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86 The Phonograph Monthly Review December, 1927 .Echoes from the Okeh Recording Studio D URING my recent trip to New York I visit- ed as usual my good friends at the Okeh (Odeon) recording laboratory. During the conversation with Chief Engineer Charles Hib- bard and his assistant Peter Decker, I intimated that it would be of vast interest to our readers to have some first hand authentic information on the making of a record from start to finish. All hands at the laboratory were willing to assist in making this possible, including the artist whose recording date was scheduled for that afternoon —Irving Kaufman, well known tenor—and the ever congenial recording manager, Tom Rockwell. A photographer was sent for and Peter Decker justly grumble over the price of records. In ad- dition, no one should utter the not uncommon frenzied tirades, criticizing the companies for not issuing many works which are impracticable from a commercial standpoint. The first of the accompanying pictures shows the laboratory personnel ready for action. From right to left you will find: 1) Chief Recording Engineer, Charles L. Hibbard; 2) Foreign Rec- ord Department Manager, William A. Timm; 3) Assistant Recording Engineer, Peter Decker; 4) Recording Manager, Tom Rockwell; 5) Rube Bloom, noted composer and the official Okeh pianist; 6) Bob Stephens, harmonist; 7) Andy The Okeh Laboratory Personnel Ready for Action was commissioned to write a short explanation to accompany the photographs taken (reproduc- ed herewith). Very few people have the slightest idea of the elaborateness of the process of making a record or of the enormous cost involved in making even one of the so-called popular disks, not to mention the great symphonic album sets requiring an or- chestra of from forty to as high as one hundred and ten musicians. When one considers that each musician receives the union wage of $15.00 for a “sitting” of three hours and that some great symphonic recordings often require weeks for the re-playing necessary for perfection, no one can Samella, saxophonist; 8) Irving Kaufman, the soloist for the records about to be taken; 9) Music Supervisor, Justin Ring, noted for his excellent orchestrations and musical arrangements; 10) Your Editor; and 11) A1 Taylor, Assistant to En- gineers. The second picture shows the laboratory be- hind the scenes, with the world famous Charles L. Hibbard (wearing the ear phones) and his able assistant Peter Decker, as you actually find them during the recording period. I have had the privilege of being present dur- ing all parts of the recording process and I can vouch for the fact that in no recording labora-