K. Isabelle's Media & Technology Blog

In Conclusion

kizmediatech2009 — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 05:41:19 +0000

My project has been centered around Music + Recording technology. It all began with Edison’s invention of the phonograph, moving onto the invention of the record, followed by cassette tapes, then Compact Discs, and now MP3s. As has been covered within the project, this technology progressed rather slowly and advanced in small spurts. These spurts became closer and closer together in more recent years, allowing new technology to flourish.
As for the technology itself, it is based on rather simple concepts but is executed in rather advanced ways. Though those ways seem much more simple now that my project has been completed and throughly explained, if one were to truly think about it – it is very impressive. The technology started out as nothing more than vibrations being punched into tinfoil by a needle. Now these recordings are nothing more than binary code placed on a computer file. The popularity of these technologies is also rather impressive, to say the least. As soon as a new technology arises in this field, they immediately become the new standard and the previous version becomes obsolete (ex. record player to tape cassette). Also, the more popular inventions seem to be those there were mobile, such as Walk-mens and MP3 players.
This technology has been found to be quite lucrative, atleast until more recent years. With every advance, any number of products became available to consumers, many of which required other add-ons to truly work (such as iPods needing headphones). Each product would generate a great deal of money, as well as the revenues from music sales. It is particularly interesting how money is made based on royalties, and that the song-writer receives the money, not the performing artist (unless they are one in the same). As far as political movements, music is probably the most notable in terms of privacy via the internet. With the creation of the internet, illegal music downloading has become extremely easy – resulting in a huge hit to the music industry itself.
As for the technology itself, it has only imagined potential left. As must have been the case with every new invention, its almost inconceivable to imagine what will surface next. Now that music files can be recorded, broken up, remade, mashed together (and any number of other things), there seems as though there is nothing left. Music technology has already been incorporated into every facet it could be (internet, computers, television, radio, cell phones, mp3s, etc.). The only imaginable technology from here on out is for even more available music and simplified recording devices + effects (ex I Am T-Pain iPod app.). At this point, it is hard to imagine what the next step will be.

In conclusion to this project. I found it extremely interesting. The advancements within this field were great and had a profound impact on society as we know it. Similarly, it had an impact on entertainment – definitively revolutionizing it. Its economical and political impact are immeasurable, as is its impact on everyday life. This technology will most definitely continue to grow and show progress. Music technology will never become old or outdated, as music is something we can all enjoy.

Whoops – forgot to post this!

kizmediatech2009 — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:07:01 +0000

ahh i can’t believe i forgot to post these two essays on here!

Content Essay

When discussing the content that’s delivered across this medium, please mention some of the issues that arise from the types of content available (think Howard Stern or Imus on Radio!). Also, it’s important you touch upon how the technology has influenced the style and design of the content distributed across the medium.

With music technology, in regards to content, a few issues arise. First, in terms of public forum, music is censored by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission). They make it so that people in public forums (such as televised events, radio, etc.) are not allowed to use a list of words or talk about a number of subjects (for more – check out: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/obscene.html ). However, this does not apply to personal websites and pages (such as MySpace pages), or satellite radio + pay-per-view television (such as HBO and Showtime, etc) – in which the user purchases the ability to listen/watch such content.
As far as technology’s influence on the content – there have been a number of technologies developed to further music distribution. Among these are MySpace.com musician profiles, Pandora.com (online personalized radio), bit-torrent sites (for illegal sharing), and iTunes/MP3 purchasing sites. These technologies have all developed to coincide with music’s transition from analog to digital. Content has also shifted due to the increase of music-lovers moving to online arenas, versus purchasing within a store or going to a concert.

Technological Examination Essay

For the technological examination essay, include information regarding the limitations of the technology, the unique qualities of the technology, the tradeoffs, the remedial technologies that have been created, the unintended consequences and how the technology has evolved and gotten better or more human (human replay). Discuss the competing technologies (ie for video – you’d discuss and survey the different tape formats – beta, vhs, dv. for video games, the xbox, playstation, atari) and compare this technology to other available technologies that might achieve the same result.

I will attempt to address each individual point in bullet form.

Limitations of the technology – there are no obvious answers. music can be streamed live, can be recorded, edited, manipulated and any number of other things. it is near reaching the imaginable limit of itself.

Unique qualities – music technology is a very unique technology as it allows on to manipulated the content rather easily. modifications can be made with the most remedial programs, allowing anyone to become a musician (in some sense). music technology is also one of those few technologies that just about everyone with the means to purchase it is an owner.

Trade-offs – though many might consider any trade-off involved with music technology a very minor thing – to some (most likely those born before the digital era), they would disagree. The fact that music is so available and accessible almost takes away from the uniqueness of each artist. artists become lumped together (such as by Pandora.com) based on what they sort of sound like. similarly, it is much easier to become a music success nowadays than before (depending how you look at it). the fact that ANYONE can post content to a world-wide audience really takes away from the specialness it would have taken artists before our time to capture the same audience. lastly, since music is so accessible through the web (as well as videos of live concerts), the motivation to go see an artist live has most definitely declined. with it being so easy to see a live concert online, it would make little sense to go see the artist in concert, unless someone was a die-hard fan. though the technology has really made music much more accessible and shareable, it has also taken away the experience that music once was to older audiences.

Remedial technologies – everyone who owns an iPod knows that there is that knock-off, off-name brand like Zunes or something there as a cheaper alternate. same goes for sound systems, headphones, anything. remedial technologies also include record players, tape cassettes, and any other technology that has become obsolete due to the latest products and trends.

Unintended Consequences – one unintended consequence equated with music technology is much like that of cellular phones. people can’t seem to put the technology down! people walk around plugged into their mp3 devices with no regard to the real world. (i even find myself victim to it occasionally, finding myself unable to make a couple hour drive without plugging in my iPod – as my radio + cd player in my car don’t work). modern life can’t seem to seperate itself from the technology!

