Interview with Wilma Fine, May 5, 1999

Partial Transcript: --work or a critic or whatever.

Segment Synopsis: Fine and Schmidt Horning have a conversation regarding studio evolution.

Keywords: Film sound; Fine, Wilma Cozart; Music; Record production; Recording industry

Subjects: Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound studios.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History

Partial Transcript: And, uh, I mean during the time that you're investigating, you know, with the beginning of tape, use of tape and so forth...

Segment Synopsis: Fine discusses her opinions as a music producer and the subject of efficiency versus quality with CDs and digital music. She also discusses the subject of music quality and capturing the musical experience being essential to getting the best music possible.

Keywords: Audio tapes; Cassettes; Fine, Wilma Cozart; Gender; Music producers; Music production; Music technology; Sound engineers; Women in music

Subjects: Audiocassettes; Sound engineers--United States; Sound studios; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History

Partial Transcript: Um, you know let's start with a few background questions just so I can have these details.

Segment Synopsis: Born in the 1930s, Fine details her early beginnings as a music education student at North Texas University, as well as her work for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

Keywords: Business; Dallas Symphony Orchestra; Managers; Masters degrees; Music majors; North Texas State College; North Texas Teachers College; Organists; Teaching degrees

Subjects: Education; Education, Higher--Texas; Higher education; North Texas State University

Partial Transcript: What, what did you know that you wanted to go into?

Segment Synopsis: Fine talks about her struggles to break into the music business in New York, and discusses the types of jobs she was not interested in. She talks about how she came to work for Mercury Records, at the insistence of an artist who was impressed with her work. She talks about Mercury importing records from Europe.

Keywords: Artists; Chasins, Abram; Chicago (Ill.); Classical music; Demeaning; Europe; Experience; Female; Fundraising; Gender; Hands on training; Imports; Management; Mercury Records; Orchestras; Preservation; Record business; Record labels; Records, kinds of: long-playing (LP); Resume; Value; Women; Work experience

Subjects: Mercury Record Corporation; Music; New York (N.Y.); Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound studios.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History

Partial Transcript: Now was--were you aware of the smaller labels like Atlantic?

Segment Synopsis: Fine talks about her husband Bob's work as an engineer for various studios and labels throughout his career, including Reeves, Majestic, and Miller, among others.

Keywords: Atlantic Records; Audio Engineering Society (AES); Audio engineers; Chicago (Ill.); Chief engineers; Film; Fine, Bob; Imports; Majestic Records studios; Mastering; Masters; Mercury Record Corporation; Mercury Records; Miller Sound Film Studio; Miller cutters; Miller, Jim; Policies; Problems; Program directors; Quality; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Reeves Sound; Small labels; Universal Recording; World War II

Subjects: Acoustical engineering.; New York (N.Y.); Sound engineers; Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound studios.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History

Partial Transcript: Um, oh, do you know--did you--did your husband ever mention someone named Harry Smith?

Segment Synopsis: Born in Long Island, Fine got his start in music technology and engineering as a young child. Having been an inventor and having many patents, he was familiar with innovation and technology. As a small child, he would repair electronics and various household products for his family. While he was self taught and had an early passion for technology and innovation, he fine tuned his skills in sound production when he was drafted in World War II. While drafted, he worked with radar technology which built on his curiosity and passion for music and sound innovation.

Keywords: Apex Recording; Apprenticeships; Atlantic Records; Audio devices; Audio engineering; Audio recording studios; Dowd, Tom; Everens, Robert; Fairchild, Sherman M.; Fine, Robert; Innovations; Inventions; Inventors; Miller, Jim; Patents; Radar; Schmitt, Al; Self-taught; Smith, Harry; Sound production; Training; WW2; WWII; World War 2; World War II; World War Two

Subjects: Acoustical engineering.; Atlantic Record Corporation; Childhood; Military Service, Voluntary--United States; Sound engineers; Sound--Recording and reproducing; United States. Marine Corps; World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: Um, well why don't we just go back to you for now and--

Segment Synopsis: Fine talks about Mercury importing music from Europe and their policy of remastering them. She talks about why she worked to change that policy. She talks about her rise through Mercury Records, eventually becoming the Vice President of the New York office. She talks about her work recording orchestras and her emphasis on quality during the recording process.

Keywords: "Living Presence"; Audio engineers; Careers; Chicago Symphony; Classical Division; Classical music; Commercials; Corporations; Europe; Executive directors; Fine, Bob; Greene, Irving; Impact; Imports; Masters; Mercury Records; New York (N.Y.); Policies; Pop music; Publicity; Quality; RCA Victor; Recording engineers; Symphony orchestras; Vice presidents; Women

Subjects: Acoustical engineering.; Mercury Record Corporation; Music; Sound engineers; Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound studios.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History

Partial Transcript: I knew, um--one of the people I spoke to very early in doing my research is, uh--was Jack Renner at Telarc.

Segment Synopsis: Fine talks about Mercury Records' process of stereo recording. She talks about their microphone placement, the equipment they used, and how she focused on quality during the recordings.

Keywords: 2-track recording; 3-track recording; Compact discs (CDs); Masters; Mercury Records; Microphones; Mixing; On location; Quality; Recommendations; Recorders, tape (models): Ampex 3-track recorders; Records, kinds of: long-playing (LP); Renner, Jack; Sarser, David; Stereo; Stereophonic recording; Telarc Records; Three track recording; Two track recording

Subjects: Acoustical engineering.; Mercury Record Corporation; Sound engineers; Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound studios.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--Equipment and supplies.; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History

Partial Transcript: But you see I want to make this very clear to you...

