The history of the megaphone is a fun detour for anyone who works with voices for a living. Before recording studios and modern PA systems and amplification there were other ways that that voice over sydney human voice could be amplified. The Megaphone was on of the earliest ways to amplify voice over sydney human voices.
Also known as a bullhorn or speaking trumpet, the megaphone has been used to amplify the human voice for hundreds of years. At its most basic, an acoustic megaphone is no more than a cone-shaped device that projects the voice outward at a greater volume. Electric megaphones were introduced in the 20th century, and quickly became an essential part of cheerleading and sporting events.
History and Development
Credit for developing the theory behind the modern megaphone is often attributed to 17th century German Jesuit scholar Athanasius Kircher, along with 18th century Swiss mathematician Johann Heinrich Lambert. But simple acoustic megaphones have been in use since at least the sixth century, when they were used to amplify speakers’ voices in the amphitheaters of ancient Greece. Henry C. Dalrymple patented the first electric voice amplifier in the mid-20th century, utilizing technology developed decades earlier by Thomas Edison.
Megaphone Use in Sports
Megaphones have historically been useful for any situation in which an individual speaker needs to address a large crowd. Cheering developed as a significant aspect of sporting events in the United States in the 1880s, and the megaphone became an important tool, allowing cheerleaders to be heard by the spectators. The acoustic megaphones of the day have been largely replaced by modern electric and battery-powered megaphones, but they are still commonly used due to their portability and affordability compared with PA systems of similar wattage. Sport is one of the liveliest chapters in the history of the megaphone.
Interesting Facts from the History of the Megaphone
Cecile B DeMille was the first director to use a megaphone on the movie set.
Theatrical costumes were an innovation from Thespis, Greece in the 6th century BC. Theatrical costumes are still called “the robes of Thespis.” The most important feature of the Greek costume was the mask, which indicated the character’s age, sex, station, and customary mood. The masks were made of linen, cork or wood and were skillfully carved and painted. Their funnel shaped mouths are thought to have acted as megaphones to amplify the voice.
Many primitive cultures employ masks with which to disguise the voice in magical or religious rites. Such megaphones are still used today in as widely dissimilar cultures as those of Switzerland and the Brazilian Indians.
The history of the megaphone is really the prehistory of amplification, and every microphone in our voice over studio in Sydney is its descendant. The Wikipedia article on the megaphone has more on its inventors.
