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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
9
CARING FOR THE PLAYER AFTER IT'S SOLD.
state of player knowledge is lamentable? If the
project of a common technical school seems too
hazardous, why not place the matter in the hands
The Importance of Having Tuners and Regulators Thoroughly Acquainted with the Intricacies
of some existing proprietary tuning school, with
of Player Mechanism—Shouldn't Manufacturers Insist That the Salesmen Who Handle
the proviso that a certain subvention be paid annu-
Their Players Shall Be Duly Qualified by a Course of Instruction in the Player Factory?—
ally for every student turned out as a satisfactory
This Should Be Made a Condition by Manufacturers When Placing the Agency with Dealers.
player man? Such a school, in right hands and un-
der proper supervision, with the necessary equip-
A pithy enough comment on the contents of the to factories, will all help. But in the end it might
ment supplied to it, might accomplish an immense
present Player Section would be that it is to be as well be recognized that the two latter at least
amount
of good.
likened to a gigantic interrogation point. From are expensive enough to be out of the reach of
These questions should be looked at somewhat
end to end of this month's articles and editorial many. The study of good, text-books really is the
paragraphs one reads between the lines the ques- only universally available solution to-day, and cer- broadly. It is not a case where the selfish or
tion, "What are you going to do about it?" But, tainly the most effective. But even more is re- narrow interests of one house or of any number of
be it noted that the question is being asked hf re, in quired. Truly, as much can be had from faithful houses should be allowed to predominate. On
a dozen different ways, only because it must be study of The Review's Technical Library as is the exact contrary, it is a matter in which every-
asked and must be answered.
available from other sources, at much less ex- body has an equal stake and in which the interest
of one is the interest of all.
Heaven knows we have enough things about
pense. But it is neither sensible nor right that
Tuners Not Antagonistic.
which to think, enough problems in this player the trade itself should be content to leave the mat-
And, furthermore, it should not be supposed that
business to discuss and solve. The present Player ter of imparting player knowledge to the men who
Section brings forward some of them. The present
are willing to invest in technical books or to study the younger generation of tuners is really antag-
article discusses a question just as important as any the descriptive catalogs put forth by houses. Again, onistic to the acquirement of player knowledge or
of the others, and, in fact, perhaps one of the most something more is needed than book study. Books to the player itself. The writer of this article
important that can be conceived.
are intended to act as aids, as guides and as cor- knows the exr.ct contrary to be the case. He has
We refer to the position of the player trade rectives. They are not intended to supersede prac- personally had the opportunity of teaching many of
these gentlemen and of advising many more. The
with respect to the care and maintenance of player- tical study, but to give direction and system to
technical works published by The Review have been
pianos in the home. In what follows not a word what otherwise might be aimless and certainly
bought eagerly by tuners all over the country, and
is intended in criticism of the excellent work that would not be systematic.
its Technical Department is weekly read by hun-
has been done by more than one great wholesale
Expense Should Not Be Considered.
dreds of such men. The only difficulty is to bring
and retail organizaton in the way of bringing into
Again, we have to reckon with the temperament
existence a corps of trained practical experts to do of the tuners and their colleagues. A great many practical instruction to those who need it. And
this work. What is here insisted, however, is that,
tuners, for instance, resent being obliged to go to this ultimately is a matter which must have the at-
in fact, the country at large provides a problem considerable expense to acquire knowledge which tention and care of the manufacturers.
While on this subject also, it might not be out
much bigger than these scattered energies can
they think they ought to get for nothing. The
solve. In order to obtain anything like a proper
spirit thus exhibited is. not at all admirable. The of place to point out that any scheme of player in-
perspective we must look at the matter from a na- Review, through its Technical Department, has struction should also include courses for the bene-
fit of salesmen who desire to learn demonstration.
tional viewpo'nt, as a country-wide problem which
continually preached against a spirit like this. The
It is not too much to say that good demonstration
demands the broadest treatment.
writer of this article has lent his utmost personal
is the biggest single element in retail player selling.
influence
to
the
cause
of
persuading
tuners
in
Let us consider the situation as it exists. Some-
thing like 35,000 player-pianos are being made and general to get in line with player development. He We have so frequently spoken of this matter before
sold annually. Allowing that one-third of these has pointed out that it is to be a case of the sur- and at such length, that it seems hardly necessary
pass through the hands of dealers who do not have vival of the fittest, and that he who lets present here to do more than state the fact again.
