Edison Records was the first record label, pioneering recorded sound and an important player in the early record industry. In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Methods and media for sound recording are varied and have undergone significant changes between the first time sound was actually recorded for later playback until now. ... The record industry is the part of the music industry that earns profit by selling sound recordings of music. ...

Edison Record ad, showing cylinder & phonograph, from 1903 magazine This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... 1900 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ...

Early phonographs before commercial mass produced records

Thomas A. Edison invented the phonograph, the first device for recording and playing back sound, in 1877. Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 - October 18, 1931) was an inventor and businessman who developed many important devices. ... “Tonearm” redirects here. ... 1877 (MDCCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

After inventing and patenting the phonograph, Edison and his laboratory turned their attention to the commercial development of electric lighting, playing no further role in the development of the phonograph for a decade. Most of the industrialized world is lit by electric lights, which are used both at night and to provide additional light during the daytime. ...

The earliest phonograph was something of a crude curiosity, although it was one that fascinated much of the public. Early machines were sold to entrepreneurs who made a living out of traveling around the country giving "phonograph concerts" and demonstrating the device for a fee at fairs.

"Talking dolls" and "Talking clocks" were manufactured using the early phonograph; these were expensive novelties.

The start of the commercial record industry

In 1887 Edison Labs turned their attention back to improving the phonograph and the phonograph cylinder. 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... The earliest method of recording and reproducing sound was on phonograph cylinders. ...

In 1888 the Edison company debuted the Perfected Phonograph, Edison produced wax cylinders 4 inches (10 cm) long, 2<pi> inches in diameter, playing some 2 minutes of music or entertainment, which became the industry standard. For the toll-free telephone number see Toll-free telephone number Year 1888 (MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ...

Blank records were an important part of the business early on. Most phonographs had or could be fitted with attachments for the users to make their own recordings. One important early use was in business for recording dictation. Attachments were added to facilitate starting, stopping, and skipping back the recording for dictation and playback by stenographers. The business phonograph eventually evolved into a separate device from the home entertainment phonograph. Edison Record's brand of business phonograph was called The Ediphone; see dictaphone. Dictaphone was an American company, a producer of dictation machines —sound recording devices most commonly used to record speech for later playback or to be typed into print. ...

Mass produced cylinders

A notable technological triumph of the Edison Laboratories was devising a method to mass produce pre-recorded phonograph cylinders in molds. This was done by using very slightly tapered cylinders and molding in a material that contracted as it set. To Edison's disappointment the commercial potential of this process was not realized for some years. Most of the regional Edison distributors were able to fill the small early market for recordings by mechanical duplication of a few dozen cylinders at a time. Molded cylinders did not become a significant force in the marketplace until the end of the 1890s. The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the Mauve Decade, because William Henry Perkins aniline dye allowed the widespread use of that colour in fashion, and also as the Gay Nineties, under the then-current usage of the word gay which referred simply to merriment and frivolity, with no...

Mass producing cylinders at the Edison recording studio in New Jersey largely ended the local Edison retailers early practice of producing recordings in small numbers for regional markets, and helped concentrate the USA recording industry in the New York City - New Jersey area, already the headquarters of the nation's Tin Pan Alley printed music industry. A recording studio is a facility for sound recording. ... “NJ” redirects here. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City-centered music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century. ...

In 1902, Edison Records introduced Edison Gold Molded Records, cylinder records of improved hard black wax, capable of being played hundreds of times before wearing out. 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

In 1908, Edison introduced a new line of cylinders playing 4 rather than 2 minutes of music on the same sized record, achieved by shrinking the grooves and spacing them twice as close together. New machines were sold to play these records, as were attachments for modifying existing Edison phonographs. 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ...

In November of 1912, the new Blue Amberol Records, made out of a type of plastic similar to celluloid invented by Edison labs, were introduced for public sale. The first release was number 1501, a performance of the Rossini Semiramide Overture by the American Standard Orchestra. They were much more durable than wax cylinders. 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Blue Amberol Records was the tradmarked name for cylinder recordings manufactured by the Edison company in the USA from 1912 to 1929. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Celluloid is the name of a class of compounds created from nitrocellulose and camphor, plus dyes and other agents, generally regarded to be the first thermoplastic. ... Portrait Gioacchino Antonio Rossini (February 29, 1792 – November 13, 1868)[1] was an Italian musical composer who wrote more than 30 operas as well as sacred music and chamber music. ...

In 1913 artists' names began to be added to the records; previously, Edison's policy was to promote his cylinders based on the recognition of composers and the works recorded theron in lieu of the performers themselves. Year 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

Edison Records continued selling cylinders until they went out of business in 1929. However, from January 1915 onwards the first of the Blue Amberols, which were dubbed from Edison's Diamond Disc matrices, appeared on the market. By 1919, the last decade of production, these were simply dubs of their commercial disc records intended for customers who still used cylinder phonographs purchased years before. See also: 1928 in music, other events of 1929, 1930 in music and the list of years in music. // Events May 3 - Francis Poulencs Concert champêtre for harpsichord and orchestra is premiered in Paris May 17 - Sergei Prokofievs Symphony No. ...