Advanced? Became more “Human”? – this is the one thing that seems to NOT have happened. though music technology is always advancing and infiltrating its way into everyday life (atleast in America), it has not seemed to become “human”. though head phones now fit perfectly in one’s ear canal, and the music information is categorized for easier reading – it still hasn’t seemed to become “human” – though its advances are unparallel (ref. “How It Works” essay).

Competing Technologies? – music technology is one of those technologies that advances and older models are left in the dust. with the invention of the iPod and online mp3 purchasing, consumers have quickly moved away from analog devices (tapes and radio) and early digital models (such as CDs). though radio is debateable still around – it has also joined the online world for instant streaming. as far as competition – the hottest programs (generally thought of as Apple products) are the standard, and knock-offs fall in line behind.

Essay 3 of 3 – Legal

kizmediatech2009 — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:53:14 +0000

Since the introduction of music to the masses, there have always been squabbles over certain works as to whom they were created by. Though not formally written into the laws to protect the individual artist, during the mid 1600’s, there were laws already in place to protect authors and composers from having their works reproduced or claimed to be made not by them. Prior to the invention of the printing press by Johann Gutenberg in the late 1430′s literary works (including sheet music and lyrical poetry) were both written and copied by scribes who spent months to produce one manuscript, usually done by monastic scribes. Gutenberg’s invention enabled copies of books to be made much more quickly, resulting in “the need to give original authors protection against unauthorized reproduction of their works”. When the printing press as introduced to England, it resulted in the first government copyright laws being passed the Licensing Act of 1662. This act established a registration office for written works and required that a copy of each work be deposited at a special place called the Stationer’s Company. This was followed by a more formal copyright law, referred to as the Statute of Anne, in 1709.

These laws would later come to be known as copyrights and copyright laws. Crafted out of necessity following Gutenberg’s invention, these copyrights not only included printed or handwritten literary works, but works such as sheet music as well.
Copyright laws as we know them today were the result of the Berne Convention of 1887. This convention followed the Paris Conventions for Protection of Intellectual Property in 1883. Both of these statutes, still enforced today, gave specific details regarding protection for authors outside their country of residence. The regulations, approved by the Berne Convention, required all countries signing this agreement to honor and recognize the authors of works in other countries. The Berne Convention resulted in the establishment of the United Intellectual Bureau for the Protection of Intellectual Property, which much later became the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 1967.

In terms of the music community, copyrights are much more complicated than literary works. For a song to be copyrighted entirely, there were three copyrights that must be acquire. One copyright must be secured for the actual lyrics of the song, another for the instrumental accompaniment and the third for the actual recording of the song. To acquire such copyrights, one must take a compact disc recording of the song, along with a copy of the lyrics, fill out the proper paper work, along with the appropriate monetary amount, and mail it to the Library of Congress’ Copyright Office. In doing this, it guarantees that noone, other than the owner of the copyright, can produce and/or make money off of any three parts of the song. This includes even using a similar beat or sound as featured in the copyrighted song.

How, then, can someone who idolizes the lyrics of one song, or the particular beat or guitar solo in another, use these elements in their own musical creations? Or what if a television show wanted to make a soundtrack album for the show using copyrighted music? Or even, how could a radio station be allowed to play content that isn’t original to them? How would it be possible for these individuals and companies to use these protected songs, that they are not legally allowed to make profit on?

The answer : licensing. Music licensing is the only legal way for an individual or group to use a copyrighted song. “If [one wants] to use a song for any reason, [they] have to somehow obtain rights at least from the publisher, and possibly from the label as well (if [they are] planning to use a specific performance). [Listed are] a few examples of when you need to obtain rights:

• You own a radio station and you want to play a song on your station.

• You own a restaurant and you want to play songs as background music.

• You are making a commercial and you want to use a song in the commercial.

• You are making a toy and you want it to play a song when a child pushes a button.

• You are making a video production and you want a song as background music.”

Examples such as these are allowed to, with proper licensing, use the music for commercial purposes. In most cases, establishments will purchase what is known as a “blanket license”. This allows them to play any music they’d like throughout the year. These rights can be purchased from one of either two very large companies named ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) and BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated). These companies handle “a catalog of about 4,000,000 songs” and simplify the process extraordinarily.

“Present copyright laws and regulations have had to undergo many changes due to changes in technology that resulted in the ease to copy other authors’ works. Copyright laws giving protection to computer software, music, photography and phonology have been much more difficult to enforce due to the ease in reproducing works. The Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is an agreement administered by the World Trade Organization that gives minimum standards for many forms of intellectual property.

Although the TRIPS agreement helped introduce a more universal law regarding intellectual property rights, there is still a widespread problem with piracy involving unlawful copying of all kinds of intellectual property, including music, computer software, and numerous other types. “

Though millions of songs were now able to be obtained by businesses and restaurants, etc., for a fee, they were still not as easy for individuals to obtain. Individuals were still required to pay for music from any particular artist – that is – until the introduction of file sharing at the end of the 20th century.

File sharing allowed for individuals to send and receive files via the internet, between two computers. As the technology progressed, illegal music downloading (also referred to as “music piracy”) exploded. With downloadable file sharing programs like Napster and Limewire, the need for laws against this transferring pertinent. The Record Industry Association of America (RIAA) led the forefront on punishing music “pirates” – taking thousands to court over copyright infringement, and still actively pursuing others.

Since the improvements made in music technology, more problems and loopholes have arisen that needed to be address. Through copyrights and music licensing, the structuring of the music industry and music sales themselves have greatly improved in terms of protecting individual rights to original works. Though piracy still presents a very real problem, steps are being taken to eliminate it.

