Grammy Award-winning music producer Sylvia Massy provides a visual tour through the fascinating world of vintage microphones with hundreds of original, full-color photographs.

Based on one of the largest collections in the world, this book is for the appreciation of the art, technology, and history of microphones, looking at the first 100 years since the original invention – from the 1870s through the 1970s. Discover microphones used by major figures, including the one used by every US President since Lyndon B. Johnson, the epic microphone built for King George V, and the one used by Bruce Swedien for Michael Jackson's hits.

Microphones are abundant in our modern world: dozens of different technologies, millions of different uses. Sylvia Massy and Chris Johnson expertly curate hundreds of microphones, from the rare and eccentric to well-known gamechangers, and provide interesting tidbits relating to their use, history, manufacture, design, and more. This visually stunning book traces the microphone through a history that includes the Great Depression, two World Wars, and the Cold War era.

Sylvia Massy has been producing, engineering, and mixing popular music for decades. Renowned for her work with Tool, System of a Down, Johnny Cash, and Prince, just to name a few, Massy has received dozens of gold and platinum records, including awards for her work with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sevendust, and Tom Petty. 

Chris Johnson is a prize-winning writer, recording studio owner and artist. His stunning collection of vintage microphones includes historical pieces that date back to the 1870s.

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