Cylinder Lists: Columbia Brown Wax, Columbia XP, Columbia 20th Century, and Indestructible (2000)

68 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD May 15, 1918 lian Co. decided that a talking machine record bearing the Aeolian name was the only prac- tical solution of this problem. It was deter- mined that nothing would be left undone to make the record bearing the Aeolian name a worthy companion to the other famous Aeolian products, and with this determination in mind, the technical stag was instructed to concentrate its egorts upon the production of such a record. For two years these scientists and tone ex- perts experimented with new and digerent sys- tems of recording. No time or expense was spared in the hope that one of these new sys- tems might be utilized in the production of a record that would fully satisfy the Aeolian ex- ecutives and technical stag. Experimentation was going forward in the Aeolian technical laboratories when a cable- gram was received at Aeolian Hall from the company's English branch, saying that an in- ventor had submitted samples of a phonograph record which was of marked superiority, and that there was a possibility of acquiring the process by which it was made. Following this cable- gram a number of specimen records were re- ceived and given exhaustive hearings and tests. In order to insure the acquisition of so valu- able a method the president of the Aeolian Co. made a special trip to London in order to in- vestigate the matter personally. He found that the improvements in the new process were so important that its inventor had already been able to secure patents in all of the principal countries. Further investigation strengthened the first favorable impression the records had made, and after a short period of negotiation, the patented rights to the new method were purchased, and the men responsible for the new record were engaged to continue the development of the sys- tem under the auspices and in the laboratories of the Aeolian Co. Discussing this method of recording from a scientific standpoint one of the Aeolian Co.'s technical experts remarked: ‘‘As is generally understood, all sounds—mu- sical tones included—are conveyed to the ear by what are known as sound, or tone waves. These waves, while intangible and invisible, can, by means of recently devised scientific appli- ances, be observed, measured and accurately esti- mated, through certain egects they produce. •'While investigation of musical tones through various apparatus is not new, no such accurate observation has hitherto been possible, and it is of more than passing interest to know that the Aeolian Co., in addition to its own completely equipped acoustical laboratories, has been in a position to profit by these new appliances and researches of their inventor, who is recognized as one of the most noted contemporary au- thorities on the phenomena of sound. “It has been established that all musical >pointed /trusts itoom in ncuiuu ivuuj tfiuutu endorsement and guarantee of the Aeolian Co. The success instantly achieved by the Aeolian- Vocalion reflected the importance of the new scientific and musical qualities which it em- bodied. The distinctive and outstanding feature of the Aeolian-Vocalion was its tone quality and the * ened if a record was perfected that would har- monize completely with the scientific perfection of the Aeolian-Vocalion. In other words, these experts expressed their belief that further prog- ress in the phonograph field was not possible, except in the development of the record. With its customary progressiveness the Aeo- tones are composite in character—that is, each tone is composed of a greater or less number of individual tones. Every composite tone, such as a note of the human voice, the violin, or other instrument, has a fundamental or basic tone, and a long or short scries of overtones as well. THE AEOLIAN CO. ANN OUNCES T HE VOCALION RECORD Aeolian-Vocalion Record Now Ready for the Market—Embodies New Recording Features—Is Hill and Dale Cut, Ten and Twelve-Inch, Single and Double Faced—Will Be Marketed Through Vocalion Representatives—Recording Studio in New York Splendidly Equipped The Aeolian Co., New York, is now ready to announce to the talking machine trade the new Aeolian-Vocalion record. The first list of rec- ords is now ready for general distribution, and plans are being formulated whereby the mer- chandising of this record will be conducted in the thoroughly efficient manner which charac- terizes all Aeolian merchandising plans. Behind this important announcement in behalf of the Vocalion record lies an interesting his- tory of progress and development. The Aeolian Co. has never been satisfied to place any prod- uct on the market bearing its name, without knowing that this product represented some- thing digerent and distinctive. In fact, it has been this constant aim to give the musical world something new that has made the Aeolian Co. world-famous and a recognized leader in inter- national musical development. The Aeolian Co. in its very successful history has always endeavored to create rather than to imitate. It has been a pioneer in the player- piano and organ fields, and its player-piano prod- ucts have won recognition the world over. The Duo-Art reproducing piano, the company’s most recent development in the player-piano industry, has won enthusiastic endorsement from the most famous musicians, who acclaim it as one of the greatest achievements in the history of music. When the Aeolian Co. a few years ago de- cided to manufacture talking machines it did not make any immediate announcement to this eflect, but for several years the company’s tech- nical experts thoroughly investigated the scien- tific features of the talking machine. Every known improvement and scientific achievement was given easeful consideration during this period of investigation, and this research was especially significant in view of the fact that the Aeolian Co.’s technical stag comprises not only musicians and artisans of great ability, but several scientists of note. For several years these men labored to develop the phonograph, working for two years in collaboration with Professor Dayton C. Miller, of the Case School oi Applied Science, one of the greatest living authorities on tone and tone quality. Finally in 1914, these technical experts de- cided that they were ready to introduce the Aeolian-Vocalion phonograph and this instru- ment was presented to the musical world as an instrument that embodied numerous im- provements of great musical value. The sub- ject of musical tone was thoroughly discussed in all literature that the company issued, and when the instrument was placed in the hands of the dealers, it carried with it the absolute introduction of the "Graduola,’’ which was em- bodied in the Vocalion in order to permit of tone control. The '‘Graduola’’ has won recog- nition as one of the simplest and most efficient means of phonographic tone control yet devised. After the perfection of the Aeolian-Vocalion phonograph and its subsequent success with musicians and the general public, the Aeolian Co. continued to experiment in the digerent realms of phonograph research, but the company’s technical experts finally reached the stage where they were in a position to tell the officers of the company that in their opinion "the Aeolian- Vocalion phonograph represented the acme of perfection, musically and scientifically.” In this report there was also submitted a sug- gestion that the musical prestige of the Aeolian- Vocalion phonograph could be further strength-