Sound Recording: The Life Story of a Technology by David Morton (English) Hardco

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How Thomas Edison's 19th century invention of the phonograph led to one of the most culturally and economically significant technologies of 20th & 21st centuries. Ever since, recorded sound has been all around us, in music, office, home. The quest for better sound was one of the driving forces of technological change.

FORMATHardcover LANGUAGEEnglish CONDITIONBrand New Publisher Description

How did one of the great inventions of the 19th century— Thomas Edison's phonograph— eventually lead to one of the most culturally and economically significant technologies of the 20th and 21st centuries? Sound Recording tells that story, tracing the history of the business boom and the cultural revolution begun by Edison's invention. Ever since, recorded sound has been all around us—not just in reproducing and playing popular music, but also in more mundane areas, such as office dictation machines, radio and television programs, and even telephone answering machines. Just as the styles of music have evolved over the years, the formats on which this music was played have changed as well —from 78s to LPs, from LPs to cassette tapes, from cassettes to CDs—not to mention lesser-known innovations in the motion picture and television industries. The quest for better sound was one of the drivers of technological change, but so too were business strategies, patent battles, and a host of other factors.Sound Recording contains much information that will interest anyone interested in the history of recorded music and sound technology, such as:• The world-famous composer John Phillip Sousa once denounced sound recordings as a threat to good musical tasted. He nonetheless made many recordings over the years• Two innovative new products were introduced by RCA in 1958—the first modern cassette tape cartridge and the stereophonic LP record. The tape cartridge, which was about the size of a large paperback, flopped almost immediately; the stereo LP was the music industry's biggest hit ever• Chrysler automobiles of the late 1950s offered Highway Hi-Fi, a dashboard phonograph that could play a record without skipping• The predecessor of the Compact Disc was a 12-inch home videodisc system from the late 1970s—the first of its kind—called DiscoVisionThe volume includes a timeline and a bibliography for those interested in delving further into the history of recorded sound.

Author Biography

DAVID L. MORTON JR. is a historian of technology with expertise in the history of sound recording, electronics, and electric power. He is the former Research Historian for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the author of two books in the Greenwood Technographies series.

Table of Contents

Birth of RecordingOut of LaboratoryThe Commercial Debut of Sound RecordingThe Introduction of DiscsRecording in the Business WorldThe Heyday of the PhonographThe TalkiesRecords and Radio In the U.S.The Crucial 1930sRecording and World War IIThe Postwar SceneHome Hi-FiRevolution in the StudioMobile SoundCassette to Compact DiscRecord Companies versus the WorldOnline Music and the Future of Listening

