The turntable, also known as a turntable, was invented more than a hundred years ago but has become popular again in recent years. Of course, the first turntables were not like today, but they were able to offer a unique musical experience according to the conditions of the period. Like all inventions, what is the turntable, which has the signature of many people, and when it was invented, let’s take a closer look.
The new generation does not know, there used to be a pickup truck. The record played by the turntable turned into a cassette, cassette CD, CD MP3 format and finally digital music platforms that we all love today. But strangely enough, it is a music playback and sound recording tool invented over a hundred years ago. The turntable has become popular again in recent years. When you go to any music store today, it is possible to encounter vinyl versions of even the newest albums.
The answer to the question of how the turntable became popular again is of course the subject of another article. In this article, we will look at the process of inventing the turntable. Because, like all inventions, the turntable was not invented by just one person. With the small touches of many important names, it took the form we know today over the years and became the leading role of the musical experience of a period. Bride what is turntable, when was it invented Let’s take a closer look.
For those who don’t know, what is a pickup truck, what does it do?
The turntable is a device that converts the physical sound data recorded as indentations and protrusions on the record into music by reading it with its needle. It is an analog music playback and recording tool. The record is placed on the turntable, the internal motor rotates the plate, the needle is placed on it and the music recorded on the record begins to play. It is also possible to record audio using a similar method with a turntable.
When was the turntable invented?
The phonatograph, which is not a turntable but its ancestor, was first invented in 1857 by Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville. It was invented in France. The phonatograph was not recording sound exactly, it was writing the noise in the air on paper. However, since it could not replay the recorded sound, it was only used in a laboratory environment during scientific studies.
Thomas Edison invents the phonograph:
Graham Bell, the inventor of countless devices that we use even today, also deals with the pickup and In 1877, he invents a device called the phonograph. This device is similar to a phonatograph, but unlike it, it could produce an output for the sound it recorded, that is, it could play the sound it recorded.
Thomas Edison’s phonograph wrote his voice through a needle on foil wrapped in a cardboard roll. Saving was done by manually turning the roll. and then the recorded sound could be played back by hand rotation. However, Edison did not dwell on this invention as it was not a very useful device. You know, he doesn’t work on any invention he can’t sell himself.
The Graham Bell touch to the pikaba:
Alexander Graham Bell, who we know as the inventor of the telephone, developed Thomas Edison’s phonograph. By experimenting with many different materials such as molten metal, water and wax finally decided on wax and used beeswax on the sound-recorded foil.
Thanks to this little touch of Graham Bell, who was working with Volta Associates at that time, the quality of the recorded sound increased, the possibility of recording for a much longer time appeared, the recording became playable multiple times and the audio recording process became much more reliable. Even though it looked like a nice move, the turntable we know was not fully revealed.
Emile Berliner invents the gramophone:
Emile Berliner, a German living in the United States, As a result of his work on all these devices developed by Edison and Bell invented the gramophone, which was the predecessor of the turntable. With Emile Berliner’s gramophone, sound recording and sound playback systems entered a new era.
Emile Berliner recorded the sound not on rolls, but on 20 – 30 cm discs. with a technique called electroplating. recorded the sound waves outward. Thanks to this technique, the recordings made on the disc could be reproduced. Thus, the gramophone became a commercial product and entered people’s homes.
At this point, it is not possible to open a parenthesis and mention the name of Eldridge R. Johnson. Recording discs developed by Johnson, Berliner for a much higher quality sound. has done important work. It has almost completely eliminated the scratching that occurs during sound recording. The company he founded, Victor Talking Machine Company, still produces records today.
The pickup is getting common:
There is no transitional period during the conversion of the gramophone into a turntable. When the product becomes commercial the design has been made much more compact and the turntable we know was born. Although the turntable and the radio became widespread in the same period, they did not compete with each other, on the contrary, even in radios, a turntable was used for both recording and sound playback.
Between 1930 and 1940, the pickup became known all over the world, especially in the United States. people during WWII Turntables were forgotten for a while, as they preferred to follow the news on radio and television rather than listening to music. However, the turntable came back with a thud in due time.
The turntable is in its golden age:
The 1960s and 1970s were the peak periods of youth movements all over the world. Young people no longer wanted to fight, but to listen to music, and that’s what happened. During this period, record sales and record sales peaked all over the world. Even at that time, many different design pickups were offered for sale in order to attract the attention of the youth.
Another reason why turntables have become popular in these years is the advanced sound technologies. During this period, turntables could now produce stereo sound. Made of vinyl i.e. PVC material The records we call 45 today had appeared. These records presented 23-minute long sound recordings in high quality. In fact, the three-channel recording, which was the basis of the surround sound system, was also found during this period.
In the 1980s and 1990s, some DJs were recording and playing records. They began to play back and forth with their fingers. These movements, called Scratch, brought different rhythms to rap music, as we all know. This rhythm inspired many new music genres, especially rap music.
The oblivion and resurgence of pickup trucks:
The turntable, which was once the number one choice of music lovers, gradually lost its popularity in the 1980s. Over time, it gave way to cassettes and CDs. In the 21st century, when countless more ways of listening to music emerged, the turntable took its place in the dusty pages of the past.
But the turntable didn’t stay on those dusty pages for very long. Unknown how he was also influenced by the vintage movement and took its place in the corner of our homes again. Even when you go to the most popular chain music stores today, you come across new editions or old records of both old and new albums.
Music lovers’ best friend for many years and has recently become popular again. what is turntable, when was it invented We answered the curious questions and talked about the details you need to know about this device. Are you listening to the turntable? You can share your thoughts in the comments.