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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
11
Oiuf TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM
BRAID WHITE.
ever, this attitude on their part can work harm
only to themselves. To persist in an unprofitable
In The Review for July 23 there appeared an business is to have trouble sooner or later. Un-
article under the heading "Where Experience Is happily, the idea of making the tuning department
Needed," in which were quoted the views of a anything else than an expense account has scarcely
manufacturer of player-pianos as to the lamentable entered into the calculations of the piano trade;
results of unskilled meddling with player actions. and when the attempt is made to extract a profit
In this connection I have a letter from George L. from this department it is only too often confined
Maitland, of Philadelphia, whom we all know and to cracking the whip over the force and threatening
whose messages we always like to get, although we them with penalties if they do not turn in a maxi-
do not have them so aften as we should like. mum of work each week. Of course this sort of
thing is ridiculous, but there is not much sense in
Says he:
"Permit me to ask if it is not largely the player expecting anything better until dealers are content
manufacturer's and dealer's fault that such condi- to look at their business scientifically and to see
tions prevail. In their eagerness to sell players that eternal attempts to meet competition by cuttting
many have cut the tuning and repair end down to prices are the least useful and generally the most
about half what it ought to be in order to induce stupid that can be imagined.
Still, for all that, the independent tuner who has
customers to buy.
"Let me say right here that my idea of a good his own trade outside of a big city must be a player
piano tuner is a man who can not only tune on the man. There is no getting away from this re-
road but who can keep his actions in the highest quirement.
By the way, my readers will be interested to
state of efficiency. In order to do this he must
keep his actions properly regulated and keep the know that one of Mr. Maitland's sons, Rollo F.
Maitland, who is an eminent organist, a Fellow of
pianos clean inside and free from moths.
"Now, the same thing applies to the player-piano the American Guild of Organists and an acknowl-
tuner; and if anything, with more force. For the edged organ virtuoso, gave the opening recital on
player-piano tuner is up against the same thing that the new $20,000 municipal organ in the Municipal
we were up against many years ago when Nunns building of Springfield, Mass., on the occasion of
& Clark and Hallet & Davis built melodeons into the meeting of the American Association of Organ-
their pianos. If, in these old instruments, we did not ists, which took place during the first week of this
keep our piano actions clean and free from moths, month. I have had the pleasure of hearing Rollo
the moth dust choked the reeds and they were no Maitland's organ playing and can testify to his
good. The same thing applies to the player, for if virtuosity.
A Word of Appreciation.
the action and parts are not kept free from dust
Once
in
a
while one feels vain enough to repro-
and moths the wind sucks in the dirt and the player
duce one of those not so frequent letters of appre-
clogs up.
"Notwithstanding the great amount of additional ciation that one gets from a reader. It is worth an
work entailed on the tuner, most of the trade have immense amount of labor and trouble to get a letter
undertaken to keep player-pianos in order for very like this:
"FT. MADISON, IA., July 24, 1915.
little, if any, more than they charge for the straight
"My Dear Mr. White: While in New York at-
pianos. I know many local firms who give three
tending the Danquard Player Action School I
tunings per year on player-pianos for $6.
"Is it any wonder that good tuners refuse to bought one of your latest technical works, 'The
enter the player field while such deplorable condi- Player-Piano Up to Date.' Please accept my hearty
tions exist? Is it not more profitable for the good congratulations for your untiring efforts in finally
tuners to let the fakers and amateurs have the producing a work that for clearness of diagrams,
player-piano in their own way, so long as dealers correct and comprehensive descriptions, with sys-
will not see the necessity for increasing their prices tematic and suitable terminology, far exceeds any-
thing previously produced, not excepting your ex-
for work on player-pianos?
"Of course people like the Danquard School and cellent work, 'Regulation and Repair of Piano and
others deserve great credit for instructing the Player Mechanism.' Wishing you health and suc-
I. S. CHRISTY."
tuners, but so long as merchants and manufactur- cess.
In
answer
whereof
I
can
only
say, "Thank you
ers cut the prices of their repairs below what they
ought to be they are hindering the good schools in very much; I shall try to deserve these commenda-
their work, for it is certain that the time and pa- tions." And, by the way, I might as well say that
tience to properly clean and adjust a player-piano I have something else soon to see the light, which
are more than twice what is needed for the same I hope and believe will be equally useful to my
readers in another way.
operation on a straight piano."
A Note on Solid Tuning.