Segment Synopsis: Fine talks about recording on location in Europe and the equipment they used. She talks about how changes in types of records and the transition from record to tape changed the recording industry.

Keywords: 8 track; Apprenticeships; Changes; Classical music; Differences; Digital converters; Editing; Effects; Europe; Fine, Bob; Mercury Records; On location; Orchestras; Quality; Recorders; Records, kinds of: lacquer; Records, kinds of: long-playing (LP); Records, kinds of: shellac; Records, kinds of: vinyl; Tape; Technology; World War II

Subjects: Acoustical engineering.; Mercury Record Corporation; Sound engineers; Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound studios.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--Equipment and supplies.; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History

Partial Transcript: The reason that we wanted to use one microphone was because we had no kind of mixing console or anything...

Segment Synopsis: Fine talks in detail about Mercury Records' process for recording orchestras. She talks about microphone placement, the equipment they used, and the skills required to produce a quality recording.

Keywords: Artists; Budgets; Channels; Classical music; Compressors; Conductors; Costs; Expense; Fairchild Recording Equipment Corporation; Fine, Bob; German; Halls; Hearing; Listening; Location; Mercury Records; Microphones; Microphones (models): Telefunken; Microphones, Neumann; Microphones, omnidirectional; Microphones, placement of; Mixing; Mono; On location; Orchestras; Recorders, tape (models): Ampex 300; Recording sessions; Speakers; Stereo; Talent; Tape machines; Technology; Training; Working relationships

Subjects: Acoustical engineering.; Mercury Record Corporation; Music; Sound engineers; Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound studios.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--Equipment and supplies.; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History

Partial Transcript: And the other thing which you may not have heard from a lot of people, but for classical recording...

Segment Synopsis: Fine talks about the people who worked at Mercury Records, and the importance of teamwork to produce a quality recording.

Keywords: Chicago Symphony; Classical music; Cutting; Fine Recording; Fine, Bob; Mastering; Mercury Records; Piros, George; Putnam, Bill; Recording sessions; Reeves Sound; Stoddard, Bill; Teamwork; Telephone lines; Universal Recording; Washington, Dinah

Subjects: Acoustical engineering.; Mercury Record Corporation; Sound engineers; Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound studios.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--Equipment and supplies.; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History

Partial Transcript: Now another thing about this which is very interesting...

Segment Synopsis: Fine talks more about the equipment used at Mercury Records, and their microphone placement. She discusses the differences between recording on records, tape, and film.

Keywords: 3-track recording; 35 millimeter; 35mm; Backup; Catalog; Classical music; Costs; Cutters; Everends, Robert; Everest; Expense; Film; Fine, Bob; Mercury Records; Microphones; Microphones, placement of; Modifications; Monaural; Mono; Multi-tracking; Recording sessions; Reels; Stereo; Stereophonic; Westrex

Subjects: Acoustical engineering.; Mercury Record Corporation; Sound engineers; Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound studios.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--Equipment and supplies.; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History

Partial Transcript: But you, you obviously--you--now you mentioned that you were very much a part of the mastering process as well.

Segment Synopsis: Fine talks about her role at Mercury Records, her lack of interest in performing the editing, and describes the editing process at Mercury.

Keywords: Classical music; Costs; Digital; Editing; Interest; Listening; Mastering process; Mercury Records; Musicians; On location; Orchestras; Producers; Recording sessions; Roles; Splicing; Teamwork; Technolgy; Unions

Subjects: Acoustical engineering.; Mercury Record Corporation; Sound engineers; Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound studios.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History

Partial Transcript: Yeah, and, and one of the things I wanted to ask you, I don't suppose you want to share or can share specific financial information...

Segment Synopsis: This segment discusses the methods of recording technology, efficiency and thoroughness that Bob Fine employed during his lifetime. These subjects include his time in collaboration with Wilma; his recording and production company; the eventual shift he made from sound into film, TV, and computer technology; his inventions; and time teaching at New York University. These various things are discussed by his wife as a culmination of his labor that created his legacy and established the ground work for the technology we have today.

Keywords: Communication technology; Electromagnetic; Electromechanical; Electronic instruments; Electronic music studios; Electronics; Equalization; Film production; Fine Recording; Fine, Bob; Fine, Wilma Cozart; Microphones and balance; Microphones and compression; Microphones and room tone; Microphones with pre-amplifiers; New York University (NYU); Sound engineering; Sound engineers; Stereophonic sound; Television production

Subjects: Acoustical engineering.; Mercury Record Corporation; Sound engineers; Sound recording industry; Sound recording industry--History; Sound studios.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Sound--Recording and reproducing--Equipment and supplies.; Sound--Recording and reproducing--History

Partial Transcript: I guess there are maybe a couple of specific things I would ask of you, and that is, did you, um...

Segment Synopsis: While she wasn't the only woman working in the industry, Fine recounts feeling that her gender wasn't a critical part of the importance of her success. She states in this interview that she believes that her worth ethic, drive, dedication, and skill gave her the upper hand to succeed and do the work she wanted to do. She offers advice to young women facing discrimination and hardships breaking into the industry to persevere and let the quality of the work one does stand for them.

Keywords: Equality; Gender; Women; Women in music; Workplace equality

Subjects: Gender issues; Sex discrimination against women--United States; Social structure and change; Social structure and social change; Women--Employment.