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In this presentation, I will offer an overview of some of the primary materials and questions that have motivated my Leverhulme-funded project on the history and cultural impact of amplification technologies. The Amplification Project, as the study is currently named, arises from my career of research spent examining intersections of popular music and technology, much of which has revolved around the electric guitar. How is guitar amplification related to a wider set of innovations and interrelationships involving audio technology, musical practice, and public life since the late 19th century? My talk will examine historical documents and media representations to posit a framework for thinking about the varied impacts of amplification and how it has become socially meaningful in a range of settings. In particular, I will highlight two strains of investigation: the early history of public address systems, and the advent of solid state guitar amplifiers.