Edison Records was eventually run by Thomas Edison's son, Charles Edison. Charles Edison (August 3, 1890–July 31, 1969), son of Thomas Edison, was a businessman, Assistant and then Acting Secretary of the Navy, and governor of New Jersey. ...

Edison Records logo from 1910s sleeve

Edison Records logo from 1910s sleeve This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Edison Records logo from 1910s sleeve This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ...

Materials and Process used to Manufacture Cylinder Records

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Cylinders sometimes called "yellow paraffin" cylinders that are mentioned from 1888 are not paraffin. These could be a number of formulas tested by Jonas Aylsworth, Thomas Edison’s Chemist. Most of the surviving 1888 recordings would be this formula. 60% ceresin wax, 25% Stearic Acid, 25% beeswax. This record has a cigar-like smell, very soft when first molded hardening quite considerable in a years time. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...

In late 1888 metallic soaps were tried. At first a lead stearate was used, but in the summer months, these records started to sweat and decompose. 1889 led to Aylsworth developing an aluminum wax, using acetate of alumina and stearic acid with sodium hydroxide added as a saponifying agent. It was found these records were much more durable. Problems arose, however, because hot weather also led to these decomposing due to the lack of a tempering agent. Ceresine was then added as a tempering agent, and sodium carbonate to harden the wax further. The Acetate of Alumina formula had to be cooked until all the acetic acid was boiled out of the wax. Thus the records from 1889-1894 are a reddish brown color due to the long cooking time. By 1896 Edison started using hydrated alumina in place of acetate of alumina. The use of Hydrated Alumina (the dissolving of aluminum in sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide and distilled water) meant that the records need not be cooked as long, so the wax was more of a cream to medium brown.

The Columbia Phonograph Company used Edison recording blanks until 1894. They were then forced to manufacture their own blanks. The Columbia company tried stealing secrets from Edison company by hiring old Edison Phonograph Works employees, such as Mr. Storms. The names of the components used were not labeled on them but instead were indicated by the use of letters (i.e. A, B, C, D, etc.) keeping the identities of these components a secret. Paraffin, Ceresine, and Ozokerite all look similar making the tempering agent even more difficult to be identified by the wax mixer. This person was given instructions on how much of the lettered components to put in the wax, and how to process it, with no account of what the chemicals used were, It took over a year for Columbia to come up with the formula for cylinders. Columbia placed an ad in the Soap Makers Journal for a practical man to work with metallic soaps, and Adolph Melzer, a soap manufacture from Evansville, Indiana took on the job. Melzer came up with a formula very comparable to Edison’s with the exception of the tempering agent being paraffin, instead of ceresine. By 1901 The Gold Molded (originally spelled Moulded) process was developed by Thomas Edison and Jonas Aylsworth (Edison’s Chemist), with input from Walter Miller, the Recording Manager of Edison Records.

At first no method of mass production was available for cylinder records except for the artist playing over and over, or hooking 2 machines together with rubber tubing, one having a master cylinders and the other a blank, and copying the sound mechanically, By the late 1890s, a pantograph was developed which used mechanical linkage one mandrel had a playback stylus and the other a recording one, weights and springs were used to adjust the tension between the styli to control recording volume and tracking,

The Edison Team had experimented with a Vacuumed Deposited Gold masters as early as 1888, and it has been reported that some brown wax records could be molded. Though no evidence has been put forward to support this claim. The Edison Record, "Fisher Maiden," was an early record that was experimented with for the process. The 1888 experiments were not that successful, due to the fact the grooves of the cylinders were square and the sound waves were saw-tooth-shaped and deep. The records came out scratched and it was very time consuming. (See The Edison Papers Project, Record Experiments by Jonas Aylsworth 1888-1889)

The Gold Molded process involved taking a wax master and putting it in a vacuum chamber. The master record was put on a spinning mandrel, the pump sucked all the air out of a glass bell jar, and 2 pieces of gold leaf were hooked to an induction coil. The current was turned on, a magnet was spun around the outside which turned the mandrel, and the gold vaporized a very thin coating on the master. This master was put on a motor in a plating tank and copper was used to back the gold up. The master record was melted, or chilled and came out of the mold to reveal a negative of the grooves in the metal. The master cylinder had to have wider feed as the grooves shrink in length through each process. The master mold is used to create mothers and these are then further processed to make working molds.

