Instauration

Here's the definition if you don't know it. (I certainly didn't.)

You know what needs to be instaurated?  Binaural recording, that's what. If you don’t know what it is (I certainly didn't), it's "created using a technique known as "Dummy head recording", wherein a mannequin head is outfitted with a microphone in each ear." (Thanks, Wikipedia! We heart you!) So it's like the sound is right inside your ears! Ooooooh, spooky!! And of course, since we think we invented everything, I need to point out that it goes all the way back 1881(!).

I found about binaural recording because I'm doing contract work for a radio station (short-term – why yes, I'm looking for permanent employment. Your help is appreciated!) dealing with their archival materials and came across a box that stated: “Ives: Three Places in New England (The 'St. Gaudens' in Boston Common [Col. Shaw and His Colored Regiment]; Putnam's Camp, Redding, Connecticut; The Housatonic at Stockbridge).” Oh wait, that's the wrong one. (I wish there was an easy way to erase mistakes.) It said: "A radio drama produced in ‘binaural’ sound. (Listen with ‘stereo’ (2-channel) headphones only." Yea, it totally sounds like it should be from the '50s, but is, in fact from 1983 (I’d love to hear it).

Thankfully, the Nets being what they are, someone posted an amazing (if not a tad freaky) example on YouTube. (Yes, you will need “stereo” [two channel] headphones.)

This reminded me of the time I was talking to someone and said I wish I had lived a hundred years ago for the beginning of film. How great to be freaked out by - "Oh my God! The train's comin' right into the theatre!!" And dude looked at me said "Yea, cuz going to see Star Wars sucked." Oh yea, that is my generation, isn’t it…and IMAX and Pixar and the new 3D...

I know I veered from audio to audio/visual, but you get my point. Oh, and between “The Artist” and “Hugo,” there's been sort of an instauration right there. (Hurray!*)

*To be cried aloud in falsetto.