Review

?[H]ighly recommended for specialty collections....[t]ells the story of objects and technologies important to the evolution of the recorded music industry over the years. From 8-tracks up to CDs and beyond, this traces the history of a business boom which began with Edison's invention and continues to this day, in the process revealing intriguing glimpses of inventions which never quite made it.?-MBR Internet Bookwatch/The Bookwatch?[R]ecounts the history of recorded music and sound technology from Thomas Edison's invention of the phonograph to the present day.?-SciTech Book News?Sound Recording traces the development of sound technology in the US and Europe from the first demonstration of the phono-autograph in 1857 to the latest MP3 technology. Morton skillfully blends a basic understanding of the physical principles involved in recording sound waves with an interesting chronological account that examines the cultural and economic issues affecting the development of sound technology. The inclusion of the discoveries of European inventors adds depth and dimension to this account; it really underscores the power and continuing influence that everyone involved had on the development of a common method of capturing sound waves. Sound Recording is written in an engaging style for general readers and includes references to primary and scholarly resources for readers who want to learn more....Recommended. General readers; lower- and upper-division undergraduates; two-year technical program students.?-Choice?[V]aluable.?- CBQ Communications Booknotes Quarterly?[V]aluable.?-CBQ Communications Booknotes Quarterly?[V]aluable.??CBQ Communications Booknotes Quarterly"ÝH¨ighly recommended for specialty collections....Ýt¨ells the story of objects and technologies important to the evolution of the recorded music industry over the years. From 8-tracks up to CDs and beyond, this traces the history of a business boom which began with Edison's invention and continues to this day, in the process revealing intriguing glimpses of inventions which never quite made it."-MBR Internet Bookwatch/The Bookwatch"ÝR¨ecounts the history of recorded music and sound technology from Thomas Edison's invention of the phonograph to the present day."-SciTech Book News"ÝV¨aluable."-CBQ Communications Booknotes Quarterly"[V]aluable."-CBQ Communications Booknotes Quarterly"[H]ighly recommended for specialty collections....[t]ells the story of objects and technologies important to the evolution of the recorded music industry over the years. From 8-tracks up to CDs and beyond, this traces the history of a business boom which began with Edison's invention and continues to this day, in the process revealing intriguing glimpses of inventions which never quite made it."-MBR Internet Bookwatch/The Bookwatch"[R]ecounts the history of recorded music and sound technology from Thomas Edison's invention of the phonograph to the present day."-SciTech Book News"Sound Recording traces the development of sound technology in the US and Europe from the first demonstration of the phono-autograph in 1857 to the latest MP3 technology. Morton skillfully blends a basic understanding of the physical principles involved in recording sound waves with an interesting chronological account that examines the cultural and economic issues affecting the development of sound technology. The inclusion of the discoveries of European inventors adds depth and dimension to this account; it really underscores the power and continuing influence that everyone involved had on the development of a common method of capturing sound waves. Sound Recording is written in an engaging style for general readers and includes references to primary and scholarly resources for readers who want to learn more....Recommended. General readers; lower- and upper-division undergraduates; two-year technical program students."-Choice

Promotional

Traces the development of recorded sound from the inventions of Thomas Edison to the development of the MP3.

Long Description

How did one of the great inventions of the 19th century-- Thomas Edison's phonograph-- eventually lead to one of the most culturally and economically significant technologies of the 20th and 21st centuries? Sound Recording tells that story, tracing the history of the business boom and the cultural revolution begun by Edison's invention. Ever since, recorded sound has been all around us--not just in reproducing and playing popular music, but also in more mundane areas, such as office dictation machines, radio and television programs, and even telephone answering machines. Just as the styles of music have evolved over the years, the formats on which this music was played have changed as well --from 78s to LPs, from LPs to cassette tapes, from cassettes to CDs--not to mention lesser-known innovations in the motion picture and television industries. The quest for better sound was one of the drivers of technological change, but so too were business strategies, patent battles, and a host of other factors. Sound Recording contains much information that will interest anyone interested in the history of recorded music and sound technology, such as: * The world-famous composer John Phillip Sousa once denounced sound recordings as a threat to good musical tasted. He nonetheless made many recordings over the years * Two innovative new products were introduced by RCA in 1958--the first modern cassette tape cartridge and the stereophonic LP record. The tape cartridge, which was about the size of a large paperback, flopped almost immediately; the stereo LP was the music industry's biggest hit ever * Chrysler automobiles of the late 1950s offered Highway Hi-Fi, a dashboard phonograph that could play a record without skipping * The predecessor of the Compact Disc was a 12-inch home videodisc system from the late 1970s--the first of its kind--called DiscoVision The volume includes a timeline and a bibliography for those interested in delving further into the history of recorded sound.

Review Quote

"[V]aluable."- CBQ Communications Booknotes Quarterly

Promotional "Headline"

Traces the development of recorded sound from the inventions of Thomas Edison to the development of the MP3.

Details ISBN0313330905 Short Title SOUND RECORDING Series Greenwood Technographies Language English ISBN-10 0313330905 ISBN-13 9780313330902 Media Book Format Hardcover Illustrations Yes Year 2004 Imprint Greenwood Press Subtitle The Life Story of a Technology Country of Publication United States Place of Publication Westport DOI 10.1604/9780313330902 AU Release Date 2004-09-30 NZ Release Date 2004-09-30 UK Release Date 2004-09-01 Author David Morton Pages 240 Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Publication Date 2004-09-01 DEWEY 621.389309 Audience General US Release Date 2004-09-01 Audience Age 7-17 We've got this

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