Music in Code - for iPod/iPhone - podcast cover

Music in Code - for iPod/iPhone

The Open University•www3.open.ac.uk

Higher Education

Today, listening to music is easy - we have CDs, MP3s, radio, television and the internet. But around a hundred years ago life was very different - either you had to play music yourself or have someone else play it for you. The 15 video tracks in this album demonstrate various ways to play music by mechanical means, with the ingenious use of levers, pegs, cylinders or paper rolls, and explain the principles used to create and control these music-making machines. This material forms part of TA212 Technology of Music.

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Episodes

Music in Code

A short introduction to this album

Mar 08, 2010•52 sec

Transcript -- Music in Code

Transcript -- A short introduction to this album

Mar 08, 2010

The Decap Cafe Organ

The mechanical music manufacturer’s craft - how a robot organ plays music through code.

Nov 10, 2008•3 min

Transcript -- The Decap Cafe Organ

Transcript -- The mechanical music manufacturer’s craft - how a robot organ plays music through code.

Nov 10, 2008

The Pin Barrel

What is a pin barrel and how does it create music? The mechanisms of pin barrrels in the Nickelodeon Collection at Ashorne Hall.

Nov 10, 2008•3 min

Transcript -- The Pin Barrel

Transcript -- What is a pin barrel and how does it create music? The mechanisms of pin barrrels in the Nickelodeon Collection at Ashorne Hall.

Nov 10, 2008

Street Piano

The story of a traditional barrel piano from Warwick, its mechanism and repertoire.

Nov 10, 2008•3 min

Transcript -- Street Piano

Transcript -- The story of a traditional barrel piano from Warwick, its mechanism and repertoire.

Nov 10, 2008

Hand barrel organ

How the mechanism works, producing specific musical effects such as vibrato and trills.

Nov 10, 2008•1 min

Transcript -- Hand barrel organ

Transcript -- How the mechanism works, producing specific musical effects such as vibrato and trills.

Nov 10, 2008

Musical Box

The manufacture and repertoire of a 19th century cylinder musical box.

Nov 10, 2008•1 min

Transcript -- Musical Box

Transcript -- The manufacture and repertoire of a 19th century cylinder musical box.

Nov 10, 2008

Pin Disk Musical Box

Experts compare disc versus cylinder design.

Nov 10, 2008•3 min

Transcript -- Pin Disk Musical Box

Transcript -- Experts compare disc versus cylinder design.

Nov 10, 2008

The Paper Roll: Reiterating Piano

The piano melodica. How book music is made, how the mechanism works and how to add expression to the music.

Nov 10, 2008•2 min

Transcript -- The Paper Roll: Reiterating Piano

Transcript -- The piano melodica. How book music is made, how the mechanism works and how to add expression to the music.

Nov 10, 2008

The Paper Roll: Organette

How the reed organ is constructed and how a paper roll controls the mechanism.

Nov 10, 2008•2 min

Transcript -- The Paper Roll: Organette

Transcript -- How the reed organ is constructed and how a paper roll controls the mechanism.

Nov 10, 2008

Reproducing Player Piano

The advent of electrically run instruments allowed composers to record musical interpretation directly onto the paper roll.

Nov 10, 2008•4 min

Transcript -- Reproducing Player Piano

Transcript -- The advent of electrically run instruments allowed composers to record musical interpretation directly onto the paper roll.

Nov 10, 2008

Electromechanical Violin Player

How this American invention works, and an example of the sound it creates.

Nov 10, 2008•2 min

Transcript -- Electromechanical Violin Player

Transcript -- How this American invention works, and an example of the sound it creates.

Nov 10, 2008

Banjo Orchestrion

A recently built paper roll instrument uses a computerised cutter working to Midi instructions.

Nov 10, 2008•1 min

Transcript -- Banjo Orchestrion

Transcript -- A recently built paper roll instrument uses a computerised cutter working to Midi instructions.

Nov 10, 2008

Electric Orchestrion

Instruments, lighting effects and scenery, all operated by instructions contained on a single paper roll.

Nov 10, 2008•1 min

Transcript -- Electric Orchestrion

Transcript -- Instruments, lighting effects and scenery, all operated by instructions contained on a single paper roll.

Nov 10, 2008

Clockwork Barrel Orchestrion (performance)

An example performance.

Nov 10, 2008•56 sec

Reproducing Player Piano (performance)

An example performance.

Nov 10, 2008•2 min

Banjo Orchestrion (performance)

An example performance.

Nov 10, 2008•2 min

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