There is something to this argument; at least in
From
time
to time I read and hear in various
large communities where there are many piano
stores and much competition. But the argument, I places opinions on this important question which, by
fancy, hardly applies in the sparsely settled country their diversity, if in no other way, demonstrate the
districts, where dealers are few and tuners as few, extraordinary lack of definite information thereon.
if not fewer. The tuner who is handling a country May I be permitted here a brief note on one aspect,
trade simply must understand the player-piano, for thereof?
The entire question of solid tuning rests on two
it he will not or cannot take care of it, somebody
must be had who can and will. Sooner or later, foundations: (1) The capacity of the tuning pin
then, the tuners must take this viewpoint or be sun- for turning in its block, and (2) the capacity of the
planted. There seems to be very little use in string to pull evenly through its bearings. Here
let me say three things: First, tuning pins usually
arguing a question like this.
stick more or less and usually are found to have
Of course Mr. Maitland is right in saying that
dealers are wrong to offer to care for player-pianos
FAUST SCHOOL OF TUNING
on the straight piano basis. In the long run, how-
"WHERE EXPERIENCE IS NEEDED.'
PIANO KEYS BLEACHED
REPAIRED OR RECOVERED
Work Done in 6 to 1/2 Days
and Guaranteed
Smnd Us Your Keys fey Parcels Post
JOS. niGLKK * SONS
M»nr«*r1!l«, O.
Piano, Player-Piano, Pipe and Reed Organ Tuninrand Re-
pairing, alio Rernlatlnr, Velclnf, VarnishlnrandPolUhinf
This formerly was the tuning department of the New Eng-
land Conservatory of Music, and Oliver C. Faust was head
of that department for 20 years previous to its discontinu-
ance.
Courses in mathematical piano scale construction and
drafting of same have been added.
Pupils have daily practise in Chickering & Sons' factory.
Year Book sent free upon request.
27-29 GAINSBOROUGH ST., BOSTQN, MASS.
been driven too roughly into the blocks. Likewise,
pins which are tight never turn evenly and a cer-
tain amount of twisting at the outer end is inevi-
table, resulting in the string going out of tune in a
short time. Second, mere brutal pounding does no
good to the piano action, to the hammers or to the
strings. The better way is to make sure that the
pin is turned. Third, the talk about "evening the
tension" is mostly nonsense, for if the string be
well pulled, by the tuning pin being well turned, the
whole question of hanging on the bridge, which is
the basis of most of the "evening tension" talk, will
solve itself.
If you don't agree with this, why not write and
say so; and say why ?
Mean-Tone Temperament.
How many know what that means? Just to show
you that "there are more things in heaven and
earth, etc.," I am going to write for the Horatios
who read this department an article on the tem-
perament that went before the equal temperament.
You will find it most interesting, believe me (or as
the dialect writers spell it, "muh." I never heard
anybody say that, and I don't know what it means,
but it looks good). The mean-tone temperature is
something you can try out far yourself on your own
piano, and you will be surprised at the results;
also you will like them, 1 am sure.
Communications for this department should be
addressed to William Braid White, care of The
Music Trade Review, New York.
BACKS UP PRAISE WITH ORDER.
Prominent Dealer Writes Enthusiastic Letter
Regarding the Qualities of the Francis
Bacon Baby Grand Piano.
The Bacon Piano Co., New York City, manufac-
turer of the Francis Bacon pianos and player-
pianos, has just received a letter from one of its
large dealers in the Middle West highly indorsing
the Francis Bacon baby grand piano, and dupli-
cating a fine order on these instruments in the same
communication.
The Francis Bacon baby grand piano has proven
very popular, and is one of the smallest grand
pianos made. This instrument has been specified
by a number of the leading conservatories of this
country, and has also been installed in the homes of
representative citizens all over the United States.
A remarkable grand tone quality is a character-
istic of the Francis Bacon baby grand, and the
secret of its great success is primarily due to the
specially constructed scale.
CHARLES H. LJCHTY TO MOVE.
Charles H. Lichty, the well-known piano dealer
of Reading, Pa., now located at 48 North Eighth
street, has arranged to move to new quarters at 23
North Eighth street on September 1. Extensive
improvements are being made in the new building.
Tuners and Repairmen
Can make good money installing Jenkin-
ion's Player-Action into used Pianos. Write
for catalogue.
JENKINSON PLAYER CO.
912 Elm Street, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Polk's Piano Trade School
Piano,
14th YEAR
Player-Piano and Organ Tuning,
Repairing and Regulating
Most thoroughly equipped Piano Trade School in
U. S. Private instruction. Factory experience if de-
sired. Students assisted. Diplomas awarded. School
entire year. Endorsed by leading piano manufacturers
and dealers. Free catalogue.
C. C POLK
Box 298 Valparaiso, Ind.