Music Trade Review

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THE MU3IO TRADE REVIEW
Conducted and Edited
A number of tuners from various sections of
the country, who read the mournful account
which I was obliged to give recently of the death
of Edward Weeks, have written to the depart-
ment expressing, along with their sympathy, a
strong feeling that this unfortunate young man
came to his death largely through overwork.
They point to some of his statements in the
letter from him which I published some months
ago as evidence that he was working at too high
pressure. While I happen to have known enough
of the state of his health to feel sure that not
overwork alone was responsible for his untimely
end, yet I feel justified in choosing these ob-
servations of my excellent correspondents as a
text whereupon to hang certain reflections on our
profession, its rewards and the possibilities of
expansion therein. How much then can a tuner
earn? Supposing that he is able to collect stand-
ard fees for his work and has all of his time
filled. Now it is reasonable to suppose that he
can do three ordinary tunings in a day. This
would account for a maximum gross income
from six to nine dollars per day. Deducting ex-
penses incurred when away from home, we may
fairly estimate a net income of not more than
six dollars per day. Repairing comes higher, of
course, and a large number of good repair jobs
will probably be worth some hundreds of dollars
yearly. But these are hardly to be depended
upon, except where a regular shop is maintained
and in that case it is better to specialize on this
alone and not go out far from home on long tun-
ing trips. But, anyway, it would seem that a
weekly income of a little better than $40 per
week represents the best that the independent
tuner can do, even in favorable circumstances.
And, after all, how many professions average bet-
ter? Certainly it is not too much to say that the
general run of country doctors, lawyers and min-
isters make a little less if anything. This is in-
contestable as regards the ministers and pretty
certain as regards the others.
But do not forget that there are many slips be-
tween the desire for the comfortable income de-
scribed above and its accomplishment. System in
routing trips, system in keeping in touch with
customers, system in looking after one's clientele
and extending it, system in advertising, system
in going about one's work, all these things de-
mand systematizing, and all demand patience and
the art of waiting cheerfully while the business
gradually and naturally expands. Don't expect
that a new connection will jump into the two
thousand a year class in the first twelve months.
You will be likely to wait five years before you
can have a new business established on such a
basis permanently. And remember that gradual
growth is generally more likely to be permanent
than that which is forced.
A correspondent, writing from Kansas City,
tells me that he has often disagreed with the
opinions I express in this department, but that
he has never felt willing to write and say so
openly. Don't be afraid, brother. I just live
on disagreements. Get up and cry from the
housetops all you like. The technical depart-
ment can stand it. If nobody ever disagreed
with any one else, what a weary world it would
be, to be sure.
F. Daley, of New York City, is requested to
communicate with L. C. Hazel, of 221 Central
avenue, Atlanta, Ga. Mr. Daley wrote some time
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down when the armatures rotate in one direction
and releasing them when the contrary effect
takes place. The gradation of touch is controlled
by a system of resistances whereby the power of
the current may be progressively weakened. The
by Wm. B. White.
pedals are operated magnetically, and the per-
ago to the department for information as to ob- formance may be controlled by an operator or
taining instruction in piano tuning. Mr. Hazel allowed to proceed automatically. The device
thinks he can help him out.
may be attached to any piano, grand or upright,
and involves no change in the case. It is a re-
I observe that a gentleman of our profession markable extension of the manifold uses of elec-
by the name of Clinkscales is circulating a peti- tricity, and there is doubtless a great future be-
tion down Kansas City way for the purpose of fore it. While nothing seems more certain to-day
influencing the legislators of Missouri to pass a than that the pneumatic player will continue to
law providing for State examinations for piano hold the field that it has won, it is by no means
tuners and repairmen. It will be remembered impossible that it will ultimately be supplanted
that one of the objects of the Helmholtz Society, by some electrical system, "which will have the
as expressed by the founders, was exactly similar advantage of doing away with pumping and re-
to this. Without expressing any opinion as to ducing the bulk of the player within the small-
the possibility of Mr. Clinkscales being success- est possible compass.
ful, I can at least wish him all the success in
the world, and sincerely trust that he may meet
Communications for the department should be
with the support of the intelligent people of
addressed to the Editor Technical Department,
his State. Especially, it seems to me, the piano
The Music Trade Review.
dealers, teachers and performers should every-
where indorse this movement. It is in the high-
DEPARTMENT OF PATENTS.
est degree unlikely that the law will have a
chance of passage at the first presentation, but
FINGER-GUIDE FOR BRASS INSTRUMENTS. Issued
it will be much to have it even presented. This to J. A. Evans and F. Wolf, of Deer Lodge, Mont,
department stands ready to back up any such May 7, 1907. Patent No. 853,074.
praiseworthy effort at any time.
