Edison Day 2009 - Wax Cylinder Recording Session

[Aaron]

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.

Here is a picture of an Edison Recording Studio recording machine. This one is up for "adoption" by the Friends of Edison. They have an "Adopt A Phonograph" program where you can make donations for the repair of the phonographs listed that will then be added to the museum...

Aaron

[phonophan79]

Just FYI, one of the rangers / tour guides said that when the lab re-opens there will be over 400 new pieces (he was very vague about what that meant, but he said it did include phonographs) that have been taken out and cleaned and repaired that haven't seen the light of day since Edison's time.

[Aaron]

Just FYI, one of the rangers / tour guides said that when the lab re-opens there will be over 400 new pieces (he was very vague about what that meant, but he said it did include phonographs) that have been taken out and cleaned and repaired that haven't seen the light of day since Edison's time.

PhonoJack actually got access to the storage areas and made a video of all the pictures he took. Look here: http://www.phonojack.com/Shows.htm and find the movies of the museums and you will see HUNDREDS of phonos just collecting dust...including many Tinfoils...I should tell them at the museum that i could take anything they dont want off their hands

[WDC]

Thank for you posting the video and the pictures. Just watched the video and it's cool to see that they are still doing such sessions at the ENHS.

[Viva-Tonal]

It'd be amazing to see them get the disc cutting equipment restored. I'd like to see a DD or an electric lateral being recorded with the original equipment today.

[phonophan79]

Thanks for all the positive responses...

Here is the last 5 minutes I had to chop off because of YouTube standards.

It's just the Q+A portion for anyone interested.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmgrqPZ_A54[/youtube]

[Viva-Tonal]

The band is called The 413s. The members are also members of other groups, as follows:

CHRIS BOLGER guitar and lead vocalist (Roseland)
STEVE GAECHTER keyboard (Hussy and Lange)
MIKE POST guitar (The Upsiders)
GRAHAM MABY bass (Joe Jackson Band)
DENNIS DIKEN drums (The Smithereens)

Bolger's aunt, Estelle Leslie, recorded for Edison.

Found this here: http://stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=184773

[rodpickett]

If you are interested in more recording knowledge and are able to travel to Auburn, Indiana at the end of July, Phonovention 2009 is the place for you.

Peter Dilg, well-known expert acoustical recording engineer, will record the world premiere Brass Quintet performance of “The Phonovention Rag.” This wax cylinder record will later be buried in a time capsule for 100 years at the Edison Birthplace Museum. The second recording of this performance will be auctioned to the highest bidder. Don’t miss owning a piece of history in the making.

View the following link for more informatio:

http://www.phonovention.com/

[WDC]

This wax cylinder record will later be buried in a time capsule for 100 years at the Edison Birthplace Museum.

You're sure it will be the wax cylinder and not a plastic mold derived from it? I honestly don't see any chance for a wax cylinder to survive in a buried time capsule.

[rodpickett]

YES, it will be the actual wax cylinder. We have surviving 100 year old cylinders today.