1 GRAMAPHONE 2 gramophone record, commonly stream in 1991.[1][2] However, they knownA as phonograph record (in continue to be manufactured and sold American English), vinyl record in the 21st century. The vinyl record (when made of polyvinyl chloride), regained popularity by 2008, with or simply record, is an analog sound nearly 2.9 million units shipped that storage medium consisting of a flat year, the most in any year since 1998. disc with an inscribed, modulated [3] They are used predominantly by spiral groove. The groove usually young adults, as well as DJs and au- starts near the periphery and ends diophiles for many types of music. As near the centre of the disc. Phono- of 2009, vinyl records continue to be graph records are generally described used for distribution of independent by their size ("12-inch", "10-inch", and alternative music artists. More "7-inch", etc.), the rotational speed mainstream pop releases tend to be they are played at ("33", "45", "78", mostly sold in compact disc or other etc.), their time capacity ("Long digital formats, but have still been re- Playing"), their reproductive accu- leased in vinyl in certain instances. racy, or "fidelity", or the number of A device utilizing a vibrating pen to channels of audio provided ("Mono", graphically represent sound on discs "Stereo", "Quadraphonic", etc.) of paper, without the idea of play- Gramophone records were the pri- ing it back in any manner, was built mary medium used for commercial by Edouard-Leon Scott of France in music reproduction for most of the 1857. While the mechanism, known 20th century, replacing the phono- as a phonautograph, was intended graph cylinder, with which they had solely to depict the visual charac- co-existed, by the 1920s. They were teristics of sound, it was recently largely supplanted by the late 1980s realized that this depiction could be by digital media, leaving the main- digitally analyzed and reconstructed 3 as an audible recording. Just such an Celluloid, an early plastic which was early phonoautogram, made in 1860 far less fragile than the earlier wax (in and now the earliest known audio fact it would have been more or less recording, has been reproduced us- indestructible had it not been for the ing computer technology. plaster of paris core). By November In 1877, Thomas Edison developed 1918 the patents for the manufacture the phonautograph into a machine, of lateral-cut disc records expired, the phonograph, that was capable of opening the field for countless com- replaying the recordings made. The panies to produce them, causing disc recordings were made on tinfoil, and records to overtake cylinders in pop- were initially intended to be used as ularity. Edison ceased production of a voice recording medium, typically cylinders in 1929 (reputedly the day for office dictation. before the Wall Street Crash). Disc This phonograph cylinder dominat- records would dominate the market ed the recorded sound market begin- until they were supplanted by the ning in the 1880s. Lateral-cut disc Compact Disc, starting from the records were invented by Emile Ber- early 1980s Early disc recordings were produced liner in 1888 and were used exclu- in a variety of speeds ranging from sively in toys until 1894, when Ber- 60 to 120 rpm, and a variety of sizes. liner began marketing disc records At least one manufacturer, Philips, under the Berliner Gramophone produced records that played at a label. In an attempt to head off the constant linear velocity disc advantage, Edison introduced the Amberol cylinder in 1909, with a maximum playing time of 4½ min- utes (at 160 rpm) to be in turn super- ceeded by the Blue Amberol Record whose playing surface was made of 4 This phonograph cylinder domi- inders in 1929 (reputedly the day hand-cranked 1898 Victrola shows nated the recorded sound market before the Wall Street Crash). Disc a governor. It says that spring drives beginning in the 1880s. Lateral- records would dominate the mar- replaced hand drives. It notes that: cut disc records were invented by ket until they were supplanted by "The speed regulator was furnished Emile Berliner in 1888 and were the Compact Disc, starting from with an indicator that showed the used exclusively in toys until 1894, the early 1980sEarly disc record- speed when the machine was run- when Berliner began marketing disc ings were produced in a variety of ning so that the records, on repro- records under the Berliner Gramo- speeds ranging from 60 to 120 rpm, duction, could be revolved at exactly phone label. In an attempt to head and a variety of sizes. At least one the same speed...The literature does off the disc advantage, Edison in- manufacturer, Philips, produced re- not disclose why 78 rpm was chosen troduced the Amberol cylinder in cords that played at a constant linear for the phonograph industry, appar- 1909, with a maximum playing velocity. As these were played from ently this just happened to be the time of 4½ minutes (at 160 rpm) to the inside to the outside, the rota- speed created by one of the early ma- be in turn superceeded by the Blue tional speed of the record reduced as chines and, for no other reason con- Amberol Record whose playing sur- reproduction progressed (as is also tinued to be used."