Edison Museum Wax Cylinder Recording Session (HD)

This was the grand re-opening of the ENHS Thomas A. Edison National Historic Site. A demonstration on the museum grounds of an acoustic recording onto a brown wax cylinder and then played back. ~ OCTOBER 10, 2009

[@patricktheil8844]

So that's how music in 2009 was made. Crazy to think how far we've come

[@wachamcaulid]

Lmao

[@sarnnox]

Ikr

[@leonardothefabulous3490]

We ARE the future!!

[@richardhall4122]

Have we really advanced? The boom, boom, boom that passes as music belongs in the stoneage.

[@AndrewSteffenHB]

🤣

[@DeadKoby]

It's nice to hear what a fresh cut sounded like... without 100 years of age on it. It's better fidelity than one would expect.

[@racheln8563]

Precisely what I was thinking-it’s the next best thing to actually being in the Edison studio in the early 1900s. The level of clarity shocked me too.

[@stevegaming2006]

like ya cut g

[@samspace1997]

Which makes me think how many of these (what last at least) of these cylinders sounded so good back in the day 🥺

[@raynemichelle2996]

It still sounds old times tho

[@gunier.j.kintgenanimations]

@@raynemichelle2996 I mean, you can't exactly expect "Hi-Fi" out of an old cylinder record. Keep in mind, Tomas Edison only got the patent for his lightbulb in 1878, 10 years after the hardware on display here had first been invented. You must admit though, It sounds a lot better being fresh off the recording lathe than if it were a real cylinder record from the time period. Case & Point, here's a recording on brown wax from the 1890's; notice the improved fidelity in comparison. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWHHe5ZtoLVnpq8&ab_channel=TimGracyk

[@minoanlight4545]

No electricity needed, just energy of the soundwaves doing the work. Marvelous.

[@MrTimber101]

We were present at this demonstration when they reopened the Edison laboratories after renovations. Since the demo was outside, it was necessary to use a microphone, amplifier, and speakers to amplify the playback of the cylinder recording. By the way, the recording was remarkably clear and very impressive, giving a good idea of the quality of Edison's technology in the late 1880s and beyond.

[@solarman350]

Hot Tuna sang a good version if this song.

[@ethzero]

A cookie for the guy in the audience at 8:45 that says: "it sounds like an old recording"... *facepalm*

[@imnegan7275]

fat Americans...

[@runforitman]

Patrick Allen I literally saw this comment right as he said it

[@ColHogan-le5yk]

I'm Negan okay then

[@speedyrob6651]

Patrick Allen More like a neck

[@yasirsaheed]

I wonder how a new song would sound, when recorded on to wax like this!

[@fretkillrlives]

No electricity required! I've recorded on wax cylinder. Edison's acoustic phonograph made possible the thousands of recordings that are now over a century old. These records (cylinders) are amazing audio time capsules that enable us to hear musicians and singers from the late 1800's to the 1920's. Long live Edison.

[@normanpolland7922]

?

[@mattyshredz1071]

I think the only thing that needs electricity is the spinning.

[@fretkillrlives]

Incorrect. Phonographs and gramophones from this era were mechanically powered by wind-able spring motors much like a mechanical watch or clock. The user must wind up the phonograph using the crank handle on the side of the unit before playing a cylinder or disc. The rare exception was Edison's Dictaphone cylinder recorder used for office dictation and were powered by electrical motors for convenience. See a spring motor rebuild at watch?v=kCI4k-XBpS4

[@ZiggyCashmere]

Edison is a thief.

[@runforitman]

Who's gonna be the one to tell him Edison is dead?

[@katejudson8907]

I always wondered why recorded/popular songs got locked into a 3 and a half minute length. Thanks Edison.

[@rEdf196]

I would love to see cylinder recordings of hardcore punk rock.

[@rcamels3042]

rEdf196 there is a cylinder recording of electric music! I don't have a link so you'll have to google it :P

[@cron205]

like I've been trying to tell people the old is the new

[@rockboy360]

that's exactly what I always think when I see this stuff.

[@EduardRitok]

in stereo :D

[@TheProbewizard]

If you go on Rob Scallon’s channel, soon he’ll post a metal song recorded on wax

[@ryotech11]

That guy on the guitar. He's amazing.

[@Ecksterphono]

Melt about 2 cups beef tallow, Mix in 2 teaspoons of powdered graphite, While stirring pour in your water caustic lye solution (like making soap). take a toilet paper cardboard dip it twice into the solution before it saponifies, let it harden, shape it to size make a plaster mold so it fits the mandrel. shape and shave the cylinder and voila you have a blank cylinder for recording

[@emily5968]

I know its been over a decade, but is there any chance you could make a tutorial?

