The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

By entering 135 Blue Amberols into a spreadsheet programs today here is what I learned:

1. I have six records by "Daab" -- 4 solos on bells, 2 on xylophones.
2. Edison was not generous providing information about musicians. Especially around 1914, many records list "Band" as the artist. If you look further -- into Dethlefson or Allan Sutton (freely downloadable online) you will learn the full name of the performing band. It was not always the same.
3. Eighty of the 135 recordings I catalogued today are the pre-dubs -- made from 1912 to 1914. This was partly conscious when I came upon a collection of some hundreds years ago and deliberately picked low catalogue numbers.
4. My newest cylinder is 5668 "A gay caballero" released March 1929.
5. I have three or four duplicates (none rare I don't think).
6. I wish I had more of the electrics from 1927 on. But really it is the song that matters. There are some incredibly energetic fox trots from the early 1920s that are fun to listen to.

Very nice!

What spreadsheet program are you using?
I've been building a spreadsheet for several years now and it is great to have the ability to sort by song titles, artist, genre, etc. I use Google Sheets.

I use Microsoft Excel...

Most of my BA's are directly recorded, and I particularly collect the 28000 Opera & Concert Series.
I am an old technophobe. All my records are listed on typed pages which are kept in ring binders.
Any record of great interest or value is highlighted for the benefit of those who will inherit.

I want to put my disks and cylinders on a spreadsheet, but never found the time. for now they are both in their respective notebooks.

Nice! That's how I started... I fully switched to Excel sheet when the big registry book arrived to 800+ 78s... but I've been using double system (handwritten book and excel sheet) since it was by 500+ 78s.