And while some steps are being made to eliminate piracy, other steps are being made to remedy it. A non profit organization, Creative Commons, has pushed through legislation that allows artists to register with their organization and, in doing so, give certain rights to individuals – allowing them to use their works in one of four ways. The four ways are: “attribution”, “share alike”, “noncommercial” and “no derivative”. Attribution allows anyone to use one’s music, lyrics, etc. in any way they want, as long as they give credit to the original artist in the way the artist requests. Share Alike allows the same freedom, but only if the individual using the original has a license identical to the original owner. Noncommercial allows for the music to be used in any capacity, except for commercial uses (as in selling or endorsing a product). And no derivative allows works to be used in their entirety as long as they are credit, though pieces of the work are not allowed to be used aside from the whole. Creative Commons has made strides to allow artists to use and share their work within the artist community, while still respecting the original works.

http://www.wikihow.com/Copyright-a-Song

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_download

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright

http://www.howstuffworks.com/music-licensing.htm

http://creativecommons.org/

http://www.ask.com/bar?q=music+copyright&page=1&qsrc=2417&dm=all&ab=1&title=U.S.+Copyright+Office+-+Copyright+Registration+of+Music&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.copyright.gov%2Ffls%2Ffl105.html&sg=UNYLMUgLeRSnb1z67U5gv3dP%2BQPtXqb9wmCrV3n5cTY%3D&tsp=1259626545263

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5261846_explanation-music-copyright-law.html

http://www.ip-patent-news.com/history-of-copyrights-and-copyright-laws.html

Essays 2 of 3 – Business Essay

kizmediatech2009 — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:50:17 +0000

The music industry has always been a rather lucrative industry. Implying they exploit the general public would be an understatement. The music industry is notorious for their high revenues. In 2007 alone, the core copyright industries contributed $889.1 billion to the U.S. GDP, equal to approximately 6.4% of the U.S. economy.[1] But how exactly is this money generated? Does the majority of the revenue go towards the recording artist, the label itself or somewhere else all together?
To answer this question, one must start at the actual creation of a song. A song, in terms of copyrights, is broken into three parts: the lyrics, the actual musical accompaniment, and the actual recording of the song. The songwriter is created with the lyrics and actual musical accompaniment – as they created the song on their own and composed it to be played and recorded. The recording is attributed to the recording studio or the record label who commissioned the recording. With these entities in possession of the rights to the song (the copyright), they are the ones who will receive monetary compensation for the playing and distribution of the song.[2]

This monetary compensation, or the right to receive it, is referred to as a “royalty”. There are four kinds of royalties that one can own: “(1) royalties from ‘print rights’, (2) mechanical royalties from the recording of composed music on CDs and tape, (3) performance royalties from the performance of the compositions/songs on stage or television through artists and bands, and, (4) synch (for synchronization) royalties from using or adapting the musical score in the movies, television advertisements, etc. And with the advent of the internet, an additional set of royalties has come into play : the digital rights from simulcasting, webcasting, streaming, downloading, and online “on-demand service””. Basically, this translates into whenever their song is used to make money or in conjunction with an entertainment venue (live shows, radio, television, etc), they receive payment.[3]

            This, however, means that if the performing artist did not write the song or the music themselves – then they do not receive any royalty payments. These artists are therefore referred to as “performing artists” – artists that perform other individual’s works as a professional career. These artists make the majority of their income from the contracts with their record labels (generally they receive a large monetary amount for signing themselves exclusively to the label) and from their live performances and tours. Artists aside, though, the actual record label makes the majority of the money generated from the music sales.
            They generate profit through a number of different channels. The most obvious of these would be actual music sales. Compact discs, online mp3s, vinyls, etc. all generate profit for these major companies. However, among the many channels, cd sales are actually the least profitable. Most of the money made on these sales barely covers the cost of producing the CD and paying everyone who is involved. Similarly, CD sales don’t generate much profit unless they reach what is known as “platinum status”, the name given to albums that sell over 1,000,000 copies. Similarly to CD sales, sales on mp3s and ringtones generate little, if any, revenue.
            The more profitable means of generating income through the music industry is through live performances, music licensing (allowing radio stations, television shows, etc. to use one’s music), and from music royalties. Record companies (known as record labels because albums have a label indicating which company produced it) take on a lion’s share of the work of the music industry. They sign, develop, record, promote, publicize and sell music. Of course, all those things happen before the album ever gets into the store. Record labels come in all sizes, from small independent labels run by one or two people to huge corporations made up of hundreds of people in dozens of departments. In fact, Billboard, the best known music industry publication, lists more than 2,000 record companies currently in operation. Music is big business. Successful records sell millions of copies and earn billions of dollars for the record companies.[4] Among the many record labels in America presently, four are considered the power-houses. These four record labels are: Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment Inc., Warner Music Group Corp., and EMI Group PLC. They account for approximately 87.39% of the collective US music market (Universal 35.12%, Sony 22.79%, Warner 21.12%, and EMI 8.35%).[5]

These leading labels all own a number of much smaller labels, including what are referred to as “indie”, or independent, labels. In doing this, they can establish the smaller labels under them as particular genre labels. This means that the smaller label will focus on one type of artist, such as strictly rappers, or pop singers, etc. The parent label still holds all rights and control over the child label, but the child label is able to pay much more attention to the careers of every artist signed through them, as well as nurture the artist in that specific genre. Some indie labels, though, try to diversify the artists within their label to try to maximize the number of markets they are, such as having a rapper on their label, along with a heavy metal band and a pop singer.
It is through these labels that the artists get promoted and have their music nationally, and, for some, internationally, played – thus, thrusting them into the public spotlight. It is through these labels that artists receive a better shot at being accepted by the public. Music has always been popular with people of all ages, though only some artists ever seem to make a very successful name for themselves. The list of “one-hit wonders” is an inarguably longer list than those of long-lasting musicians. These long-lasting artists, however, are generally under the umbrella of a large label. Their talent were nurtured and grown within the label, and they become more than just an artist – they become a brand. This is only possible, though, with the help of the record label to which they are signed with. The larger the label, the (arguably) more potential they have to “make it big”.

