The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

"usually have boring content"
Hmmm I find there are quite a number of them that are very fun to hear. Some of the band cylinders are well done and the Josh stories are a hoot.


The selection of the new tune, while a good song, seems a stretch to the music of early 1900's.

Good luck in your effort. At least getting the historical data on the plight of the greatest cylinder flop out to folks is a good thing.

LH

Payment sent today, but was told by Norman that this was only the fourth one received! At this point Norman has "strong doubts" that this project will happen. Deadline has been set for Nov. 20th.

Doug: I must agree with you. It would be nice to get a good old ragtime tune released on an indestructible 6" cylinder.

Norman and I are in contact as well and although he may have told you he has "strong doubts" we shouldn't give up the idea. The 4 he talks about do not include mine (and I will likely order 2), and the deadline he mentions of 11/20 is self-imposed and thus flexible.

But there are also a few folks, who had committed either via PM or in the open forum, who have not yet followed up. If you are one of those, or are seeing this for the first time, please act now so we can see the project to fruition.

PM me with any concerns or questions, please.

Thanks.

I also offered to get a second copy, should that help with the release of Norman's first 6" cylinder. Yet, from the reactions I'm seeing here, maybe we should consider an alternate title from the pre-teen era, which would surely entice further fellow collectors to join in the project...

phonopal wrote:I also offered to get a second copy, should that help with the release of Norman's first 6" cylinder. Yet, from the reactions I'm seeing here, maybe we should consider an alternate title from the pre-teen era, which would surely entice further fellow collectors to join in the project...

Seconded!

Bill

We are now within easy sight of the minimum order for this first cylinder.

Assuming this one turns out well, there will certainly be opportunities for more to be made, with a variety of musical content chosen by the buyers.

PeterF wrote:We are now within easy sight of the minimum order for this first cylinder.

Assuming this one turns out well, there will certainly be opportunities for more to be made, with a variety of musical content chosen by the buyers.

I'd be interested in another selection in future, something originally recorded on 6" format. A Sousa march would be good.

Valecnik wrote:
I'd be interested in another selection in future, something originally recorded on 6" format. A Sousa march would be good.

Agreed. I too would consider a period-appropriate selection.

George P.

Subsequent attempts to make one of these cylinders, should that ever happen, can use any content desired by the subscribers.

The stated goal of this project was to create a demonstration record for a physical format, not a copy of an original, and with a side goal of having the record bear repeated listenings for musicality, novelty, dynamic range, and perhaps a little fun.

As a demonstration record, the audience would often include non-collectors, and thus George Wilton Ballard and Fred Van Eps and even Sousa or most ragtime might not hold them for the whole three minutes. And if for private use by the owner only, we all have plenty of records with that content lying around already.

So many of us are expressing worry that our hobby isn't garnering interest with younger people. The APS banquet in LA last August kicked off with a worried speech to that effect, and it's a real concern as we all age. Over the years I've started a few kids off and helped them along, and also have seen the kinds of responses people have to demonstrations, and content makes a huge difference. I often play a great bells cylinder on one of my Amberolas, chosen to demonstrate tonal response and range, and folks disengage 45 seconds into it. But put on a 5000 series Golden Gate Orchestra foxtrot, and they are generally rapt for the whole 4 minutes. The bells sound fantastic, and the GG Orch records are once-removed dubs, but the GGO wins.

Now I suppose this is going to kick off more discussion, because that's often our nature here. That's fine if anyone feels the need. I just wanted to give the reasoning behind this particular project in case anyone was unclear from my other postings.

Thanks.

PeterF wrote:As a demonstration record, the audience would often include non-collectors, and thus George Wilton Ballard and Fred Van Eps and even Sousa or most ragtime might not hold them for the whole three minutes. And if for private use by the owner only, we all have plenty of records with that content lying around already.

The audience may include non-collectors...but how many of them have Columbia Graphophones capable of playing the 20th Century cylinder and be potential customers for this cylinder?

I should think that the primary audience (and customer) who would actually be able to purchase and appreciate owning this demonstration cylinder would be collectors who have a Columbia Graphophone capable of playing one of these cylinders - and - who do not have one to play or have one or two that are damaged for display only.

A non-collector might enjoy listening to Barnacle Bill The Sailor being played but again would they purchase one of these? Doubtful. Unless they had the machine.

A person who appreciates period music played on period machines might like Barnacle Bill played on a late Orthophonic machine...but on a Columbia Graphophone it's a real mismatch as I alluded to earlier in this thread.

Almost any ragtime, band or other period novelty recording would be much better suited for this than Barnacle Bill and I would be in line with others to purchase it.

Only my opinion. Thanks.

Doug