BetoBates.com

Did you know that G, E, & C are the notes of the NBC chime? The reason NBC uses the chime may not be well known to most people. The original use of the chime was for station identification in the 1920s, long before automation in the 1970s. A sort of tv traffic signal if you will, to switch between stations and pause for station identification. You may still here these today while listening to sports on the radio in the form of a radio announcer.

The first use of the distinctive NBC notes were thought to come from WSB in Atlanta, who used them for their on purpose. They were heard by someone at NBC while watching a networked broadcast of a Georgia Tech football game and asked permission to use them as their own. Three months later in 1931, the chimes began as they are today, G, E, C (G3, E4, C4 for you musicians out there).

Last week stars gathered in Los Angeles to shed some fresh light on the 75 year old stable. Those stars include:

• Jenna Fischer of the Office
• Masi Oka of Heroes
• T.I.
• B.B. King
• Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi
• The B-52’s
• Clint Black
• The Flaming Lips
• + many more

EW.com had an exclusive peak at the recording process of these artists with one particularly intresting one from the Flaming Lips. Wayne Coyne managed to build an intresting double neck guitar featuring the iconic Guitar Hero neck. Hop over to EW.com and check out the exclusive video for yourself.