Apple posts "the story behind the Song" featuring old and new music recording technology
Following the weekend release of its tearjerker holiday ad featuring a girl who records a duet with a discovered vinyl recording by her grandmother, Apple has posted a video showing the technology behind both recordings.
Apple's original ad, named "the Song," implies that the grandmother recorded a song for her husband in the military.
A follow up video Apple posted to its YouTube account (embedded below) serves as a mini-documentary of "Voice-o-Graph" recording booths from the 1940s that let people record their own voice to a record, complete with a stamped envelope for mailing the recording as an audio postcard.
The original ad was filmed with the help of Third Man Records, which maintains an original recording booth from the WWII era.
The video also presents the granddaughter as being a musician who regularly uses Garage Band, Apple's music recording and editing software that's now bundled for free with new iPhones, iPads and Macs.
The original ad was published with a description reading, "With a Mac, iPhone or iPad you have the power to create thoughtful, emotional gifts and memories that transcend time. It could be a movie, a homemade card or a song that brings two generations closer together."

Apple's original ad, named "the Song," implies that the grandmother recorded a song for her husband in the military.
A follow up video Apple posted to its YouTube account (embedded below) serves as a mini-documentary of "Voice-o-Graph" recording booths from the 1940s that let people record their own voice to a record, complete with a stamped envelope for mailing the recording as an audio postcard.
The original ad was filmed with the help of Third Man Records, which maintains an original recording booth from the WWII era.
The video also presents the granddaughter as being a musician who regularly uses Garage Band, Apple's music recording and editing software that's now bundled for free with new iPhones, iPads and Macs.
The original ad was published with a description reading, "With a Mac, iPhone or iPad you have the power to create thoughtful, emotional gifts and memories that transcend time. It could be a movie, a homemade card or a song that brings two generations closer together."
Comments
What the extra video didn't say was how she got the recording into Garageband. If she just played it on a record player and let her Mac record the sound through it's microphone might have been inferred but I was hoping for a reference to an analog-to-digital input device.
Still like both videos.
Funny that Apple did this, as I was certainly having the thought while watching the commercial, that there would be tons of people asking "what the hell is that weird flat circular thing?".
I think it was analog to digital. In the commercial you can sort of see a wire from the MacBook lead to the turntable.
What the extra video didn't say was how she got the recording into Garageband. If she just played it on a record player and let her Mac record the sound through it's microphone might have been inferred but I was hoping for a reference to an analog-to-digital input device.
Still like both videos.
It looks like she used a USB turntable at 1:22.
On a related note:
Several months back, Jack White, who owns the "Record Your Voice" booth that was used to make the recording for this commercial, appeared on (I think it was) The Tonight Show, along with his booth. He then had Neil Young step into it and record Willie Nelson's "Crazy".
Can probably find it on YouTube if interested. I think the recording is even available for download somewhere.
[VIDEO]
Update: maybe it lives in Nashville.
"...the 1947 Voice-O-Graph recording booth in residence in the Novelties Lounge of White’s Third Man Records office in Nashville."
Fantastic. Somehow I missed this machine in the 40s and 50s. Must not have made it to middle Ohio and southern Indiana. Looks like a gorgeous piece of work. Does this one live in New York? Got to be one in LA somewhere . . .
Update: maybe it lives in Nashville.
"...the 1947 Voice-O-Graph recording booth in residence in the Novelties Lounge of White’s Third Man Records office in Nashville."
Yes, that's what he says in the clip talking to Fallon, and he claims "it's the only one available to the public in the world".
USB record players side step that problem by using an internal ADC.
Thanks, I see that now. I'm a little out of practice with watching TV.
Yes, that's what he says in the clip talking to Fallon, and he claims "it's the only one available to the public in the world".
Thanks, I see that now. I'm a little out of practice with watching TV.
Lol - so many worse things to be out-of-practice at.
Very interesting read, thanks!
"...the 1947 Voice-O-Graph recording booth in residence in the Novelties Lounge of White’s Third Man Records office in Nashville."
I bet it costs more than a quarter to use now, though.
EDIT ... OMG it is true ...
"...the 1947 Voice-O-Graph recording booth in residence in the Novelties Lounge of White’s Third Man Records office in Nashville."
Thanks for this link.
Hipsters: Please keep analog alive for the next generation.