Vocal Tracks: Performance and Sound Media

by Jacob Smith

This entertaining and innovative book focuses on vocal performance styles that developed in tandem with the sound technologies of the phonograph, radio, and sound film. Writing in a clear and lively style, Jacob Smith looks at these media technologies and industries through the lens of performance, bringing to light a fascinating nexus of performer, technology, and audience. Combining theories of film sound, cultural histories of sound technologies and industries, and theories of performance, Smith convincingly connects disparate and largely neglected performance niches to explore the development of a modern vocal performance. Vocal Performance and Sound Media demonstrates the voice to be a vehicle of performance, identity, and culture and illustrates both the interconnection of all these categories and their relation to the media technologies of the past century.

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Alyx · Rating 5 out of 5]

So interesting! Smith incorporates media history and performance studies in this fascinating book about the technological evolution of the recorded voice and its cultural ramifications. Might sound totally boring, especially if you got wall-eyed like I did trying to read film scholars' psychoanalytic readings on the function of voice in cinema. Building on theory without leaning on it, Smith considers laughing records, laugh tracks, blue records, microphones, radio and television programming (like Candid Microphone, later to become Candid Camera), and prank calling. Definitely recommend it to folks who are interested in sound studies, as well as people who think it's weird that television shows ever had laugh tracks.