EMI's brand of blank lacquer master disc, please enter as 'Made By' in lccn. Made under licence from Pyral, France. Pyral invented the lacquer master disc to replace wax master discs and licensed their formula to EMI in the UK and to Audio Devices, Inc in the USA who made the "audiodisc" brand.
"Emidisc" blank discs were sold to disc cutting studios around the world, as was their "Emitape" blank reel-to-reel tapes. The blank discs were available in various sizes for use as master discs for the production of records and in 7" and 12" sizes for direct cut discs that could be taken home and played on a regular turntable. These so-called "acetate" discs (which contain no acetate) are cut one by one on a disc cutting lathe. They are not pressed.
The EMIDISC imprint (Trademark first registered 26th Feb 1946) was relaunched in 1970 as a budget record label. ( Emidisc (2))
EMIDISC was also the name of one of EMI Australia's disc mastering and cutting studios, namely the DMM facility located at the factory.
Acetates are not "releases". They are simply dubs on to disc for reference purposes. EMI manufactured blank magnetic tape branded "Emitape" and blank lacquer discs (so called "acetates") branded "Emidisc". These products were sold to recording studios around the world and were not unique to EMI owned studios.
I was involved with the recording industry in the 1960's, so perhaps I can clarify the 'Emidisc' situation. Bands/Groups/Artistes would either hire private studios, or be given Record Company studio time, in order to make practice, experimental, or demonstration recordings. The finished recording would be on a 'recording industry standard tape'. This was far too wide for a domestic tape recorder and played at a different speed. The performer(s) would be given the options of purchasing copies of their work on Industry Standard Tape, Domestic Reel to Reel Tape, or Acetate Disc. To the best of my knowledge, the only blank acetates used in the UK were Emidiscs. The recording was not 'pressed' onto the acetate, but individually 'cut' by a machine. This resembled a record player that worked in reverse. Putting it simply, sound was transferred from the Master Tape to a diamond cutter that vibrated, and cut the grooves. This was old technology that dated back to Edison recordings at the beginning of the 20th Century. If six copies of a double sided single were required, you had to wait while the machine performed twelve times. This took time and these demo discs were not cheap! I cannot ever recall any of these acetates being given matrix or run-off numbers. The self-adhesive labels were provided separately so that any info could be typed on them. These were always blank except for the printed Emidisc blurb around the rim. Any catalogue numbers were typed on by the performer’s management and were nothing to do with Emidisc or EMI.
Aussie0zborn
July 30, 2017EMI manufactured blank magnetic tape branded "Emitape" and blank lacquer discs (so called "acetates") branded "Emidisc". These products were sold to recording studios around the world and were not unique to EMI owned studios.