A mysterious sound at the beginning of some Victor records
- CharliePhono
- Victor III
- Posts: 782
- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2016 2:41 pm
- Personal Text: "The kerosene record player is not a very efficient device." ~Frank Zappa
- Location: North Fork, CA
A mysterious sound at the beginning of some Victor records
Over the years, I have come to notice a noise phenomenon that occurs at the beginning of some Victor acoustic recordings. It is somewhat difficult to describe, but is akin to a metallic "puff" or a muted clunk just before the selection begins. I have heard this only on some, but certainly not all, Victor acoustics. It seems confined to the earlier discs, i.e., pre-1920s. Does anyone know what this is? Was it some sort of signal from the recording engineer to begin the music/performance? I find it hard to believe that, as when Rosa Ponselle described an acoustic recording session, she stated the engineer simply gave a signal at which point the conductor would raise the baton to begin recording. Anyone else noticed this or am I just hearing things?
Last edited by CharliePhono on Sat Mar 02, 2019 1:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
- Victor Monarch
- Posts: 4172
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 4:23 pm
- Personal Text: I have good days...this might not be one of them
- Location: Albany NY
Re: A mysterious sound at the beginning of some Victor recor
You are not mistaken- it is not unusual to hear a conductor's signal on records.
and on this you can hear the whistle from a nearby factory[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0GQ8EnkDpY[/youtube]
and on this you can hear the whistle from a nearby factory[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0GQ8EnkDpY[/youtube]
- CharliePhono
- Victor III
- Posts: 782
- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2016 2:41 pm
- Personal Text: "The kerosene record player is not a very efficient device." ~Frank Zappa
- Location: North Fork, CA
Re: A mysterious sound at the beginning of some Victor recor
Thank you for that. I love Galli-Curci, and that particular recording I had not heard. It is a lovely song, and aside from the intrusive whistle, is a beautiful recording.estott wrote:You are not mistaken- it is not unusual to hear a conductor's signal on records.
and on this you can hear the whistle from a nearby factory[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0GQ8EnkDpY[/youtube]
Charlie
- Henry
- Victor V
- Posts: 2624
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 11:01 am
- Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Re: A mysterious sound at the beginning of some Victor recor
Are you referring to the sustained "a" at approx. 1:45-1:50, and again at 2:45-end?estott wrote:You are not mistaken- it is not unusual to hear a conductor's signal on records.
and on this you can hear the whistle from a nearby factory[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0GQ8EnkDpY[/youtube]
- Wolfe
- Victor V
- Posts: 2755
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 6:52 pm
Re: A mysterious sound at the beginning of some Victor recor
On the earlier records there is sometimes a rapping sound, or a couple of raps. I've assumed that was the conductor signalling the start.
Rosa Ponselle didn't start recording for Victor until 1923, late in the acoustic era, so maybe they had changed the practice. Rosario Bourdon conducted her Victor acoustics.
Rosa Ponselle didn't start recording for Victor until 1923, late in the acoustic era, so maybe they had changed the practice. Rosario Bourdon conducted her Victor acoustics.
- CharliePhono
- Victor III
- Posts: 782
- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2016 2:41 pm
- Personal Text: "The kerosene record player is not a very efficient device." ~Frank Zappa
- Location: North Fork, CA
Re: A mysterious sound at the beginning of some Victor recor
Wolfe, I believe that is precisely what I am hearing - a light rapping noise. As well, I failed to mention that Mlle Ponselle was discussing her acoustic recording experiences for Columbia: https://78records.wordpress.com/2018/05 ... ecordings/Wolfe wrote:On the earlier records there is sometimes a rapping sound, or a couple of raps. I've assumed that was the conductor signalling the start.
Rosa Ponselle didn't start recording for Victor until 1923, late in the acoustic era, so maybe they had changed the practice. Rosario Bourdon conducted her Victor acoustics.
Last edited by CharliePhono on Sat Mar 02, 2019 9:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Wolfe
- Victor V
- Posts: 2755
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 6:52 pm
Re: A mysterious sound at the beginning of some Victor recor
Yes, I don't recall hearing it on a Columbia record, if I have.
-
- Victor I
- Posts: 119
- Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2015 12:04 pm
- Location: Eastern Virginia
Re: A mysterious sound at the beginning of some Victor recor
I believe I hear it at about the thirty eight second mark. I wish I could recall what records they were but I have two in my collection where there are these strange sounds. One has a clunking sound at the begininning andf the other occurs further in right before the vocal. I always just assumed it was someone messing with the recording horn. However, a conductor tap or recording engineer signal sound much more probable than my assumption.
- Wolfe
- Victor V
- Posts: 2755
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 6:52 pm
Re: A mysterious sound at the beginning of some Victor recor
Not exactly somebody messing with the horn, but a bump into the horn. This has several, like at 1:16:Zkeener323 wrote:I believe I hear it at about the thirty eight second mark. I wish I could recall what records they were but I have two in my collection where there are these strange sounds. One has a clunking sound at the begininning andf the other occurs further in right before the vocal. I always just assumed it was someone messing with the recording horn. However, a conductor tap or recording engineer signal sound much more probable than my assumption.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXKr-wcFplg[/youtube]
The same bumps are on any transfer or copy of this 78 that I've heard, I have a few copies of this.
-
- Victor Monarch
- Posts: 4172
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 4:23 pm
- Personal Text: I have good days...this might not be one of them
- Location: Albany NY
Re: A mysterious sound at the beginning of some Victor recor
Henry wrote:estott wrote:You are not mistaken- it is not unusual to hear a conductor's signal on records.
and on this you can hear the whistle from a nearby factory
Are you referring to the sustained "a" at approx. 1:45-1:50, and again at 2:45-end?
No, I mean it- the Campbells Soup plant was near the studio, start at .33 and you can hear the factory whistle- she pauses a second & it is audible over the strings. It can be heard on other records too & the Sooy Brothers write of it in their memoirs.
Similarly the Vitaphone movie studios were located in a Brooklyn basement & sometimes picked up the subway noises