Chapter 7: Sound

Study

Developments in sound recording in the late nineteenth century would forever change the way music was presented and preserved. Inventions such as Thomas Edison's phonograph and Emile Berliner's gramophone made recording and reproducing sound possible. In fact, Berliner first developed the idea of royalties for reproduced music.

Samuel Morse's invention of the telegraph, and later, Guglielmo Marconi's wireless telegraph, established a new medium with endless possibilities. These two inventions made it clear that natural, physical barriers such as distance or oceans would no longer prohibit timely communication. In his 1915 Radio Music Box memo, David Sarnoff would accurately predict radio's future as a popular entertainment medium.

Initially the product of a relationship to promote the sales of radio sets, station KDKA in Pittsburgh became the first licensed radio broadcast station in 1920. Advertisers soon realized the potential of this new medium. William Paley's interest in radio advertising began with his attempts to promote his family's cigar business, and ended with his purchase of his own broadcast station.

Early radio programming quickly became popular as people huddled around their radio sets to listen during the golden age of radio in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Comedies like Amos ‘n Andy, dramas like the Lone Ranger, and soap operas such as Guiding Light were popular with listeners.

Rock and roll's beginnings can be traced back to the late 1940s, and it was the early artists, most prominently Elvis and Chuck Berry, that brought this unique blend of music to the American public. Disc jockeys Alan Freed and Dewey Phillips became nationally recognized personalities. Getting records played on radio was a key to an artist or group's success. The 1960s saw the British invasion and significant changes to the rock and roll genre. The Beatles' popularized the concept album and made the producer a vital role in the recording process.

The LP and 45 formats, the standard recording formats for years, gave way to the compact disc as the recording medium of choice in the 1980s. Currently the MP3 has been embraced as the standard electronic format. This format allows for a perfect reproduction and is easily shared over the Internet. This reproducing and sharing of copyright-protected music has caused uneasiness with the recording industry.

Country music continues to be the most popular music format, followed by talk radio. Spanish language broadcast stations continue to grow both in number and popularity, and their growth is fueled by advertisers wanting to reach this specific audience.

Satellite and Internet subscription radio services are gaining popularity with listeners, even as 90 percent of Americans continue to listen to traditional radio broadcasts on a weekly basis. Webcasting has allowed even the smallest of stations to reach a global audience. Podcasting allows users to download specialized programming and the freedom of playing it at their convenience on slick, portable devices.

Learning Objectives

•  Understand the technologies and inventions of early radio and identify their originators.

•  Know the significance of the telegraph and wireless telegraph in removing limitations of communication.

•  Understand the progression of the adoption of advertising as an integral part of radio broadcasts.

•  Know what the golden age of radio was and what programming it featured.

•  Understand the origins of rock and roll and the artists that brought this music genre to the American public.

•  Understand the developments of the LP, 45, and compact disc.

•  Know the new forms of radio, such as Internet and satellite, and what they offer in comparison to traditional radio.

•  Understand webcasting and podcasting.

Review Questions

1. What were the differences between the phonograph and gramophone?


2. What was the significance of the Radio Music Box memo?

3. What was payola?

4. Who were Amos and Andy?


5. How were concept albums different than earlier recordings?

6. What is the difference between webcasting and podcasting?