Technology That Changed Recording History (Part 1)

The fact you can replicate the sound of something on a wax disc by playing it loudly down a horn will always be like witchcraft and I am so glad someone discovered it!

I'm an audio archivist and historian specializing in radio between 1920 and 1950 and this video is like candy to me. The best thing about audio history, from a scholarly perspective, is that it's not just monographs and peer-reviewed papers, it's tangible historical artifacts. Endpoint Audio is like Wonderland.

I wish this was about 30mins or an hour of detail on each gadget shown. But still great to see these historic gadgets that birthed our current recording mediums.

This is fascinating. The correlation between technology and musical styles is not trivial, and this video explains this beautifully btw. A really commendable restoration endeavor. Applause.

I like this a lot - really insightful and genuine, and important history to remember and understand.

When they changed to microphone, they recorded with more than one. German Grammophon called the process Polyfar, meaning the use of multiple microphones to get the room acoustics, other companies did the same without mentioning. Also soloists and vocalists had own microphones and they used a mixing console. Except few examples, fade out wasn't used in regular music, but in promotional samples, when you got 1 minute for free.

I love how you illustrate the transformation from mechanical to electric. Now think about where we are today. A lot of audiophiles love to talk about how analog is better than digital, but the technology really is at an empowering point. Back then you got one take on wax and you had to hope for the best. These days we can literally play back and punch in. And that equipment leasing/borrowing is part of the reason why Hollywood record labels were in control. They had the resources back then that we have easy access to today. I think that's what I love about the landscape now. It's so accessible for independent artists that when I hear people like Gene Simmons talk about how the music industry is dead, I find that to be severely out of touch.

you are a wonderful interviewer, the history of audio recordings has always fascinated me. Radio and what led up to it particularly interests me. the 1920s, for its place between the wild west and the nuclear age, has become one of my favorite periods in American history.

Thanks for making this important History Series. Really fascinating!

This is truly wonderful thanks kyle and Nic 👍

GREAT stuff! Back in those days, (130-140 years ago) the really DID pull recordings OUT of their collective arses!

While preparing materials for my music production students/class few years back, this was one of the things i had to research on

Have watched this and the next video you've made. They are excellent.

6:16 sometimes they recorded parallel on two machines, so they could check one of them and repeat the process without wasting more than some blank discs.

Wow 🤩

Bro every video u make ur making history good 👍!

Brilliant!

Absolutely fascinating. Thank you!

i was just watching and thinking that , the telephone companies around at that time must of had a hand in the development of those early microphones and the sound produced.?

Fascinating stuff! Thanks for sharing