Acetate disc
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An acetate disc (also known as a test acetate, lacquer, or transcription disc) is a type of gramophone record that is recorded directly from an audio source. Although acetates can be made from any audio source, they are typically produced from a master tape recording for testing the quality of the tape-to-disc transcription. A typical acetate disc is an aluminum disc, 10 or 12 inches in diameter, that is covered with a thin coating of nitrocellulose lacquer in which the sound groove is cut. Discs of this type can be played on any normal phonograph. Some acetates are highly prized for their rarity.
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[edit] Uses
Acetates have not always been used solely as a means of checking the quality of a disc recording. They were widely used before magnetic tape was invented and in the modern era they are used by dance music DJs.
[edit] Gramophone disc mastering
When recorded from a master tape, an acetate represents an intermediate stage prior to the production of a master disc from which retail copies of the recording will be pressed. The purpose of the acetate in the mastering process is to allow the artist, producer, engineer, and other interested parties to check the quality of the tape-to-disc recording process and make any necessary changes to ensure that the audio fidelity of the master disc will be as close as possible to that of the original master tape.[1]
[edit] Recording without magnetic tape
From the 1930s to the early 1950s, before the introduction of magnetic tape, recordings were often made directly to acetate discs, which then served as the master from which other discs were made.[2] Acetates were also used as a storage medium for radio commercials; since commercials only run for a limited time it doesn't matter if the disc wears out relatively quickly. During the early tape era (1950s, primarily), acetate discs and portable disc recorders competed with magnetic tape as a location-recording medium, both for broadcast and semi-pro use. Acetate discs inherently are less durable than magnetic tape, and also cannot be directly edited (cut and spliced).
[edit] Dance music
In the dance music world, DJs sometimes create acetates containing various sounds, samples and loops that they can use during their performance. These discs are known as dubplates.
[edit] Material and packaging
Despite their name, most acetate discs do not contain any acetate. Instead, most are an aluminum disc with a coating of nitrocellulose lacquer. (Glass was also used during World War II, when aluminum was in short supply.[2] [3]) This production process results in a disc that is different in many ways from the vinyl records sold to customers at retail. Whereas vinyl records are light and semi-flexible, acetates are rigid and somewhat heavier. More significantly, the thin coating of lacquer on an acetate is much more susceptible to wear; the playback head of a stylus quickly damages the grooves of the record such that after only a relatively few number of plays the audio quality is noticeably degraded.[1] This is not a problem, however, since acetates are only test recordings and are not designed to be able to stand the test of time.
Acetates typically come in two sizes: 10" discs for singles and 12" discs for albums. The record's sleeve is typically nothing more than a generic cover from the manufacturing company and the disc's label is similarly plain, containing only basic information about the content (title, artist, playing time, etc.), which is usually typed but is often just hand-written. Many acetates also have a second hole near the center hole to ensure that the disc does not slip while it is "cut" or recorded.[1]
[edit] Value
Due to their rarity, some acetates can command high prices at auction. Brian Epstein's collection of Beatles acetates fetched between $1,000 and $10,000 per disc.[4][5] An acetate from The Velvet Underground, containing music that would later appear on their first album The Velvet Underground & Nico, sold on eBay in 2006 for $25,200.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c "What is an "Acetate"??". 2005-09-15. http://www.madonnacatalog.com/guides/acetate.htm. Retrieved on 2008-04-16.
- ^ a b "Preserving Sound Recordings". 2005-04-28. http://www.loc.gov/folklife/sos/preserve1.html. Retrieved on 2008-04-16.
- ^ Documenting Early Radio: A Review of Existing Pre-1932 Radio Recordings, Elizabeth McLeod, 1988-9
- ^ "She's Leaving Home acetate". 2000-02-12. http://www.rarebeatles.com/photospg/acetate.htm. Retrieved on 2008-04-16.
- ^ "Beatles recording fetches $10,000". 2001-11-18. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1663067.stm. Retrieved on 2008-04-16.
- ^ eBay - VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO 1966 Acetate LP ANDY WARHOL, Second auction, ended December 16, 2006
