1925 Recording Techniques

Just wanted to toss this out there in case anyone is interested. 

A few weeks ago we were flipping the channels looking for something interesting to watch, when we landed on PBS.  The show was "American Epic The First Time America Heard Itself".

Without getting too long winded here, it's about the first electrical sound recordings, and how the ability to take this into rural areas to record what was then referred to as hillbilly, blues, and race music, as well as bluegrass, spiritual, etc.. music -- music that had never been recorded, and make records that the rest of the country could listen to for the first time. 

Jack White (who is my new hero in the music industry for many reasons) along with T. Bone Burnette produced this special. They had access to the last known complete and now restored 1925 recording setup -- cutting to disc of course, motor driven by weight not electricity -- first tube amp powerful enough to cut a record -- etc  all done with one mic of course, no mixing.  They brought in contemporary artists to record on this equipment.  It was amazing.  Beyond the technical aspects of the vintage machine, to the techniques required of the performers (stepping near and from the mic to "mix" live) etc was fascinating.  If you get a change to see any of it, do.

The whole thing is actually over 6 hours long as the lead up episodes have all the history of the machine, the artists, the travels, etc.  All leading up to the 2 hour finale which is "American Epic - The Sessions".  You can find some of the performances on youtube, and the whole series of just the sessions can be purchased on DVD either with a substantial donation to your PBS station, or for much less on Amazon. Or if you're like me, you buy the whole 6+ hour collection (it wasn't that expensive).

All I kept thinking was "where can I get one of these machines" LOL.

Here's a link to the opening performance with Jack White:

Other performers who came in to cut a song were Elton John, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson,  Los Lobos, Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, Nas, and a bunch of others.  The song Elton did was written right on the spot. 

I found it fascinating and highly entertaining.

TIB