Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 January 1893 — Photographic Black. [ARTICLE]

Photographic Black.

In “charging” the little wax cylinders used upon the Edison phonograph for recording and reproducing speech or song, the singers or instruments whose notes are to be recorded, are placed as closely to the large speaking horn of the phonograph as possible in a room from which all other sound is carefully excluded. If there is more than one singer or instrument they are grouped in a semicircle. Four or five, sometimes as many as seven phonographs, are arranged also in a semi-circle. The sounds are recorded on all simultaneously, but not with equal perfection, some of the cylinders being better than others. By this process, if a large number of cylinders are needed to supply all the phonographs controlled by the company, the music is simply repeated as many times as is neeessary. After testing the cylinders are then ready to be placed upon the phonographs at the railway stations, seaside resorts and other public places, where the curious audience of one drops a nickel in the slot and then smiles to himself and wonders why every one else doesn't smile in enjoyment of the feast of song. A much more rapid process is used by Mr. Edison in his works. What is called a “master record” is made upon a single cylinder, which is used similarly to the matrix in t the stereotyping process for reproducing or multiplying the cylinders as many times as may be desired.