Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-03-24
LOADING PHONOGRAPHS.
SECURING POPULAR MUSIC FOR THE
WONDERFUL MACHINES.
No, All Voice. Arc Adapted for rres,r-
walton In tho War Cyiinders--,i Many
People Are Anxious 10 Sing aud Talk
Into the In.trninrniA

not All voices Nrc AdHptst Tor ffesfr-
Walton IN tho war Cylinders Many
People Are Anxious 10 Sing aud Talk
rnts the Instrument.
Half dozen men were assembled Ia the
rear room Of the house In Filth avenue the
other afternoon examining some curious
looking machines that stood on n raised
counter In the center Of the room. AZ.
taobcd 10 each machine was big bruys
funnel, shaped like the mouth ~ an ex'
aggeraied ear trumpet. An odd llttle cylin.
der. that looked soft and greasy. revolved
At moderate speed back Of the point Of each
funnel. On the other side Of the double
glass doors that divided ihe room from q
much larger one In front three negroes and
n negrcSs werc listening intently. Their
hends werc close up to the doors. and an
expression OF expectancy Vested upon their
faces.
Presently four Of the men In the room
arranged themselves IN front Of similar
number OF tunnels. while tho other two
went In back aud began 10 manipulate a
number Of belts aud screws connected
with the machinery. Then one Of the men
adjusted the funucla 40 tKit they were
clnsc together. aud the smallest Of the
u
smooth shavcn face. stepped forward, and
said In voice 40 loud that II made the H..
tenlng iarklc~ jump;
"The following selection Il Annie
Rooney II was sung on Feb. - by tho
- quartet"
SOUNDS ron PosrTmIY.
Immediately tho quartet began 10 sing
In fortlssimo. The darkica did not have to
strain their cars TO bear, but they followed
the singing very closely nevertheless.
They seemed to bo more Interested In tho
methods Of the singing than In the result.
As soon n the song wh, finished tho sing.
crs Mt back and discussed their work.
That ought 10 have taken all right. -
pnld one, "but what don't understand IL
the way the machinery halts once In a
while. Seems TO mo the battery Is out OF
order"
ono Of the mrn behind tho machinery
now manipulated another screw, and prrl.
emily the machine repeated In queer.
strained tones tho song that had boon
poured Into IL. Then the quartet got up
and sang another song In the same fashion,
% which the dafklcs listened ~ intently.
They were waiting for their turn.
Every day tho families who live In tho
houses adjoining the ono In which this per.
iornancc took place hear tho strains "
music and the sound Of highly pitched
Rotations. declarations, speeches aud
dialogues Every day. also. lot of people
come into the Office on the lower door Of
this house and want to secure engagements
tn talk into the phonograph on tho upper
story. Nearly all these persons arr pro.
fcsslonnls. Some Of them expect 90 no
paid for their services and others don't.
komc arc satisfied with tho advertising
they expect 10 get ont Of their singing aud
talking. and some merely wish 10 crafty
thtirvanlty.
TALK Win a MANAGER.
IAN sorts Of people come 10 our Office"
tald the Manager land want to he al.
lowed 10 sing Into the phonograph. Many
Of them can't sing at all. aud even some
who arc good singers do not seem To 10
able to use their yoiee. effectively. wonrc
pvcFrun with applicants, and have lots II
noted people on our list. We employ a
man Ia do nothing hut play tho plano for
the yoealista. The man who tests their
voices listens 10 the applicant while he
tings few bars, and u he thinks tho voice
suitable he spend. considerable time In In.
Itruotlng IL owner In tho way he should
sing into the phonograph. IL Is very din.
cult 10 do that we'll.
Many of the applicants want TO throw \
tarilonh VI paihos Into their voices. or sling
In Stay tonc and strut about melodui.
matically, NJ u they were before an audi.
rncc. That won't do at all. Tho tone
must be natural and tho word. distinctly
spoken. Articulation Is very important
element IN securing good results The
singer must stand still al certain distance
from the receiver and Sing loudly aud
tlcarly. Not one cut OF ten of the singer,
who appeal To the public Possesses voice
suitable for tho phonoguph.
1--WE lind Ii especially diiilcult 20 obtain
AHuitable female yoior. The quality Of tho
tone seems 10 b. too fine and too thin. A
baritone Il tho best voice for our purposes.
Although most VI our applicants volunteer
10 Sing for nothing. Just TO have their
names repeated by the machine, wa pay
good aud suitable singer we'll. We don't
have much use for the high class opcrailc
airs. but lind that tue popular songs take
much better"
Tho company keeps book ia which arc
written the names OF all the applicants and
nil the persons who have sung or spoken
Into tho phonograph.
JoKis0 WIN SOUND.
The Twenty-third Street theatre band
pours H. melody into tbs photograph about
four times a week. Any number OF trio-,
quartots. qulnteis and seNtota are on the
list All the cylinders on which these songs
have been recorded nre labeled aud put
away on their proper shelves. The same
song or recitation Is frequently repeated
on half dozen cylinders. The latter are
rented out To the owners VI photographs,
or arc put into the nlckel-lnthe slot ma.
chimes. Tho other day n party u young
girls went down to tho Edison works In
broad street and listened to the voice OF
the phonograph for some time.
One OF the men connected with the COM
pAny put up game on the girls, and made
them think that Mr.. Edison himself had
heen aware Of their coming. aud had talked
Into tho machine for their benefit. The al
legged WIZARDS voice expressed his grRiifl-
cation at the presence Of 80 many lovely
girls, and Invited them all 10 come out 10
his home In Llewellyn park. Fortunately
the girls did not accept tho invitation, al
though they were very much pleased with
IL. The Wizard would hnyc probably been
much surprised II ho had found a bevy Of
girls coming up 10 tho front door Of his
house some afternoon with the confident
expectation OF inding him ready 10 ~.
rrive them.
The apparent mystery OF the photograph
continues TO draw large numbers u people,
most VI whom seem 70 regard II m one of
tho creations OF Old Nick himself They
listen politely while attendants explain tho
workings Of the machine, but continue TO
look incredulous nevertheless, and seem ~.
strained only by u sense Of proprloty from
srnr,Nsinu their unbellef=Ney York sun,