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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
There Is an Urgent Need for Some Means Being Provided Whereby Tuners
Can Become Thoroughly Acquainted With the Technical Details of Player
Construction, So That They Can Do Repair Work on Player-Pianos Easily
One beauty about the piano trade is that one
is never at a loss for topics. The same is
true of the player end of this business; only
rather more so, if anything. In all seriousness,
we have forever with us numerous important
matters to which our attention is constantly be-
ing- drawn and which require our best thought;
problems which involve the future, and often the
very present, of our trade.
Of all these, it cannot be said that the most
important are always the most prominent. On
the contrary, the most important are, as often
as not, the least advertised—the least popular.
A Big Question
Those who would look facts fn the face know
that we are facing, in the player business, cer-
tain peculiar conditions with relation to the
supply of labor," both inside and outside the
factories. Using the term "labor," in its widest
sense, and, without offense, including outside
tuners and repairmen within the category, the
condition may be summed up in the one word
"shortage." Demand exceeds supply. That is
the simple truth.
The question of labor supply within the fac-
tories is, however, vastly different in all its as-
pects from the problems which are concerned
with the treatment of the player-piano outside
the factory.
It is the latter that we are at
present to consider. We have discussed the
other questions elsewhere.
For some years past the attention of the
ablest minds in the business, especially among
the manufacturers, has been directed towards
solving a peculiar problem. When the player-
piano began to become popular, its popularity
was so sudden that the question of its mainte-
nance outside the factory was not even consid-
ered. But, as time went on, the original policy
of maintaining traveling experts to go round
the country and fix up troubles was found to
be far too expensive, simply because the num-
ber and distribution of the instruments had so
vastly increased in a short time. It became
evident very soon, in fact, that the tuner, the
ordinary common-or-garden tuner, the tuner
from the town, from the country, the salaried
tuner, or the tuner independent, must learn how
to look after player-pianos. This would have
been all very well if any machinery had ex-
isted competent to impart to these hundreds of
men scattered thinly all over this broad land
the rudiments of pneumatics, player construc-
tion and player maintenance; but, of course, no
such machinery existed.
In consequence of
this, the broad-minded spirit oi the Kohler In-
dustries founded the Danquard School in New
York and threw it open free to all. This school
exists to give instruction without charge to all
who come and ask for it. It is a well equipped,
well run and successful institution.
Attempts
Other similar attempts were made to fill the
rapidly growing need. The public school sys-
tem in New York City added a class in player
construction to its night schools; and through
the initiative of Paul B. Klugh, then of Chi-
cago, similar arrangements were made for two
seasons in Chicago. Both of these classes met
with large support from tuners and were wel-
comed by the trade. The tuning schools an-
nounced courses in player work; and showed a
commendable desire to be up-lo-date. But all
this has not been enough.
The country is too big. That is one trouble.
If it were a small, compact, densely populated
territory, such an institution as the Danquard
School could no doubt care for the entire re-
quirements of the trade, giving instruction to
every tuner in the country. But, apart from
this, apart from the fact that a continental ter-
ritory like ours cannot be handled from one
single point, and that one located at one end of
the territory, there is another equally interest-
ing point to be considered.
That is to say, it is unfair and wrong to ex-
pect a work like this to be carried on solely
by the public spirit of one private concern.
Should Be a Trade Question
The whole trade will have to take an interest
in this matter; and until the whole trade does
so, there will be no solution. There will be
no solution because there will be no adequate
means for inducing the tuners and others who
need the instruction to take it. The Danquard
School accounts for a good many; but these are
volunteers, men who, in most cases, journey to
New York and stay there at their own expense
while taking their courses of instruction. A
few are sent by dealers. The same is true of
the tuning schools. Those who go, go at their
own expense. The whole thing is spasmodic,
and like all measures that depend upon volun-
teers, is productive more of heroism than of ef-
ficiency.
The publication of the Standard
Player Monthly and the Technical Department
of this paper represent other attempts to solve
the problem; but they, too, are partial and nec-
essarily incomplete.
Co-operation on the part of all branches of
the trade, co-operation between manufacturers,
dealers and tuners, is completely and essen-
tially necessary. Without it we can never put
technical education in this industry on a firm
foundation. Yet, unless we do so put it, the
development of the player industry will never
be what it ought to be, will never attain to the
fullest fruition, will never be as big or as profit-
able as it ought to be. For when an essential
element in the prosperity of a trade, such as the
maintenance of player-pianos undoubtedly is,
suffers from neglect,'the trade itself will suffer
also.
These things are without doubt recognized by
the best minds in the industry. We have been
at some pains to discuss the questions involved
with a number of men representing the whole-
sale, the retail, and the tuning branches; and
here is what they have to say summed up into
compact paragraphs:
WHAT MANUFACTURERS THINK
The general attitude of wholesale men with
whom the writer has talked may be described
as frankly cordial to any scheme that would pro-
mote a better understanding of player mecha-
nism among tuners and others.
Naturally,
this should be expected; and it may be said
that the only difference of opinion we have been
able to observe comes from consideration of
ways and means. Some seem to think that it
would be advisable to put up to the Music In-
dustries Chamber of Commerce a proposal look-
ing to the establishment of one or two central
technical schools, perhaps^ founded on some of
the private institutions already existing. Others
have thought that existing schools might be
subsidized so that they could offer instruction
free to tuners already in practice while charg-
ing a fee to student tuners. There have been
other ideas also. The general impression left
on one's mind by talking with various heads of
manufacturing houses is that there is a general
desire to see something done, but no very clear
notion of what is to be done, or of how it is
to be accomplished.
The manufacturer knows by sad experience
that it costs real money, genuine "hard-earned,"
to take back player-pianos into the factory, when
the trouble on account of which they were re-
turned is a simple little matter which any one
should have been able to remedy. There is a
good deal more of this kind of thing going on
than is usually supposed. That is one reason
why manufacturers are in favor of technical
education for tuners.
Another reason is that manufacturers see how
the development of the player business is bound
to be more or less retarded so long as any re-
spectable number of tuners are ignorant of so
important a part of their business. It is not
the tuners' fault that they have not become
player experts overnight; for the player was
forced on them without their will. Yet, unless
they learn the secrets of the mechanism we
must either wait till they are pushed out of the
way by a newer generation; or must educate
them; willingly, if possible, but educate them
anyway.
That briefly seems to be the view of the manu-
facturers.
It is not exactly precise, and it
does not give any real information as to details;
but it means well.
THE VIEWS OF THE DEALERS
Dealers are less unanimous, so far as one
can see. The retailer is naturally more in-
clined to look at all trade matters from a most
individualistic standpoint; and his views are his
own personally without much thought of others.
Therefore it is not surprising to find, in con-
versation with dealers, the statement that "so
(Continued on page 6)
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