First Recording Device:

Phonautograph:

Invented in 1857, Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville invented the phonautograph, the first device to record sound. it used a membrane (which vibrated in response to sound.) attached to a pen, which traced a line roughly corresponding to the sounds waveform onto a roll of paper. although  able to record sound, this machine was unable to immediately play back the recording. however   in one experiment it was recorded onto a metal plate which was then able to be played back. 


Issues with this technology:


Photography, was still in its infancy, improvements to this inventions were required in order to make it as a sound recording and reproduction medium.