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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
each individual, then, must a treatment be applied
which will meet his views of what music means to
him and what he wants to get out of the player-
There Appears to Be an Embarrassing Medley of Opinions on Every Phase of This Subject—
piano as music. Even so, and in every single case,
The Present Article Is Written for the Purpose of Clearing Up Some Obscure Points So
the less one demonstrates in a "mechanical" sort of
as to Be Helpful to the Salesman Who Is Giving Serious Consideration to Player-Piano Sales
way, the better. The biggest dunce does not want
—The Man Who Really Desires to Increase His Value to His Employer.
music that will inevitably grow monotonous and
annoying in a few months. Harp on the one string.
Hardly any subject, of all those which have been not make an immense noise, kick the pedals, play Stick to the continual lesson that attention and
from time to time so widely discussed in connec- utterly without expression or keep the sustaining study bring a continual delight, and that the better
tion with the player business, has had less reason- pedal on all the time. Do not play everything at a person learns to play the better will he or she
able and sane thought expended upon it as this one full speed. Do not make the customer feel every like the player-piano. That is truth. That is good
of player demonstration, concerning which the pres- minute that the player-piano is something hard, sense. And in the last analysis that also is good
ent article proposes to treat. It is putting the mat- glittering, and mechanical, without a particle of
business.
ter mildly to say that there appears to be a most soul in it. No; if one chooses a hymn tune—say,
All this means a considerable equipment on the
"Lead, Kindly Light"—let that be played softly, re-
embarrassing medley of opinion on every phase of
part
of the salesman. He must be an all-round
the subject. In this article an attempt will be made ligiously, with free phrasing and as much expres-
to clear up some doubtful or obscure points to the siveness as possible. Make the customer think, so player-pianist, with a perfect command over the
end that some light may be thrown into dark places. far as is attainable, that this music sounds like resources of his instrument. And that command
must be so perfect that the effects seem to be ob-
It has seriously been suggested that the best way what "daughter" used to play before she married tained unconsciously. The more visible "stunts"
to sell player-pianos is to "demonstrate" as little and went away. Then point ou the simplicity. the player-pianist has to do, the worse for his sales
as possible, or rather to avoid doing anything that Show how at first, of course, things will be strange, record. That is true every time. But the more he
will lead a prospective purchaser to believe that but that the delight of working out these simple can do, while seeming to do little, the better. And
there is "anything to learn." It is said that people little pieces and playing them "with expression," the more lucid his explanation, the better also.
buy players because they believe there is nothing to more than repays for the short time necessary to Nothing is more absurd than to hear salesmen
"learn" about them. It is further alleged that be spent in acquiring the "hang of the thing." Then blundering over their description of a player. If
when unmusical purchasers hear a salesman demon- you will have your customer interested, sympa- they know nothing about it let them either leave
strate a player-piano skilfully they at once become thetic, receptive.
it alone or else acquire some knowledge as soon
frightened and exclaim that they themselves can
Again, you may be dealing with young people as possible. "The Player-Pianist" will be salva-
"never learn to do anything like that." And so we who want a player-piano for impromptu dances, tion to such men. This office will send that book
are told that the thing to do is merely to show the for the latest comic opera hits. Even so, you still anywhere in the country for a dollar, money back
customer that this or that lever performs these or have an individual point of attack. Is it dance if you think you are not benefitted.
those functions, that the roll is put in this way and music? Then play in a dancelike manner. Show
Let us have more and better demonstration. But
the pedals are "pumped" that way; and that any how the time can be kept perfectly. Show how,
above
all, let us begin with more fundamental
further explanations are either unintelligible or nevertheless, when one wants to "put expression"
knowledge. Knowledge is power, as much in this
even directly harmful.
into a piece, the way is open. Show, too, that even
business as in any. A bluff is about as poor a
The point of view here outlined is not without the comic opera hits sound much better when nicely weapon wherewith to fight the player battle as can
played
than
when
merely
kicked
oat
at
top
speed
its charm for the unthinking mind, precisely be-
be imagined.
cause it appeals to the half-baked thought processes and with all the noise possible.
so characteristic of the "hard-headed business"
Again, perhaps, the customer may be a cultivated
mentality. But a little thought will convince any-
music-lover, too old to play the piano as once was
one that, no matter what may be the result of the possible. In this case, for mercy's sake do not drag
"slap-bang" methods of selling with persons who out "Old Black Joe" or the gospel hymns. Get a Provided with a Tracker Mechanism Adjacent
to Upper Front Panel, Directly to the Rear
have neither brains nor capacity for thought, the little Chopin nocturne, a Chaminade piece, a little
of Case, Granted Wilcox & White.
effect of such work on thinking people must be Woodland Sketch of MacDowell, or something like
the reverse of what is desired, namely, sales. And that, and play it with all the feeling you can com-
The Wilcox & White Co., of Meriden, Conn-
surely it will not be seriously argued that the mand. In this case, above all, make no attempt
player-piano is a proposition which commercially whatever to show the orchestral possibilities of the are the owners, through assignment, of patent No.
