Researchers Play Tune Recorded on a Phynautogram

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In summary, a 10-second recording of the folk song "Au Clair de la Lune" was discovered in an archive in Paris by American audio historians. The recording was made on April 9, 1860 on a phonautograph, a machine designed to visually record sounds. Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory were able to convert the phonautogram into playable sound. The conversation also includes discussions about using unconventional methods to create music and the possibility of recovering sounds from clay pottery.
  • #1
neutrino
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The 10-second recording of a singer crooning the folk song “Au Clair de la Lune” was discovered earlier this month in an archive in Paris by a group of American audio historians. It was made, the researchers say, on April 9, 1860, on a phonautograph, a machine designed to record sounds visually, not to play them back. But the phonautograph recording, or phonautogram, was made playable — converted from squiggles on paper to sound — by scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, Calif.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/arts/27soun.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&ref=science
 
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  • #2
I'm using that for my new ringtone!
 
  • #3
Thanks Neutrino, very interesting!

Unfortunately my mother used to sing that song all the time when I was little and it will probably be days before I can get it out of my head.
 
  • #4
I have lost the link to the site, but I once ran across a fellow on the web who made optical scans of conventional record albums, and had developed a program that "played" the scans. The quality was poor, but the ingenuity behind the implementation was impressive.
 
  • #5
Man first the light bulb and now audio recordings. Is there nothing that guy won't plagiarise. :wink::smile:
 
  • #6
Au clair de la lune, Pierrot répondit

this is highly mysterious, why did they record the first line of the second verse instead of the first.
 
  • #7
We may never know the answer to that question.
 
  • #8
This is a perfect example of why I listen to what history teaches us... but only believe what I see.
 
  • #9
Very cool!

There has long been speculation that it may be possible to recover sounds that were present during the making of some clay pottery, but afaik, no one has shown that this is possible under any conditions.
 

1. What is a Phynautogram?

A Phynautogram is a unique recording that captures the vibrations and movements of a physical object, such as a musical instrument or a human voice, through a specially designed device called a phonautograph.

2. How is a tune played from a Phynautogram?

To play a tune recorded on a Phynautogram, researchers use a process called "image-to-sound conversion" which translates the recorded movements into corresponding sound waves. These sound waves can then be played back through speakers or headphones.

3. What is the significance of playing a tune from a Phynautogram?

Playing a tune from a Phynautogram allows researchers to listen to and study recordings made before the invention of the phonograph, which was the first device capable of playing back recorded sound. This offers a unique insight into the history of sound recording and playback technology.

4. Can any tune be played from a Phynautogram?

Yes, as long as the original recording was of a tune or sound, it can be played back using image-to-sound conversion. However, the quality of the playback may vary depending on the condition and quality of the original Phynautogram recording.

5. How do researchers use Phynautograms in their research?

Researchers use Phynautograms to study the history and development of sound recording technology, as well as to explore the different sounds and vibrations produced by various objects. They can also use Phynautograms to analyze the techniques and styles of musicians from past recordings.

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