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Author Topic: Silly Friday Format Trivia  (Read 3881 times)

Offline steveidosound

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Silly Friday Format Trivia
« on: April 12, 2013, 12:43:01 PM »
I don't have a definitive answer to this, but I started wondering if there was ever a song or album in simultaneous release, somewhere in the late 50s on pre-recorded R2R tape and in all 3 speeds of records. Most likely something from the RCA catalog.
78s didn't stop being released till about the same year as stereo Lps began to be released, and of course 2 track pre-recorded tapes had been out for a few years prior to that. Not sure if there was any overlap between the very last 78 releases and RCA's failed early "sound cartridge" giant cassettes.

Another, easier semi-related question might be what albums have been released in the most formats, from an actual album of 78 records, 45s, Lps, through all the analog tape formats, Minidisc and on and on?
Steve Williams

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Offline ironbut

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Re: Silly Friday Format Trivia
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2013, 06:02:21 PM »
Hey Steve,

One interesting factoid that not that many folks know, is that 78 rpm records were produced well into the sixties in other countries such as India. Many of them were vinyl and very poor quality.
If you wish to include these types of 78's, I know the Beatles early records were probably produced in the most formats.
Other than pop music, I would guess that "Kind of Blue" was also produced overseas as a 78 rpm.

I realize that this isn't really the question you posed but I thought you might find that interesting.
As far as a US produced 78 goes, I know that Columbia's first Microgroove ML-4001 was release as both 78 and 33 rpm in the same year.
Some nice details in this link.

http://www.33audio.com/enter/ML4001.html
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Offline steveidosound

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Re: Silly Friday Format Trivia
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2013, 07:59:07 PM »
At the risk of hijacking my own thread, (speaking of  probably deservedly obsolete formats) I just found out -
...And in already broken news (how appropriate) Yesterday, 4/11, was apparently National 8 Track Day !...
And to think, I just missed play...CLICK!...ing mine yesterday.

As to my previous question, lots of things were reissued on 45 album sets and Lps that date from the 78 era, then some of them were probably later released in all the tape formats in some sort of fake stereo and on into the digital era. Something like Bing Crosby White Christmas could easily fall into that category.
And  yes, there were 78s produced for other countries well into the 60s including Beatles etc. Also children's small 78s were produced into the 60s. There have even been a few oddball  releases including some stereo microgroove ones up to the present.

But I was was wondering specifically if RCA or some other label that was recording in stereo for the 2 track tapes also released a mono mix of same in 45, 78 and 33 Lp versions in the era from about 1955-1958.
RCA's Sound Cartridge dates from about 1958, Stereo records from 57-58 and the last 78s for US domestic consumption (RCA, Elvis) around 1958 so it's all really close. I had previously asked when 4 track pre-recorded reel to reel took over from 2 track, and I believe the consensus was by about 1960, so they all theoretically could have been in release simultaneously. But there was not much pop stuff in early tape. Perhaps a big band artist or an Arthur Fiedler  / Boston Pops might be a candidate.

I have a few things in several formats (more than 2) but nothing in every format.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2013, 08:08:05 PM by steveidosound »
Steve Williams

you don't want to know what equipment I listen to...