Dynagroove
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Dynagroove is a recording process introduced in 1963 exclusive to RCA Victor that, for the first time, utilized computers ("electronic brains") to modify the audio signal fed to the recording stylus (chisel-shaped) of a phonograph record to make the groove shape conform to the tracking requirements of the playback stylus (ball-point shaped). RCA claimed that Dynagroove had the effect of adding brilliance and clarity, realistic presence, full-bodied tone and virtually eliminated surface noise and inner groove distortion. In addition, Dynagroove recordings were mastered on RCA Magnetic Tape. Hans H. Fantel (who wrote liner notes on the first Dynagroove releases) summed it up with, "[Dynagroove] adds up to what is, in my opinion, a remarkable degree of musical realism. The technique is ingenious and sophisticated, but its validation is simple: the ear confirms it!"
The process was not received well by some industry commentators, such as the founder of Stereophile magazine, J. Gordon Holt, who in December 1964 wrote a highly unfavourable article entitled "Down with Dynagroove!". Dynagroove was also sharply criticized by Goddard Lieberson of the competing label Columbia Records, who called it "a step away from the faithful reproduction of the artist's performance;" and by Harry Pearson, founder of The Absolute Sound, who termed it "Dynagrove, for that wooden sound." Holt, a noted audio engineer and writer of the 1960s and 1970s, slammed Dynagroove as introducing "pre-distortion" into the mastering process, making the records sound worse if they were played on high-quality phono systems.
RCA discontinued Dynagroove without fanfare in the late 1970s.
Not to be confused with Dynaflex (RCA), a technique of reducing the thickness and quality of vinyl used in mass-market LP manufacturing, also invented and marketed by RCA Victor.
[edit] Dynagroove promotional and regular records
Partial list
- This Is Dynagroove! (1963) PRS-140*
- Sid Ramin - "Swanee"
- Marty Gold - "I'll Remember April"
- Dick Schory - "Take the "A" Train"
- Hugo & Luigi Chorus - "I Love You"
- Peter Nero - "Granada"
- Arthur Fiedler/Boston Pops - "Star Dust"
- Erich Leinsdorf/Boston Symphony - "Mahler: Symphony No. 1 (Finale)"
- Arthur Fiedler/Boston Pops - "La Sorella"
- Charles Munch/Boston Symphony - "Debussy: Nocturnes, Fêtes"
- Leontyne Price & Richard Tucker - "Puccini: Madama Butterfly Act 1: Love Duet"
- Morton Gould - "Sibelius: Findlandia (Finale)"
- The Sound Of Tomorrow (Buick Highlighter) (1963) SP-33-204/SPS-33-204*
- Peter Nero - "Londonderry Air"
- Marty Gold - "Shangri-La"
- Hugo & Luigi Chorus - "I'll See You In My Dreams"
- Dick Schory - "Stompin' At The Savoy"
- Sid Ramin - "Spring Is Here"
- Erich Leinsdorf/Boston Symphony - "Scherzo from Symphony No. 1 in D (Mahler)"
- Arthur Fiedler/Boston Pops - "Jalousie"
- Robert Shaw Chorale - "Battle Hymn of the Republic"
- Charles Munch/Boston Symphony - "Pavan for a Dead Princess (Ravel)"
- Leontyne Price - "Un Bel Di from Madama Butterfly (Puccini)"
- The New Sound of the Stars (1963) SP-33-223/SPS-33-223*
- Sid Ramin - "The Syncopated Clock"
- Perry Como - "The Songs I Love"
- Chet Atkins - "Back Home Again In Indiana"
- Hugo & Luigi Chorus - "Melody of Love"
- Eddy Arnold - "The Streets of Laredo"
- Floyd Cramer - "Green Door"
- Marty Gold - "Don't Worry 'Bout Me"
- Jim Reeves - "(There'll Be Blue Birds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover"
- Peter Nero - "Are My Dreams Real?"
- The Limeliters - "Drill Ye Tarriers"
- Sam Cooke - "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen"
- Al Hirt - "Man With A Horn"
- Dimensions In Dynagroove (1965) PRS-180*
- Sid Ramin - "I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover"
- Melachrino Strings & Orchestra - "In The Blue Of Evening"
- Si Zentner - "Twist and Shout"
- Marty Gold - "Theme from 'A Summer Place'"
- Frankie Carle - "Dominique"
- Hugo Montenegro - "Candy's Theme"
- Norman Luboff Choir - "Never on Sunday"
- Morton Gould - "The Peanut Vendor"
- Robert Brereton/Paramount Theatre Organ - "Gayne (Khachaturian): Sabre Dance"
- Arthur Fielder/Boston Pops - "Grand Canyon Suite (Grofé): Cloudburst"
- Arthur Fielder/Boston Pops - "Tenderly"
- Erich Leinsdorf/Boston Symphony - "Firebird Suite (Stravinsky): Finale"
- Sounds Fantastic! (1966) PRS-210*
- Sid Ramin - "Strike Up The Band"
- Si Zentner - "Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)"
- Marty Gold - "Smile"
- Claus Ogerman - "Watusi Trumpets"
- Chet Atkins - "Armen's Theme"
- Dick Schory - "From Russia With Love"
- Johnny Douglas/Living Strings - "Love Your Spell Is Everywhere"
- Al Hirt - "I Had The Craziest Dream"
- Frankie Randall - "A Wonderful Day Like Today"
- Living Guitars - "Steel Guitar Rag"
- The Three Suns - "Love Letters In The Sand"
- Esquivel - "Bye Bye Blues"
* Stereo first regular records
- Van Cliburn/Fritz Reiner/Chicago Symphony orchester Konzert für Klavier und Orchester nr 4 G-dur op 58, 1963 original RCA, Made in Germany shortly after under LSC-2680-B (Living stereo ref) and LM-2680-C (mono ref)
