Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1911 Vol. 53 N. 4

Page 5 Text:

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
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.

Page 6 Text:

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
The appeal of the piano, as against that of the
player, is of a type requiring one sort of attack,
one sort of persuasion, while contrariwise the ap-
peal which wins player sales is actually almost dia-
metrically different. Both instruments are pianos,
but the straight instrument is sold on the basis of
its utility as a means for enabling some one to
learn to conquer its technic, or to put into practical
use a technic already acquired. The player is sold
on the basis of its utility as dispensing with the
otherwise necessary performer. And naturally, the
point of view is in each case quite different. Not
only so, but the method of appeal is dissimilar in
each case. In fact, a type of mind is required for
successfully selling player-pianos, quite different
from, and generally superior to, that which suffices
fur the disposal of ordinary instruments.
"mechanical." Every time you call a player-piano
a "machine" you make the listener think, uncon-
sciously, of automobiles, sewing machines, and
things like that. You yourself institute a doubt.
You put into the mind of your hearer the very
thing you should keep out of it.
Would it not be a good idea for player houses
to post a rule requiring their salesmen to use con-
tinually the words "player-piano," "playing,"
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage ), United States and
Mexico, $2.01) per year; Canada, $2.50; all other coun-
"player-pianist," and so on, when referring to this
tries, $4.00.
instrument, to the person who plays it, or to
Telephones—Numbers 4677 and 4678 Gramercy
kindred subjects? The idea may seem small for
Connecting all Departments
ventilation in an editorial column, but it is really
big enough for a whole section of The Review.
1911
NEW
YORK, JULY 2
This miserable carelessness, this half-baked will-
ingness to let everything go, this feeling that noth-
The Editor of the Player Section has recently
ing
much matters, and that exactness, system,
had an opportunity to investigate at first hand con-
When, however, it is impossible for a house to method, care in choice of language and so on,
ditions existing in the piano trade in certain parts
of the Middle West. Particularly he has availed maintain an entirely separate department for the arc all nonsense, is at the bottom of far more
himself of the occasion to discuss with dealers, tun- sale of player-pianos, it is at least generally pos- trouble in the player business than most of us care
ers and the public the effect upon trade, upon music sible to obtain the services of one man who ak;ne to acknowledge. And yet no one can doubt the
and upon public taste, of the player-piano. A de- shall have charge of the demonstration of players entire desirability of creating and maintaining a
tailed discussion of the facts thus noted during a and the sale of roll music. Ridiculous as the pub- proper public attitude of mind toward this instru-
journey through two States is to be found in the lic attitude toward the refinements of playing may meni. What, then, shall we do? The answer is
body of this section, and constitutes a most valu- be, bad as their general taste has always been, it not easy, but it would be worth while to insist
able addition to that body of knowledge which we is nevertheless manifestly foolish to bank too much upon salesmen using correct language and giving
call "trade" knowledge. It is to be hoped that on this and to assume in consequence that nobody correct ideas, even to the extent of fining them
every reader of this Section will carefully go over appreciates, cares for, or wants to be able to imi- tor violations of these rules.
this article, for it will bring new ideas, new view- tate, good playing. To put a salesman in as a
IMPROVED FORM OF VALVE
points, and new possibilities to the minds of all. demonstrator who knows nothing, and cares less,
And in this lies, perhaps, its most valuable attri- for either music or its rendering through the For Pneumatics of Player-Pianos the Subject
player-piano, is to put a trust in public indiffer-
of a Patent Granted A. G. Gulbransen—An
bute.
ence and ignorance which may succeed for a time,
Interesting Description of the Improvement.
For the truth of the matter is that we all need, but cannot be recommended as a policy. Whether
A. G. Gulbransen, of the Gulbransen-Dickinson
and need sadly, the clarifying influence of new the public has, or has not, any definite and settled
Co.,
of Chicago, 111., is the patentee of a pneumatic
ideas
on
the
subject
of
playing
music,
at
least
ideas, the mental attrition that alone comes from
for automatic player-pianos, No. 998,171, which has
there
can
be
no
harm
in
taking
care
that
when
we
frictional contact with antagonistic minds. All of
special reference to an improved form of valve
us are too prone, by far, to get into the easy, but do play we shall play well. Certainly no one who
which will allow more efficient operation of the
is
not
tone
deaf—and
very
few
people
are—prefers
fatal, habit of believing that our own views, those
pneumatic. After referring to previously issued
bad
to
good
playing,
even
of
bad
music.
A
man
we have gathered from the working of our own
patents wherein the general construction of his
minds in our own particular circumstances, are who knows and cares for nothing but the inanities
automatic player-piano and the pneumatics asso-
of
popular
''stuff,"
at
least
prefers
that
what
he
alone sufficient to give us sane and valid solutions
ciated therewith are described, 874,675 of Decem-
hears
shall
be
well
performed.
This
is
a
point
for universal questions. We are prone to argue
ber 24, 1907; 874,762 of December 24, 1907; 874,-
from the particular to the general, a fallacy of by ro means well enough recognized.
763 of December 24, 1907; 891,930 of June 30,
which the operation is by no means confined to
1907; 913,378 of February 23, 1909, the inventor
The
Editor
of
this
Section
went
into
a
ware-
members of the fair sex. And the leading article
says:
room
the
other
day
in
a
city
