Music Trade Review

Issue: 1916 Vol. 62 N. 26

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
8
SUPERIORITY OF THE
SOLO CAROLA INNER-PLAYER
proved by the impartial investigation of the editor of the Scientific American
Reprinted from an Editorial in the Scientific American
of May 20th, 1916
Emphasizing the Theme in a Player Piano
T
Others
Obviously Defective'
Others
Limited to a Few Compo-
sitions ^ - ^ — ^ —
Others
Play Incorrectly All But
a Few Compositions—^
But the Miracle Player, is
Absolutely
Without
Musical Limitations——
HE first successful mechanical piano play-
ers had no sooner made their appearance
than there was an immediate demand, at
least on the part of those who possessed the
so-called musical ear, for some means of playing
the solo, melody, or theme with a stronger em-
phasis than the accompaniment. Most of us
who own or have owned piano players (and
this is particularly true in cases where the
operator has never learned to play by hand)
will remember how the first delight at hearing
a musical composition being played directly
under one's own control, was quickly followed
by a desire to subdue the accompaniment and
bring out with clearer emphasis the theme or
melody. The inability, in the early players, to
emphasize the theme was due to the fact that
a uniform tension was used for all the operating
pneumatics throughout the scale.
There is probably no element in the player
that has been made the subject of .so much
patient investigation and clever invention as
that of theme or solo expression, and, during
the past decade, some very ingenious devices
have been tried out and placed upon the market
with more or less gratifying results.
*• Broadly speaking, there are four classes of
theme-expression devices. In one of the earliest
of these, an attempt is made to emphasize the
theme by dividing the scale into sections, in
each of which the tension of the player-pneu-
matics is regulated by their own control valves.
In this type, the operator endeavors to throw
increased tension into that particular section
or zone in which the theme notes occur. The
obvious defect of the arrangement is that not
only the theme notes in any particular section
will be emphasized, but also such notes of the
accompaniment as also happen to lie in that
,. section.
Another type of player is provided with two
separate sets of pneumatic actions, each oper-
ated by its own tracker-bar range; one being
used for the melody and the other for the accom-
paniment notes. If this were carried out liter-
ally, there would be a call for a tracker-bar
with 88 melody notes and 88 notes for the
accompaniment; but the difficulty of having a
bar and music roll of this length led to the adoption of a bar containing only about 120 apertures.

One of the best known and most successful melody playing pianos secures the desired effect by cutting the perfora-
tions in the music roll so that the accompaniment notes are struck first under the normal air tension, and then the air
tension is increased in the slight interval before the melody note is struck. The admission of the high tension before
the sounding of the melody note is done automatically by means of perforations on the edge of the music sheet.
It will be noticed in the three systems above mentioned that the emphasizing of the melody is accomplished through
automatic means for increasing the air tension under which the melody notes are struck.

