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Playing the Unplayable Records
Researchers and scientists work together together to find a way to play recordings made by the studio of inventor Alexander Graham Bell (3:39)
Produced by: Ryan R. Reed
Related:
We Had No Idea What Alexander Graham Bell Sounded Like. Until Now
Smithsonian researchers used optical technology to play back the unplayable records
May 2013 |
By Charlotte Gray
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Comments (29)
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I thought that you would play A. G Bell's voice as described in Smithsonian Magazine...now I'm disappointed!
Posted by Robert Wealleans on May 2,2013 | 07:59 PM
Well done with technology available at this time. Hopefully, you will continue to preserve the recordings so that future generations may be able to decipher all with more advanced technology available at a later date. It is always exciting to gain access to living history.
Posted by Mary Pritchard on May 2,2013 | 08:50 AM
No kidding! Why not allow us to hear more of the recordings rather than the history behind it?
Posted by Elaina on April 30,2013 | 07:34 PM
Playing the Unplayable Records. I would like to suggest that a link be created to whatever happened next. Did they play anymore records or was there anymore recording on that record? Did they clean up the sound track and play it? Very interesting but kind of left me hanging. Thank you.
Posted by Tom Arth on April 30,2013 | 10:36 AM
http://americanhistory.si.edu/press/releases/%E2%80%9Chear-my-voice%E2%80%9D-smithsonian-identifies-130-year-old-recording-alexander-graham-bell%E2%80%99s —The full Alexander Graham Bell recording can be found here. Amazing bit of history to be sure.
Posted by Steven on April 29,2013 | 01:30 AM
As a Smithsonian Magazine subscriber, I was thrilled to follow the link to this video piece. What did I find? Three minutes and thirty seconds of build-up, followed by less than ten seconds of actual recovered audio. Actually, the video's closing credits take longer to display. My reaction matches the "Oh, " exclamation at the end of the audio: disappointment.
Posted by Robert Beard on April 28,2013 | 08:52 PM
it sounds like when you're trying to take a picture but accidentally take a video and the recording ends with a Uhhh.... LOL.
Posted by Caroline on April 28,2013 | 08:24 PM
The section that stops in "mid verse" sounds very lyrical. Are you sure this isn't a narrator chanting a profane joke, rather than someone who is disappointed? I'd like to read what the Smithsonian believes the full verse says.
Posted by Paul Heumphreus on April 28,2013 | 04:15 PM
This is awesome. I have also had the opportunity to hear hitlers voice - going back and hearing these voices you thought you'd never get a chance to hear.
Posted by Marilee on April 28,2013 | 12:54 PM
When I read about this work at the Smithsonian I was intrigued.that you had found sound bites from the past. I only wish that more were available and this could be shared. Thank you for your work.
Posted by Bill Gossett on April 28,2013 | 09:33 AM
The magazine article (May, 2013) references Bell's "unplayable" recordings at this website. All I can hear is a few garbled seconds of talking in the video. Is there another place to hear the recordings that are mentioned?
Posted by Richard Hart on April 27,2013 | 07:59 PM
I enjoyed "Clear as a Bell" and this website very much and for 2 different reasons. One, I worked for AT&T for 20+ years, so learning you have these materials makes me happy. Two, is there any way to clean a wax record? In 1943, my mother had one made of her playing the piano for her boyfriend (later to become my father). It hasn't been played in many years, and while in good shape, it seems only right to clean it before we make a digital recording of it. Thanks for your help. Paula Morrison
Posted by Paula Morrison on April 27,2013 | 12:54 PM
Congratulations! Thanks for a great work.
Posted by Fernando Bergamaschi on April 27,2013 | 07:33 AM
Where's the rest of it? There's an obvious cut and the "very long" part is omitted, jumping to the last few seconds. And I notice Mr. Haber's lips moving during that last bit--seems likely HE knows what's being said! "Oh, @#$%+&!" (my own disappointment!)
Posted by Carl Finch on April 26,2013 | 10:07 PM
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