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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Standards in Music Roll Manufacture the Prime Requisite of the Day-
Need For Co-Operation and Understanding of the Situation, Particularly
Between the Manufacturers of Players and the Producers of Music Rolls.
hi preparing monthly the particular article for in tracking, and then have pushed these as features
the Player Section which we entitle " The Point of
to be admired. This state of affairs, to be perfectly
View," we always undertake either to secure a per- candid about it, implies altogether too much care-
sonal interview with some trade leader on one topic less acceptance of the other party's statement at
of general interest or else we select from opinions
face value. The music roll is made of a material,
and views expressed in our hearing by men worth
we are all willing to admit, which is susceptible
listening to, whatever seems to be the most signifi- to a certain amount of shrinking and swelling, and
cant of the subjects thus brought before us during therefore to a certain amount of transversal and
four weeks. It is a significant fact that this most longitudinal displacement, which is manifested in
interesting topic is nearly always one upon which imperfect registration with the perforations in the
a majority of the keen minds have, unknown to tracker-bar. But we are not willing—at least not
each other, seized, and in which they have simul- all of us are willing—to admit that this statement
taneously become interested. Such is the case this includes all possible cases of imperfect tracking.
month. We have, in fact, been hearing from several In fact, we are beginning to recognize that imper-
gentlemen whose opinions are always worth the
fect tracking may arise from a variety of causes
trouble it takes to elicit them, that music-rolls, the actually unconnected with the condition of the
making of music-rolls and especially the technical paper as such. Some of these conditions are to be
details of their manufacture are to-day presenting remedied by better construction of spool-boxes,
problems which the trade ought to take up, and assuring that the paper shall travel in straight lines
the neglect of which constitutes at this moment a
from chuck to take-up spool. Others, however,
disadvantage of no mean proportions. Indeed, of
have to do with the technical construction of the
all that we have listened to during the past few
roll itself. The paper may be, and sometimes has
weeks, nothing seems to us to be so live, so fraught been, fastened slantingly to the core of the roll.
with real, importance to the trade at large, as this; The flanges may be out of line, or perhaps of im-
nor have we found any other which is at present perfect construction, so that one is thicker than
simultaneously engaging the attention of so many another. When such defects or such lack of uni-
minds.
formity are found to exist, one finds right there
The general indispensability of the roll to the very considerable reason for imperfect tracking.
player-piano is, of course, to be admitted from the If the roll, in other words, will not travel straight
start, but it is not always seen to be so important anyhow, it will not track right anyhow, nor can
that there should be a closer co-operation between any tracking device make it track right unless that
the producers of players and producers of rolls. device can center the defective roll on the tracker-
The reasons for this blindness or short-sightedness bar and keep it centered there, irrespective of con-
are partly to be found in the jealousy which per- ditions existing at the edge of the sheet. These
meates the trade, and partly, perhaps, in failure to defects and all the trouble to which they give rise «
visualize the situation as it really is. But there could quite easily be eliminated if only music-rolls
were substantially uniform.
can be no doubt whatever as to the desirability of
some closer understanding between the two Now, this uniformity is not a matter of impos-
sibility or even of added expense. On the con-
branches.
trary, it is merely a sign of efficiency when uni-
Need of Standardization.
formity of construction is attained. The point is,
There is coming to be voiced a quite general
complaint that the rules of standardization pro- of course, that there must be standards. When
posed and nominally adopted at Buffalo in 1909, standards have been erected it is comparatively a
and readopted at Chicago in 1911, are not being simple matter to follow them. The difficulty is to
lived up to. Personal observation certainly tends get them erected first.
