Analog Recording. A Brief History of Sound Recording Before actual sound recordings existed, several mechanical formats were developed to reproduce. - ppt download
These included devices such as: Musical Clocks (1598) Barrel Organs (1600s) Barrel Pianos (1805) Musical Boxes (1815) Player Pianos (1876).
The first recordings The first two formats for recording sound were : 1) Cylinder Phonograph (1877) by Thomas Edison 2) Gramophone Record (1889) Emile Berliner
Cylinder Phonograph Edison’s first sound recording
Gramophone Record Emile Berliner with Gramophone record player
Development of Electronic Formats Throughout the 20 th Century many different electronic inventions were made to make the recording and reproduction of sound more accurate and efficient.
Telegraphone magnetic wire recording by Valdemar Poulsen(1898) The first answering machine
Triode vacuum tube by Lee De Forest Amplification Audion (1906)
Regenerative Circuit ( ) by Edwin Armstrong Radio
Condenser Microphone (1917) by E.C. Wente of Bell Labs late 20’s condenser mic
Victor Talking Machine (1924) Bell Labs
Columbia Phonograph Co. (1924) Bell Labs
Ribbon Microphone (1925) RCA
Sound-On-Film RCA Photophone (1925)
Stereo recording patented (1931) Alan Blumlein -EMI Blumlein Pair Array (2 crossed Figure-8s) (Small arrows indicate front of individual microphones, large arrow indicates front of array.)
Marconi-Stille Recorder-steel tape recording (1932) used by BBC
Telegraphone/Magnetophone- acetate tape recording (1935) BASF
Shure Unidyne-cardiod dynamic mic (1938)
Ampex Model 200 (1948) ¼ tape and 10 ½ reels – Jack Mullin
Microgroove Long Playing Records 33 1/3 RPM (1948) Dr. Peter Goldmark-Columbia Records
45 RPM single (1949) RCA Victor
Multi-Track Tape Recorder- modification of Ampex Model 300 (1950) –Les Paul
Ampex 1 eight track tape developed for Les Paul (1954)
8 Track Sel-Sync recording (Selective Synchronous Recording)- Les Paul (1956)
Mixer – Rupert Neve (1961)
Automatic Double Tracking (ADT) (1966) synchronizing two 4 track machines Ken Townshend at Abbey Road
Ampex MM track recording (1967)
TASCAM, TEAC, OTARI, AMPEX and STUDER - 24 track recording (1973)
MCI -32 track recording at 20 IPS – inches per second(1978)
Tascam Portastudio – 4 tracks on a cassette (1979)
An Introduction to Tape Recording How does analog tape recording work
These waves are continuously varying in air pressure. A microphone capsule responds to changes of air pressure. As the diaphragm moves a variance in the flow of electrons is induced. This variation in the flow of electrons from the microphone is amplified and routed to the record head. The record head responds to the microphone signal by converting the electrical signal into a continuously changing magnetic flow. Changes in magnetic flow are imprinted on the recording tape and stored for playback..
The tape induces a continuously varying magnetism in the playback head. The varying magnetic flow from the play back head is converted into an electrical signal that is sent back to the mixer or input of the power amp. The power amplifier boosts the level of the original signal enough to move a speaker cone back and forth in the same way that the microphone capsule was moved in the first place. As the speaker cone moves back and forth it creates continuously varying changes in air pressure (waves). The speaker cone movement should be an exact replica of the waves created by the original sound source as it was captured by the microphone..
Analog recording is considered to be more accurate than digital recording because it captures a continuously variable change in air pressure. This system reflects the original waveform in the most accurate way..
The anatomy of the analog tape mechanism
Lots of care and maintenance is needed (head cleaning, degaussing).
There is no undo!. Tape is fairly expensive ($175 for 24 track tape that holds only 16 minutes) Requires special care when storing ( tails out to avoid print through and also under specific temperature and humidity conditions) Tapes should be stored in a cool, dry environment between 50° F and 70° F, 20% to 45% relative humidity. Lower numbers are better for longer-term storage..
Automation of mixing functions is rare and expensive. Each successive copy of the original has a poorer sound quality. Despite these pitfalls, many musicians still prefer analog recording..
The quality and capability of analog tape recording is determined by several factors Width of the tape: i) cassettes are 1/8 wide ii) reel to reel tapes are 1/4 , 1/2 , 1 or 2 wide
Factors that determine quality and capability of tape recording (continued) Speed of the tape: i) cassettes (1 7/8 IPS –inches per second) ii) 4 track cassettes (3 ¾ IPS) iii) ¼ inch reel to reel (7 ½ IPS) iv) ½ and 1 reel to reel (15 IPS) v) 2 reel to reel (30 IPS) A faster tape-speed produces a higher quality recording
This is when signals from one track bleed over to another..
The type of magnetic oxide particles found on the tape: i) Iron Oxide ii) Chromium Dioxide Chromium dioxide provides better signal to noise ratio and a wider dynamic range
Wow and flutter cannot be corrected after the recording is made so you are stuck with what you have..
Dolby developed an encoding and decoding system of noise reduction. Types of Noise Reduction: a) Dolby B-type Noise Reduction: 10 dB of noise reduction b) Dolby C-type Noise Reduction: 20 dB of noise reduction c) Dolby S-type Noise Reduction: 24 dB of noise reduction and reduces low frequency noise by 10db. d) DBX Noise Reduction- Professional level technology that involves compression as a portion of the signal is boosted to avoid tape saturation and distortion. This system reduces tape hiss while still maintaining a widedynamic range in the recording..
Popularized by Alvin and the Chipmunks, Mike Oldfield and Les Paul. Ex. Sombreros (A. Shoesmith).
Ex.1 Pink Floyd’s Empty Spaces Ex. 2 Beatle’s Rain.
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