We think of recorded sounds—voices, music, and more—as a modern invention. But human beings have been trying to find ways to make sounds automatically for thousands of years.
According to legend, the enormous Colossus of Memnon, dating from 1500 BC, was engineered to produce harp music when touched by sunlight. Since then, various machines have been created that allowed chimes or bells to sound automatically. Most were made in the form of wheels with pegs that struck specific bells or chimes when turned.
Medieval barrel organs used cylinders that automatically forced air through valves to produce sound. These existed as early as the 15th century, and were often used in churches. The organs produced automatic sound by forcing air through valves opened by the rotating action of the cylinder. Most larger barrel organs were powered hydraulically or by counterweights. Small, portable “hand organs” were powered by hand cranks.
During the Renaissance, the Italian nobility became fascinated with “automata”—early versions of automatic, programmable machines. One of the most popular types was the music box. Early versions were referred to as “musical snuff boxes” and were often made with or modeled after real snuff boxes. They operated via a small cylinder studded with pegs or staples that struck fork tines tuned to specific notes. They were usually operated via complex clockwork gears, which could be wound with a hand crank.
It wasn’t until the middle of the 19th century that musical recordings began to resemble the modern version. Improvements in electrical technology and the advent of the Industrial Revolution combined to make achievements such as the phonograph, the telegraph, and the telephone possible. Recording inventions of this time often relied on earlier technologies, including tuning forks and rotating cylinders.