THE GRAMOPHONE
Yes the gramophone was once an item of status and prestige,
for, it was among the very rare household gadgets. Yet, a certain category of
people rejoiced keeping a gramophone, more as a personal facility to play songs
of preference at will. That way it was a possession worth striving for. Still
it failed to evoke the same level of enthusiasm among people of comparable
status. Incidentally the name ‘Gramophone’ is used by the British, while the
Americans call it ‘Phonograph’.
That, the gramophone was not of universal appeal, even among the
contemporary minds, needs some understanding. Assume that someone gifts you
with a gramophone, still the event would not inspire you, for, using a
gramophone demanded the paying for those song stores called ‘records’ made of
graphite in the form of circular discs. Those discs being flat, had two
surfaces named Side-A and Side -B
Both sides can hold a song each if the disc was of standard
size or format and meant to be played in defined RPM or specified revolutions
per minute. The RPM feature was determined by the disc
manufacturer in consideration of the length of time, it would need to complete
the song in a stretch. Accordingly, those graphite discs were suitably
classified as Single 45 or 78 rpm, LP33 1/2 or 45 rpm, EP= 33 1/2 or 45 rpm and
so on. LP= Long playing, EP =Extended
playing records.
Earlier records were cast in graphite a little heavy to carry
more than a few records. They were replaced by light material as Vinyl records.
Unlike the earlier monster-like dark discs, the Vinyl ones were light and white
like angels.
Vinyl LP discs were primarily fielded by the ‘record baron’
–M/s Columbia who had a global presence and were closely chased by another
doyen- HMV. Both had their share of hold in marketing Cine songs across all
languages. We need to recall here that the RPM ratings on records were more a
guidance to play the Gramophone at the intended rpm to have a pleasant reproduction
–the whole purpose of song listening. The song disc had to be placed over a
circular turn table, to carry the disc and rotate clockwise. The stylus stays
in place gently ‘reading the voice registered in a groove. The rotor stage was
so finely set that the turn table would wobble a bit , helping the stylus to
slip into the next inner groove to reader in continuity. The stylus is placed
at the periphery of the record and moves inward playing the voice back to the
amplifier.
Improper rpm settings in utter disregard to specifications on
a record would ruin the elegance of the song by playing it at a speed as to
thoroughly distort the voice / song beyond recognition. Perhaps it [playing at
a wrong rpm] would be the most unkindest of all cuts [a Shakespearean coinage
to depict the cruelty inflicted]. Like every
other gadget, the gramophone too possessed different ‘avatars’ as a product of
time, influenced by the then technology. The primordial ones were set to play
the right rpm by raising the tension of the driving spring to a level, by using a
‘key-like’ winding handle rotated clockwise and by positioning a ’built-in’ impeder
that would regulate the ‘release’ motion of the spring to ensure the right rpm.
It was done by positioning the impeder pointer at appropriate rpm, to regulate
the relaxing of the spring.
Later, better versions-electrically operated gramophones were
marketed and they could be operated without winding the spring; the manual
systems had an innate mess that as the spring loses its tension level, the
playing disc would lose out its rotation rate and the song would tend to be a
near blabber with a sagging voice. In the electric version, rpm level could be
tuned in by a knob. Also the playing stylus of the electric equipment had a
longer durability, unlike the one in manual models.
Slowly, the electrical equipment evolved to the status of the
“JUKE BOX” – a heart throb of the sixties as a god-sent gift responding to
requests by playing a song for a mere 25 paise [or 4 songs –a rupee] and
helped promote song listening and sale of eatables as a strategy to stay
anchored at the place to listen to as many songs. JUKE BOXES were kept in
eateries as an added bait to attract youth and promote sale and the firm’s
popularity. All said and done, the die-hard fans of gramophone swear by the
quality of sound reproduction in a gramophone and say that it has no parallel
nor has ever been surpassed. That is the broad story of the gramophone –a thing
that the present day youth or kids are not aware of.
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