[78-L] Calculating 78 speeds in percentages

[Sammy Jones]

Mike Biel wrote:

> The
> earliest of the 3 note 
> > chimes were usually C-A-F.

Yes, Jack Benny's first show from May 2, 1932 has great CAF chimes audible before the WJZ station ID.

dl wrote:

> True..that's what I get for generalizing. But the bulk of
> NBC network shows in the 40s and 50s use G-E-C. 

But what do you do if the show is spread over several sides and the GEC reference is only on one disc?  From my experience it's common for multi-disk 78 ET lacquers (usually intended for play on standard home phonographs with a fibre needle) to vary in pitch quite a bit from disc to disc.  Maybe the better recording companies didn't have this problem.

All of the 16" Benny ETs that I have from the late '40s have the standard GEC chimes.  Would these be electronically generated or Rangertone?  The shows are from '48.


Mike Biel:
> > On most acousticals the speed shift would be
> downwards.

dl: 
> Except Columbias which are stated to be 80RPM although some
> are perfectly on speed at 78. I've had to go up as much as
> 6% on some Edisons.

Is there a handy guide to common keys popular songs of the acoustic era might have been played in?  I'm thinking Billy Murray, Henry Burr types. Murray often sounds good around 75 RPM when dealing with Victor recordings from the 'teens.

I suppose the celebrity artists like Jolson and Cantor had favorite keys and could have songs transposed to whatever key they pleased.

Sammy Jones