Very cool: a bit of sound from 1860 has been played back. The 19th century phonautograph couldn't play back sound, but made a visual record of waveforms; for first time audio has successfully been extracted.

The folks who did it: FirstSounds.org

Selected press coverage (not including the particularly sucky examples)

NY Times article

The Age, ( Read more... )

Two short musical obits I posted elsewhere on LiveJournal:

John Arpin, amazing ragtime pianist

Doc Paulin, trumpeter bandleader; over 100 years old (he may never have been sure when he was born himself).

Speaking of things musical and dating back more than a century:

Via keeper1st: Recording and playing back a ragtime piano performance on pre-1903 ( Read more... )

Interesting short interview with S.F. writer William Gibson from Rolling Stone

One point I find interesting is his observation on the Sony Walkman:

"The very first time I picked up a Sony Walkman, I knew it was a killer thing, that the world was changing right then and there. A year later, no one could imagine what it was like when you couldn't ( Read more... )

Y'know, I mostly use my "stereo" to listen to mono recordings.

And my "Mr. Coffee" to make tea.

I love this time of year in New Orleans, with confederate jasmine, magnolia, and gardinias blooming in profusion here in uptown. Also, free yummy loquats. Mmmm, loquats.

I had a band practice with friends out on Bayou St. John Monday evening. It being Cinco de Mayo we wound up improvising a piece alternating sections of the Marsallies and La ( Read more... )

A musician friend recently made some recordings at the Edison Labs, using the technology of 110 years ago.

Photos of Seriously Retro Recording Session