Léon Scott de Martinville’s Phonautograph (above)“The first device capable of recording sound signals was Léon Scott de Martinville’s 1857 invention called the “phonautograph.” His device could not, however, reproduce sound signals, but the idea was adapted by Emile Berliner into a disc music player he called the “gramophone.” Preceding Berliner’s 1887 invention, however, was Thomas Edison’s tinfoil cylinder phonograph, which made the first recording of the human voice in 1877. By 1878, Edison launched his Edison Speaking Phonography Company to produce recording and playback machines, which initially were intended as dictation machines for business purposes.”
Thomas Edison and his tinfoil cylinder
phonograph (below)
phonograph (below)
Emile Berliner and his disc music
play gramophone (above)
Works Cited:
"The Evolution of Digital Audio." www.randomhistory.com.4 Aug.2008. 9June 2009 .
"Academic dictionaries and encyclopedias."dic.academic.ru.9 June 2009 .
"Friends of the Phonograph."phonographia.com. 9 June 2009.
I really like this part of your blog. You chose a good topic. Come to think that without these first inventers of these first "phonautographs" and "gramaphones", where would our music be today? Isn't it amazing how our technology has developed and come so far throughout the years? It has brought music to our ears. I personally think that music is one way that can heal our pain. Keep the good work/research up!
ReplyDeleteMusic players sure have come a long way. The gramophone seems to be an early model of the record player. It is interesting to see how music players evolved over the years. I bet these were the life of the party back then. I can see why everyone would want one of these in their homes.
ReplyDeleteThese early sound recording devices are quite ridiculous looking by today's standards. With long tubes to capture sound and strange tin foil cylinder contraptions attatched to them, these machines bear almost no resemblance to a modern cd player or digital music device. It is interesting to see this article after we had to write a paper on the music recording industry. You have found machines that predate even the machines I was researching for my paper. Thanks for the great article and keep it up!
ReplyDeleteThe early ways of listening to music were horrible, but we cannot blame them, they had no other choices. Today, we have Mp3s, Cds, cassette players etc. Internet has changed everything nowadays. Even back in the 90s people would still go out and physically buy music but internet has made their life even easier.
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