The Dawn of Commercial Digital Recording

Home , Bop Till You Drop, Soundstream, Thomas Stockham

Presentation by Tom Fine Audio Engineering Society, NYC Section June 15, 2010

Agenda: 1. Summary of ARSC Journal article (http://www.aes.org/aeshc/pdf/fine_dawn-of-digital.pdf) 2. Listening session/discography – some digital firsts 3. Discussion/Q&A

Perspective 1. Commercial Digital Recording is now 40 years old. 2. Electrical Recording was 40 years old in the mid-60’s. 3. Tape Recording for Commercial Releases in the U.S. was 40 years old in the late-80’s. 4. The CD has been around since 1982 (28 years).

Pre-History 1. PCM first described as mechanical facsimile system (Western Electric, 1921). US Pat. 1,608,527 (1926). 2. Ground-breaking research for electronic PCM voice transmission by Alec H. Reeves (IT&T, Paris, 1937). French Pat. 852,183 (1938) and US Pat. 2,272,070 (1942). Described but not commercialized. 3. Good summary in “Analog-Digital Conversion” edited by Walt Kester, Analog Devices. (www.analog.com/library/analogdialogue/archives/39-06/data_conversion_handbook.html)

SIGSALY (1943-46) (http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/recording/sigsaly.html) First digital quantization of speech and first PCM transmission of speech – 12 terminals

Early Digital Transmission for Broadcasting 1. British Broadcasting Corp., 1972 – deploys 13- channel PCM system to A-D at the broadcast center and D-A at the broadcast transmitter. Designed to improve TV audio quality, used for more than 10 years. (Described at June 1982 AES Premiere Conference, Digital Audio) 2. Public Broadcasting System (U.S.), 1973 – DATE (Digital Audio for Television) system sends video and PCM audio over common transmission system, up to 4 audio channels. (Described in March 1974 SMPTE Journal)

The Denon Innovations – Music Meets Digital 1. NHK (Japan broadcaster) develops digital audio recorders in late 1960’s. 2. Denon joins forces with NHK, leases NHK 2-channel recorder, 1969-71. Makes first commercial recordings. 3. Denon develops 8-channel DN-023R recorder in 1972, 13- bit/47.25kHz. 4. DN-034R developed in 1977, 14 bits with emphasis (equiv. 15.5 bits)/47.25khz. Used for first U.S. commercial digital recordings. 5. Denon innovations detailed at May 1989 AES 7th International Conference (endnote 2 in ARSC Journal article)

The Denon Innovations – Digital Firsts 1. “Something” by Steve Marcus and Jiroh Inagaki (First digitally-recorded commercial album, 1970) 2. Mozart: String Quartets KV 458/KV 421 (First digitally-recorded classical album, 1972) 3. Bach: Musical Offering BWV 1079 (First all-digital commercial recording in Western Europe, 1974) 4. “On Green Dolphin Street” by Archie Shepp (First all-digital commercial recording in the U.S., 1977)

The Soundstream Innovations – PCM USA 1. Dr. Thomas Stockham develops computer-based recording system at University of Utah. First uses computer tape drives, later a Honeywell instrumentation tape recorder. 2. Stockham also develops computer-based waveform editor and DSP audio-level and EQ adjustment programs. The precursor of the DAW. 3. Soundstream company founded in 1975. 4. By 1976, Soundstream recorder capable of 16-bit resolution at 37.5kHz. Experimental recordings made in Santa Fe, played at AES Convention. 5. First 4-channel recorder samples at 42.5kHz, 16-bit. Virgil Fox recordings made in August 1977 (not released until 1981). 6. Soundstream detailed in several AES publications (search AES.org) © 2010 Thomas Fine. All Rights Reserved. The Dawn of Commercial Digital Recording

The Soundstream Innovations – PCM USA

Jerry Bruck, recording engineer for New World Records, describing an incident during the 1976 Santa Fe Opera recording session:

“I knew that we were dealing with something different when Tom (Stockham) called me on my intercom to say that he had noted a hum on our feed (to the prototype Soundstream system). Surprised, I turned up our monitor (speaker), but heard nothing amiss. I asked him what level he thought it was. He checked and called back: 'It's about eighty dB down.' Awk!”

