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By Jonathan Morgan Jenkins

Today, with the explosion of the inexpensive Consumer Electronics, some of the most incredible advances have been those in the Digital Recording Industry. This article documents the general history of Tape and Digital Audio Recording.

The earliest record of an Audio Recording dates back as far as December 4, 1877. Thomas Edison became was the first to record and play back the human voice. The technologies that resulted in the phonograph were developed from the discoveries that he made developing the telegraph and telephone. His discovery came to him while he was experimenting with how a moving diaphragm linked to a coil would produce a weak, voice modulated signal. During this time he was also continuing his experiments with a telegraph repeater that was a simple device that made use of a needle to make indentations in paper with the dots and dashes used in Morse code.

These two innovative ideas were joined. He attached the stylus from the telegraph repeater to the diaphragm in the mouthpiece of a telephone. During his first test in July of 1877, he attempted success by mechanically pulling a sheet of paper under the needle while attached to the diaphragm as he shouted into the mouthpiece. Unfortunately, this combination failed to produce desired results. But, it did produce a vague recognizable sound that was the seed of faith Edison needed to continue fulfilling his vision.

During the following year, Edison and his staff worked with diligence to refine his invention. His first important discovery was to replace the paper with Tin Foil. This was a positive development and Tin Foil became the first viable recording media. A band of Tin Foil was mounted on a cylinder. The cylinder was turned manually with a hand crank during recording and playback. His first famous recorded words were, "Mary had a little lamb it's fleece was white as snow. And everywhere that Mary went the lamb was
sure to go."

Early Techniques - 1890s to 1930s

In the era of acoustic recordings (prior to the introduction of microphones,
electrical recording and amplification) the earliest recording studios were very
basic facilities, being essentially soundproof rooms that isolated the
performers from outside noise. During this era it was not uncommon for
recordings to be made in any available location, such as a local ballroom,
using portable acoustic recording equipment.

In this period, master recordings were made by a direct-to-disc cutting
process -- performers were typically grouped around a large acoustic horn (an
enlarged version of the familiar phonograph horn) and the acoustic energy
from the voices and/or instruments was channeled through the horn's
diaphragm to a mechanical cutting lathe located in the next room, which
inscribed the signal as a modulated groove directly onto the surface of the
master cylinder or disc.

Following the invention and commercial introduction of the microphone, the
electronic amplifier, the mixing desk and the loudspeaker, the recording
industry gradually converted to electric recording and this technology had
almost totally replaced mechanical acoustic recording methods by 1933.

The next breakthrough was Magnetic Tape developed by German inventor Joseph Begun. Graduating in 1929 from the Institute of Technology in Berlin, Germany, where he penned the revolutionary research book entitled "Magnetic Recording", during 1934- 35, Begun developed and built the world's first tape recorder used for broadcasting.

During the 50's magnetic tape applications made further strides, especially in the application of the recording studio. The person whose research led to the first Multitrack Recordings was the legendary Les Paul, the man also famous for the popular Les Paul Electric Guitar.

Paul's multitrack experiments, begun in the mid 1940's, progressed rapidly and in 1953 he commissioned Ampex to build the world's first eight-track reel-to-reel tape recorder, at his own expense. Due to his diligent efforts, Ampex Corporation released the first commercial multitrack recorders in 1955, naming the process "Sel-Sync" (Selective Synchronous Recording). Elvis Presley was one of the many early artists that benefited from this incredible advancement in professional recording.

Our next big step forward is the invention of the Cassette Tape. In the Netherlands, The Philips Company invented and released the first compact audiocassette in 1962. They used high-quality polyester 1/8-inch tape produced by BASF. Recording and playback was at a speed of 1.7/8 inches per second, incredible for the time. The consumer's demand for blank tape used for personal music recording was unanticipated by Philips. They became a large and profitable corporation.

With the development of the computer micro chips through the sixties, especially in the Nasa Space Program, many recording visionaries knew that the ultimate future of Audio Recording was not tape but digital. The first big advance occurred in 1967 when the first digital tape recorder was invented. A 12-bit 30 kHz stereo device using a compander (similar to DBX Noise Reduction) to extend the dynamic range. In the 1970s, Thomas Stockham created the first digital audio recordings using standard computer equipment, as well as developing a digital audio recorder of his own design, the first of its kind to be offered commercially. In 1976 he made the first 16-bit digital recording at the Santa Fe Opera on a handmade Soundstream digital tape recorder.

