. My friend Gabriel, who was the only other person that I knew that played RPGs, hated it immediately however when he tried it and bumped into walls. He thought that the "ouch!" messages were silly. Even though I have completed  it many times (I still have my cartridge) my interest has shifted from the gameplay itself to its peculiar art and music. When I tried the primitive original version from the Interplay collection I didn't get the same magic and immersion present in the Nintendo incarnations. The custom-made Baroque music fitted like a glove and it was exciting and charming. My favorites were the title theme, the battle theme that never became old and the very soothing camp music. For many years I had to make do with MIDI versions to listen, but on the Napster era I came across some few seconds, a partial download, from the title theme majestically orchestrated. At the time I did not know where this came from, but now I know it is from the official version released by the composer for retail sale on LP, CD and cassette. Its title: We Love Wizardry.

And of course we do. So much so, that it is a very hard soundtrack to find. Not only was a Japan-only release, making it hard to come across it for starters, but it is also an expensive one. CDs, from what I have seen, start at $100 (used) and could comfortably go for $200 (still used). LPs go even higher, but I have seen a recent tendency to ask more for the CD version. As one would expect a better sleeve + media condition notches even higher prices. My guess is that people do not want to let go off their copies.

In the last couple of years I spent my time waiting for publications on eBay and Discogs or that someone might inadvertently ask for a lower price. I was willing to go for it regardless of the format. Or maybe, with the vinyl revival and the very recent interest in videogame music, a re-release. The master had to exist somewhere, didn't it? For all the We Love Wizardry proclamations, the affection paradoxically doesn't seem to be widespread enough to merit. Even more popular titles, namely Dragon Quest, have not seen their existing soundtracks re-released, so what chance was there? When I felt I had waited long enough and that any change to the status quo was not forthcoming, I decided to bite the bullet.

Now, I'm interested in the music itself and the physical experience of an LP if it came to that. I try to avoid being an actual collector because I really don't want anything and everything, it is too much of a distraction and an expensive one. A very few, well-chosen titles, as I have said before, suffice for me. We Love Wizardry happens to be one of those. I had been eyeing a long published vinyl offer on Discogs for $150. When one day it vanished, I vowed that I would take the next opportunity and it came back last January at just that price. By this time I had the resources, but it didn't make it any easier forking so much dough on just one LP. Went for it. This itch had to be scratched and it seems this will be the most expensive record I will ever buy.

What I bought what described as NM in both media and sleeve. The seller was efficient in processing my order and I made sure to ask him to put, if possible, the record outside of the sleeve and in a double box for better protection. He said no problem. Then came the scary wait. I opted for the most expensive, registered airmail, but it didn't seem to have an impact on shipping time. It came from Japan in around five weeks and by this time I was expecting the package to be partly torn, crushed and generally mangled for all that transit and handling. I should have asked for FedEx.

However, when I finally got the package I was surprised that the contents had not been damaged in the least. The cardboard had some few bumps and scuffs and looked as if it had been run over by a motorcycle tire on one side, but held. No double box, but the record was indeed packaged separately and held firmly. Both record and sleeve combo were in a sealed plastic (Mylar?) outer sleeve. The record sleeve itself was a sight to behold. Despite its 30 years of existence, it looked as if it had been printed last week all smooth and shiny. Who knows how many persons owned and lovingly cared for it all these years.

My copy also came with its original obi sash and insert. The insert was described as having a few stains and I believe that this helped me pricewise. I knew from a Japan trip episode from Nate Goyer's "The Vinyl Guide" podcast that record dealers over there generally are very conservative with their gradings and that any minute imperfection impacts the price. Once more, I believe that with my copy this was the case. The scores for all the tracks are included. I cannot read music but it's nice to have it for archival purposes (yeah). There appears to be an official sticker (hype? separate?) but I knew that this one wasn't included. In a way I'm glad it didn't because its inclusion would have meant an even greater expenditure and I wasn't about to stick it somewhere. It would have been nice, for completion's sake, but that's still an extra. Would I buy it if I saw it sold separately? How much would I be willing to pay for it? I don't know, maybe $20 or up to $40. I'm very happy with what I already got. Music, record condition and, if possible, sleeve condition was what I going for.