The Soundstream Innovations – Telarc 1. Soundstream improves 4-channel recorder to 50kHz/16-bit at behest of Telarc. 2. April 1978 – First classical digital commercial recording in US. Holst: Suites for Military Band Nos. 1 and 2 / Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks / Bach: Fantasie in G major. Frederick Fennell conducting the Cleveland Symphonic Winds. “The Bass Drum Heard ‘Round The World.” 3. Soundstream and Telarc commence a multi-year, many-album relationship. Soundstream also used by RCA, Delos and others for classical recording.

Thomas Stockham at first Telarc recording session

The 3M Innovations – A Digital Grammy and Rock & Roll 1. 3M combines its expertise in tape recorders with BBC developments in PCM audio. 2. Prototype 32-track and 2-track linear recorders shown at 11/1977 AES convention. Multi-track used specially-formulated 1-inch tape at 45IPS. 16-bit resolution at 50kHz. (Described in convention presentation by John A. McCracken) 3. Used by record companies and TV/movie sound companies. The 32-track recorder featured punch- in/punch-out and search-to-location technologies familiar to studios and engineers.

The 3M Innovations – A Digital Grammy and Rock & Roll 1. Prototype 2-channel recorder installed at Sound80 Studios, Minneapolis, spring 1978. Machine nicknamed “Herbie” for studio co-owner Herb Pilhofer. 2. June 1978 session with St. Paul Chamber Orchestra intended to be direct-to-disc but LP cutter is balky. 3M machine used as backup. Digital results judged superior. Copland: “Appalachian Spring” and Ives: “Three Places in New England.” LP wins 1979 Grammy ® award for Best Chamber Music Performance. 3. Ry Cooder’s “Bop Till You Drop”, recorded at Warner Brothers Studio in 1979 on the 3M system, is the first all-digital rock album.

Digital “Native” Firsts in Europe 1. Decca develops its own PCM recording system using an IVC industrial video recorder for storage, 18-bit/48kHz. Makes first “native” European commercial digital recording New Year’s Day in Vienna, 1979. (System described in presentation at 65th AES Convention by Decca’s F.A. “Tony” Griffiths, 2/80) 2. EMI also built its own recorder, using a 1” industrial data tape recorder for storage, 14-bit/50kHz. First digital recording was 7/2-3/79 at Abbey Road (Andre Previn / LSO / Debussy). 3. Deutsche Grammophon joined the fray last, in 12/79 (Lorin Maazel / BPO / Gidon Kremer / Tchaikovsky). Reportedly used the 3M system.

Listening Session Caveat – Keep in mind that original recordings’ sound quality can be changed by CD remastering, transfer from LP playback system, this room’s playback system, your seat location, etc., etc., etc. Listening sessions are by nature subjective. Don’t expect absolute sonic truths to be revealed.

© 2010 Thomas Fine. All Rights Reserved. The Dawn of Commercial Digital Recording Digital Firsts Discography First digitally-recorded commercial release “Something” by Steve Marcus and Jiroh Inagaki Nippon Columbia NCB-7003 (no sound sample available) Recorded in Tokyo, 9/70, Denon/NHK prototype

© 2010 Thomas Fine. All Rights Reserved. The Dawn of Commercial Digital Recording Digital Firsts Discography First digitally-recorded classical release Mozart: String Quartets KV458 and KV421 / Smetana Quartet Nippon Columbia NCC-8501 (excerpt from Japan Audio Society CD) Recorded in Tokyo, 4/24-26/72, Denon DN-023R

© 2010 Thomas Fine. All Rights Reserved. The Dawn of Commercial Digital Recording Digital Firsts Discography First commercial digital recording in Western Europe Bach: Musical Offering, BWV1079 / Paillard Chamber Orchestra Denon OX-7021 (excerpt from Japan Audio Society CD) Recorded in Paris, 12/2-3/74, Denon DN-023R

© 2010 Thomas Fine. All Rights Reserved. The Dawn of Commercial Digital Recording Digital Firsts Discography First commercial digital recording in the United States “On Green Dolphin Street” by Archie Shepp Denon MJ-7262 (excerpt from Denon reissue CD) Recorded at Sound Ideas, NYC, 11/28/77, Denon DN-034R

