The History of the Record Player

Today we have DVDs, CDs, MP3s, and the internet for all our music needs. However, none of these would be possible without the invention of the record player, one of the most important pieces of entertainment technology in the history of the world. It was so pioneering, so cutting-edge, that after its invention in 1877, it took almost 100 years for it to be replaced by new technology. And even now, record players carry a classic musical feel that makes them very popular for music aficionados all over the world. Today, when one thinks of the record player, it is often the Technics or Crosley Record Player that comes to mind. But over 100 years ago, the name that mattered most was Thomas Edison.

In 1877, Thomas Edison created what he called the “phonograph”. His first records were made of tinfoil. These records had a spiral groove that went up and down the surface. A hand-cranked machine with a pin, or stylus, was used to read the grooves of the disc, vibrating according to the texture, which was eventually known as the “hill-and-dale” method. The vibrations would run up the stylus, along a metal tube, all the way to a large speaker. These speakers would magnify the vibrations into louder, more audible sound.

When Edison finished his invention, he was more interested in its various scientific applications rather than its musical potential. This left further advancements to other scientists and inventors.

10 years later, Emile Berliner invented the disc record, and patented it in 1896. Berliner's design was based on Edison's, but instead of using the traditional “hill-and-dale” method, which had the grooves go up and down, his method, called the varying lateral direction, had textures on the sides of the grooves. The VLD caught on very quickly, and soon Edison's original “hill-and-dale” method was left behind.

Soon, mass production of record discs became possible when Berliner invented the matrix record. This “master copy” allowed duplicate records to be pressed indefinitely. At this time, record players were still hand-cranked. But with the dawn of the late 19^th century came the nationwide use of electricity. And with it came the electric-powered record player. Unlike the hand-turned record players that can vary in speed according to the strength of the person, electric players offered consistent speed. This meant that there were no variations in the tempo of the music that was played.

Eventually, record players became so popular that whole families gathered around them to enjoy quality entertainment. Early methods of the “previous song” and “next song” functions of today's MP3 players were also made around this time. In order to choose which song was to be played, people would place the stylus in one of the may blank grooves in between textured ones. And for many years, the record player dominated households all over the world.

With the advent of the 1970s came tape decks and 8-tracks, and soon, records and record players seemed to be phasing out. However, when DJ-ing became popular in clubs and discos, the record player remained strong, and even with the arrival of digital music formats like CDs, many DJs continued to use record players to mix their musical masterpieces.

Today, the record player is in the hearts and minds of music aficionados, and used for a classic musical experience. Crosely record players are among the most popular modern incarnations of record players today, and can come in classic furnishings, to modern designs. They also developed the Crosely portable record player, which is something that was never perfected in the record player's hayday. Crosely portable record players are very popular because music fans can have a classic music experience without the need to use large and bulky machines.

So the next time you see a spinning CD or DVD, or listen to your favorite summer songs on MP3, remember the record player -- the grand daddy of popular music entertainment.