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"The landmark book on the origin and development of the technology of sound recording."--John Fesler, International Tapetronics Corporation
"Whoever has spoken into the mouthpiece of the phonograph, and whose words are recorded by it, has the assurance that his speech may be reproduced audibly in his own tones long after he himself has turned to dust. The possibility is simply startling."--Scientific American, November 17, 1877
From Tinfoil to Stereo, the fundamental reference book of sound recording history, was last available in print in the late 1970s. It described the development of sound recording from early experiments that led to the invention of the tinfoil cylinder phonograph by Thomas Alva Edison in 1877 (patented on February 19, 1878) to the development of stereo technology in the mid-1950s.
This book is a revision and expansion of the first half of the earlier text--the critical acoustic era of phonograph history. It incorporates 50 percent new information presented by international experts, including some who were associated with historical figures in the industry or who have hands-on experience with actual models of early phonographs. The new material includes discussion of the talking doll, the Kinetophone, the cement phonograph era, early coin-vending machines, and the international scope of early entrepreneurs.
Since its first publication in 1959, From Tinfoil to Stereo has been regarded as the bible of record and phonograph collectors. It investigates the individuals, the companies, and the legal machinations that led to virtually every major development in the talking machine industry, up to the installation of sound on Hollywood stages and in movie theaters across the country.
This edition contains many new photographs, most taken between 1888 and 1912, that have never appeared in any publication.
Walter L. Welch was curator and director of the Diane and Arthur B. Belfer Audio Laboratory and Archive and of its forerunner, the Thomas A. Edison Rerecording Laboratory, at Syracuse University. Among his honors are awards from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and from the Audio Engineering Society.
Leah Brodbeck Stenzel Burt, retired curator of the Edison National Historic Site, West Orange, New Jersey, is the author of prizewinning articles on phonograph history.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Highly detailed, but info stops about 1958,
By John Carmack (Texas) - See all my reviews
This review is from: From Tinfoil to Stereo: The Acoustic Years of the Recording Industry, 1877-1929 (Hardcover)
Very very detailed on the history up to about the 1920's and then speeds up and skims over everything beyond that. Essential to the Victrola and 78RPM collector. Very scientific in its information and also includes quotes, interviews, and tons of information available nowhere else on mechanical/electrmechanical audio reproduction. Also covers in detail the introduction and development of 33/45 discs (titled "The War of the Speeds"). Stereo and the post-crystal/ceramic cartridge era is very minimal.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Probably best suited to real gramophone enthusiasts,
By
This review is from: From Tinfoil to Stereo: The Acoustic Years of the Recording Industry, 1877-1929 (Hardcover)
Thomas Edison invented the cylinder phonograph and that's what we had until a fellow named Emile Berliner thought round discs might work better. That's all quite a bit too simplistic and leaves out stages in between where recording material varied between a basic tinfoil all the way up to cylinders composed of wax, various compounds, including some that were coated with gold. The evolution of the recording industry also included countless lawsuits over tangled disagreements as to various patents involving methods of recording and reproduction.
This book attempts to rectify misconceptions many (myself definitely included) might have about how the recording industry involved from using acoustic means to record and recreate sound until the first uses of electrical means to 'grab' sound. PROS: Copious footnotes have some information you'd miss if you don't refer to them Very detailed information about patents involved (down to legal notices printed verbatim) from some of the big players in the gramophone/graphophone/disc industry's early days Interesting photographs of oddities like the 1888 (approx) vintage Edison made talking doll, 1897 ads for Columbia/Bettini/Edison phonographs ($5 per dozen for the Edison records!),and an office worker using a phonograph (and giant ear tube) to type from dictation recorded on a cylinder. CONS: It's not a very easy read for someone, like me, who's interested in the early days of recording but doesn't have a big legal background or knowledge of terminology like "mandrel" (a component of early cylinder machines). The authors didn't make much of an attempt to explain the complicated web between the main companies, their contracted sellers, other manufacturers of discs/cylinders. Perhaps a "flow chart" explaining how the chain of command went from the corporation to the local talking machine store might have helped. The book's title is somewhat misleading..there's fairly little time spent discussing "stereo" sound or for that matter much past the 1920s (the last 5 pages really). There are plenty of books covering that vintage, so it's only an issue if you're looking for a tome that covers that whole spread. For the early years up until approximately the 1920s, this does a good job. BOTTOM LINE: Actual 78RPM disc/phonograph collectors will probably find this essential. Mere music enthusiasts like myself will probably find this too dry to sit all the way through. I'm hoping that perhaps the authors will find a way to make it a more exciting read ina future edition and perhaps more explanatory with regard to technical/legal terms.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Extremely dry, sterile and boring.,
By
This review is from: From Tinfoil to Stereo: The Acoustic Years of the Recording Industry, 1877-1929 (Hardcover)
The first Tinfoil to Stereo contained many errors, but it was a fun book to read. This one was written presumably to correct the first one but in the process all the meat was removed leaving only unpalatable bone. To make matters worse the book ended in the mid 1950's leaving one with the feeling that the second half was missing.
I collect phonographs for enjoyment and to have fun. This book induced thoughts of a totally sterile environment which abounded with facts sans enjoyment. If you found the previous sentence enjoyable, read this book.
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