© 2010 Thomas Fine. All Rights Reserved. The Dawn of Commercial Digital Recording Digital Firsts Discography First classical commercial digital recording in the United States Holst: Suites for Military Band Nos. 1 & 2, etc. / Fennell / Cleveland Winds Telarc 5038 (excerpt from Telarc SACD/CD hybrid – CD layer) Recorded in Cleveland, 4/4-5/78, Soundstream digital recorder

© 2010 Thomas Fine. All Rights Reserved. The Dawn of Commercial Digital Recording Digital Firsts Discography First Grammy® Award-winning Digital Recording Copland: Appalachian Spring & Ives: 3 Places In N. England / Davies / SPCO Sound80 DLR-101 (excerpt from original LP, transfer by Tom Fine) Recorded at Sound80 Studios, Minneapolis, 6/78, 3M prototype recorder

© 2010 Thomas Fine. All Rights Reserved. The Dawn of Commercial Digital Recording Digital Firsts Discography First “Native” European Digital Recording “New Year’s Day Concert In Vienna” / Willi Boskovsky / Vienna Philharmonic Decca D147D2 / London LDR-100012 (excerpt from Decca reissue CD) Recorded in Vienna, 1/1/79, Decca digital recorder

© 2010 Thomas Fine. All Rights Reserved. The Dawn of Commercial Digital Recording Digital Firsts Discography First EMI Digital Recording Debussy: Images, Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun / Andre Previn / LSO EMI ASD 3804 / Angel DS-37674 (excerpt from EMI reissue CD) Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, 7/2-3/79, EMI recorder

© 2010 Thomas Fine. All Rights Reserved. The Dawn of Commercial Digital Recording Digital Firsts Discography First Deutsche Grammophon Digital Recording Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto / Lorin Maazel / Gidon Kremer / BPO DGG 2532 001 (excerpt from DGG reissue CD) Recorded in Germany, 12/79, possibly 3M recorder

© 2010 Thomas Fine. All Rights Reserved. The Dawn of Commercial Digital Recording Digital Firsts Discography First All-Digital Rock Recording “Bop Till You Drop” by Ry Cooder Warner Brothers BSK 3358 (excerpt from original LP, transfer by Tom Fine) Recorded at Warner Bros. Studios, 1979, 3M Digital Mastering System

Title Artist Date Location System Mozart: String Quartet 15 KV 421 (excerpt) - First Smetana Quartet 24-26 April 1972 Aoyama Tower, Tokyo Denon Classical Digital Recording Bach: Musical Offering BWV 1029 (excerpt) - First Paillard Chamber Orchestra 2-3 December Notre Dam de Rose, Denon European Digital Recording 1974 near Paris In A Mellow Blues (excerpt) - First USA Digital Archie Shepp 24 November Sound Ideas studio, Denon Recording 1977 NYC Holst: Suite for Band #1 - III. March - First USA Frederick Fennell / Cleveland 4-5 April 1978 Severence Hall, Soundstream Classical Digital Recording Symphonic Winds Cleveland Copland: Appalachian Spring (excerpt from LP) - Dennis Russell Davies / St. Paul June 1978 Sound80 Studio, 3M First Digital Grammy Winner Chamber Orchestra Minneapolis Johann Strauss II: Tik-Tak (Polka) - First Decca Willi Boskovsky / Vienna Philharmonic 1 January 1979 Musikvereinssaal, Decca Digital Vienna Debussy: Iberia - In The Streets And Byways Andre Previn / London Symphony 2-3 July 1979 Abbey Road Studio EMI (excerpt) - First EMI Digital Orchestra No. 1 Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto - Finale (excerpt) - Gidon Kremer, violin / Lorin Maazel / December 1979 Philharmonie, Berlin 3M (?) First DGG Digital Berlin Philharmonic The Very Thing That Makes You Rich (LP transfer) - Ry Cooder 1979 Warner Brothers 3M First Rock All-digital Studio, L.A.

Thank you for your attention.

ARSC Journal Article located here: http://www.aes.org/aeshc/pdf/fine_dawn-of-digital.pdf