We are always looking for objects to preserve including literature and spare parts. If you would like to donate something contact us at the e.mail address above. Don't throw anything out without asking us first.

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The Hutman museum of recorded sound has been created to preserve and understand the history of recorded sound. We invite your comments and feedback. We are dedicated to helping others learn how they can obtain and preserve these historic machines. We also believe that it is important to teach the history of this technology so that others will have an opportunity to discover the wonders of human creativity. We  have a demonstration and multi media presentation available to schools and groups. To inquire please contact us at: cbladey@verizon.net

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Sound Defined Click here

Record Defined Click Here

What is Sound? Click Here

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Sound Defined-

sound¹  n.

1.  
   1. Vibrations transmitted through an elastic solid or a liquid or gas, with frequencies in the approximate range of 20 to 20,000 hertz, capable of being detected by human organs of hearing.
   2. Transmitted vibrations of any frequency.
   3. The sensation stimulated in the organs of hearing by such vibrations in the air or other medium.
   4. Such sensations considered as a group.
2. A distinctive noise: a hollow sound.
3. The distance over which something can be heard: within sound of my voice.
4. Linguistics.
   1. An articulation made by the vocal apparatus: a vowel sound.
   2. The distinctive character of such an articulation: The words bear and bare have the same sound.
5. A mental impression; an implication: didn't like the sound of the invitation.
6. Auditory material that is recorded, as for a movie.
7. Meaningless noise.
8. Music. A distinctive style, as of an orchestra or a singer.
9. Archaic. Rumor; report.

Record Defined

re·cord   v. re·cord·ed, re·cord·ing, re·cords
v. tr.

1. To set down for preservation in writing or other permanent form.
2. To register or indicate: The clerk recorded the votes.
3.  
   1. To register (sound or images) in permanent form by mechanical or electrical means for reproduction.
   2. To register the words, sound, appearance, or performance of by such means: recorded the oldest townspeople on tape; recorded the violin concerto.

v. intr.

To record something.

n. rec·ord (rkrd)

1.  
   1. An account, as of information or facts, set down especially in writing as a means of preserving knowledge.
   2. Something on which such an account is based.
   3. Something that records: a fossil record.
2. Information or data on a particular subject collected and preserved: the coldest day on record.
3. The known history of performance, activities, or achievement: your academic record; hampered by a police record.
4. An unsurpassed measurement: a world record in weightlifting; a record for cold weather.
5. Computer Science. A collection of related, often adjacent items of data, treated as a unit.
6. Law.
   1. An account officially written and preserved as evidence or testimony.
   2. An account of judicial or legislative proceedings written and preserved as evidence.
   3. The documents or volumes containing such evidence.
7.  
   1. A disk designed to be played on a phonograph.
   2. Something, such as magnetic tape, on which sound or visual images have been recorded.

What is Sound?

       Sound is an organised movement of molecules caused by a vibrating body in some medium - water, air, rock or whatever.  A vibrating body such as a tuning fork will vibrate causing air molecules to condense due to the moving body compressing the air molecules together.  These molecules will then bump into adjacent molecules and cause them to condense, thus creating a wave.
       Meanwhile, as the vibrating body oscillates in the opposite direction the air molecules will be pulled apart causing the molecules to rarify.
       Sound is a mechanical energy.  Sound waves are measured and described by their frequency and amplitude.  Frequency is the measure of the number of cycles a soundwave can complete in one second, and is measured in hertz.  The human ear can hear tones in the frequency range of 20-20,000 Hz.  For tones below 20 Hz only a vibrating sensation is detectable.  For tones above 20,000 Hz, one may feel a tickling sensation.  A sound wave's frequency is determined by the frequency of the source; therefore, the frequency is known or at least unchanged by the medium which it travels.  The velocity of a sound wave varies with air temperature.  The variations in the pressure of a sound wave are measured by amplitude.  The energy content of the sound wave determines the pressure (amplitude) of the sound wave, and is the measurement that represents the intensity of the sound wave.  The average amplitude of the wave is proportional to the energy content of the wave.  The more average pressure, the more energy contained in the wave.  Humans perceive how high or low a sound appears as pitch.  There are other outside influences that determine how we perceive pitch.  These factors are amplitude, previous sounds, and alertness of the observer.  Loudness, as perceived by the listener, is determined by amplitude.  Amplitude is related to pitch.  As amplitude increases, the pitch of high tones increases while pitch decreases for low tones.
 

Frequency

Frequency is the number of complete waves or oscillations or cycles of a periodic quantity occurring in unit time (usually 1 second).

Wavelength

The wavelength of a sound wave is the distance the sound travels to complete one cycle. The symbol used to denote wavelength is the Greek letter lambda.

