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May 24th - In the United States, Samuel Morse begins his first telegraph line.
The wires run 39 miles from Baltimore, MD to Washington, D.C.
The first message sent by Morse is: "What hath God wrought?" -
Alexander Graham Bell issued a patent for the Telephone on March 7th. By the early
1800's many experimental uses were attempted for this invention including what was
later called "Audio Theatre" -- plays and readings performed over the telephone. -
Emile Berliner invents the first microphone and sells the rights to Bell Telephone
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Emile Berliner invents the flat record player ("gramophone") using acoustic horn
and licenses technology to record companies who make "70-rpm" disks -
Danish inventor Valdemar Poulson invents magnetic wire sound recording
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Louis Glass invents the modern jukebox (coin-operated phonograph) and installs
it at the "Palais Royal" saloon in San Francisco where it is an immediate hit. -
The International copyright agreement is adopted between major countries
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Popular music becomes a serious business; Music Publishers begin renting
office space on 28th street in New York City, near vaudeville theatres in an
area that would become known worldwide as "Tin Pan Alley." -
The first "million-seller" song hit (sold via sheet music) was "After The Ball"
by Charles K. Harris, who was both its composer and publisher -
Eldredge Johnson perfects first system of mass duplication of pre-recorded flat disks.
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RCA Victor's "Victrola" model record player is introduced. It has a variable turntable
speed control to accomodate the wide range of phonograph records produced at that
time; Victor's speeds ranged from 71 - 76 rpm. Columbia was producing discs as 80rpm.
Some British disks even rotated between 66rpm - 90rpm; Although U.S. phonograph
manufacturers agreed in 1928 to standardize on the rate of 78.26 rpm, it still took
decades for more sta -
Charles "Doc" Herrold and his assistant Ray Newby begin experimental "wireless"
voice and music broadcasts from San Jose, California using experimental radio station
call letters "FN" and "SJN". They transmit with a series of arcing street lamps under liquid -
Charles "Doc" Herrold begins the first regular public radio broadcasting of voice and
music from his "wireless telegraph college" in San Jose, California; He calls it "The
Herrold Station" and transmits to audiences from San Jose to San Francisco. -
Disk recordings overtake cylinders in the popular market. Columbia drops cylinders.
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Edison Co. finally introduces a disk player, now that the cylinder market is gone
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ASCAP formed to collect public performance royalties for Composers, Authors and
Publishers; Composer Victor Herbert is its first president. -
The Orig. Dixieland Jass <sic> Band (ODJB) makes the first "Jazz" recording.
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Electrical records replace acoustic discs, via a process developed by Western Electric.