specially equipped departments for sales and main- opportunities go by will soon find himself in the And lastly, as a matter of current interest and
discard. Yet the spirit of indifferentism still per- in respect of its bearing on the attitude of tuners
tenance, there will be 10,000 players annually sold
sists,
at least among the older men. The younger toward the player, it might be remarked that the
of which the maintenance is more or less left to
chance. As a general proposition it is quite safe element is quickly waking up. But there are hun- American Guild of Piano Tuners, at the request of
dreds of tuners yet who are monkeying with player many members, has undertaken to give instruc-
to say that the piano tuners of the country know
very little of player mechanism. It is equally safe mechanisms which they absolutely have no business tion in player mechanism for the benefit of its
members. Each visit of the national organizing
to allege that no systematic method has yet been to touch. And something must be done about it.
devised for giving them the instruction they re-
In the first place, why should not a player man- officer to a branch of the Guild is made the occa-
quire. Hence it follows that some thousands of
ufacturer insist, as a condition of granting the sion of holding several sessions, at which practical
players annually pass under the hands of men who agency for his line to any dealer, that each man talks are given by the officer in question on player
mechanism, its regulation, repair and maintenance.
are required to care for them, but who are very who is to handle those instruments on the outside
largely incompetent to do anything of the kind.
or in the stores shall be duly qualified by a course Such a spirit is right and farseeing, and it is to be
Ways for Acquiring Player Knowledge.
of instruction in the player factory? Or, if this hoped that this good work will continue.
And it is also to he hoped that the suggestions
Now some people will reply to these remarks be impractical, would it not be eminently economi-
made in the body of this article will have more
that tuners and other piano workers may easily cal in the long run for each player factory to em-
find ways and means for acquiring player knowl- ploy a corps of traveling experts to visit dealers than passing attention at the hands of the trade.
edge. They will point to the fact that p'ayer fac- and do the same thing? It is true that both of
tories always welcome visiting tuners and do what tbese methods have been tried to some extent. But
ORGANIZE PLAYER ASSOCIATION.
they can for them. They will also say that there what is now needed is a systematic way of doing
(Special to The Review.)
are schools which include in their curricula courses the thing, not merely the sporadic efforts of a few
Dallas, Tex., Jan. 23, 1912.
in player regulation and repair, and finally, they individual firms.
The
Southern
Player-Piano
Association was re-
will point to The Review's Technical Library, to say
A Suggestion for Player Manufacturers.
cently formed for the purpose of promoting a
nothing of the educational descriptive catalogs
Or, again, would it not be an eminently wise and
which have been sent forth by the makers of vari- broad thing for the manufacturers of player ac- greater knowledge and appreciation of music
ous player actions. And they will ask why all tions to establish at some central point, like Chi- among its members, and to arrange for such mu-
sical entertainments as may be selected. The
these avenues together are not sufficient to furnish
cago, for instance, a technical school, which might
Government of this association is vested in three
all the instruction needed for many years to come. give instruction free to all who would come and
The best answer is to point out the very plain ask for it, and which would have the immense ad- officers, viz., president, vice-president and secre-
tary-treasurer.
fact that if these avenues were together sufficient vantage of containing specimens Lf every action
None but owners of player-pianos are eligible
there would be no need to talk about the matter now on the market? Such an enterprise, when
for membership and are requested to send to the
at all. But the plain truth is that they are totally shared among all the houses now manufacturing
president or secretary of the association their name
insufficient. They all help, but none of them do player actions, would not be expensive to each,
and address. The association expects to discuss
more than this. What is needed Is something in-
while the aggregate cost would be repaid many
finitely more systematic, broad and adaptable.
times over, in increased efficiency, in decreas ng the great masters, the value and possibilities of the
Tuners and Regulators Must Get in Touch.
numbers of players sent back to factories on ac- piano-player, as well as its care and use.
The officers are as follows: President, Will A.
The fact remains that, by hook or by crook, count of trivial defects and in general satisfac-
we must get the tuners and regulators through- tion. Surely there is nothing either wild or ab- Watkin. Dallas, Tex.; vice-president, Dr. T. C.
Dye, Carson, La.; secretary-treasurer, Bert C.
out the country into direct touch with the intri- surd about the idea.
Marlatt, Joplin, Mo.
Will it not be generally agreed that the present
• cacies of player mechanism. Books, schools, trips
NATIONAL ripi»t r i|>
TTie "No
"No Trouble*'
Trouble*' Player
Player
Tl\e
NEW ART STYLES
MANDOLIN, a n d t h e N e w VIOLIN-FLUTE
ATTACHMENT
B J J. ^ ^ ^ ^ |> M M ^ ^
NATIONAL PIANO PLAYER CO.
OREGON-ILLINOIS
Write lor Descriptive Catalogue
PIANO
Nickel-in-tlie-Slot
Nlckel-In-tlie-Slot
Continuous Roll, and Automatic
Rewind Styles—Also 88 Note Pedal
and Combination Pedal and Elec-
tric Styles.