Hollywood Spectator (Apr-May 1939)

Studios Interested in f ocal Robot By George T urner JUST what the Vocoder will do for film, radio and sound recording is a subject which at the moment is tantalizing technicians. The modest claims of the Bell laboratories — that it is not a finished product, that it is the outgrowth of a mere telephonic experiment — are sagacious enough to whet studio curiosity the more. However, the recent demonstrations of the electrical instrument have proved sufficiently amazing to cause experts to predict even more than the utilization of trick effects. Among the sensational stunts of this device that manufactures speech are: talking or singing into a microphone and causing a string quartet or a pipe organ to assimilate the words. The instruments literally sing words in their own individual tones. Similarly, the hum of an airplane or a dynamo, or the sound of a locomotive, acquire rhythmic speech. Again, the singing of one voice at the microphone becomes a trio — three-voice harmony, through combining different pitch channels. The intervals remaining constant are therefore not harmonically perfect at all times, but even this defect can be overcome, if need be. Whether worth while, is another question. Remade Speech CJ The Vocoder is a process by which sound of any kind is broken down through an analyzer, and reconstructed by a synthesizer. Many variations become possible as the sound stream is re-made. The application of the Vocoder in speech study comes particularly from its ability to vary each of the elements of speech singly or together, the raw material of speech consisting of two sound streams. The first stream has three properties: pitch, determined by frequency of vibration; intensity, or the total sound power of the speaker, and quality, determined by the relative amounts of sound power carried in fixed frequency bands. As the stream proceeds, all three properties vary. The second sound stream has no pitch, but has varying intensity and quality. Only one of the two streams is active at one one time during most of the speech. The first sound stream, “the buzz,’’ resembles a muted automobile horn — a monotone, from which single note electrical filters distinguish thirty different ranges of overtones, covering the gamut of the human voice. The same filters then break down the second stream, “the hiss,’’ into thirty ranges. 7'he hiss is the “s”, “f”, “sh”, soft “th” and “c” and “h" of ordinary speech. Mixing by finger controls, the analyzing circuit, thus picking out thirty parts, permits their control in proper amount before they reach the loud speaker. With the buzzer alone, the voice pitch is a flat monotone; the hiss alone converts the voice to a somewhat faint whisper. Artificial Inflection Odd manifestations in vocal expression are contrived by reducing the variations of pitch. The Vocoder can make an enthusiastic sentence sound emotionless and dull, or, vice versa. When the swing of pitch is cut in half, the voice seems flat and dragging; when the swing is twice normal, the voice becomes brilliant, and four times normal makes it febrile and unnatural. By reversing the controls, high becomes low, a tune is heard upside down, talk takes on a Scandinavian lilt. An artificial vibrato can be injected into tones, seeming to be practically normal at six waves a second and becoming a rapid tremulo at ten. Running up and down the electrical frequency scale, a man’s voice at the microphone is soprano at 275 cycles and a sub-human double bass at sixteen cycles. From a utility point of view, the Vocoder in its present state seems most likely to interest animated cartoon producers, who are avidly discussing its possibilities. That it will effect any striking departures in sound recording for live subjects is more questionable, despite its astonishing tonal performances. As a means of overcoming the limitations of actors and singers it may function in various ways, beyond the mere changing of vocal pitch as already contrived by filters. Move To Shozv Hozv Pictures Are Made HE butterfly must emerge from the cocoon. Great oaks from little acorns grow. Back in 1924, Mrs. Ina Roberts, now editor of the Spectator's “Books and Films" department, conceived the idea of linking, for the benefit of the reading public, films and the books from which these are made as well as other books connecting with them by subject. The details were still vague. However, she took the idea to the local film exchanges of her town, Cleveland, where she was occupying the position of publicity director of the Cleveland Public Library. The late M. A. Malaney, then publicity man for Loew’s Cleveland Theatres, had faith; he merely said, after listening to Mrs. Roberts: “You and I are going to work together a lot.” Mrs. Roberts and C. C. Dourdourff, MGM ace exploitation man, worked out the first film bookmark, which was for Scaramouche. The Cleveland library made the book list for this, and distributed the bookmarks. Other film exhibits and bookmarks in other libraries followed. Gradually the idea, aided by the powerful influence and expert handling of the Cleveland library, spread throughout the country. Later came the study guides; the magazine, The Motion Picture and the Family, published for three years by the Hays organization; Mrs. Roberts’ own magazine, Books and Films, which is now combined with the Spectator as a department; and last, but not least, the research panels that opened the schools to direct cooperation with films. From Idea to Fulfillment Cf About this time, after studying carefully his capabilities and character, Mrs. Roberts took into her office Frederick Myers, then very young, and trained him for several years to fill her position when she should leave. Since Mrs. Roberts moved to Los Angeles, early in 1938, Mr. Myers has filled this position and is now director of public relations for the Cleveland library. The foregoing has related to the cocoon stage; now Mr. Myers has conceived another idea, from which the butterfly will issue. This idea consists of a plan to link, with films, by means of an exhaustive exhibit, the books from which these are made and the other books related to them by subject; also the 276 professions involved in their making. Mr. Myers says his idea grew out of Barret Riesling’s book, Talking Pictures; How They Are Made: How to Appreciate Them, in which Mr. Riesling states that 276 professions are needed to make one motion picture. Because he gained his idea from this book; because of the faith shown by the late M. A. Malaney and C. C. Dourdourff and the later faith and cooperation shown by MGM, through such men as Howart Dietz, W. R. Ferguson, Howard Strickling and Barrett Riesling, Mr. Myers contacted MGM in regard to his idea. Out of this conference has grown the plan for an exhibit. It will include books to be filmed, other related books and books on the 276 professions, illustrated by still photographs depicting the parts played by the 276 professions in the making of films. Making Still Photos •J Mr. Myers is now in Hollywood to supervise the making of the still photographs at the MGM studios. Upon his return to Cleveland, the exhibit will be arranged and installed by A. C. Young, curator of exhibits for the Cleveland Public Library. After having been shown there, the exhibit will tour the libraries of the country. Librarians of (Continued on page 15) JULY 22, 1939 PAGE THIRTEEN