Bringing us up to present day, the MP3 Audio File is arguably the most important invention we enjoy. Mp3 files are the ones burnt on CD's, downloaded from the Internet and commonly imported into your ipod or itunes. It was invented by a team of European engineers at Philips in 1991. Compact discs soon followed and the rest is history.

I was first introduced to Digital Recording Technology when I recorded and released my first CD, WINDOWS, in 1993. I was fortunate to have a close friend that was a consultant for Yamaha Digital and had a personal Digital Studio filled with the latest equipment, much of which were prototypes that he was helping Yamaha develop (top secret stuff back then).

Since then, the industry has absolutely exploded. It is hard to believe that this technology that today is common in many homes and the standard in professional studios was only recently in it's infancy. The greatest advances have not only been in the technology and the availability to the public. When I built my first digital recording studio in 1994, I was very limited as to what I could afford due to the very high cost.

I recall the days when a top of the line rack mount synthesizer could cost you as much as 5000.00. After you added the computer, mixing board, keyboard and other necessary accessories, the cost of a basic recording studio could climb to as much as 20,000.00 to 30,000.00, minimum. Now, the costs of owning a digital recording studio are as low as 199.00. What if I told you I could sell you your own recording studio that you could use in your home, in your car, on a picnic bench, on a business trip or on vacation! I am sure you would be interested! At my web site, I sell Digital Recording Studio, Complete Packages for under a 600.00. This is an incredible value to the consumer.

Please click on Home Recording Studios link below and see for yourself.

I hope you have enjoyed and learned some important information in this article. I write all the time in Ezine Articles so please sign up and be notified of updates.

See you next time!

Jonathan Morgan Jenkins

Check out my Bio.

http://www.vocaltrainingwarrior.com/home_recording_studios
http://www.vocaltrainingwarrior.com/ebooks
http://www.vocaltrainingwarrior.blogspot.com

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Deep Recording Trust established an independent non-profit training facility in 1999 after rebuilding the original studios that had been based on site since 1993. The Deep Recording Trust is a nationally recognised City & Guilds training centre, and the first City & Guilds UK centre in 2006 to have been fully approved for the new 01, 02 & 03 levels in the updated Sound Engineering & Music Technology Diplomas and certificates. The organisation and the educational recording facilities are all independently managed, administered and serviced to an exceptionally high standard.

All training courses are approved by the Learning & Skills Council (LSC), Joint Audio & Media Education Services (JAMES), City & Guilds Institute, Kensington & Chelsea College, Creative and Cultural Skills (CCS), Ofsted and Skillset. All practical lessons and training are conducted at Deep with small, focused class sizes.

The charitable training program operates from an industry-standard recording facility based in West London. The original recording studios were demolished and then totally rebuilt and redesigned to the highest technical specifications required on the current site (Notting Dale Village).

Deep Recording Trust manage and run a non-profit training program providing industry-standard recording facilities and services for anybody wishing to train, update and gain the employable skills required for all sound recording industries. Deep delivers small class sizes and advanced hands-on, practical training in all aspects of sound recording, engineering, music and studio technology, production, mixing and mastering techniques.

Our charitable organisation employs trained and experienced industry staff who are all CRB approved and licenced to teach. All working engineers and staff at Deep Recording Studios are MPG/PRS/APRS members. All staff are constantly developing their own skills via CPD programs and their specialised knowledge is verified by the quality recorded output of all of our educational work and our monitored examination outputs. All our courses are listed inside the BPI industry music education directory under JAMES menu.

Enrolling open for new applications: All courses are free to Under 19's including 4, 6 and 12 month course parttime study (small enrolment fee). Apply now for 2 years free studio training and FE certified education. You can also qualify for a Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) of 30 per week.

Thursday, 21 July 2011

Home Recording Studios - History of Sound Recording, Digital Audio, MP3s and Multitrack Recording

Sunday, 2 January 2011

Opportunity for young people in sound recording

About Deep Recording Studios