[@Ecksterphono]

​@emily5968 . It worked. However I forgot one important step all my blanks separated the glycerols over time. One has to do Trans esterification of the filtered tallow to get the glycerols out of the tallow. And right now I don't live in a location that's feasible to do this. My friend in a small town south of me is super busy now. If I ever get a chance to get a good ventilated shop I will do the process over again. And I will put up a private video. There's a few more processes after the finished product. Also I'm not going to devulge in the extra secret ingredients I use. That method was just basic. I have 2 5 gallon pails of rezin from a certain tree that grows in abundance here that needs to be processed ( the secret ingredient) that I add to the Trans esterifided finished product afterwards.

[@blitzv10]

is this a new level of hipster i haven't heard about

[@ArtifactAttic]

+blitzv10 Yes. But it's been around non-stop for well over 100 years. "Hipsters" are just now finding it out... yes, they'll ruin it in some way as they always do, but at least they're starting to appreciate it. ("Hipsters" ruin record collecting and other long-term technologies and artistic mediums by changing the terminology and misunderstanding various facts, then replacing the original, accurate, information with their error-poisoned misunderstandings.)

[@michaelcraig9449]

However, real hippies.. actually like stuff and appreciate how it is..and try to learn the real deal of whatever it is..

[@lizichell2]

ArtifactAttic I agree

[@Discrimination_is_not_a_right]

Edison was a "hipster"? Who knew.

[@alexsinclair2012]

@Discrimination is not a right, Butt hurt pretentious liberal asswipe hipster detected.

[@bikingforbrie]

I love the warble - such a classic sound.

[@jessie4pink615]

as a kid I would of found this incredibly boring to stand thier and watch this and never understand why my parents like vinyl records etc but now I find it incredibly fascinating. clever how a series of grooves can reproduce music so perfectly.

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

Lots of audiophiles prefer vinyl to CDs/MP3s.

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

@KING VICTROLA I don't have any channel info that I'm aware of

[@BertieW0oster]

Cool to hear how it really sounded followed by the recording.

[@therealkindle5365]

Amazingly simple but effective technology. Really puts it in to perspective.

[@marleyfuller6617]

I'm happy to see Dwight got a job as a park ranger. He's always loved nature.

[@04dram04]

What blows my mind is how loud it is. Purely mechanical!

[@SyedAllIn]

100% mechanical recording ! Truly Masterpiece !

[@Phonophan]

@rweerakkody4565 Exactly, yes. This was their "grand re-opening" weekend after renovations that kept the museum closed for nearly 6 years. He didn't necessarily impersonate Edison, just was a look-alike walking around the grounds.

[@Stixnstonez49]

Dwight Shrute in the wild

[@martelojuniormiguel1968]

VERY GOOOOD FOR ORIGINAL SOUND HISTORY NO DIGITAL

[@andrednz]

That black cone sure has some moves...

[@Superstarseven]

The guy playing Edison is an actor by the name of patrick garner, you might remember him as Chad's dad from the Mad Real World sketch on Chappelle's Show.

[@MasterManny187]

Lmao he's the one that gets stabbed

[@spacemissing]

Early records of all types had so much flutter that I can't imagine listening to them very long without experiencing severe fatigue.

[@kodinamsinh1267]

lol imagine a quartz locked direct drive cylinder machine, i wonder what that would sound like

[@spacemissing]

@@kodinamsinh1267 Someone did, years ago. Look up "Archeophone".

[@gerica22]

Excellent! I need to get to this museum with my kids. I visited it many years ago when I was a kid. I bought a wonderful Edison transitional Model B phonograph from a guy named Tim! It is a beautiful piece of machinery!

[@markuslebt]

and i thought 4-track was retro...

[@Phonophan]

Horns don't get all that much bigger... and being outdoors on a windy day in front of an audience are all factors for using a microphone.

[@crtsaretubular3940]

Only 1880s kids will remember.

[@pdow52]

This video: Some park ranger helps Elton John record some ragtime song onto a toilet paper roll.

[@march11stoneytony]

The recording quality for dialogue is exceptional.

[@TheAGCteam]

This whole video is amazing.

[@redshifteightpoint6]

Wonderful demonstration! Thank you for posting!

[@eclecticdufus]

He's eight about the metallic soap compound. NEVER try and clean even a sturdier post 1902 black wax cylinder under the tap. It will fall apart in your hands. I know :((

[@aronricardovideo]

Que delicia ver y escuchar como traen de vuelta a la vida estos tesoros! GRACIAS POR COMPARTIR CON TODOS NOSOTROS!

