Archives of Traditional Music (ATM)
Discover the ATM and ethnographic sound archiving at Indiana University
Robert Olney George's Washboard and Silver Thimbles Silver thimbles and their cases, washboard at the back by Robert Olney GeorgeArchives of Traditional Music (ATM)
The largest university-based ethnographic sound archive
The Archives of Traditional Music (ATM) is the largest university-based ethnographic sound archive in the United States.
The Original Version of "Star Dust" in Vinyl The Original Version of "Star Dust" in Vinyl (1927) by Hoagy CarmichaelArchives of Traditional Music (ATM)
Our mission
To preserve and make accessible the collections for use by educators, researchers, and interested members of the public, including the people from whom the materials have been collected.
Hoagy Carmichael's Piano Full side shot by Hoagy CarmichaelArchives of Traditional Music (ATM)
Our mission
To foster the educational and cultural role of Indiana University through the preservation and dissemination of the world's music and oral traditions.
Hoagy Carmichael's Trumpet Hoagy Carmichael's Trumpet by Hoagy CarmichaelArchives of Traditional Music (ATM)
Our mission
The Archives of Traditional Music has a responsibility to make its holdings and performances available to those whose cultural heritage is represented in the collection, as well as to individuals interested in developing an appreciation for the recorded artifacts.
Sample Gates at Indiana University (2002) by Indiana University Digital LibraryArchives of Traditional Music (ATM)
Relationship to Indiana University
The Archives collections and library contribute to the research and teaching activities of many Indiana University (IU) Departments, including Folklore and Ethnomusicology, Anthropology, Linguistics, Music, and interdisciplinary area studies.
A Portrait of George Herzog (1958-05-08) by IU Photographic ServicesArchives of Traditional Music (ATM)
History of the ATM
The ATM was founded in 1948 by George Herzog (1901-1983), a Hungarian-born anthropologist, linguist, and ethnomusicologist.
Herzog worked at the Berliner Phonogramm-Archiv in the 1920s, then studied with Franz Boas at Columbia University, earning a Ph.D. in Anthropology in 1931.
History of the ATM
When he came to Indiana University, Herzog brought with him nearly 10,000 ethnographic recordings from his own research and from other scholars and curators of the late-19th and early-20th centuries. These recordings became the foundation of ATM's collections.
Maxwell Hall, Indiana University (1955) by Indiana University Photographic ServicesArchives of Traditional Music (ATM)
History of the ATM
The ATM collections were mostly privately used until George List was appointed as Director in 1953. List oversaw a move to Maxwell Hall, and he created the organizational, numbering, and duplicating procedures we still use today.
Click here to view the full history of ATM
The Wax Cylinder Cases from the Berthold Laufer Collection (1901-09-18) by Berthold Laufer and the Archives of Traditional Music, Asset ID: SCY 2732-2733Archives of Traditional Music (ATM)
Our collections
The ATM has approximately 7,000 wax cylinders, 250 wire recordings, 10,000 cassettes, 70,000 discs, 40,000 tape reels, 500 videotapes, 600 compact discs, and 200 digital audio tapes, representing over 250,000 hours--or nearly 30 years--of recorded sound! And we are still growing.
The Original Version of "Star Dust" in Vinyl The Wolverine Orchestra, on their first record date, in the Gennett Records recording studio, Richmond, Indiana by Hoagy CarmichaelArchives of Traditional Music (ATM)
Our collections
The archive accessions both field (non-published) and commercial recordings, donated by researchers and collectors. The audio and video recordings include music, spoken word, folk narratives, poetry, interviews, and linguistic material. Many are unique and irreplaceable.
More than sound
The ATM also has photographs, manuscripts, transcriptions, slides, and various types of ephemera. These materials usually complement a sound collection or provide more information about a collection depositor. The archive also has a small non-circulating book collection.
Listening library
Because the ATM is an archive, accessing materials is different than what you might find at a library. The public listens to a copy of the original, while the original item is stored for preservation purposes in climate-controlled off-site storage.
Listening library
In addition to the listening copy, patrons may look at a notebook which could include a play list index, collector’s field notes, liner notes, or any other information that will help identify the sound recording.
Click here to explore our collections!
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.