Phonograph cylinder
Phonograph cylinders were the earliest commercial method for recording and reproducing sound.
They were commonly known simply as "records" in their era of greatest popularity (c. 1896–1915). They were hollow cylindrical objects with an audio recording engraved on the outside surface. The sound can be reproduced when they are played on a mechanical cylinder phonograph.[1] In the 1910s, the competing disc record system became the more popular commercial audio medium.[2]
Some of the cylinders and their recoreders can be found in local museums.
Phonograph Cylinder Media
Proper way to hold a cylinder record: put fingers on the inside; do not touch the outer surface which has the recording.
Two Edison cylinder records (left and right) and their cylindrical cardboard boxes (center)
Brown wax cylinders showing various shades (and mold damage)
Paper record slip from 1903 cylinder
Back side of 1903 record slip
Portion of the label from the outside of a Columbia cylinder box, before 1901. Note that the title is handwritten.
Edison Gold Moulded record made of relatively hard black wax, c. 1904
Rim of Edison "Blue Amberol" celluloid cylinder with plaster core
Blue Amberol cylinder box lid
Disc records and cylinders
Playback demonstration of a recording and playback demonstration at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park in West Orange, New Jersey
A demonstration of recording an Edison cylinder from a live performance, at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park, West Orange, New Jersey, on June 1, 2019, their annual fee-free demo day". The performers are Earl Karlsen, mandolin, Arnie Reisman, banjo, Drew Uhlmann, violin, performing "Jerusalem Ridge" composed by Bill Monroe; the operator is Jerry Fabris, Museum Curator, Thomas Edison National Historical Park, National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior.
References
- ↑ Aodhan Phipps (November 8, 2013). "History of Recorded Music". Transcript of History of Recorded Music. Prezi. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
- ↑ Callie Taintor (May 27, 2004). "Chronology:Technology and the Music Industry". FRONTLINE the way the music died. Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 2018-01-12.