Music Trade Review

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44
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
BROADCASTING OF VOICES AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Radio Fans Often Wonder Why Some Notes of Music Are Intense While Others Weaken and Drag
—Noted Expert Tells Interestingly Why Some Concerts Are Often "Blurred"
The Radio Editor of the New York Times
carried a very interesting story the other day on
the broadcasting of music. After pointing out
how the Radio telephone commenced to gain
recognition among Radio operators, both amateur
and commercial, a couple of years ago, and how
its entertainment features began to influence
thousands of others to listen in, he said:
"Many people hear a concert which is 'blurred'
and far from being as perfect as the original
tones. This is not due to radio defects, but to
the receiving operator's failure to understand his
set properly, a run-down battery, or some de-
fect in tuning because of inexperience. Trans-
mitting operators have their troubles, but experi-
ments and study are fast overcoming the agen-
cies which in the early days of the radio telephone
made it difficult to produce with true fidelity and
clearness all classes of voices, and the tones of
musical instruments.
"It is a question in the minds of many radio
fans why some notes are heard with abnormal
intensity and others have a tendency to weaken
and drag. This effect can best be understood by
considering the manner in which the notes of
the piano reproduce and transmit. All who have
listened to a piano recital by radio are familiar
with the way some notes 'push through' and do
not sound normal in their relation with other
notes. This increase in the volume of certain
piano notes is called 'blasting.' There is a defi-
nite group of notes on the piano in the middle
register closest to the particular frequency at
which the microphone or transmitter diaphragm
vibrates best. The combination causes the in-
crease in volume and creates a 'blast.' Much of
this unpleasant sound has been eliminated by
building microphones which are particularly
adapted for use with the various types of instru-
ments and by placing the instruments at the cor-
rect distance from the transmitter. In one of
the early broadcasting stations the piano was
shifted for six months before a position was
found which overcame certain acoustic effects,
harmful to radio transmission. Many of the
peculiar problems presented by the piano in radio
work have been solved in this way, but further
improvements are still to be made before the
piano music can be broadcasted perfectly.
Brass Instruments Carry Well
"Brass instruments, such as the horn and cor-
net, have characteristics which require care in
handling, especially in their position and dis-
tance from the microphone, but when properly
placed they are most successful in radio trans-
mission. If these instruments are played directly
into the transmitter, 'blasting' is certain to result.
"The cornet is considered one of the best musi-
cal instruments for radio concert work. The
saxophone ranks high so long as the musician
stays away from the extremely low notes. Traps
carry very well over the radio because of their
sharp, clearly defined characteristics. The bass
drum is too slow and low. The music of the
clarinet carries exceptionally well, but care must
be taken to place it far enough from the micro-
phone so that the mechanical click of the stops is
not picked up by the transmitter. The flute at
times reaches too high and piercing a pitch. The
violin has characteristics which make it a great
favorite and one of the finest instruments for
radio entertainment. Its tones are reproduced by
the microphone almost to perfection.
"Bells and the xylophone sound very good by
wireless, as they produce tones which are clear
and sharp, generally having a higher frequency
than the natural vibrating frequency of the metal
diaphragm of the transmitter. The ukulele is not
as good as the banjo and mandolin. The ukulele
produces what might be termed dead accompani-
ments, as its notes, clearly defined at the be-
ginning, suddenly die away or fade, making re-
production difficult. The mandolin can be re-
produced a trifle more efficiently than the banjo
or harp. The tenor banjo and harp when struck
vibrate at certain frequencies and die out grad-
ually, making them well suited for a place in the
radio orchestra.
Baritone Best Radio Voice
"The human voice can be reproduced and
broadcast to a finer degree than any of the musi-
cal instruments. Voices, like the instruments,
have their peculiarities for radio transmission.
Articulation and correct breathing must be given
every consideration to render the concert a suc-
cess.
"Male voices reproduce and carry far better
than female because of more efficient modulation.
This explains why the majority of announcers
are men. The baritone has the vocal strength
and quality which produces excellent modulation
and places it first among the voices adapted to
radio. The bass has to be placed closer to the
transmitter than the baritone and the tenor still
nearer.
"Soprano may be broadcast effectively and can
be heard over great distances because of the high
pitched notes. The alto and contralto singer
must be careful in striking notes too low and
deep for they are apt to fade out and the beauty
of the song cannot help being lost in the micro-
phone.
"All singers do not have voices desirable for
the radio, although on the concert stage they
may be beyond reproach. In some cases person-
ality and appearance capture an audience, but
radio has not reached the stage where its in-
visible waves can transmit personality, therefore
it is vocal qualities alone which make a singer
a success as a radiophone artist. The distance
of the singer from the microphone and the cor-
rect selection of the proper microphone for each
class of music add in a great degree to the
perfection of the concert. Each instrument and
each voice present a different problem when
broadcasted by radio.
"The most popular and pleasing music to the
average radio fan is the well-known jazz, and
the ideal combination of instruments to send
forth the tones as near to the originals as pos-
sible is the violin, saxophone, tenor banjo and
piano. With a well-tuned receiving set the music
is as clear as if its source were a few feet rather
than many miles away. As observed, much de-
pends upon the set and the competency of the
operator."
AUGUST 19, 1922
BRAND NEW
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TALKING
MACHINE
WOFtLD
TR^ADB
DIRECTORS
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EDWARD I.miS' BILL*
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3 7 3 FOURTH AVENUE
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