Under those conditions, I would definitely claw my way to the head of the line!

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lorna Fulton" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2014 1:53 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] recording booths


> Hi Tom- we are using a modern microphone with the lathe, and digitally recording each piece as 
> it's being cut as well. We also produce an mp3 recording of each 78.
>
> You'd be surprised how many musicians want to record a 78!
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On 17 Sep 2014, at 18:46, Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>> If you make a recording booth, you might learn from past bad ideas and make sure it's heavily 
>> damped so it doesn't sound like the performers are inside a cardboard box. While I understand the 
>> novelty cachet of this trend of using ancient disk recorders to cut one-off lacquers of modern 
>> performers, I think purposely using outmoded and low-fidelity methods is silly. If I were doing 
>> this, I would at least use a better microphone than was available for these things in the 1940s, 
>> and would try to improve the electronics and the cutting stylus, if possible and practical. And, 
>> if I were the performers, I would insist that a high-fidelity digital recorder with good modern 
>> mics is running at the same time in case I hit a once-in-a-career performace by accident. It 
>> would be terrible to have someone bring their A+ game for that one day and have it captured by an 
>> old low-fi antique.
>>
>> -- Tom Fine
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Biel" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2014 1:03 PM
>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] recording booths
>>
>>
>>> You might check with Rainbo records in Santa Barbara.  They used to make
>>> most of the discs that were used in these machines.  And look up
>>> Mutoscope.  There also was an Empire State Building recording booth that
>>> was not only in the Empire State building.  It was similar.  Indeed, the
>>> main problem might be getting blank discs because a regular aluminum
>>> base lacquer disc won't work. It crimps dimples in the label area of the
>>> discs to keep the disc in place.  Discs were fibre base or thin
>>> aluminum.
>>>
>>> Mike Biel  [log in to unmask]
>>>
>>>
>>> -------- Original Message --------
>>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] recording booths
>>> From: Lorna Fulton <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Date: Wed, September 17, 2014 10:16 am
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>>
>>> Many thanks- this is a great start! If anyone knows of any research /
>>> publications as well, that would be brilliant!
>>>
>>>
>>> Lorna Fulton
>>> e: [log in to unmask]
>>> t:
>>> + 44 (0) 7771 692971
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> On 17/09/2014 10:55, "CJB" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Google in your friend ...
>>>>
>>>> http://retrodundee.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/railway-recording-booths-1960s.h
>>>> tml
>>>>
>>>> http://www.dinosaursandrobots.com/2008/11/mutoscope-voice-o-graph-coin-ope
>>>> rated.html
>>>>
>>>> http://wcardoneproductions.com/blog/2013/the-voice-o-graph-recording-booth
>>>> s-of-the-1940s/
>>>>
>>>> http://www.dhrecordings.com/dhr_malls.html
>>>>
>>>> http://www.skooldays.com/categories/arcade/ag1271.htm
>>>>
>>>> etc., etc.
>>>>
>>>>> On 17/09/2014, Lorna Fulton <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>>>> Hi, I'm new to this list, so forgive me if this question has been
>>>>> answered
>>>>> before!
>>>>> I'm based in the UK and doing a project recording contemporary
>>>>> musicians on
>>>>> a 78 presto lathe- one mic, one take, one cut. We're then building this
>>>>> into
>>>>> a contemporary archive. The majority of the musicians are those who play
>>>>> traditionally inspired music (recently recorded Sheesham & Lotus & son
>>>>> (Toronto) and the lost brothers (Ireland)).
>>>>> We're looking to further develop the project by building a traditional
>>>>> recording booth- of the voice o graph type- the ones which used to be
>>>>> around
>>>>> in the 40s-60s, which would then travel around cities, placed where the
>>>>> old
>>>>> recording booths used to be, where the public could record a record, and
>>>>> there would be a range of performances from musicians we have worked
>>>>> with.
>>>>>
>>>>> I've already been in touch with the British Library and the British
>>>>> Sound
>>>>> Archive looking for any archival/historical information on these
>>>>> recording
>>>>> booths, but they have been unable to find anything, so referred me to
>>>>> this
>>>>> list. I know Jack White has a voice o graph in his studio, but aside
>>>>> from
>>>>> that, am finding it very hard to find out anything about their history-
>>>>> if
>>>>> anyone could help, that would be brilliant!
>>>>> Thank you!
>>>>> Lorna Fulton
>>>>> e: [log in to unmask]
>>>>> t: + 44 (0) 7771 692971
>>>
>
>