Velocity

The actual velocity depends on the medium through which the wave is travelling. For example:

V light wave >> V radio wave< V sound wave >V water wave >> V earth's rotation. A wave advances a distance of one wavelength in a time interval of one period. The frequency of a sound wave is the number of cycles that pass an observation point per second. Thus the velocity of propagation of a sound wave is its wavelength times its frequency.

The frequency of a wave is independent of the waves' medium, however, the wavelength will depend on the wave velocity in the medium through which it is traveling.

The history of recorded sound provides a valuable framework for the comprehension and understanding of history. Here are a few ways that you can use this framework to enrich the learning experiences of your students. Consider arranging a special outreach program to provide direct active learning through hands on instruction. Click here.

-Provide a Social and Technological Context for History
Students always benefit from instruction which places historical events within a social, cultural and technological context. When you study the history of recorded sound you study inventors, the technological aspects of their invention as well as popular music of the time. Additionally each recording machine fit into a particular socio-cultural context within the home which reflected the society at large. Recordings carried the events of history as well as the entertainment world to the people. Recoding machines played a central role therefore, upon the stage of history. Along with presenting the inventor, the technology, the music and culture of the time include other dimension of popular culture such as costume/dress, parlor games, furniture, and architecture to the scene.

-Demonstrate the Non-linear Nature of the History of Technology
The history of recorded sound is far from a straight line from one development to another. After all each of these machines and recorded media for them  are  still available on the market today. The music and recorded sound still lives. The history of recorded sound illuminates the complex nature of the relationship of progress to society and cultural concerns. The interaction of inventors, their supporters, technology, the recording industry, artists and the consumer is exciting. Trace the ways inventions rebounded from these various interests as a ball in a pinball machine.

-Recorded History is Our History
Students find recorded history to be all around them. This history is an invaluable link to our past history and heritage. Tapes, home movies and other recordings provide context to our daily lives and a record for ages to come. This record is however fragile. The media needs proper preservation, transcription, re-recording and care. The machines need their own conservation and preservation. Reaching students today can help save our history for the future. Lessons which demonstrate the value of creating organized records of our daily lives will help continue the recording process.

These are just a few ideas which we hope will build interest. Eventually we will have lesson plans for detailed study in this place. Each machine in our collection has a web page. On that web page you will find resources to prepare your students for our special presentations. Each page contains an activity as well as a brief history of the period which can be used for background study. There are many ways that the collection can be used for special classroom projects. Here is one.

Classroom Project

-Divide the class into groups of 1-4. One group for each machine/time period.

-Direct each group to the chapter in their text for the period. Have them prepare that section for classroom presentation. As appropriate provide them with a guided reading activity.

-Assign students the task of understanding the technology of their machine. How does it work and how was it invented. Who was the inventor- a short biography.

-What were the popular songs of the period? A survey of the top ten. Students can locate lyrics and organize a sing a long. Remind them that they will eventually get to the songs of the 60s and their own period.

-What social life surrounded the machine as it played? Popular card games, social games, foods....have students set up the class as if they were in the parlor of the time listening to the latest recording. Again-remind students that they will eventually get to a 1960s happening and a more recent party as they play along.

-Have students go to ebay to find out how much the media and the machine would cost today. Have them search the completed auctions section. This way they might find a way to get involved with collecting.

-Students can also research the preservation and conservation of both machines and media. If they had a machine or recording how would they take care of them?

-For accountability have students write a test covering all aspects of their presentation. With the test they should distribute a study guide. Combine the student test with a test on the selection of the textbook covered by their presentation. Use a guided reading for the class to structure their learning experience.

-For presentation have student groups become the following first person characters:

1. Phonograph salesman or "Jobber"-give a sales pitch for the qualities of the machine.

2. Music DJ- Run down the qualities of the top 10.

3. Interior Decorator/architectural consultant- how would the parlor look? The house?

4. Fashion consultant- What would the best clothing for parlor wear or listening be?

5. Nutritionist- Food advertizer- What would the sensible housewife/house husband be cooking?

Lots of other ideas.....let us know what you come up with....send e.mail to cbladey@verizon.net

In the near future we will provide outreach programs in a variety of forms. We are located in the Baltimore Washington area but we can arrange to travel further.

-Single Machine: We will demonstrate and describe one machine with a lecture, power point presentation. We will cover the music of the period, history of the times and background of the invention. A dj experience- get out the dancing shoes.

-A Variety of Machines of your Choice- What are you interested in?

-A Classroom Unit-We will direct or support activities such as described in the section above. We will come into the classroom, organize the unit, teach it. and demonstrate the machines and media. All you do is test them!

Don't see it here? Let us know!

We will tailor our presentations to your budget!
Give us a dollar amount and we will see if we can get the show on the road.
We always can provide something! email us at cbladey@verizon.net

As with all historical objects and antiques recording and playing mechanisms and media require special care. Recordings should be transferred to modern media so that they last longer. Original recordings should be played carefully and infrequently so that they will not wear out.

