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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
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Fourth Ave., New York; Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
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Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques
anil
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
p
are dealt with, will be found in another section of
this P*P*r. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
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Vol. LXX
NEW YORK, MAY 15, 1920
No. 20
AN IMPORTANT CONVENTION
S the dates for the general convention of the music supply trade
A
draw near, and the details of the program are announced, the
importance of this meeting, not only to the supply trade, but to the
music industry as a whole, becomes steadily more pronounced. The
program is a definite, logical and practical one, and offers to the
Music Supply Association some real reasons for being.
The manner in which the plans for the meeting have been de-
veloped reflects credit not alone upon the members of the committee
who have been charged with the work of drafting up the program,
but upon the officials of the Music Industries Chamber of Com-
merce, who have lent such active and intelligent support to the
movement.
CONSIDER THE TUNER
HE word "shortage" appears to have become one of the prin-
cipal words in the lexicon of the piano and music merchants, as
well as of the manufacturer. There has been and is a shortage of
supplies, of labor and of finished products, and on top of it all there
comes a report that piano tuners are scarce. This in itself is a
matter worthy of serious consideration, for the tuner's place in the
industry is most important, representing in a large measure the tech-
nical side, and upon his skill depends whether the finished piano
appeals to the dealer and the retail purchaser as good, bad or
indifferent.
It has been stated frankly by a number of manufacturers them-
selves that sufficient thought has not been given to the training of
tuners to fill gaps that are bound to occur in the ranks, and to make
provision for the future.
It is maintained that the number of tuners has not increased
at all in proportion to the number of instruments turned out for
them to take care of. The wide vogue of the player-piano, and the
increasing demand upon the tuners and the expert repair men
brought about by that instrument have served to complicate the
situation to a considerable degree.
It might be well for the National Piano Manufacturers' Asso-
T
MAY
15, 1920
ciation, in co-operalion with local associations and with the National
Association of Piano Tuners, to give some thought to conditions in
the ranks of this important group of piano workers, and provide for
or at least suggest some regular and well-balanced system of training
to fill any gaps that now exist or which may occur in the ranks
of the piano tuning fraternity. So much depends upon the tuner's
work that the matter should not be dismissed with only casual
thought.
ENCOURAGING LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS
HE declaration has been made frequently, during the past
T
couple of years, that there are too many trade associations and
that they get in each other's way rather than add to the efficiency
of one another's activities. It may be that among the larger asso-
ciations there is at times a duplication of effort, but there is suffi-
cient special work for practically every national association to
justify its existence and continuance.
So far as local associations go there cannot be too many of
them—that is, in different territories. There is no single factor in
business that serves so ably to promote better business conditions
and to keep competition clean and fair. Whether the local associa-
tion attempts to legislate for the benefit of the trade or not, the
fact remains that the bringing together of competitors at more or
less regular intervals, if only to put their feet under the same dinner
table, tends to promote better feeling and an understanding of each
other that discourages any attempt at sharp practices in competition.
Let the local associations be encouraged, for it is chiefly through
the local associations and the spirit they develop that the national
organizations gain their strength.
PROTECTING AMERICAN TRADE-MARKS
HE progress that has been made in the plans for the international
T
protection of trade-marks so far as the United States and Central
and South American republics are concerned is particularly grati-
fying to those who have occasion to engage in export trade and send
their trade-marked products to other countries, or who desire to
protect their trade-mark rights in preparation for possible future
developments.
To date fourteen of the twenty countries which signed the
international convention for the protection of trade-marks in 1910
have ratified that convention and it has been adhered to by one
other republic. Although it is regrettable that this trade-mark
protection cannot be extended to cover all nations, the fact that the
United States and Pan-American countries have gotten together in
the matter is encouraging, and the arrangements with the various
European countries are sufficiently satisfactory to cause little imme-
diate worry.
There are at the present time in some countries, particularly
Spain, well organized efforts at fraudulent registration of trade-
marks, and it is to be hoped and expected that means will be found,
through some form of international agreement, to put a stop to
such tactics.
THE VALUE OF GENERAL ADVERTISING
music industry no longer hides its light under a bushel in
T the HE matter
of general advertising as is quite evident by a perusal
of the leading national magazines and daily papers in the various
cities and towns. On more than one occasion recently figures have
shown that music advertising has in fact predominated over that of
any other product in certain issues.
It has been claimed time and again that the way to national
advertising was shown to the industry by the talking machine
manufacturers. If that is the case their work has been well done,
for we now find piano manufacturers, as well as music roll manu-
facturers, and even sheet music publishers, carrying impressive
space in such magazines as the Saturday Evening Post, and in
metropolitan newspapers of large circulation and likewise large ad-
vertising rates.
The advertising, moreover, is of the better sort, is distinctive,
and is handled by men who know their business. That the results
are satisfactory is evidenced by the continuation of the campaigns.
There is no question but that this widespread advertising is doing
quite as much for the cause of music as is the propaganda which
finds its way into the reading columns of the same newspapers.