Why in some older media (television, VHS and cassette tapes) do you hear music/dialogue very softly before it actually happens?

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I worked as a projectionist for a few years so in learning how sound is read off the film itself, I always assumed this is a phenomenon related to the fact that film is stored in rolls (same for VHS and cassette tapes), but what exactly is happening? Does sound from another part of the reel transfer due to the fact that the film touches? Maybe I’m way off, but I can’t for the life of me ask the right question to get an answer anywhere.

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Anonymous 0 Comments

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go watch a TV series from the 80s or 90s that has commercial breaks. I noticed it most recently watching The Simpsons (8th season) on Disney+. Crank up the sound, and when the scene goes black for when there would be a commercial, you can hear the audio of the next scene just before the scene starts.

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