            There are, however, more parts of the music industry that do generate a large number of profit. Recording studios generate a lot of profit themselves – being hired for long periods of time, using a great deal of equipment and space. Along with the recording studios themselves, all operate with very expensive equipment that usually requires a number of pieces to record one part of a song. From special microphones, to instruments, computer software and programs, and even sound proofing a recording room – the cost of equipment becomes steep rather quickly.
            For the average consumer, not a part of the recording process, there are a number of technologies needed to enjoy music. One cannot simply purchase a compact disc and being listening to it. To listen to a CD, one must have a CD player, as well as a pair of headphones. To listen to an MP3 file, one would have to have a computer with capable software. To listen to and purchase iTunes, one would need an Apple Mac computer. For portable MP3 playing, one would need to purchase an iPod (or another MP3 player), headphones, and the proper computer cables to connect the computer and player together to upload the music onto it. To play an iPod in one’s car, the proper equipment is also needed.
            This is how music technology becomes profitable to a manufacturer. One piece of technology cannot simply work by itself. There are at least two or three parts needed for each to work properly. It is in this situation that the manufacturers trap the consumer. Constantly having to purchase new music and upgrade software quickly becomes expensive. If one feels the need to have the latest gadgets for music play, they must pay the price. Similarly, if one wants their technology to be more adaptable to other parts of their lives, there are instantly more goods to buy. Music technology also covers sound technologies. These technologies apply to everything from cellular phones to televisions to radio to computers. All these technologies incorporate sound into their uses, and thus create even more areas in which a manufacturer can generate profit.

These music (and sound) technologies have greatly revolutionized the economic structures of many countries. With new advances made yearly, new products are produced on a regular basis. This translates into plenty of manufacturing, packing and shipping jobs for individuals all over the world. In terms of the actual music and sound production, there are an infinite number of individuals working with any given artist at a time. HowStuffWorks.com explains that there are about nine different departments at any given record label: Artist & Repertoire, Art Department, Artist Development, Business Affairs, Label Liaison, Legal Department, Marketing Department, New Media, Promotion Department, Publicity, Sales. Each department employs a large number of employees to cover all the responsibilities needed to successfully advance an artist and their career.

Overall, the music industry has revolutionized many an economy, as well as provided a great source of entertainment to the general public. Though a very lucrative and well oiled machine, there are many pieces that go on behind the scenes of which the average person is unaware. Still, the music industry (and its corresponding parts) have made a great impact on the world economy, and the world itself.

[1] “About Music Copyright Notices.” RIAA. 03 Dec 2009. Recording Industry Association of America, Web. 3 Dec 2009. .

[2] Obringer, Lee Ann. “How Music Royalties Work.” 24 May 2003. HowStuffWorks.com. 03 December 2009.

[3] “Royalties.” Wikipedia. 2009. Wikipedia.org, Web. 3 Dec 2009. .

[4] Klein, Allison. “How Record Labels Work.” 25 May 2003. HowStuffWorks.com. 03 December 2009.

[5] “Top record labels: artists, market share.” USAToday.com (2008): n. pag. Web. 3 Dec 2009. .

Essays 1 of 3 – How It Works

kizmediatech2009 — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:14:43 +0000

