Edison Day 2009 - Wax Cylinder Recording Session

[phonophan79]

Greetings all -

Today was Edison Day at the Edison National Historic Site. I grew up in West Orange and my parents still live there. So, they called me and wanted stop by. So we went! They had a cylinder recording session and we toured the Edison House (Glenmont).

Here are the recording session pics...

Entrance arch...


ENHS grounds...


more grounds...


Building 11...


Wax Cylinder Recording Session...


Introducing themselves...


Warming up...


Close up of the German reed organ...


The band posing...


Getting ready to play "into the horn"...


The recorder phonograph...


The playback phonograph...


Tinfoil reproduction hanging out in the back...


Picture of the original recording studio...


Some phonographs (including an Oak Victor L-Door) behind glass...

[phonophan79]

I recorded a 15 minute video but had to chop it down to 10 because of YouTube restrictions.

ATTENTION: If I had known I would be attending a recording demonstration, I would have brought my camcorder, unfortunately all I had was a digicam so PLEASE PARDON THE POOR AUDIO. It sounded better in person.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST5GnI-XiMI[/youtube]

[gramophoneshane]

I wonder if Edison ever thought his recording method would still be getting used almost 100yrs after he stopped making wax cylinders.
The recording itself came out really good. I notice they didn't use a lamp to heat the cylinder while recording. Do you know if it was a standard 2m recorder they use, or was it a special recorder capable of cutting the wax better than the regular recorder?

[EdisonSquirrel]

How fascinating to watch an Edison recording session! I wonder what the reaction of the average listener would have been 100 years ago if this particular recording could be shipped back in time.


Rocky

[phonophan79]

I notice they didn't use a lamp to heat the cylinder while recording. Do you know if it was a standard 2m recorder they use, or was it a special recorder capable of cutting the wax better than the regular recorder?

He mentioned that the actual studio would have had more "professional" recording equipment, including a machine that would keep the mandrel more "in the round". He said that the museum only has 4 complete of these kind of recorders but I didn't know that a lamp was supposed to be used when recording a cylinder, so I did not ask, sorry!

The cylinder he was using, as he mentions, is a "new" cylinder from a private collectors creation in England.

[coyote]

Those would be Paul Morris' blanks from the UK; I recognize the containers. http://www.paulmorrismusic.co.uk/WaxCylinders.asp
Thanks for all the great photos!

[gramophoneshane]

Looking at the pictures again, it looks as though the carriage might be the type that took the Model N reproducer?
I guess a larger diaphragm would allow the cutting stylus to cut that little bit deeper, and could explain why the volume is so good without heating the wax slightly.

They are indeed Paul Morris blanks. I picked up half a dozen from Marcel on Friday (Thanks again Marcel)

[Paal1994]

Thank you for posting the video.
It was very interesting to watch a recording session!

[JohnM]

The "oak" L-door almost looks like Circassian walnut to me . . . are you for sure it is oak? Great photo set . . . thank you very much for sharing with us!

John M

[phonophan79]

The "oak" L-door almost looks like Circassian walnut to me . . . are you for sure it is oak? Great photo set . . . thank you very much for sharing with us!

John M

No, you're probably right!