Sound Recording Technology and American Literature: From the Phonograph to the Remix

This book explores how twentieth-century writers shaped the ways we listen in our multimedia present, offering a resonant reading of how writers across several genres navigated the intermedial spaces between texts and recordings. It combines American literary history, sound studies, and media archaeology to appeal to scholars, students, and audiophiles.

Format: Hardback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 20 May 2021
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Phonographs, tapes, stereo LPs, and digital remixes have all had a significant impact on American writing. This book explores how twentieth-century writers shaped the ways we listen in our multimedia present. It uncovers a rich new archive of materials and offers a resonant reading of how writers across several genres, such as John Dos Passos, Langston Hughes, William S. Burroughs, and others, navigated the intermedial spaces between texts and recordings. Remix, a term co-opted from DJs and sound engineers, has been taken up as the defining aesthetic of twenty-first-century art and literature. Others have examined modernism's debt to the phonograph. However, in the gap between these moments, the reciprocal relationship between the literary arts and sonic technologies continued to evolve over the twentieth century. This interdisciplinary study appeals to scholars, students, and audiophiles, combining American literary history, sound studies, and media archaeology.

Introduction:
In the early 20th century, the phonograph revolutionized the way we listen to music. It allowed for the recording and playback of sound, which had previously been limited to live performances. This technology had a profound impact on the music industry, as it enabled artists to create and distribute their music to a wider audience. However, the phonograph also had a significant impact on American writing.
Phonographs and American Writing:
The phonograph allowed writers to experiment with sound and rhythm in their writing. It enabled them to create aural landscapes that could evoke emotions and create a sense of place. For example, in his novel "The Grapes of Wrath," John Steinbeck uses the sound of the wind to create a sense of desolation and despair. He also uses the sound of the train to symbolize the movement of the characters and the changing landscape.
The phonograph also enabled writers to create characters who were more fully realized. Before the phonograph, characters in literature were often described in terms of their physical appearance and behavior. However, with the phonograph, writers could create characters who sounded and acted like real people. This allowed for a greater depth of characterization and made the characters more relatable to the reader.
Tapes and American Writing:
Tapes, which became popular in the 1950s, had a similar impact on American writing as the phonograph. They allowed for the recording and playback of sound, which could be used to create a sense of intimacy and closeness. For example, in his novel "The Catcher in the Rye," J.D. Salinger uses the sound of the tape recorder to create a sense of distance between the narrator and the reader. The narrator is recording his thoughts and feelings, which creates a sense of intimacy and vulnerability.
The tape also enabled writers to create characters who were more fully realized. Before the tape, characters in literature were often described in terms of their physical appearance and behavior. However, with the tape, writers could create characters who sounded and acted like real people. This allowed for a greater depth of characterization and made the characters more relatable to the reader.
Stereo LPs and American Writing:
Stereo LPs, which became popular in the 1960s, had a similar impact on American writing as the phonograph and tape. They allowed for the recording and playback of sound in a three-dimensional space, which could create a sense of depth and immersion. For example, in his novel "The Doors," Jim Morrison uses the sound of the band to create a sense of energy and excitement. The sound of the guitar and drums creates a sense of movement and momentum, which helps to convey the sense of chaos and rebellion that the novel is exploring.
The stereo LP also enabled writers to create characters who were more fully realized. Before the stereo LP, characters in literature were often described in terms of their physical appearance and behavior. However, with the stereo LP, writers could create characters who sounded and acted like real people. This allowed for a greater depth of characterization and made the characters more relatable to the reader.
Digital Remix and American Writing:
Digital remix, which became popular in the 2000s, has had a significant impact on American writing. It allows for the manipulation and re-creation of sound in a way that was not possible with previous technologies. For example, in his novel "The Hunger Games," Suzanne Collins uses the sound of the arena to create a sense of tension and excitement. The sound of the crowd and the music creates a sense of urgency and anticipation, which helps to convey the sense of danger and survival that the novel is exploring.
The digital remix also allows for the creation of new forms of literature. For example, in his novel "The Road," Cormac McCarthy uses the sound of the road to create a sense of isolation and loneliness. The sound of the car and the road creates a sense of distance and disconnection, which helps to convey the sense of isolation and disconnection that the novel is exploring.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, phonographs, tapes, stereo LPs, and digital remixes have all had a significant impact on American writing. They have allowed for the experimentation with sound and rhythm, the creation of aural landscapes, the creation of characters who are more fully realized, and the creation of new forms of literature. These technologies have enabled writers to create a richer and more immersive experience for their readers.

Weight: 544g
Dimension: 160 x 236 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108840132