In the player piano illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the novel features of which have been patented by
Mr. Paul Brown Klugh, of Chicago, 111., the accentuation of the theme or solo is accomplished by controlling the length
of stroke of the hammers. The way in which this is done will be understood by a study of the drawings in which the
player mechanism is shown in a light tint and the solo mechanism in a darker tint.
thesolo action is arranged in the upper portion of the piano case and extends throughout the full length of the ham-
mer scale. Back of the hammers is arranged a series of adjustable hammer stops, there being a stop to each adjoining
pair of hammers. The position of these stops, that is to say the distance between them and the piano strings, is governed
by the action of the solo pneumatics P, P and a series of springs A, A . When the operator is pumping, the solo pneu-
matics are normally inflated, as shown at P, and the springs A and the hammer stops a are in the positions shown in
the drawing. When a solo note is to be struck, the pneumatic is deflated, as shown at P ; the corresponding spring is
sprung back into the position A ' and the hammer stop to which spring is connected is thrown back into the position of
full stroke, as shown at a'. The effect of this arrangement is that the hammers corresponding to the accompaniment
notes travel, relatively, a short distance before they strike the strings, and the whole accompaniment is played with
soft tonal effects: but the hammers which sound the theme or solo notes, traveling through a greater distance, strike
their respective strings with greater force and with much louder resulting tone.
The operation of the solo action controlled automatically through the music sheet and tracker-bar. The tracker-bar
is provided with the usual apertures, spaced to register with the note perforations of any standard music sheet. The
tracker-bar is also provided with apertures in the shape of narrow slots, one above the end of each player aperture, as
shown. The larger player ducts or apertures open into a series of tubes which lead down to the player action, and the
slotted solo ducts are connected to tubes which lead up to the solo action.
The music sheet differs from the standard music sheet by having note perforations which differ from each other, and
as the sheet travels over the tracker-bar certain note perforations (those for the accompaniment) register only with the
large player ducts and others (those for the solo) being wider, register with both player and solo ducts.
Now as the music sheets travelsover the tracker, each accompaniment perforation will pass to the side of the slotted
solo apertures in the tracker and will pass over the regular player or accompaniment apertures, and each of the solo per-
forations will pass over both the slotted solo and the regular player or accompaniment apertures; but when the solo per-
forations pass over their respective solo apertures in the tracker, they will deflate their respective pneumatics, throwing
the respective hammer stops back, and, by increasing the length of stroke of the hammers, will cause said solo notes to
be struck with greater force and with resulting louder tonal effects.
Furthermore, in addition to this automatic selection and emphasizing of the solo, the tonal power of the notes may be
varied by varying the vigor of the pumping and thus changing the air pressure in the player action. Again the degice
to which the solo notes are emphasized may be varied by varying relatively the short-stroke and long-stroke position of
the hammers.
EaMe
MAKERS and PATENTEES
Greatest JVlanufacturers of Pianos ana Inner-Player ^Pianos
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
9
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
SUMMER BUSINESS BECOMING A FACTOR ON THE COAST
a sign that things are not dead there, he saw
Jack Haugner, manager of the piano depart-
ment of M. J. Connell & Co., at Butte, sell two
Style H Knabe grands in one day to prominent
residents. Mr. Masters reports great success
everywhere with the new Marshall & Wendell,
Stoddard-Ampico reproducing player, owing to
its great artistic value at a moderate price.
James Stitt, the new traveler from the local
American r'iano Co. headquarters, has just
left for a trip through the Southwest.
Moving to Its New Location
A. J. Werner, of the American Photoplaycr
Sales Co., has also started for a hurried trip
Fast, and hopes to attend the convention, re-
turning about July 1. The company is now
moving to its new location in the Film Ex-
change building at Golden Gate avenue and
Jones street.
San Francisco Piano Dealers Are Getting Their Share of Summer Resort Trade—Hughes and
Anrys Report Good Conditions—Many Dealers off to the Conventions
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., June 17.—The vacation ness, Mr. Anrys says, as large areas of hillside
dullness in the San Francisco trade has de- a few miles from that city are rapidly build-
veloped rapidly, and local conditions are about ing up with fine homes, one of which, inci-
as quiet as at any time during the last few dentally, is occupied during the summer by Mr.
years. It seems as if everybody who can pos- Anrys and family.
sibly do so is getting away to the country to
Fletcher Tilton, representative of the Austin
stay as long as possible; everybody stayed in Organ Co., who makes his headquarters with
town last year because of the exposition, and the Wiley B. Allen Co., is spending an in-
the year before a widespread condition of be- termittent vacation at Napa Soda Springs, and
ing "broke" kept many at home; and now, with recommends the place so highly that Harry N.
money in hand and the country beckoning, Eriggs, with the Wiley B. Allen Co., has de-
they are making up for lost time. There is cided to make his vacation there, leaving with
little complaint of dullness, however, except Mrs. Briggs this week. Clark Wise expects to
in the larger cities. Things have been quite leave shortly for the same place.
lively at the summer resort towns, and in many
Mr. Tilton reports considerable activity in
parts of the Coast which have long been poor church organs. He reports the completion of
piano fields business lias taken on a remark- the big one in the Mormon tabernacle at Salt
EMERSON CO. IN NEW LOCATION
able activity. On the whole, conditions are Lake City, and has one just finished at the
DECATUR, 111., June 19.—The Emerson Piano
fully as good as could be expected, and the out- Lodo, Cal., Congregational church, and another
