We linked an analysis of vocal vibratos in early recordings with Edison's dismissive attitude towards singers' tremolos in the same recordings. We conclude that there are at least two different factors contributing to Edison's concept of tremolo, which include a) technical limitations and artefacts related to the recording process, and b) aesthetic judgements based on his taste for a good singing voice, but which are not necessarily related to the vibrato as such. In some cases, his comments on the tremolo even contradict the vibratos found in the recordings. Yet, Edison's concept of tremolo was as ambiguous as it was influential, for it was the tremolo on which Edison frequently based his decision to employ singers for commercial recordings. Since many of today's vocal artists still view early recordings as the gold standard of interpretation, we should consider the possibility that early recordings are by no means a representative sample of the artists of that time, but rather a selection due to the constraints of the technology at that time.

中文翻译：

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托马斯·爱迪生如何塑造当今的歌唱理想：通过分析档案文件和录音来追踪他的颤音概念

我们将早期唱片中对人声颤音的分析与爱迪生对同一唱片中歌手的颤音的轻描淡写的态度联系在一起。我们得出的结论是，至少有两个不同的因素会影响爱迪生的颤音概念，包括：a）与录音过程有关的技术局限性和人工制品，以及b）基于他对好的歌唱品味的审美判断，但并非如此必然与颤音本身有关。在某些情况下，他对颤音的评论甚至与录音中发现的颤音相矛盾。但是，爱迪生的颤音概念既含糊又有影响力，因为爱迪生经常以此为基调，决定聘请歌手录制商业唱片。因为今天很多