The Gold molded record used an aluminum-based wax, like the post-1896 Edison brown wax. However, carnuba wax was added with the addition of pine tar and lampblack making a black, shiny durable record. The molds, having mandrels in the center, were heated and dipped in a tank of the molten wax. These were removed and trimmed while still hot, and put on a table, where the molds were put in lukewarm water. The water caused the records to shrink in diameter so that they could be removed. The records were then trimmed, dried and cleaned, then later put on warm mandrels for 2 hours where they shrank evenly. In 1908, Edison Amberols with a playing time of 4 minutes were introduced. The process of making the finished record was the same as the Gold Molded records, however a harder wax compound was used. In 1912, celluloid was used in place of wax. The master was recorded and then the process of making the mold was the same as the Gold Molded process. What is different is a steam jacketed mold with an air bladder in the center was used. Celluloid Tubing was used and put in the mold, and the end gate was closed. The rubber bladder expanded the celluloid to the side of the heated mold, and printed the negative record in positive on the celluloid. The bladder was then deflated, and cold air was used to shrink the tubing so the celluloid print could be removed. The printed tubing was put in a plaster filler. When the plaster was hard the cylinders were then baked in an oven, then the ribs made on the inside of the plaster with knives. The records were cleaned and then packaged.^{[citation needed]} Much of this informaiton may be found at the Edison Papers project. Edison Papers Project Shawn Borri, interview, December 6, 2006 the only person in the United States who manufactures Edison cylinder blanks. Edison Phonograph Works

Edison disc records

In October of 1912 the Edison Diamond Disc Record was introduced. Edison Laboratories had been experimenting with disc records for some 3 years, as the general public seemed to prefer them to cylinders. The thick Edison Discs recorded the sound vertically in the groove rather than laterally, and could only be played to their full advantage on Edison Diamond Disc Phonographs. This combination produced audio fidelity superior to any other home record playing system of the time. However Edison Discs and phonographs were more expensive than the competitors. This together with the incompatibility of the Edison system with other discs and machines had an adverse effect on Edison's market share. Nonetheless, Edison Discs for a time became the third best selling brand in the United States, behind Victor and Columbia Records. 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... A 12-inch record (left), a 7-inch record (right), and a CD (above) Two 7 singles (left), two colored 7 singles (middle), and two 7 singles with large spindle holes (right). ... Victor logo with the famous Nipper dog. ... Columbia Records is the oldest brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888, and was the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. ...

Edison Records "Diamond Disc" label, early 1920s

With World War I various materials used in Edison Discs came in short supply, and many discs pressed during the war were made in part with such make-shift materials as could be acquired at the time. This resulted in problems with surface noise even on new records, and Edison's market share shrank. Edison Records Diamond Disc label, early 1920s copyright never renewed on Edison records. ... Edison Records Diamond Disc label, early 1920s copyright never renewed on Edison records. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ...

Prior to the war Edison Records started a marketing campaign, hiring prominent singers and Vaudeville performers to perform along side and alternating with Edison records of their performances played on top-of-the-line "Laboratory Model" Edison Diamond Disc Phonographs. At various stages during the performances, all lights in the theater would be darkened and the audience challenged to guess if what they were hearing was live or recorded; accounts often said that much of the audience was astonished when the lights went back up to reveal only the Edison Phonograph on stage. According to a book published by the Edison company titled Composers and Artists whose Art is Re-Created by Edison's New Art, ca. 1920, the first such "comparison test" took place at Carnegie Hall on April 28, 1916 with Marie Rappold, of the Metropolitan opera providing the live vocal performance. For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

In 1928 the Edison company began plans for making "needle cut" records; by which they meant standard lateral cut discs like the "78s" marketed by almost every other company of the time. The Edison "Needle Cut" records debuted the following year. The audio fidelity was often comparable to the best of other record companies of the time, but they sold poorly as Edison's market share had declined to the point where it was no longer one of the leading companies and Edison had few distributors compared to leaders like Victor, Columbia, and Brunswick. Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Victor logo with the famous Nipper dog. ... The Brunswick Records logo Brunswick Records is a United States based record label. ...

Edison Records closed down in 1929. The record plant and many of the employees were transferred to manufacturing radios. The masters for the Edison Records back catalogue were purchased by Henry Ford, and became part of the collection of the Henry Ford Museum. Some of the Edison catalogue is in the public domain and available for download at the following address at the Library of Congress website. Year 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Henry Ford (1919) Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was the founder of the Ford Motor Company and father of modern assembly lines used in mass production. ... A Ford Model T, used for giving tourist rides, is shown above at Greenfield Village. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge&#8212;writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others&#8212;in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ... Construction of the Thomas Jefferson Building, from July 8, 1888 to May 15, 1894. ...

See also

• List of record labels

This is a list of record labels. ...

External links

• The three surviving Edison cylinders on the National Recording Registry with descriptions, audio and transcripts
• Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara Library with streaming and downloadable versions of over 5000 cylinders.
• Edison Discs on Library of Congress site