of
100,000
inhabitants;
to which we draw attention in the present issue
"In the construction of the valve associated with
will be found valuable precisely in so far as it a city, moreover, which somewhat prides itself on
the pneumatics, the form which I have preferably
succeeds in putting forth intelligibly and sanely a its musical taste. A salesman was sitting at a
employed is constructed by interposing a leather
phase of the player situation not hitherto generally very good player-piano, absolutely murdering an
washer between the end of the valve stem and the
recognized by most of us. Certainly it is a view arrangement of excerpts from grand operas. It
lever which is actuated by a rubber diaphragm
was
one
of
those
little
potpourri
rolls
with
that has not yet received elsewhere articulate ex-
snatches from this, that, and the other well-known moved by the pressure of air flowing to the pneu-
pression.
work in it. He sat there, right in front of the matic from an opening corresponding to any given
Why precisely the piano dealer in the small, entrance, giving a perfect imitation of a steam note in the tracker board mechanism. The leather
thriving cities of the Middle West, in a country calliope, or of a carrousel piano. The Player washer has been glued to the lever above men-
teeming with natural wealth, should find the player- Editor ventured to ask him, after a while, why tioned, and the end of the stem in turn glued to
piano a difficult, if not positively a distasteful, busi- he played so badly, without the least recourse even the leather washer. At the other end of the stem
ness proposition, is an interrogation which the to the various expression devices. He appeared a valve button has been attached, a second leather
hurt at the question, He could "operate" as well washer being inserted and glued on its two sides
article referred to attempts to answer. The point of
view here presented is in a sense not new, but in a as anybody, he said, but he did not care to do so to the valve button and the end of the valve stem
larger sense it posssses the attributes, not always just then. The editor then suggested that to mur- respectively. On each end the valve stem has been
allied, of novelty and truthfulness. It is a great der music, in a store where every passer-by could squarely cut off. I have found that according to
pity that dealers, who feel so clearly and postively see, and hear, the crime, was not exactly a good this construction there is a tendency for the valve
stem to be displaced from its normal position, with
the difficulties of the player-piano as a selling advertisement either for the player-piano in gen-
the result that the valve button does not become
proposition, should apparently be content to grieve eral or for the particular instrument played on.
seated evenly and satisfactorily on the valve seat.
over their perplexities in silence rather than ex- This has never occurred to the salesman before.
"According to my present improvement, the
press themselves in a manner which might be It was a new point of view. That man could not
heeded by manufacturers, by other dealers, and by see that every bar of abused music that sounded lower end of the valve stem is squarely cut off and
the public at large. But since they seemingly prefer out to the passer-by in the street proclaimed aloud is glued or otherwise suitably attached directly to
this method, it is well that, from time to time, an that the player-piano is capable of the grossest the lever above mentioned. The upper end of
impartial observer, whose sole object is to ascertain assaults on music, vvhe'.i it is incapably handled, the valve stem is rounded, and the valve button
facts, should be able to investigate, for himself, the nor had it occurred to him that it is the worst on the under side of which a leather washer is
reasons and conditions which together have made policy in the world to strengthen an already strong attached, is glued or otherwise suitably fastened to
the player situation in some parts of this country public opinion as to the general musical worth- the rounded upper end of the valve stem through
the medium of this washer. According to this
lessness of all players.
anything but good.
construction it will be apparent that the valve
Can players be successfully sold by men who This same salesman told us that he had recently stem is rigidly mounted with respect to the lever,
chiefly devote themselves to the selling of straight heard So-and-So, of such and such a concern, and for this reason it will always operate in a
pianos? The question is not without a large and "operating" the player-piano, and that this gentle- true and accurate manner, and no guides are
practical interest. Those houses which have made man was one of the finest "operators" he had ever necessary, such as are often used in connection
a success of the player business have specialized heard. We found that this salesman habitually with the primary valves of the pneumatics of other
from the very first. And it is hardly to be doubted referred to the player-pianists as "operators," construction. On account of the rounded form
that a similar state of affairs may be found in any talked of "running this machine," and so on. Is of the upper end of the valve stem the valve but-
line of business where technical and other con- it not about time that we organized a society for ton is allowed to adjust itself with great ease to
siderations give to one kind of commodity a value the suppression of the words "operator." "machine" the valve seat, and always forms a tight and accu-
or a public appeal different from that which is and so on, in reference to player-pianos? Surely rate joint. I have found that by means of the
given to another. Specialization, in fact, is not it must occur to any intelligent man that the con- improvement above described the operating effi-
alone logical, but also indispensable if the best tinual use of these words in connection with the ciency of the automatic player piano is consider-
efforts of a man are tp be given to his business. player-piano involves each time the connotation ably increased."
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York

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