Nineteenth and ea1ly twentieth centuiy folklo1ists depended on simple recording devices and techniques, including notebooks and memory. They used bulky machineiy to record musical performances on cylinders and then on large flat disks. These machines were capable of recording only a few minutes of performance before they had to be wound up and supplied with a new recording surface. Furthermore, unless the recordist stmck a tuning fork or other device of known frequency at the beginning or ending of the record ing, there was no way for a listener to know exactly at what speed these recordings \ ere to he played. That meant listeners nex er knew if they were hearing the recordings at the right tempo or pitch. Because the equipment was so hulky, movement was difficult, and performers often had to he brought to where the machine was located. Cameras used large glass plates and required a great deal of light, either natural or flash powder.