With the creation of the world came the creation of sound. With the emergence of humans came speech, language, communication and music. As humankind itself developed, as well as individual societies, there came many ways to record thoughts and to communicate ideas. There, however, was no real way to record speech, or sound. Music could be written down and performed, but there was no guarantee it would sound the same every time. Quotations and dictations lost a great deal of their power and force without the sound of the actual speaker’s voice bringing the words to life. It wasn’t until the end of the 1800’s that the recording of sound began to become a possibility.
            At this time, the telephone had already been invented and patented, though there was no way for the sound to be permanently recorded. That was until one inventor began working on the problem. Thomas Alva Edison, a renowned inventor of this time period, was the first to discover a way in which sound could be recorded. In 1877, Edison was working on a machine that would transcribe telegraphic messages through indentations on paper tape, which could later be sent over the telegraph repeatedly. This development led Edison to speculate that a telephone message could also be recorded in a similar fashion. He experimented with a diaphragm which had an embossing point and was held against rapidly-moving paraffin paper. The speaking vibrations made indentations in the paper. Edison later changed the paper to a metal cylinder with tin foil wrapped around it. The machine had two diaphragm-and-needle units, one for recording, and one for playback. When one would speak into a mouthpiece, the sound vibrations would be indented onto the cylinder by the recording needle in a vertical (or hill and dale) groove pattern. Edison gave a sketch of the machine to his mechanic, John Kreusi, to build, which Kreusi supposedly did within 30 hours. Edison immediately tested the machine by speaking the nursery rhyme into the mouthpiece, “Mary had a little lamb.” To his amazement, the machine played his words back to him.[1]
            At the same time as Edison, inventor Emile Berliner invented the “gramophone”. The gramophone was flat record player utilizing similar means of recording and playback as that of the phonograph, and in present day would be considered a primitive version of the record player. Berliner’s invention quickly gained more popularity than Edison’s, and eventually replaced it as the standard sound player. However, though both inventions accomplished the same task – recording and playing back sound, their construction was not very sturdy. The machines’ playing styluses were so heavy they would destroy the recordings after only a few plays. Public consumption began to die down quickly, and more focus seemed to shift towards radio broadcasting. A more reliable medium, aided with the invention of the microphone (compliments of Berliner), radio broadcasting began to advance more quickly than sound recording.[2]
            At the time, radio broadcasting was very localized. This means that a radio station could only broadcast a certain distance, generally within a certain mile radius. One of the first examples of this is from inventor Charles “Doc” Herrald. Herrald and his assistant Ray Newby transmitted live “voice and music” broadcasts in 1912 in San Jose, California from his “wireless telegraph college”. His broadcast, referred to as the “Herrald Station”, was only capable of reaching San Jose and the nearby San Francisco, and was only able to be heard by those who had created their own receptors (namely Herrald’s students). However, Herrald had created the first step towards public radio broadcasting.
            Over ten years later (in 1926), the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) was formed, becoming the first radio broadcasting company. A year later, Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) would join NBC as a broadcasting conglomerate, and fight for their listeners. NBC itself would later divide into two companies – NBC “Red” and NBC “Blue”, with NBC “Red” eventually becoming the American Broadcasting Company (ABC).
            During the 1930’s, German company AEG/Telefunken worked on, and later completed, the first magnetic tape recorder. After many attempts, inventor Eduard Schuller invented a ring-shaped magnetic head that created a concentrated magnetic field without toughing the tape surface. By adding a carbonyl iron power to the tough cellulose acetate-base material, it allowed for the tape recording to be easily edited while remaining strong enough to withstand the torque of the transport motors. In August 1935, the Magnetophon K1 was unveiled at the Berlin Radio Fair. The first serious recording using this portable, self-contained recorder was in November 1936, with Sir Thomas Beecham conducting the London Philharmonic at BASF’s concert hall near its manufacturing plant in Ludwigshaven. Other improvements followed, such as BASF’s ferric-oxide tape in 1939 and Walter Weber’s rediscovery and application of high-frequency AC biasing, which had been known since the 1920s, giving the 1941 Magnetophons a bandwidth of 10 kHz.[3]
            This technology was a huge advance, as it improved the sound quality dramatically, as well as was much less costly to produce. In 1946, a German tape recorder was captured and copied by US agents, to be used for commercial use in the United States. With this invention now in American hands, the progression of music technology began to once again pick up speed. Within ten years, the first pre-recorded tape was put on the market. Within twenty years, multi-track analog recording were starting to be used in recording studios, allowing songs to now be separated rather than set to continuous play. [4]
            During this same time, the 1960’s, another huge advance occurred. The first compact tape player was developed by Philips Electronics. This was such an advancement because, not only was the tape player made a great deal smaller, but it was also now portable. This meant that users were now able to move about while listening to their music, rather than remain stationary next to a radio or a large, bulky sound system. The tape recorder, and cassette tape, also revolutionized other aspects of life. Vehicles of this time were now being manufactured featuring cassette players, and later (1964) 8-track players.[5]
            For over twenty years, radio and cassette tapes remained the standard as technology slowly advanced out of the public eye. That was until the early 80’s, when the Japanese introduced digital compact discs to the world. These discs were encoded with digital information (a series of bits) that could be played by the use of laser beams. The laser beams out read the encoded information as they traveled around the disc’s spiral shape, and transmit the information through the electric speakers/headphones to the listener. This truly was a revolutionary technology because it was the first step away from analog forms of recording, and dealt solely with digital information.[6]
            The compact disc (known more commonly as CDs) took over the music industry by 1985 and remained the standard for nearly twenty years, becoming integrated into everything from the automobile to the personal computer. During this time, a new software was developed by CEDAR in 1988, which created a way in which formally analog recordings could be fixed (if they were cracked, worn, etc) and be remastered into digital recordings. Two years later, Philips (the creator of the tape cassette) introduced a new digital cassette tape that allowed recordings to be digitally recorded onto the cassette. By 1999, not only did digital cassettes exist, but empty CDs were now being sold to the general public, allowing users to select and upload the songs of their choice onto these blank discs. Duplicates of a CD could now be made without needing to purchase the original.[7]
            As the millennium came to an end, a new technology arose. With CDs holding data in strictly digital forms, and being integrated into personal computers equipped with the newly-public internet, digital file sharing was now possible. Napster (a music sharing program) sprang to popularity in 2000 – causing CD sales to drop dramatically, as individuals now began to share music via their computers instead of purchasing the music themselves. This new development would dramatically change the music industry and how society interacted with music as a whole. Apple Computers quickly followed this shift from analog to digital media by introducing an audio file player (mp3 player) known as the iPod. This player allowed users to upload their digital audio files from their computers onto this portable player. In a matter of only a few short years, the iPod became the new standard of digital media players. Apple’s music software program used to upload onto the iPod, iTunes, began offering a “store” option in 2003. This allowed users to purchase music off the internet via the “store” option, and download it directly to their players. By 2006, iTunes had sold its 1 billionth song, establishing that the music industry had now shifted primarily, almost permanently, to the digital. [8]

[1] “The History of the Edison Cylinder Phonograph.” About.com:Inventors. 2009. About.com. 18 Nov 2009. <http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bledisondiscphpgraph.htm>

[2] “Timeline of Music and Media Technology.” Classictimes.com. 2009. The Media Management Group. 18 Nov 2009 <http://www.classicthemes.com/technologyTimeline.html>

[3] “1935 AEG Magnetophon Tape Recorder.” TECnology Hall of Fame. 2006. Mixonline.com. 19 Nov 2009<http://mixonline.com/TECnology-Hall-of-Fame/aeg-magnetophone-recorder-090106/>

[4] “Timeline of Music and Media Technology.” Classictimes.com. 2009. The Media Management Group. 18 Nov 2009 <http://www.classicthemes.com/technologyTimeline.html>

