The 8 milestones of recorded sound: from Thomas Edison to T-Pain

Cdza are a group of music and digital professionals who create and upload musical video experiments to their YouTube channel ever other Tuesday.
This week’s clip covers the eight milestones of recorded sound, beginning with Thomas Edison’s phonograph, through mono, stereo and multi-track recordings and up to the present day and T-Pain’s auto-tuned reign of terror.
Matt McCorkle, Cdza’s audio engineer expert, is your host and guide through the video journey, with some of his studio based friends and a digital mixing desk on hand to help.
Check out the video for yourself below:
[youtube id=”zTuZ7PzJkOI” width=”600″ height=”350″]
It’s amazing to consider the speed at which sound recording developed as well as its influence over 20^th and 21^st century music makers in comparison to the composers who lived before recordings were possible. In just under a century and a half, sound technology and recording technique have risen up to equal, impact and at times surpass traditional approaches to songwriting and performance.
Fancy reading more about the development and history of modern music and music technology?
Music Technology From Scratch provides a complete beginner’s guide to recording, mixing, and mastering music and is an essential book for anyone studying or interested in music technology or wishing to create their own professional-quality recordings. Exploring the theory and practice of music technology, the books seeks to explain how equipment works and what steps to take to achieve the best results in the studio. With illustrations, diagrams and photographs, along with step-by-step guides on gear, hints, tips and techniques, Music Technology From Scratch is a comprehensive look at the recording and mixing of sound. Additional online video resources are also available. This book is perfect for those studying music technology at GCSE, AS, and A2 levels, first and national BTECs, and the new Creative and Media Diploma.
Understanding Popular Music tells the story of pop from the 1950s and up to the present day. Covering the key themes of style, performers, and instruments, along with practical analysis of hit songs, this book is a fantastic aid for those seeking to understand the numerous elements that characterise pop music styles. Ideal for students and teachers, Understanding Popular Music is a book that will interest anyone curious about what makes a good pop song work and how the genre has evolved over time. The book is accompanied by iTunes, Spotify and YouTube playlists to bring the analysis of the hit songs to life with additional original audio available online.
What do you think were the most important development in sound recording for musicians? Do you have any favourite recording technique or tricks?