Always handle media and mechanisms carefully using cotton gloves to keep body acids from corroding them. Temperature and humidity controls should be maintained with as little fluctuation as possible. Metal surfaces should have a protective barrier a light coating of microcrystalline wax except in the case of moving parts which should be coated with light oil. Wax cylinders require special care to avoid and remove mold. If mechanisms are to sit out they should be covered to protect them from dust. If mechanisms and media are in a sun lit room windows should be coated with a uv barrier or film to prevent damage to wood.

Students should be encouraged to investigate the physics, chemistry and ecological dimensions of conservation and preservation. Preparation for safe and conservationist encounters with historical materials is essential and will result in the creation of a more positive environment for these materials.

Here is what the Library of Congress recommends-

The preservation procedures described here have been used by the Library of Congress in the care of its collections and are considered suitable by the Library as described; however, the Library will not be responsible for damage to your collection should damage result from the use of these procedures.

Revised 7/02

Source- http://www.loc.gov/preserv/care/record.html

Save Our Sounds: America's Recorded Sound Heritage Project
Preserving Sound Recordings
by Stephanie A. Hall

Original instantaneous sound recordings are in need of special preservation care. Today many of these historical sound recordings are reaching the end of their life span.


Wax cylinders, the earliest sound recordings, were made from a mixture of different waxes. The special wax mixture had to be soft enough to scratch with a needle, but hard enough to hold the groove and play back. Over the decades the different waxes in the cylinder try to separate, gradually destroying the recording. Cylinders also break very easily. Because of their age, cylinders often need attention before preservation copies can be made from them. Even broken cylinders can sometimes be carefully reassembled and played. In addition, the equipment needed to play cylinders for duplication is becoming rare. Playing the cylinder must be done with great care in order not to damage the delicate grooves in the wax.

Aluminum disc recordings, used in the nineteen-thirties and forties, were made by a stylus scratching directly onto the aluminum. These recordings are highly durable, though they might be damaged by repeated playing or improper storage.


But the durable aluminum discs could not be re-recorded and most recordists preferred using an acetate (plastic) coating on the aluminum disc, which then could be re-melted and re-recorded. Over time, however, the acetate coating "extruded" or gave off softeners, which appear as a white dusty coating on the surface of the disc. This diminishes the sound quality. Eventually, the acetate will dry out and flake off the aluminum base, destroying the recording. Glass was used as a base for acetate disc recordings during World War II, when aluminum was required for the war effort. These glass discs are very fragile, and are easily broken.

All disc recordings may be damaged simply by playing them. To play an early disc so that the sound may be copied onto a preservation medium, special needles must be used. A modern phonograph needle would destroy the recording.


In the late forties, recordists began using magnetic media to record sound. Both tape and wire recordings were developed. Wire had the advantage of producing high quality sound, but the hair-thin wire easily tangled. The recordists carefully taped down the ends of the wire to prevent them from uncoiling and tangling, but over time these small pieces of adhesive tape dry out and the wire tangles. As a sound engineer attempts to rescue the tangled wire, it often breaks. Though it can be respliced, it must be played to be sure that the fragments are assembled in the right sequence, and that no segments are put together backwards. Because wire recording was used for only a short period, wire playing equipment is especially difficult to find.

Tape recording uses iron oxide on paper tape or plastic tape to make the magnetic recording. Paper tape, like all acidic paper, becomes fragile over the years.

Paper recording tape was used for only a short time, though it did produce good quality sound recordings. The first plastic tapes were acetate, and suffer similar problems as acetate disc recordings. Also, the coating on early plastic tapes can flake off or deteriorate, making it difficult or impossible to retrieve sound from the recordings.


Polyester tape, introduced in the sixties, is a stronger backing for the iron coating. If the tapes have been stored in a humid place, they may need cleaning before they can be played. But the polyester base is more durable than acetate, so these recordings may last much longer. High-quality polyester tape is preferred even today as a preservation medium for archival sound recordings. However, even in the polyester tape era, things could go wrong. A problem called "sticky-shed" developed on some recordings made in the late seventies and early eighties because of a manufacturing problem. Tapes with sticky-shed can become stuck together, and must be baked at a low temperature in special ovens to make them playable.

Today, with DAT recordings that may be lost due to unpredictable sound drop-outs, and writable CD recordings that may delaminate and become unplayable, the durability of sound recordings is still an issue. As digital sound technology develops, we may discover better methods to make sound recordings and preserve them.

But preservation of older recordings is a critical task for all sound recording archives. The sound must be retrieved from older recordings before the media they were recorded on deteriorates and the sound is lost forever.

If you would like to learn about preserving your own treasures, the Library of Congress Preservation Directorate provides information on preserving recordings, manuscripts, and photographs:

Caring for Your Collections

Save Our Sounds is an official project of the Save America's Treasures program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Source:
http://www.loc.gov/folklife/sos/preserve1.html