Join Trevor Cox, an Acoustic Engineering Professor, Sam Bennett, a Music Professor specializing in technology, and the iconic musician Brian Eno as they delve into the evolution of sound. They discuss the fascinating history of music recording from early phonographs to the revolutionary Fairlight CMI synthesizer. Hear about the challenges of capturing sound, the transition from analog to digital music, and a live audience experiment that turns phones into a digital orchestra. It's a captivating intersection of technology and creativity!
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First Music Recording
The first known recording of music is Claire de Lune, recorded in the 1850s.
It was made using a horn, diaphragm, and brush marking soot-covered paper.
insights INSIGHT
Sound Becomes Physical
The 1857 recording of a voice marks a pivotal moment for sound.
It became a physical entity, enabling scientific analysis and a new art form.
insights INSIGHT
Microphones Change Recording
Early phonographs relied on sound pressure to cut into wax, favoring loud singers and instruments.
Microphones allowed for natural room acoustics and diverse sound recording.
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The book follows Arthur Dent, an ordinary Englishman, whose house and planet are about to be demolished. He is rescued by his friend Ford Prefect, an alien researcher for the 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'. Together, they embark on a journey through space, encountering various characters such as Zaphod Beeblebrox, the two-headed, three-armed president of the galaxy, Trillian, a human woman, and Marvin, a paranoid android. The story involves their adventures on the spaceship Heart of Gold, which has an Infinite Improbability Drive, and their quest to understand the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything, which is revealed to be '42'. The novel is known for its humor, satire, and imaginative storytelling.
The fellowship of the ring
J.R.R Tolkien
In this epic novel, Frodo Baggins inherits the One Ring from his cousin Bilbo and learns from the wizard Gandalf that it must be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom to prevent Sauron's return to power. Joined by a fellowship of eight other members, including Gandalf, Sam Gamgee, Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, and Merry and Pippin, Frodo sets out on a treacherous journey across Middle-earth. The Fellowship faces numerous challenges, including treacherous landscapes, ferocious enemies, and internal conflicts, as they strive to complete their mission and save their world from darkness.
Brian Cox and Robin Ince explore the history of music recording, joined by acoustics professor Trevor Cox, music professor Sam Bennett and musician and producer Brian Eno. Together they guide us through the evolution of sound recording, a space in which technology hasn’t stood still since its advent in the mid-1800s. We hear the very first recognisable recording of a voice made with a brush making marks in soot and put a spotlight on the Fairlight CMI, a revolutionary digital synthesizer of the '70s, used in Brian’s records (Cox & Eno’s!)
Plus, we run an audio experiment with our live audience who turn themselves into our in-house digital orchestra, with the help of their mobile phones. Now that lots of people have several devices that can play sound, new technology is harnessing this to create a more immersive experience – which (kind of) worked in our experiment!
Producer: Melanie Brown
Exec Producer: Alexandra Feachem
Assistant Producer: Olivia Jani
The Infinite Monkey Cage 