[@TheEnchantedTesticle]

3:39 It sound like he was singing a ni**** is a ni**** at first 😂

[@Tonceitoys]

Guess I'm not the only one, lol

[@rikvee]

excellent demonstration, thank you!

[@FarhanAmin1994]

If I am not mistaken, the original rendition was in the key of C and the final one seems to be in C + 30 cents, i.e., only a minor pitch shift. I didn’t note if there was a tempo shift but if it was there, it was pretty likely minor. But the recording did manage to make the guitar sound a bit like a mandolin and ig somewhat altered the singer’s timbre as well. Goes to show you that different harmonics are "caught" to different extents on the wax. Still overall, an unimaginable and near-magical feat.

[@joseislanio8910]

It's analog, so a chance in pitch is accompanied with an equivalent change in tempo.

[@FarhanAmin1994]

@@joseislanio8910Aha

[@JaydenLawson]

What a great demonstration - thanks!

[@andersj.gonzalez4823]

Hello from Cuba!!! This is so amazing!!! I wish I could find one of those cylinder phonographs here in my country... So far only vinyl and shellac records!!! I will keep looking... Great demonstration! Thanks!

[@ivyssauro123]

This is amazing! thank you for that! incredibly interesting!

[@SebinkaTV]

a classic video! I watch it a lot! I love it!

[@darcenumdah]

That recording would last longer than any mobile phone

[@jamesmiller4184]

And thus the one moment-in-time is preserved for ever-and-all-time! . : .

[@renemies78]

So darn cool! Thanks for sharing.

[@LidiaBatista1]

This is SO amazing!!

[@rweerakkody4565]

@Phonophan79 a bystander hired to act as Edsion. wow thats a long time: 6 years to renovate a museum. well thats nice to welcome the opening of a worthful museum by surprising the public with pre-sound recording (amidst the modern sound recording techniques). thanks for uploading this.

[@EmmetEarwax]

Well, this cylinder turned out remarkably easy to listen to & understand. A little needle scratch due to the imperfections of a wax (resin) cylinder, but remarkably clear and crisp. The spoken intro was pre-1909ish as the spoken announcement was dispensed with in that 1909. Had cylinder records maintained their popularity past 1929, we might have had electrically recorded cylinders with microphones instead of horns.

[@jerryg50]

Impressive! This was a huge breakthrough during its time. Before this invention no human or living thing was able to hear recorded and reproduced sound of any type.

[@FukiMakai]

In fact it sounds like 1920s. But the impressive thing is how this piece of primitive technology of late 1800s still works. And so, how it sounded when new (taking in count the actual old records are pretty damaged, like play a wasted vynil)

[@LouiePlaysDrums]

Amazing history lesson. Thank you for sharing!!!

[@ilove-tv2jm]

720p in 2009 that is ahead of its time.

[@retroryan838]

I always find it strange when I see such a clear image in KZbin video before 2010.

[@kadengrossman6252]

i remember visiting edison’s lab in the ford museum and greenfield village. the brought out a phonograph and did a recording of “ mary had a little lamb.” when it played back… i was blown away. i had shivers. it was so cool. i could hear the woman’s voice. in that cylinder. no electronics. so. FREAKING. COOL! my little nerd brain exploded. i imagine that’s how people of that day felt when the heard RECORDED SOUND!!!!!!!! 🤯🤯

[@butterbean4195]

simply awesome

[@MarkMphonoman]

Very cool video, great entertainment. I was surprised at how good the recording came out. Great quality for a 100 year old talking machine.

[@jaydenmontgomery3912]

Perfectly clear

[@EMGColonel]

Yes - that's him and he's a major force in the "Phonograph world " in the UK - sadly in severe decline. He makes all sorts of Wax Cylinders - including Concert ones

[@thealmightyaku-4153]

What's really crazy, is that recording, uploading and watching this on youtube, is just a different way to do pretty much the same thing.

[@HistoryandFacts]

Incredibly facinating

[@darrenbrown3985]

This is awesome

[@swanniG2]

This is awesome!

[@Captofthisship]

Awesome video!

[@aronricardovideo]

Excelente trabajo hacen ustedes, al dar a conocer a las nuevas generaciones las maravillosas creaciones de la mente humana! Congratulaciones.

[@EMGColonel]

The "Collector" from England mentioned is Mr Paul Morris of Exeter.

[@Ecksterphono]

This is amazing

[@vikingsofvintageaudio7470]

Thanks for a great video!

