The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-25
LOADING PHONOGRAPHS.
SECURING POPULAR MUSIC FOR THE
WONDERFUL MACHINES.
Not All Voices Are Adapted for Prsser-
walton in tho Wax Cylindsrs-Many
People Are Anxious to Sing and Talk
Into the Instruments

Half dozen men were assemble in the
rear room OF the house in Fifth avenue thu
other afternoon examining some euriou:
looking machines that stood on raised
counter In the center of the room. At
tached to each machine was a big bras;
funnel, shaped Like the mouth of an ex
aggerated ear trumpet. An odd little cylin
der, that looked soft and greasy, reyolved
at moderate speed back OF the point of each
funnel. On the other side of the dou bic
glass doors that divided the room from 8
much larger one In front three negroes and
negress were listening intentiy. Their
heads were close up 10 the doors, and an
expression OF expectancy rested upon their
faces
Presently four of the men in the room
arranged themselves in front Of similar
number of tunnels, while the other two
went in back and began to manipulate a
number of belts and screws connected
with the machinery. Then one of the men
adjusted tde tunnels so that they were
close together. and the smallest of the
quartet, a pudgy man with a square,
smooth shaver face, stepped forward, and
said in a voice so loud that it made the lis
tening darkies jump:
'"The following selection is Annie
Rooney 1t was sung on Feb. by the
quartet"
SOUNDS FOR PosTERITY.
Immediately the quartet began to sing
IN fortissimo. The darkies did not have TO
strain their ears 70 hear, but they followed
the singing very closely nevertheless.
They seemed to be more interested in the
methods OF the singing than in the result.
As soon as the song was finished the sing
ers sat back and discussed their work.
THAT ought to have taken all right, -
said one, "but what / don't understand is
the way the machinery halts once in a
while Seems to me the battery is out of
order"
One of the men behind the machinery
now manipulated another screw, and pres
emily the machine repeated in queer,
strained tones the song that had been
poured into it. Then the quartet got up
and sang another song in the same fashion,
to which the darkies listened as intently.
They were waiting for their turn.
Every day the families who live in the
houses adjoining the one in which this per-
formance took place hear the strains of
music and the sound of highly pitched
recitations, declamations, speeches and
dialogues. Every day, Also a let of people
come into the office on the lower floor of
this house and want to secure engagements
to talk into the phonograph On the upper
story. Nearly all these persons are pro-
fessionals. Some of them expect to be
paid for their services and others don't
Some are satisfied with the advertising
they expect to get out of their singing and
talking, and some merely wish to crafty
their vanity.
TALK WITH A MANAGER.
SAIL sorts of people come to our Office"
said the manager, land want TO be al
lowed to sing into the phonograph. Many
Of them can't sing at all, and even some
who are good singers do not seem to be
able to use their voices effectively. We are
oyerrun with applicants, and have lots of
noted people on our list. We employ
man to do nothing but play the piano for
the vocalists. The man who tests their
voices listens to the applicant while he
sings few bars, and if he thinks the voice
suitable he spends considerable time in in
structing it's owner in the way he should
sing into the photograph. 1t is very diff
cult to do that well.
Many of the applicants want to throw
,artload of pathos into their voices, or sing
n stacy tone and strut about melodra-
as if they were before an audi
,nce. That won't do at all. The tone
must be natural and the words distinctly
spoken. Articulation is very important
clement in securing good results. The
singer must stand still at certain distance
rom the receiver and sing loudly and
clearly. Not one out of ten of the singers
Who appeal to the public possesses voice
uitable for the phonograph.
"We find it especially difficult to obtain
suitable female voice The quality Of the
one seems to be too fine and too thin. A
,aritone is the best voice for our purposes.
most of our applicants volunteer
o sing for nothing, just to have their
James repeated by the machine, we pay a
,ood and suitable singer well. We don't
ave much use for the high class operate
irs, but find that the popular songs take
much better"
The company keeps book in which are
Tritten the names of all the applicants and |
II the persons who have sung or spoken |
nto the monograph.
JOKING WITH SOUND.
The Twenty-third Street theatre band /
ours its melody into the monograph about /
our times week. Any number of tTios, |
uartets, quintets and sextets are On the /
st. All the cylinders On which these songs |
ave been recorded are labeled and put /
way on their proper shelves. The same |
ong or recitation is frequently repeated /
u half a dozen cylinders. The latter are
ented out to the owners of Photographs,
r are put into the nickel-in-the-slot ma
hines. The other day party OF young
iris went down TO the Edison works in
road street and listened TO the voice Of
he phonograph for some time.
One of the men connected with the COM
any put up game on the girls, and made
lem think that Mr.. Edison himself bad
zen aware OF their coming. and had talked
TO the machine for their benefit. The a.
ged Wizards voice expressed his grarih-
ltion at the presence of so many lovely !
rls, and invited sAem all 70 come out TO
IS home in Llewellyn park. Fortunately
le girls did not accept the invitation. al
lough they were very much pleased with
The Wizard would have probably been
UGH surprised If be had found bevy Of
rls coming up TO the front door OF his
1E@c SD41E 64t-fAcSa WIN tA-C NOi<8acE1
,pectation OF finding him ready to re-
i've them.
The apparent mystery Of the monograph
ntinues to draw large numbers OF people,
ost Of whom seem 20 regard Il as one Of
e creations of Old Nick himself They
ten politely while attendants explain the
orkings of the machine, but continue TO
ok incredulous nevertheless, and seem re-
rained only by = sense Of propriety from
pressing their unbeisef-New York Sun.
The Honest Servant.
Miss Maud Ia,
Bridget-Eav, sor-.
ChaFpie-weil, I'Il leave ny card, 50 !
AZ sheSu know " 10 has called