Tape Recording

The process of using a tape recorder for the storage of sound on magnetic tape, or the information stored by this process.

See also: Emulsion, Oral History, Musique Concrete, Stereophonic, Tape Music, Track.

Although tape recording became generally used in North America in the late 1940s, the following list outlines some of the first developments previous to that, as well as some recent innovations:

• 1899 - The magnetic wire recorder is patented by Poulsen.
• 1932 - BASF develops the first practical form of magnetic tape.
• 1935 - AEG demonstrates the Magnetophon tape machine in Berlin.
• 1936 - Mozart's Symphony No. 39 conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham is recorded on magnetic tape.
• 1945 - Magnetophon tape recorders are introduced to the U.S.A.
• 1948 - The first radio program broadcast from magnetic tape, "The Bing Crosby Show".
• 1958 - RCA introduces a tape cartridge system.
• 1963 - Philips (Holland) introduces the tape cassette system, and establishes the basic format for licensing to other companies.
• 1965 - The Lear 8-track tape cartridge system is introduced.
• 1969 - The Dolby "B" noise-reduction system is introduced allowing an improved signal-to-noise ratio in tape recordings.
• 1978 - Originally developed in Japan in the late 1960s, digital recording is commercially introduced in North America and Europe.