•Now, in point of fact the recommendations of
to confirm the accusation, especially as regards
uniform width of paper, uniformity in flange di- the two conferences to which we have adverted
above, were designed for the purpose of securing
mensions, uniformity of position for automatic
such uniformity in music-rolls that it would be per-
sustaining pedal perforations, and in details of
fectly safe to use any roll in any spool-box. Taken
equal importance. We are hearing it said, more
at a moment when the 88-note player was begin-
and more often, that troubles due to imperfect
tracking of rolls are too frequent, that they could ning to come into its own, these simple suggestions
were extremely opportune, and it is a matter for
be avoided if more attention were paid to the tech-
much regret that they have not been more faith-
nical details of roll manufacture.
fully adhered to.
Now, in point of fact, we are inclined largely to
Uniformity in Spool-Box Construction.
agree with this criticism in respect of the alleged
There is another point in respect of these mat-
non-tracking of rolls. It has been assumed, some-
ters. It is probably too much to expect that there
what light heartedly, by their manufacturers that
can be brought about any sort of uniformity in
music rolls are bound to give a certain amount of
the construction of spool-boxes, but it is not too
trouble, and player-piano makers have so far fallen
much to say that if player manufacturers would
in with the suggestion that they have devised va-
take counsel with each other and with the roll men
rious ingenious arrangements for correcting faults
and undertake to design a standard form of spool-
box, standard anyhow in respect of its internal di-
mensions and the design of its mechanism, and
for use with a standardized roll, tracking troubles
would simply cease to exist.
Viewpoint Not Academic.
We are not sufficiently proud of ourselves to
believe that these remarks will escape the charge
of being academic, or even "theoretical." The prac-
tical man finds it always so easy to shelter his own
shortcomings behind the wall of ridicule for those
who propose to point them out that a laugh has
become the commonest reply to any proposal for
improvement. Nevertheless, if the practical man
only knew it, his insistence upon his own problems
being so much more problematical than those of
anyone else is simply a reflection on his own or-
ganizing ability. What we need most is not ex-
cuse, but improvement; and there is no reason in
the world why we should not have it, save only
ignorance and indifference on the part of those
who should know better.
There is not to-day one single technical problem
which the keener minds in the trade are more care-
fully considering than this one of uniformity in its
influence on tracking, on playing efficiency and on
general commercial salability of rolls. More than
one big man at this moment is carefully consider-
ing the possibility of going into roll manufacture
for himself rather than put up with conditions that
have become very nearly intolerable.
THE EMERSON AUTOMATIC PLAYER
Exploited in New Folder Just Issued by Emer-
son
Piano Co.—The Value of the "Ac-
companO" Strongly Emphasized.
"Let Us Put an Emerson Automatic Player-
Piano Into Your Home" is the title of a four-page
folder published by the Emerson Piano Co., Bos-
ton, Mass., this being devoted to the pleasure of
owning an Emerson player. It is well illustrated.
Considerable space is utilized to explain the
value of the "AccompanO," which is a device in-
vented by Dr. Alexander Jameson. "It is attached
as an integral part, to every Emerson Automatic.
To the observer it consists of a shell-like affair
which fits in the palm of the hand. This hand-
piece is attached to the instrument by a silken
cord resembling a telephone cord. The fingers rest
naturally on four projections, pressure on which
controls the time. The result is as effective as if
the singer sat at the piano and played the accom-
paniment by hand. The singer is able to blend the
voice and the accompaniment into an artistic whole,
and the piano becomes 'a part of the singer and
breathes with him!'" is quoted from this folder
and explains the purpose of the AccompanO.
Charles Roberts has arranged to open a piano
store in Platteville, Wis.
WRIGHT METAL PLAYER ACTION
ADDRESS
ALL
CORRESPONDENCE
TO
George H. Beverly
Sote
Distributor
Easily 100% in advance of any action ever offered. Simple—Responsive—Durable
—Beautiful. Contains the Wright "Ideal" bellows.
Being made of metal (the logical material for player actions) it cannot be affected
by dampness or any climatic conditions. Its exclusive features save many dollars
in repair work and make many sales in competition.
KNABE BUILDING
4S7 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK
M. s. WRIGHT CO.
WORCESTER, MASS