[@Borriaudio]

A very good recoding, a guitar is particularly difficult to record acoustically. Yes the blanks are an aluminum soap, with some wax to keep them from being hygroscopic.

[@cfranko1860]

"Only 90's kids will remember"

[@hashbuckets]

Pajeet Ahluwalia this was 1890s..

[@seppomuppit]

Cool video, the people talking constantly in the background during the demonstration are pretty annoying.

[@metekocasall2456]

+seppomuppit no respect to edison :)

[@kraftpr]

audio technology has sure come a long way since these infancy days of recording

[@kidsarefuture]

Excellent video of Phonograph, i do teach media technologies. So this is very helpful to understand cylinder recorder and player. Thanks for sharing.

[@thatretrocattt]

I love these photographs, I find them as great monarchs of the past (including the first light bulb).

[@Chungustav]

Huh?

[@shortstuffstumpleson]

If you enjoy this, also go and search for "Recording the Bat City Six" by Semper Phonograph Company. It's a studio band comprised of members of East Side Dandies and Thrift Set Orchestra here in Austin, TX. Recorded in my living room, sounds authentic!

[@user-co7nf5vc8i]

great experiment！ great reproduction！

[@salimkumar9748]

Thanks for you

[@EmmetEarwax]

Before 1909 an announcer would bellow the title of the piece followed by that of the manufacturer. Then the music and singing would start. I say BELLOW because sound decays and he had to record audible speech for 5-10 cylinders -at a time, before dubbing and pantograph mass production got going. I've heard remarkably clear & clean cylinders and I've heard ones that were hardly more than surface roar. Listen to "Dixie" played by Issler's orchestra here.

[@Alexn1067]

great demo, see how it was done and sounded 100 years ago

[@notconsenting6633]

Amazing

[@VIVOLITV]

Fantastic! Hi from florence Italy

[@wellylhakim3619]

Really awesome

[@jorgemellooliveira9611]

Maravilha congratulações

[@jaimemarin22]

Now Im thinking in .. ¿What is HI- Fi ?....In that cylinder. Great accoustic memory recorded. Fantastic invention of Mr Edison & Berliner ....!!!!!!!

[@MrComputerfan]

Awsome and Interesting!

[@NP4Mayans]

Brilliant!

[@DimbleWally]

Very nice song, I must say.

[@PartiZan1992]

Thumbs up for HD Audio! =)

[@kinkykane0607]

waw that's awesome. I really like the sound quality. It would be awesome to create an album with this device :) Funny thing is bioshock infinity brought me here with the kinetoscope and the beginning song After You've Gone by Marion Harris . I found it fascinating :) I'm going to learn more about the Kinetoscope :)

[@AndYetAnotherView]

Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project, University of California at Santa Barbara enables you to download mp3s of historic wax cylinder recordings: cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/

[@jesusalbertogarzagarcia8131]

Esta super bueno

[@sagayapanneer9052]

Recording acoustics, 👊👊👊👊👊✋✋🐮🎧📠🎬📠💻💻💻💻💻💻💻💻💻💻💻💻💻💻💻💻

[@TheGuitologist]

That was cool.

[@Allmtx]

Muito bom mesmo! 👏👏👏👏

[@hebneh]

This is a fascinating thing to watch and hear - after listening to a great many cylinders and discs over the years. Every time that new cylinder is played, its surface is unfortunately being worn down by the needle that's being dragged over it, so it will gradually lose more and more of its sound.

[@FarhanAmin1994]

Someone ought to make a Netflix series on the gramophone. I mean like a docu-drama. 🥺

[@tropicalhorizongaming5459]

Im surprised how well that sounds to be honest.

[@thomase13]

Very interesting demonstration. I don't understand why they would use a microphone when playing it back. Couldn't they have just used a machine with a bigger horn? Sure makes sense to me!

[@BlackPatti78s]

The bigger the horn the higher the pressure on the cylinder, which will cause wear on the cylinder extremely quickly and destroy the grooves.

[@bobrov-maxim]

Интересный прибор и музыкант хорошо играет и поёт!

[@MikeBlitzMag]

@ORUPRANKSTAZ All true. But in their case, it's a bit more than that. Previous inquiries about reissuing this material onto CD were answered with concerns about whether such projects would sell. That comment came from an organization specializing in American history and whose outlet shop's only musical offerings are CDs containing re-recorded versions of overplayed early rock and roll hits.

[@areamusicale]

really cool

[@michaelcraig9449]

Please show us how to make one and do this stuff.. that would be the coolest thing ever.

[@Mr.Petlover]

Soo cute. Like a 100 years old recording👍