The 20th Century Pop Tune and Time Limits of the 78 RPM Record

[Teasing the Korean]

To what degree did the time limits of the 78 RPM 10" record create or reinforce our conception of the two- to three-minute pop tune? I realize that prior to 78s and Edison cylinders, there were 32-bar pop songs, and by default, if you played two choruses with an intro, you would wind up in that general time block. I also realize that there have been pop hits and pop records that run beyond the time limit of a 78. But I am curious if there is a relation between the two, even a subliminal relationship if not an overt one.

[Big Beat Steve]

Didn't the time limit of the 45 rpm record have just a much of an ONGOING impact up to recent times? Or what about radio and the "ideal" maximum playing time of a tune/song for airplay?

Edited April 19, 2015 by Big Beat Steve

[A Lark Ascending]

It was mainly due to the limited attention spans of people in the past.

Edited April 19, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[jeffcrom]

Didn't the time limit of the 45 rpm record have just a much of an ONGOING impact up to recent times? Or what about radio and the "ideal" maximum playing time of a tune/song for airplay?

I think the three-minute standard for a pop recording was set by the time that 45s took over, because a 45 is capable of holding more than three minutes of music per side. I don't know know exactly what the maximum time is, but it's at least six minutes. The three-minute 45 pop single was a choice, not the result of technogical limitations.

[JSngry]

I read some book about the great Tin Pan Alley songwriters" in the very late 70s (it was a great big coffee=table book, too , so it might be "famous" or something, big AND well-written) that talked about this in its opening chapters, and if I recall it correctly, if vaguely, the deal was that before records, sheet music sales were what drove the "music industry", song pluggers and all that. So instead of song pluggers, the publishing houses titrated looking to records to move their wares, which meant that they didn't want any songs that didn't fit on a (roughly) three minute record.l

The 32 bad form is an accurate enough description of the form, but if we get to thinking that "32 bar form" = AABA, we start thinking carelessly , there's enough non AABA 35 bar pop songs (AB¹AB² being particularly not uncommon) to forgo the notion that that structure was forced onto songwriters. Plus, plenty of early recordings of songs included the verse.

I would suggest that we look at the impact of things in the folloiwng order and then look for overlaps and disruptions.

• Pianos in every home sales/sheet music/songwriting demands to meet that new market/recording capacity/recording distribution

My first feeling is that then as now, publishing drives everything else when it comes to the popular music business, and that where the business is where the music eventually ends up. Not the other way around , all sorts of eruptions and revolts not withstanding.

[Teasing the Korean]

The 32 bar form is an accurate enough description of the form, but if we get to thinking that "32 bar form" = AABA, we start thinking carelessly , there's enough non AABA 35 bar pop songs (AB¹AB² being particularly not uncommon) to forgo the notion that that structure was forced onto songwriters. Plus, plenty of early recordings of songs included the verse.

Of course. All I meant was that the 32-bar form had been a fairly common - though by no means exclusive - format for pop tunes. Pop tunes had generally organized themselves into 4- and 8-bar phrases. Probably one more example of humans naturally gravitating toward even numbers of beats and groupings, because of footsteps.

[mjzee]

I saw a fascinating documentary on klezmer music on PBS sometime in the '80's. Klezmer music in the late 19th - early 20th century was played seamlessly by a band: one melody leading into another, taking cues from various band members, performances going on for long stretches of time. Melodies weren't named, they were just known. It sounds reminiscent of what New Orleans bands did, or Miles Davis's '70's band, or Indian music, or the Grateful Dead, to give just some examples. This all changed once records were introduced. Now, excerpts of these performances were tailored for 3-minute segments, thought of as songs. They were named, and more importantly (as Jim points out) they were copyrighted as having a composer. Then there was infighting: you can't use my melody, etc. So, bottom line, the 78 record absolutely changed klezmer music.