[5] “Timeline of Music and Media Technology.” Classictimes.com. 2009. The Media Management Group. 18 Nov 2009 <http://www.classicthemes.com/technologyTimeline.html>

[6] “Introduction.” The Compact Disc: How It Works. 2009. Library.Thinkquest.org. 19 Nov 2009 <http://library.thinkquest.org/26171/gforce.html>

[7] “Timeline of Music and Media Technology.” Classictimes.com. 2009. The Media Management Group. 18 Nov 2009 <http://www.classicthemes.com/technologyTimeline.html>

[8] “Timeline of Music and Media Technology.” Classictimes.com. 2009. The Media Management Group. 18 Nov 2009 <http://www.classicthemes.com/technologyTimeline.html>

Essays 1 of 3 – How It Works

kizmediatech2009 — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:14:07 +0000

[1] “The History of the Edison Cylinder Phonograph.” About.com:Inventors. 2009. About.com. 18 Nov 2009. <http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bledisondiscphpgraph.htm>

[2] “Timeline of Music and Media Technology.” Classictimes.com. 2009. The Media Management Group. 18 Nov 2009 <http://www.classicthemes.com/technologyTimeline.html>

[3] “1935 AEG Magnetophon Tape Recorder.” TECnology Hall of Fame. 2006. Mixonline.com. 19 Nov 2009<http://mixonline.com/TECnology-Hall-of-Fame/aeg-magnetophone-recorder-090106/>

[4] “Timeline of Music and Media Technology.” Classictimes.com. 2009. The Media Management Group. 18 Nov 2009 <http://www.classicthemes.com/technologyTimeline.html>

[5] “Timeline of Music and Media Technology.” Classictimes.com. 2009. The Media Management Group. 18 Nov 2009 <http://www.classicthemes.com/technologyTimeline.html>

[6] “Introduction.” The Compact Disc: How It Works. 2009. Library.Thinkquest.org. 19 Nov 2009 <http://library.thinkquest.org/26171/gforce.html>

[7] “Timeline of Music and Media Technology.” Classictimes.com. 2009. The Media Management Group. 18 Nov 2009 <http://www.classicthemes.com/technologyTimeline.html>

[8] “Timeline of Music and Media Technology.” Classictimes.com. 2009. The Media Management Group. 18 Nov 2009 <http://www.classicthemes.com/technologyTimeline.html>

Research Proj – History Essay (1500words)

kizmediatech2009 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:42:22 +0000