Originally I intended to listen to it right away but since Lent was coming I thought to defer the first listening for after Easter. I thought that it would be a good thing, in addition to others, to offer God for the season. As you can see, I was melting for it, but God takes the top spot. It was a shame to finally unpack such beauty. Would I be able to take as good care for my record as others had done? My. At the very least I could make a digital copy for the ages, pack everything in a Groove Vinyl oversized protective sleeve and keep it out of the sun. For a brief moment I considered not playing it at all and having it for display-only, but discarded the idea as extravagant as I didn't have the wall space anyway. Using gloves to handle my $150 was not that far-fetched however.

The music for this title lives in a weird limbo between chiptune and real-life performance as it is generated by high-end synthesizers. I wish we would have gotten some real instruments playing (a very unlikely occurrence for any soundtrack of the era other than Dragon Quest), but I am very thankful that they didn't just record the raw chiptune output. Had this been the case, I would have certainly not bothered at all. Another big plus is that the composer takes the opportunity to explore more in each track than just giving us the same old pieces we have already heard a million times. These two factors, along with the catchy underlying melodies, are what makes this one a standout musically speaking. There is now more power, there is more ebb and flow.

Is this Dungeon Synth before DS? The elements are clearly there, but the composer is decidedly going for Baroque and furthermore, it doesn't appear to have had an influence on later artists to the best of my knowledge.

The sound quality of the vinyl is clear but a bit clicky which is something to be expected for its age, but not distracting. No loud pops.

Almost all the tracks are extended with 1 or 2 minutes of new material beyond the point where you expect each to loop.

Here are some brief impressions for some of the tracks:

The title theme is grander, more solemn and darker than the original and now reminds me of Handel's sarabande.

The castle theme is merry and makes a picture a cobbled medieval town on market day.

The adventurer's inn feels just what a place of relaxation and restoration should sound like. WLW has its own aesthetic, but the extra material here is what comes closest in the album to the Dragon Quest Sugiyama sound.

Boltac's is the closest to the NES version.

In Gilgamesh's tavern there is a surprising entrance of a clavichord followed right away by a passage that reminds me of West Side Story.

The Temple theme sounds like a church hymn and is very effective in giving the sense of sacredness. The organ for this one however feels saturated. Maybe because it's the last track from side A.

The town outskirts music doesn't resist quoting a well-known circus theme.

If there is a theme that I like best in its original NES version, it is the Dungeon. As with many of the rest, it is now darker and foreboding. However, for this one, this makes it lose focus on the already effective minimalist melody. There is a shift from mystery to the feeling of walking on the edge of a chasm.

The Camp theme still remains sweetness.

The very small jingle that signals an encounter isn't included. The battle theme for its part is transformed from the intimate dungeon fight to what feels a very expansive and cinematic pitched battle where vast numbers of opponents are dealing and receiving death all around the listener. It is my belief that this is one of the very few baroque battle themes in gaming and whatever its rivals, it is a fine example.

The LP finishes with that victory theme which, of all the music from Wizardry, is the one one gets to listen the least. In addition it is, if I may, not that great. As a result, it doesn't quite on par with the rest of the music in terms of familiarity and enjoyment which makes the soundtrack as a whole end a bit on the downside.

The Wizardry series doesn't stop with the first title We Love Wizardry/Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord. There were other releases and soundtracks to match by the same composer. Is it the future for me to get those as well?  By the looks of it, all these other soundtrack releases were published as CD only and while still rare and expensive, appear as more affordable and a bit easier to find than We Love Wizardry. There was a box-set release a long while ago and I seriously thought about getting everything in one fell swoop through a reseller at Amazon, but it turned out existing offers were (and still are) outrageously expensive as this one has the aggravating characteristic of being a limited release. Individual titles might work for me: Legacy is the highest rated; owned and loved Heart of the Maelstrom for the SNES; I may eventually buy a used Nintendo copy of Knight of Diamonds which I never had. So, individual CD purchases may be in the horizon. (It happened!)

For yourself, under which conditions would I recommend you get We Love Wizardry? As I see it, get it if you fit under any of the following: a) you are a hard-core collector and have the wherewithal; b) you love Wizardry/its music and can cut other outlays to make up for the expenditure; c) have some special interest such as taking samples or you tell me. For the rest, I would suggest that you first go out and buy the albums of the games that really interest you and still hold on for the possibility of a re-release, however tenuous. I'm inclined to believe that it will never happen, but who knows? Copies from the 80s can still be bought, some way or other, the problem is their price. In the end, if you ever get hold of of one, whatever the format, I believe you will not regret it due to its musical merits.

Actually 4.5