Can your help me transcribe old homemade tin recordings into a modern day playable disc or cd or tape?

carole anderman — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:29:02 GMT

carole andermanI have several homemade tin recordings made in l944 of myself and my mother performing( singing and playing the paino) They were recorded using an very old recording machine( l940') that actually cut the record on the machine and it could be played back to listen to it. The records were made out of tin and when the needle cut the record sound the thin strands of tin would be on the record and you could remove them like balls of thread.I have tried to play them on a regular turntable but the needle is too thick. The original needle was a thin pointed object that you inserted into the arm of the recorder. The machine was rather large and it also had a radio in it as well as this record maker and phonograph. I am looking for someone or something I can use to listen to these nostalgic recordings of my family and perhaps find someone or something that I can use or hire someone to transfer the sound to a modern day disc(cd) or tape. Please contact me. Thank you Carole anderman at carolea1129@aol.com

RE: Can your help me transcribe old homemade tin recordings into a modern day playable disc or cd or tape?

Marko — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:52:01 GMT

Apparently, you no longer have the device that they were made on? Do you recall what speed they were recorded on (78rpm. mabye?) obviously, you will need something to play them back on, before considering copying them. You may get away with an actual 78 rpm. record player, (the old kind...not a modern turntable with a 78 speed control). Did this device use a synthetic or flexible stylus? I recall someone else who had the same issue, & those devices were large, bulky & combersome to use, thats why that "technology" was short very short lived. If you cuold even locate one nowadays, I'm sure it would be expensive. Check out antique dealers on E-Bay or antique music collectors, they may know...