[6] face was made of Celluloid, an early true of the modern Compact Disc). tubes, and using the amplified signal plastic which was far less fragile [4] to drive an electromagnetic record- than the earlier wax (in fact it would As early as 1894, Emile Berliner's ing head. A wide frequency range have been more or less indestructi- United States Gramophone Com- could now be recorded with a big ble had it not been for the plaster of pany was selling single-sided 7" increase in playback volume limited paris core). By November 1918 the discs with an advertised standard only by the pitch of the grooves in patents for the manufacture of later- speed of "about 70 rpm".[5] the record. al-cut disc records expired, opening One standard audio recording Although the technology used vac- the field for countless companies to handbook describes speed regula- uum tubes and today would be de- produce them, causing disc records tors or "governors" as being part of scribed as "electronic", at the time it to overtake cylinders in popularity. a wave of improvement introduced was referred to as "electrical". A 1926 Edison ceased production of cyl- rapidly after 1897. A picture of a Wanamaker's ad in The New York 5 Times offers records "by the latest phonic Victrola, an acoustical record strument is a feat of mathematics Victor process of electrical record- player that was specifically designed and physics. It is not the result of ing".[9] It was recognized as a break- to play electrically recorded discs, innumerable experiments, but was through; in [1930], a Times music as part of a line that also included worked out on paper in advance of critic stated: electrically-reproducing "Electrolas." being built in the laboratory.... The "...the time has come for serious mu- The acoustical Orthophonics ranged new machine has a range of from sical criticism to take account of per- in price from US$95 to $300 (about 100 to 5,000 frequencies[sic], or formances of great music reproduced US$1140 to $3600 in year 2007 dol- five and a half octaves.... The 'pho- by means of the records. To claim lars), depending on cabinetry; by nograph tone' is eliminated by the that the records of succeeded in ex- comparison, the cheapest Electrola new recording and reproducing pro- act and complete reproduction of cost US$650 (about US$7500 in year cess."[11] all details of symphonic or operatic 2007 dollars). Gradually, electrical reproduction performances... would be extrava- The Orthophonic had an interior entered the home. The clockwork gant. [But] the article of today is so folded exponential horn, a sophis- motor was replaced by an electric far in advance of the old machines as ticated design informed by imped- motor; the 'needle' and diaphragm hardly to admit classification under ance-matching and transmission- (the 'sound box') was replaced with the same name. Electrical recording line theory, and designed to provide a a 'pickup' using either a steel or sap- and reproduction have combined to relatively flat frequency response. Its phire stylus, and a transducer to retain vitality and color in recitals by first public demonstration was front- convert the groove vibrations into proxy."[10] page news in the New York Times, an electrical signal. The exponential Electrical recording preceded elec- which reported that: horn became an amplifier and loud- trical home reproduction (much as "The audience broke into applause... speaker.[citation needed] digital recording preceded digital John Philip Sousa [said]: 'Gentleman The playing time of a phonograph home reproduction), because of the [sic], that is a band. This is the first record depended on the turntable initial high cost of the electronics. In time I have ever heard music with speed and the groove spacing. At the 1925, the Victor company introduced any soul to it produced by a mechani- beginning of the 20th century, the the groundbreaking Victor Ortho- cal talking machine.' ... The new in- early discs played for two minutes, 6 the same as early cylinder records. "Carnegie Drag" was 3:15; "Carn- [15] The 12-inch disc, introduced by egie Jump", 2:41. But, at the second Victor in 1903, increased the play- session, on April 30, the two 12" re- ing time to three and a half minutes.