Co. recently moved from its old store at 322
look for the latter half of the year is most en- in the Presbyterian church at Alhambra, Cal.
couraging.
Fraser & McConnell expect a visit shortly North Main street to a new location in the
Lincoln Square Building, twenty-five wagon
from R. S. Howard, of the R. S. Howard Co.
Wiley B. Allen Men Active
Morley P. Thompson, Coast representative loads of pianos and talking machines being
Geo. R. Hughes, of the Wiley B. Allen Co.,
moved at one time. The moving procession
left last Saturday for the convention, and of the Baldwin Co., is expected back in a few attracted considerable attention. A feature of
Frank Anrys, manager of the company, re- days from a visit to Southern California.
the opening day was a concert given in the
E. C. Wood, for soire time Northern man- new store, at which many prominent artists
turned the following day from a visit to the
Portland branch. He found the Rose Festi- ager for Kohler & Chase, left recently for the were present, and also Victor and Edison
val occupying attention in Portland at the time, East.
dealers from Chicago and Indianapolis.
and business accordingly quiet; but says there
Closes Big Music Sales
has been a very satisfactory volume of sales
Edward P. Little, manager of the sheet music
in that territory all spring. This he attributes department of Sherman Clay & Co., has just
to the general resumption of operations on the returned from the East, where he did a re-
part of the lumber mills through the North- markable business in the company's specialties,
west, as well as the great rush of work in particularly Hawaiian music. He expresses
mines and smelters, etc., at various points; great regret at his inability to remain for the
and he also reports a great deal of business convention, but was called home by press of
from all the country points in California, as business and with other members of the force
well as in Nevada, resulting from new mineral on vacation he has been extremely busy.
and oil-well activity. Crop conditions, which
Visiting Aeolian Headquarters
are rather disappointing, Mr. Anrys considers
Mr. Haencken, manager of the pipe organ
no longer a ruling factor in the business situa- department of Sherman, Clay & Co., is visit-
AWARDED The position won by the
tion; the activity being rather dependent on ing the Aeolian headquarters, having gone East
American Steel & Wire Co.
general industrial conditions and development. after visiting some prospects in Oregon and
demonstrates clearly how
The improvements in the San Jose store are Washington. A number of very fine Aeolian
right, in the end, must tri-
just about completed, including four new talk- organ installations are being made in various
umph over prejudice.
ing machine rooms, which have been moved parts of the Coast at present.
from the rear to the front of the store; and a
The high tension cry of
Geo. Q. Chase has been appointed as a mem-
general renovation. The talking machine de- ber of the publicity committee of the Cham-
years ago has entirely sub-
partment is now considered the finest in the ber of Commerce for the ensuing year.
sided, and America's great
town. San Jose is turning in a very nice busi-
wire manufacturing com-
Off for the Convention
pany, by continuing its
It was expected that Phil Clay, who went
campaign of education, has
from Arizona, where he has been visiting
finally won the piano trade
lately, and Geo. R. Hughes would be the only
to see the correctness of its
San Francisco men at the National Convention;
position.
but Geo. Q. Chase, who had just returned from
Gradually America's
New York, has started East again, expecting
leading piano manufacturing con-
to attend the convention and look after busi-
cerns have accepted the American
ness connected with the Soloelle Co. Frank
standard and artists and amateurs
B. Long, inventor of the Soloelle, is back from
are now thinking less of the high ten-
the East and has gone on to Los Angeles.
sion idea and more of beauty of tone
Motoring to Los Angeles
than ever before.
Byron and Charles Mauzy have just left for
a motor trip to Los Angeles, where they will
The special brands of the American
attend the Knights Templar conclave. Byron
Steel & Wire Co.—the "PERFECT-
Mauzy is a member of the finance committee
ED" and "CROWN"—were the out-
of the "citizens' preparedness parade" sched-
come of an ever alert anticipation—
uled for July 4 Charles Mauzy, who is spe-
anticipation backed by the ability to
cializing on the small goods department, re-
know—the ability to fight undeviat-
(PATENTED)
ports a continued heavy sale of ukuleles, and
ingly for the maintenance of correct
Mv/sic Rolls
says it has been impossible to get enough ban-
principles. For years it clung relig-
The roll with the words of the song on
jo-mandolins
since the end of April. He also
iously to an ideal, in the face of the
the margin and marks showing how the
notes an exceptional sale of Victor records for
8ong should be sung.
most discouraging opposition, and
this time of year, which he attributes to the
Each word of the song appears as the
now the whole world recognizes its
oil is played.
fact that this house refuses to exchange rec-
triumph, which has resulted in giving
ords at all.
a purer musical tone than ever before,
American Piano Co. Activity
and in showing that art is oftentimes
Mr. Masters, traveler from the local office of
concealed by art.
Singing is a world need, almost everyone
loves and patronizes song in some of its
the American Piano Co., has just returned from
forms. Therefore everyone loves and will
a seven weeks' trip through Utah, Montana,
patronize Vocalstyle. What this means in profits
etc., and says business has been quite active
to the Music Roll Department and in increased
all through that territory. Players he found
sales of player-pianos is quite important indeed.
especially strong in Utah, the sale being even
Chicago, New York, Worcester, Cleveland, Pitts-
larger than of "straight" pianos. At Butte
burgh, Denver. Export representative: U. S. Steel
Products Co., New York. Pacific Coast representa-
THE VOCALSTYLE MUSIC CO.
he found some anxiety on account of a strike
tive: U. S. Steel Products Co., San Francisco, Los
Angeles, Portland, Seattle.
Cincinnati, Ohio
of all labor, except in the mines, which threat-
ened to tie up business badly. However, as
The Triumph
of the
American Tone
Singing is a World Need
American Steel & Wire Company

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