Recorded Sound PDF

Recorded Sound Mass Media & Society / Mass Communication in a Modern Society The Acoustical Era 1877-1925  THE ACOUSTIC ERA (1877-1925) 1877 - Thomas Edison invented phonograph ○ Used mechanical needle to etch sound saves onto a ROTATING CYLINDER (cylind...

Recorded Sound Mass Media & Society / Mass Communication in a Modern Society The Acoustical Era 1877-1925  THE ACOUSTIC ERA (1877-1925) 1877 - Thomas Edison invented phonograph ○ Used mechanical needle to etch sound saves onto a ROTATING CYLINDER (cylinder technology) made of tin foil ○ Best for spoken word; he recited Mary Had a Little Lamb ○ Edison wanted it used for business dictation Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in 1877, which used a mechanical needle to etch sound waves onto a rotating cylinder Edison thought it best for spoken word -- recited Mary Had a Little Lamb. Wanted it applied to business dictation. Used cylinder technology.  THE ACOUSTIC ERA (1877-1925) 1887 - Emile Berliner invented gramophone ○ Used disc technology: recording on flat discs ○ Trademark: picture of dog (pitbull named “Nipper”) listening to his master’s voice 1924 - Victor Talking Machine bought Berliner company Gramophone used disc technology Berliner joined forces with Eldridge Johnson and formed Victor Talking Machine company. Trademark: picture of a dog (a pitbull named Nipper) peering into the bell of a gramophone - slogan- “His Master’s Voice” Later merged with RCA. Disc technology beat out cylinders. Note: Early in 1924, the Victor Talking Machine company bought the Berliner company. Victor then merged with RCA in 1929 to become the RCA Victor company. Bélisle pointed out that “Nipper,” the trademark RCA dog that listens to “His Master's Voice” (HMV) on a gramophone, first belonged to Berliner Early recordings were low fidelity and captured a limited range of frequencies The Electrical Era 1925-1945  THE ELECTRICAL ERA (1925-1965) Use of microphones and electronic amplifiers ○ Greatly improved sound quality and recording fidelity Development of sound-on-film technology, revolutionizing the film industry Vinyl records popular from the 1950s to 1980s The introduction of electrical recording in the mid-1920s marked a significant leap. This era saw the use of microphones and electronic amplifiers, which greatly improved sound quality and recording fidelity. The development of sound-on-film technology also emerged during this period, revolutionizing the film industry. The Magnetic Era 1945-1975  THE MAGNETIC ERA (1945-1975) Commercially availability after World War II Technology allowed for multi-track recording ○ Enabled more complex, higher-quality recordings Use of magnetic tape - widespread both professional & consumer markets ○ 8-Track ○ Cassette Tapes Magnetic tape recording, pioneered by Valdemar Poulsen in 1898, became commercially viable post-World War II. This technology allowed for multi-track recording, which enabled more complex and higher-quality recordings. The use of magnetic tape became widespread in both professional and consumer markets. Video: History Magnetic Recordings  The Digital Era 1975-present Digital recording = higher fidelity & easier manipulation of sound  THE DIGITAL ERA (1975-present) 1979: CD (Compact Disc) ○ Thin, shiny and circular storage disc, about 6” circumference ○ Most commonly used to store music ○ Holds about 80 minutes of recorded sound and could be put in a ○ Played in a CD player The Digital Era (1975-present) The advent of digital recording in the late 20th century brought about another revolution. Digital technology allowed for higher fidelity and easier manipulation of sound. The introduction of the compact disc (CD) in the 1980s and the subsequent rise of digital audio formats like MP3 transformed how music was consumed. Today, streaming services dominate the industry, making music more accessible than ever before Phillips and Sony decided on a thin, shiny and circular storage disc, which could hold about 80 minutes of music and could be put in a CD player to play music out loud.  THE DIGITAL ERA (1975-present) MP3 and iPods Streaming recorded sound This will be in a future lecture/Module :) The Digital Era (1975-present)