This invention consists of a brass guide placed-
above the valves of a brass instrument, such as
I wish to call special attention to the new a cornet or any form of horn, with the purpose
Department of Patents now being published in of arresting the upward movement of the fingers
connection with the Technical Department, and used in operating the valves, the notion being
under the same editorial control. It will be found to avoid unnecessary finger movements and con-
immediately following this department, and pro- sequently obtain greater rapidity.
vides a running commentary on all that is
SOUND RECEIVER FOR SUBMARINE SIGNALING.
novel and interesting in the patent records from Issued to L. I. Blake, of Boston, May 7, 1907.
week to week. The descriptions of new inven- Patent No. 852,760.
tions are not mere clippings from technical and
This invention, which is related to the music
highly intricate specifications, but simple and industry through the fact that the inventor takes
easily understood digests, whereby any one who advantage of certain phenomena of acoustic reso-
reads may keep up to date and know at all times nance, and has applied these in cases where the
what is transpiring among the music trade in- medium of excitation is liquid, consists of a novel
ventors. Cuts are given whenever the merit of form of sound-producing apparatus to be used
an invention is such as to deserve this, or when in submarine work. The inventor has recognized
comprehension is facilitated thereby.
the fact that resonance occurs when periodic vi-
brations of an excited medium are reflected from
It is indeed encouraging to note that the
the walls of a confining chamber. In the case of
Y. M. C. A. in New York is having considerable
the medium being atmospheric air the principle
success in organizing its coming class in piano
is well illustrated by various musical instruments
design and applied acoustics. The workmen in
of the pipe form. When, however, the medium is
the piano factories are showing real interest in
the highly incompressible liquid water, it is found
the forthcoming lectures and there seems to be
that the process of throwing any body of such
no doubt that there will be a large class organ-
a medium into sympathetic periodic vibration
ized in the early fall of the year. As a begin-
involves such powerful variations of hydrostatic
ning to the larger plans of technical edu-
pressure as usually to shatter the walls of the
cation that are now engaging the atten-
resonance chamber. But some sort of resonance
tion of some of the best minds in the trade,
chamber is highly essential in any form of signal-
this class deserves a place in contemporary in-
ing apparatus for submarine work which involves
dustrial history, and I make no doubt that its
the sending of sounds to a distance, and therefore
influence will be far greater than will be realized
the inventor has devised a resonator, consisting
by most of those who form it. I think it only
essentially of two steel cylinders, close together,
proper to repeat that persons who desire in-
into the first of which water under pressure is ad-
formation as to the class and its program, may
mitted at one end and expelled at the other
obtain this by addressing Merton L. Beebe, secre-
through a narrow annular orifice, the resultant
tary, Union Branch, Y. M. C. A., 149th street and
annular jet impinging upon the opening of the
St. Anne's avenue, New York City.
second cylinder and thus giving rise to periodic
One of the most ingenious developments of the vibrations of the water within the latter. The
piano player idea is to be found in the interior fact that the walls of this cylinder are unyield-
mechanism devised by the Telelectric Co. The ing causes the production of resonant vibration,
power is electrical, and nothing but the operating which, carried through the water, gives rise in the
electro-magnets need be placed in contact with receiver to a powerful periodic wave, the pitch
any part of the piano. The controlling devices whereof depends upon the dimensions of the cyl-
are separately housed within a small cabinet inder. In connection with this sender there is
which is connected with the piano by an electric a receiver adapted to be attached to the under-
cable, and may be at any distance therefrom. water side of a vessel. It consists of a cylinder
Electric circuits are made and broken by the ac- similar in form to the resonant cylinder of the
tion of a very narrow perforated roll made of sender, to which is attached a microphonic trans-
brass and in this manner the electro-magnets un- mitter, connected with a telephone receiver
der the keys are alternately energized and de- within the vessel. The sounds set up in the
energized, causing armatures between their poles sender, through variations in the pressure of
to rotate. Wires attached to the armatures con- the water admitted into the annular oriflced cyl-
nect with the bottoms of the keys, pulling them inder and impinging upon the resonance cylinder,
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