can only be sold to fools. Yet precisely that is the player-piano. Avoid Hungarian Rhapsodies, or- !)i)8,178, just granted for an improvement in player-
logical inference which alone may legitimately be chestral overtures and things of that sort. Devote pianos of the horizontal grand type, and has for
drawn from the proposition laid down above.
yourself to playing, in a pianistic way, pianistic its object to provide an improved fallboard con-
si ruction particularly adapted for use in connec-
We suspect, however, that the truth of the matter pieces. Small, dainty things, played as delicately tion with instruments provided with tracker mech-
is different. Salesmen and their employers cer- as possible; that is the sort of bait to spread in anism adjacent to the upper front panel directly
tainly do want to sell players to thinking people. sight of the prospect who knows something about to the rear of the case.
They do want to have music-lovers of culture and music. For you must remember that this person
refinement take to these instruments. They do comes with very definite ideas of what he or she
PATENTS PEDAL MECHANISM.
want to work from the top downward and not wants in the way of music. The tone, touch, and
from the bottom upward. For the history of the feeling of the piano are familiar sensations to such
Marquette Piano Co. Control Improvement for
trade clearly shows, as is the case with all human people. They positively do not want to hear some-
Which Patent Has Just Been Issued.
thing
remarkable
merely
for
the
fact
that
it
can
endeavor, that the only way to make anything suc-
cessful is to get the "best people" to take it up. play more rapidly or more noisily or with more
The Marquette Piano Co., of Chicago, 111., are
Once get that done and the mob follows hot-foot. extended chords than the pianist can with his two
the owners, through assignment from A. F. Lar-
hands.
They
want
to
know
whether
the
player
Now, it would seem that in such a case there is,
son, of a pedal mechanism for automatically oper-
after all, something to be said for the cause of good will give them the comfort of playing music now ated pianos, No. 908,185. The invention relates
too
difficult
for
them,
in
a
musicianly
way.
And
skilful player demonstration. But even so, it is
to automatically operated pianos, more particularly
necessary that we should well understand the na- if the salesman is not equipped to satisfy their to pedal mechanism therefor, and has for its ob-
wants
he
had
better
tackle
the
other
kind
of
pros-
ture of the task that the salesman faces when he
ject the provision of such mechanism which may
undertakes to open up the mysteries of the player- pect ; the kind that frankly wants noise, speed and be made to occupy two set positions, one outside
thump.
piano to a prospective purchaser.
the instrument case in an operative position and
In the first place everything depends upon the
Lastly, there is the professional musician. This another inside the instrument case in an inopera-
kind of prospective purchaser. There is no sense type has been investigating the player lately. Its tive position. Of course, mechanism answering
in having just a few stock .pieces and playing them orchestral possibilities, the opportunity it affords this broad description is old and well-known in
off to everybody, irrespective of tastes or ideas. of studying a large score at first hand quickly and the art, but it is the particular object of the in-
The good player salesman is he who can judge in- rapidly, are becoming known to such men and vention to provide an improved structure which
tuitively or find out by judicious questioning what
women. To them, again, a more extended appli- collapses easily and quickly, which when in its
the real musical taste of a customer is. And then, cation of the methods suggested above in the case outer position is effectually operative, and when
when this has been discovered, the next thing to of the music lover must now be applied. You can in its inside position will be of neat and incon-
do is to play something neither too high nor too here discourse all you like on orchestral possibili- spicuous external appearance. To these ends the
low in style, and play it in such a way that the ties, on wide range, 011 things of that sort. But, in inventor has provided a telescoping frame which
music produced seems as natural as possible. The this case, be sure you know what you are talking is automatically reduced in size as the mechanism
most absurd mistake that can be made is to select about. For otherwise you will only succeed in is thrust into the casing so that the entire struc-
the wrong kind of music for demonstrating, and making a fool of yourself, which is fatal to sales. ture may be made to occupy a very small space.
the next is to play in such a way that the music
In all these cases, however, in every case pos- When drawn to its outer position the frame opens
produced sounds as little like ordinary piano play- sible to be presented before the salesman, the same so that it may properly support the pedals in
ing as can be imagined. Yet both these errors are fundamental problem stands for solution. The position for effective operation.
commonly committed.
thing to do is to interest the prospect in the "music-
Another particular feature of the invention, and
If the customer knows nothing but old hymn giving" qualities of the player-piano and in nothing one which is incident to the method of disposing
tunes, national airs. "Old Black Joe" with varia- else. That and that alone is the reason for the the structure within the casing, is that of a de-
tions, and music of that sort, why, give him that
prospect coming in to look at player-pianos. Music tachable connection between it and the bellows
kind of music by all means. But in doing so do means something different to each person. To which it is adapted to operate.
THE ART OF PLAYER DEMONSTRATION.
IMPROVED FALL BOARD FOR GRANDS.