Charting the truly global story of the evolution of sound recording and playback, from Scott de Martinville's invention of the phonautograph in 1857 to popular streaming services of today, this serendipitous volume details the four distinct ages of recorded sound - acoustic, electrical, magnetic and digital - documenting prototypes, rare examples of classic technology and other iconic artefacts from the vaults of the EMI Archives and beyond.
The Art of Sound showcases the hardware that changed the way we listened to music: from wax cylinder to stereophonic gramophone, acoustic horn to magnetic loudspeaker, valve radio to solid-state transistor, wire recorder to magnetic tape, Walkman to iPod, and compact disc to digital download. Facsimile blueprints splice the chapters: quirky, innovative and handsome patents from yesterday's tomorrows. Archival catalogues, covers and industry ephemera, along with press shots of long forgotten stars, exemplify the sophisticated graphic and marketing approach of each era and every continent.
Music and audio expert Terry Burrows guides you through the evolution of every technological age in informative and engaging text punctuated with concise biographies of the great innovators, from Emile Berliner to Thomas Stockham.
By:
Terry Burrows Imprint: Thames & Hudson Country of Publication: United Kingdom Dimensions:
Height: 246mm,
Width: 210mm,
Spine: 33mm
Weight: 1.500kg ISBN:9780500519288 ISBN 10: 0500519285 Pages: 352 Publication Date:01 May 2017 Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format:Hardback Publisher's Status: Active
1. First Wave / Acoustic Era: from 1877 to 1924 • 2. Second Wave / Electrical Era: 1925 to 1945 • 3. Third Wave / Magnetic era: from 1946 to 1974 • 4. Fourth Wave / Digital era: from 1975 to present • Outro
Reviews for The Art of Sound: A Visual History for Audiophiles
'Remarkable' - Neural, Italy 'Fascinating' - Songlines 'Fascinating' - Caught by the River 'Lavishly illustrated ... strikes a good balance between the scientific and anecdotal' - Classical Music 'An essential read' - Electronic Sound