With the creation of the world came the creation of sound. With the emergence of humans came speech, language, communication and music. As humankind itself developed, as well as individual societies, there came many ways to record thoughts and to communicate ideas. There, however, was no real way to record speech, or sound. Music could be written down and performed, but there was no guarantee it would sound the same every time. Quotations and dictations lost a great deal of their power and force without the sound of the actual speaker’s voice bringing the words to life. It wasn’t until the end of the 1800’s that the recording of sound began to become a possibility.
At this time, the telephone had already been invented and patented, though there was no way for the sound to be permanently recorded. That was until one inventor began working on the problem. Thomas Alva Edison, a renowned inventor of this time period, was the first to discover a way in which sound could be recorded. In 1877, Edison was working on a machine that would transcribe telegraphic messages through indentations on paper tape, which could later be sent over the telegraph repeatedly. This development led Edison to speculate that a telephone message could also be recorded in a similar fashion. He experimented with a diaphragm which had an embossing point and was held against rapidly-moving paraffin paper. The speaking vibrations made indentations in the paper. Edison later changed the paper to a metal cylinder with tin foil wrapped around it. The machine had two diaphragm-and-needle units, one for recording, and one for playback. When one would speak into a mouthpiece, the sound vibrations would be indented onto the cylinder by the recording needle in a vertical (or hill and dale) groove pattern. Edison gave a sketch of the machine to his mechanic, John Kreusi, to build, which Kreusi supposedly did within 30 hours. Edison immediately tested the machine by speaking the nursery rhyme into the mouthpiece, “Mary had a little lamb.” To his amazement, the machine played his words back to him.
At the same time as Edison, inventor Emile Berliner invented the “gramophone”. The gramophone was flat record player utilizing similar means of recording and playback as that of the phonograph, and in present day would be considered a primitive version of the record player. Berliner’s invention quickly gained more popularity than Edison’s, and eventually replaced it as the standard sound player. However, though both inventions accomplished the same task – recording and playing back sound, their construction was not very sturdy. The machines’ playing styluses were so heavy they would destroy the recordings after only a few plays. Public consumption began to die down quickly, and more focus seemed to shift towards radio broadcasting. A more reliable medium, aided with the invention of the microphone (compliments of Berliner), radio broadcasting began to advance more quickly than sound recording.
At the time, radio broadcasting was very localized. This means that a radio station could only broadcast a certain distance, generally within a certain mile radius. One of the first examples of this is from inventor Charles “Doc” Herrald. Herrald and his assistant Ray Newby transmitted live “voice and music” broadcasts in 1912 in San Jose, California from his “wireless telegraph college”. His broadcast, referred to as the “Herrald Station”, was only capable of reaching San Jose and the nearby San Francisco, and was only able to be heard by those who had created their own receptors (namely Herrald’s students). However, Herrald had created the first step towards public radio broadcasting.
Over ten years later (in 1926), the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) was formed, becoming the first radio broadcasting company. A year later, Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) would join NBC as a broadcasting conglomerate, and fight for their listeners. NBC itself would later divide into two companies – NBC “Red” and NBC “Blue”, with NBC “Red” eventually becoming the American Broadcasting Company (ABC).
During the 1930’s, German company AEG/Telefunken worked on, and later completed, the first magnetic tape recorder. After many attempts, inventor Eduard Schuller invented a ring-shaped magnetic head that created a concentrated magnetic field without toughing the tape surface. By adding a carbonyl iron power to the tough cellulose acetate-base material, it allowed for the tape recording to be easily edited while remaining strong enough to withstand the torque of the transport motors. In August 1935, the Magnetophon K1 was unveiled at the Berlin Radio Fair. The first serious recording using this portable, self-contained recorder was in November 1936, with Sir Thomas Beecham conducting the London Philharmonic at BASF’s concert hall near its manufacturing plant in Ludwigshaven. Other improvements followed, such as BASF’s ferric-oxide tape in 1939 and Walter Weber’s rediscovery and application of high-frequency AC biasing, which had been known since the 1920s, giving the 1941 Magnetophons a bandwidth of 10 kHz.
This technology was a huge advance, as it improved the sound quality dramatically, as well as was much less costly to produce. In 1946, a German tape recorder was captured and copied by US agents, to be used for commercial use in the United States. With this invention now in American hands, the progression of music technology began to once again pick up speed. Within ten years, the first pre-recorded tape was put on the market. Within twenty years, multi-track analog recording were starting to be used in recording studios, allowing songs to now be separated rather than set to continuous play.
During this same time, the 1960’s, another huge advance occurred. The first compact tape player was developed by Philips Electronics. This was such an advancement because, not only was the tape player made a great deal smaller, but it was also now portable. This meant that users were now able to move about while listening to their music, rather than remain stationary next to a radio or a large, bulky sound system. The tape recorder, and cassette tape, also revolutionized other aspects of life. Vehicles of this time were now being manufactured featuring cassette players, and later (1964) 8-track players.
For over twenty years, radio and cassette tapes remained the standard as technology slowly advanced out of the public eye. That was until the early 80’s, when the Japanese introduced digital compact discs to the world. These discs were encoded with digital information (a series of bits) that could be played by the use of laser beams. The laser beams out read the encoded information as they traveled around the disc’s spiral shape, and transmit the information through the electric speakers/headphones to the listener. This truly was a revolutionary technology because it was the first step away from analog forms of recording, and dealt solely with digital information.
The compact disc (known more commonly as CDs) took over the music industry by 1985 and remained the standard for nearly twenty years, becoming integrated into everything from the automobile to the personal computer. During this time, a new software was developed by CEDAR in 1988, which created a way in which formally analog recordings could be fixed (if they were cracked, worn, etc) and be remastered into digital recordings. Two years later, Philips (the creator of the tape cassette) introduced a new digital cassette tape that allowed recordings to be digitally recorded onto the cassette. By 1999, not only did digital cassettes exist, but empty CDs were now being sold to the general public, allowing users to select and upload the songs of their choice onto these blank discs. Duplicates of a CD could now be made without needing to purchase the original.
As the millennium came to an end, a new technology arose. With CDs holding data in strictly digital forms, and being integrated into personal computers equipped with the newly-public internet, digital file sharing was now possible. Napster (a music sharing program) sprang to popularity in 2000 – causing CD sales to drop dramatically, as individuals now began to share music via their computers instead of purchasing the music themselves. This new development would dramatically change the music industry and how society interacted with music as a whole. Apple Computers quickly followed this shift from analog to digital media by introducing an audio file player (mp3 player) known as the iPod. This player allowed users to upload their digital audio files from their computers onto this portable player. In a matter of only a few short years, the iPod became the new standard of digital media players. Apple’s music software program used to upload onto the iPod, iTunes, began offering a “store” option in 2003. This allowed users to purchase music off the internet via the “store” option, and download it directly to their players. By 2006, iTunes had sold its 1 billionth song, establishing that the music industry had now shifted primarily, almost permanently, to the digital.

Works Cited

“Timeline of Music and Media Technology.” Classictimes.com. 2009. The Media Management Group. 18 Nov 2009 < HYPERLINK “http://www.classicthemes.com/technologyTimeline.html” http://www.classicthemes.com/technologyTimeline.html>

“The History of the Edison Cylinder Phonograph.” About.com:Inventors. 2009. About.com. 18 Nov 2009. < HYPERLINK “http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bledisondiscphpgraph.htm” http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bledisondiscphpgraph.htm>

“1935 AEG Magnetophon Tape Recorder.” TECnology Hall of Fame. 2006. Mixonline.com. 19 Nov 2009< HYPERLINK “http://mixonline.com/TECnology-Hall-of-Fame/aeg-magnetophone-recorder-090106/” http://mixonline.com/TECnology-Hall-of-Fame/aeg-magnetophone-recorder-090106/>

“Introduction.” The Compact Disc: How It Works. 2009. Library.Thinkquest.org. 19 Nov 2009 < HYPERLINK “http://library.thinkquest.org/26171/gforce.html” http://library.thinkquest.org/26171/gforce.html>

Research Project – Biography 3 – Philips Electronics

kizmediatech2009 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:27:32 +0000

Philips

            In 1891, Gerard Philips (maternal cousin of Karl Marx) founded Philips Electrics in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The preliminary products produced by Philips were light bulbs and other electro-technical equipment. Years later, they would branch into vacuum tubes and a radio broadcasting station. When the second World War came around, the company caught wind that the German troops would soon invade the Netherlands. Worried for their safety and success, the directors decided to leave the country, taking a large amount of the company capital to the United States.
            Following the war, Philips returned to the Netherlands to reestablish themselves. Many of their research facilities had been kept secret and hidden from the Nazi troops while they occupied the Netherlands, allowing Philips to recover quickly post-war. Not long after reestablishing themselves, Philips produced the first compact cassette tape in the early 1960’s, to much success. Though originally created to aid journalists and court stenographers, as the technology progressed, the cassettes were used as a substitute for the vinyl record. With the invention of their cassette tape, they also introduced a radio with a built-in cassette player/recorder – later to be known as the “Boom Box”. With the wild success of the cassette tape, Philips began expanding their production to include the first home video cassette recorder (VCR) in the 70s, as well as set the groundwork for the compact disc. By 1982, Philips joined with Sony to produce the first compact disc. This disc was capable of storing over an hours worth of information, as well as play it back with better quality than any recorded medium before.
            Philips’ contribution to audio and recording technology would forever change the world. With their introduction of cassette tapes, to their creation of the compact disc (with Sony), they established themselves at the forefront of this technological field. Their contributions would further progress into DVDs and DVD players. Their work also allowed for combined media. Through their discovery and production of advanced recording technologies, they created a way in which mediums can be combined – such as sound + visual (DVDs), multiple – though not continuous – sounds (CDs), and information storage (memory CDs).

