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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
THE VALUE OF NATIONAL ADVERTISING
(Continued from page 3)
To-day, as never before, is the time ripe for plain talk to the people, for direct urge towards the more
serious aspects of life, for some substitute for the now rapidly palling stupidities which in the past have
served as mental and physical recreation after the labors of the day.
To-day, as never before, music clamors to come into her own and the people, not knowing whither they
shall turn, are ready to seize upon the good when it is presented to them.
Tell the people the story of music. They know little about it, as they know little about aught that is a
single step beyond the immediate and concrete. Still, they want to know. They are willing to learn. And
they are the quickest, the brightest, the most ambitious students in the world.
The demand for pianos that must be quickened and brought to its right dimensions within the next
year or so, can best be stimulated into healthy growth by telling the story of music, to the people, for the
people, by the people. Music is the one easily understood, the one most satisfying, the one universal art.
All great civilizations have had it in some form. We cannot be, in fact we are not, an unmusical people.
We are only musically unfamiliar.
The task is to give the people the story of music in all the myriad forms which that story can assume,
and to give it them, not in selfish narrow praise of one man's goods, but in broad appreciation of all musical
instruments.
Specifically, we have the task of telling the story of the piano, of what it means to youth, to maturity,
to age, of what it means to family, to individual and national happiness, of its desirability, of its positive
necessity to every American home.
The proposal of the committee which reported to the Manufacturers' Association a few weeks ago is
to encourage, as a practical step, the formation of musical departments in every considerable newspaper in
the country, and the systematic encouragement and support of these departments by the trade.
Gentlemen of the retail trade, concrete facts demand concrete remedies. Trade consciousness shows
signs of awakening. Get behind this big movement and make it your own. Five years of such effort will
be enough to reform and altogether re-create the piano industry in respect to its dimensions and its
popularity.
important part played by the talking machine in disseminating
a wider knowledge and appreciation of music, and it is due to
the initiative and labors of the leading manufacturers that this
great work has been accomplished. It is natural, therefore, that
the subject of musical education should have come in for con-
siderable attention at the gathering at Atlantic City this week.
From its inception the members of the National Association
of Talking Machine Jobbers have worked valiantly, in co-opera-
tion with the manufacturers, in bringing to public notice the
educational value of the talking machine. In this special field
the talking machine men certainly have anticipated their
brethren in the piano field, who are now realizing how important
it is that the people should be educated to the value of the piano
and the player-piano in the home.
The splendid work accomplished by the talking machine
men is well worthy of emulation by the piano trade, but to
succeed there must be the same enthusiasm and co-operation,
for the movement is one well worthy of the closest consideration.
and thoroughness are things that should al-
E XPLJCITNESS
ways be considered above briefness. By them you can se-
cure valuable information and possibly close a business transac-
tion on entirely different lines than it has begun.
up! The conditions under which the piano busi-
O H, ness cheer is being
transacted are really steadily growing bet-
ter. Moreover, the piano trade associations are actually talk-
ing less and doing more. Again we say, cheer up.
GETTING DOWN TO PLAIN PLAYER FACTS
The education of the public along player lines is a necessity for the expansion of the player business.
There is no doubt of that; and education of the piano merchants and salesmen is also a vital necessity,
because through them will come a powerful force in the education of the public; and right here we wish to
remark that we have produced a line of books upon the player-piano which comprehensively covers the
entire player situation.
In this respect this trade newspaper stands alone, for it has been the principal source from which player
information has been available for piano merchants and salesmen for a period of years. Our latest book,
"The Player-Piano Up to Date"
is the best of the series. It contains upwards of 220 pages of matter bearing directly upon the player.
Every piano merchant and piano salesman should have a copy of this book within easy reach. It
gives to readers a fund of information not obtainable elsewhere.
It contains a series of original drawings and a vast amount of instructive and educational matter, as
well as a detailed description of some of the principal player mechanisms.
It costs $1.50 to have this book delivered to any address in the United States, and your money will be
refunded if you are not satisfied with the book after examination. No one yet has availed himself of this
opportunity. Foreign countries, 15c. to cover extra postage, should be added.
Estate of EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Publisher
373 Fourth Ave., New York