jj@rabbit.UUCP (11/21/84)
There are several reasons for the clearer vocal information on 78 RPM records. The most important, and most effective, is that the way that (older) 78's were made required the singers to be within 6' of the recording device (please notice I did NOT say microphone!). The instruments were behind the singer(s), and did not (in almost all cases) amount to a full orchestra, because the full orchestra couldn't be recorded successfully. (So, you ask, what has this to do with the price of corn in Sri Lanka?) The result was that there was much less revertibrant sound in the final result, which raises the articulation quite a bit. As far as Operatic style, it's been my observation that enunciation has gone down the tubes, too. -- ARE TEDDY BEARS SMALL, FLIGHTLESS, AQUATIC SEABIRDS? "If wishes were fishes, we'd all cast nets in the sea." (allegra,ihnp4,ulysses)!alice!jj