Work Cited
“Compact Disc.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 17 Nov 2009, 03:42 UTC. 17 Nov 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Compact_Disc&oldid=326285879>.

“Philips.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 13 Nov 2009, 10:50 UTC. 17 Nov 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Philips&oldid=325600984>.

Research Project – Biography 2 – Thomas Alva Edison

kizmediatech2009 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:08:54 +0000

Thomas Alva Edison

            “[Thomas Alva] Edison is considered one of the most prolific inventors in history, holding 1,093 U.S. patents in his name, as well as many patents in the United Kingdom, France and Germany. He is credited with numerous inventions that contributed to mass communication and, in particular, telecommunications. His advanced work in these fields was an outgrowth of his early career as a telegraph operator. Edison originated the concept and implementation of electric-power generation and distribution to homes, businesses, and factories – a crucial development in the modern industrialized world.”
            Edison is undeniably one of the most ingenious inventors of the late 19^th, early 20^th century. His work ranged from electricity to radiology to audio recordings. In fact, Edison was credited as the original inventor of the phonograph. Though the theory regarding sound recording was originally proposed by French scientest Charles Cros, Edison was the first to produce a working model. He named it the “phonograph”, an audio recording device capable of recording and replaying sounds. He would recount his discovery as “experimenting…on an automatic method of recording telegraph messages on a disk of paper laid on a revolving platen, exactly the same as the disk talking-machine of to-day. The platen had a spiral groove on its surface, like the disk. Over this was placed a circular disk of paper; an electromagnet with the embossing point connected to an arm travelled over the disk; and any signals given through the magnets were embossed on the disk of paper.” He proclaimed that such an engraving, if played on another phonograph, would recount the same telegram verbatim. He demonstrated his model’s capabilities on November 29, 1877 and it was patented on February 19, 1878. Edison’s early designs recorded the sounds onto tinfoil sheet, wrapped around a grooved cylinder – the sound being recorded by indentations made into the foil.
            Edison’s invention of the phonograph led to many other audio-related inventions. The tinfoil formatted phonograph recordings were replaced by vinyl records. Vinyl records were eventually replaced by electro-magnetic tapes, the short lived 8-tracks, and, later on, compact discs. By shedding the light on audio recording, turning sound waves into physical computations, Edison set the theoretical ball of audio technology in motion.

Works Cited:
“Phonograph.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 16 Nov 2009, 16:13 UTC. 17 Nov 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Phonograph&oldid=326177481>.

Research Project – Biography 1 – Apple (Computers) Inc.

kizmediatech2009 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:38:25 +0000

Write your first project essay and post it to you blog:
Biography Essay
Write and create an essay about 3 people who had an important impact on and played a major role in the history of your media technology. This could be an inventor like Edison, a businessman like Sarnoff, or a scientist like Tesla. If there is no significant individual, write about the most important companies. Make sure to cover what their contribution was and how important they were to the development of the medium. A brief paragraph about their background is also necessary.

Apple Computers
             Apple Inc. (formerly Apple Computers, Inc.) was established in Cupertino, California on April 1, 1976 (later incorporated on January 3, 1977). Founded by Steven Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, Apple (Computers) Inc. began selling the first commercial computers. In the years following, Apple expanded their industry to personal computers, laptops, “digital cameras, [CD players], speakers, video consoles, and TV appliances”. In more recent years, they have created and expanded laptop computers (their version known as the “Mac”), as well as mp3 technology.
            One of their most notable inventions in my technology topic (music) is the iPod. A portable music player, the iPod revolutionized music. The player was nothing more than empty memory. To put music on the player, one had to first “burn” the desired music onto their computer from the compact disc its information was stored on. From there, the information would be transferred to the iPod and now be accessible through the player. Organized much like a computer, the music was categories by listed artist, album, genre, etc. This player became the new standard for music listening. Its easy-to-use format, its ability to hold multiple CDs, and its ability to shuffle and customized caused it much success and resulted in a restructuring of the music industry.
            The iPod caused the industry to move away from CD sales and towards MP3-file sales. The iPod’s music program (for Apple’s Mac computer), known as iTunes, began to feature a “iTunes Store” option. This allowed users to purchased the latest music immediately (via debit or credit card) and download it to the customer’s personal computer, to be uploaded to their player. Files could now be shared much more easily between users this way (though some might considered this illegal).
            Apple, Inc. did not only revolutionize how people listened to music, they also revolutionized how people interacted with music. Through their software program “Garage Band”, Apple allowed the common user access to recording and music manipulation software. A common Mac user was now able to record vocals and instrumentals, as well as synthesize these recordings, using nothing more than their Mac laptop. With all the inventions and innovations of Apple, Inc. – the music industry and music recording itself became much more affordable and accessible to the common user.

WORKS CITED:
“Apple Inc..” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 17 Nov 2009, 11:41 UTC. 17 Nov 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Apple_Inc.&oldid=326330471>.