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PLAYER SECTION
NEW YORK, AUGUST 26, 1922
Standard Expression Control Needed
The Great Variety of Expression Control Perforations on Reproducing Pianos Is a Serious Handicap to the Future of Thi*
Class of Instruments and Steps Should Be Taken Immediately to Standardize the Various Arrange-
ments of Tracker-bar Perforations for the Benefit of the Entire Industry
A situation has arisen in the player business
which merits the closest attention on the part
of all who have to deal with the manufacture
and sale of the reproducing and player-pianos.
This situation is related with the manufacture
both of the instruments and of the music rolls
which control them. It is one which needs to
be confronted and stayed now, before a con-
dition of confusion and actual chaos arises
which may require an immense amount of
trouble to reduce to order, and which may
meanwhile affect the prosperity of the player
business in a most serious way.
The situation itself has been most forcibly
brought to the attention of The Review by a
prominent player roll manufacturer. In asking
The Review to discuss the facts publicly he has
doubtless felt that our well-known interest in
the betterment of the player business would lead
us to attach due importance to them. We there-
fore submit this article to the entire player
industry, hoping that thereby we may obtain
some further discussion which may lead to a
fruitful conclusion.
Multiplication of Expression Means
It has long been obvious that the multiplica-
tion of player actions designed or purporting to
reproduce the playing of individual pianists was
bound to lead to a very considerable variety
of expression devices, and of means for con-
trolling these. A parallel variety must come
into being in the arrangements of the control-
ling perforations of music rolls. Hence it must
follow that if each and every "reproducing"
mechanism, or what purports to be such, is to
continue to be regarded as something entirely
separate and which must not have any com-
munal association with any other trade element,
a state of confusion must arise compared to
which any previous condition of variety and per-
sonal caprice in technical arrangements would
have to be regarded as the height of • simplicity.
A State of Confusion
To put the matter very plainly, there are too
many unnecessary and capricious differences of
arrangement in the make-up of the expression
control of expression player-pianos. The re-
sult is already manifest in a confusion and in
a waste which daily become more acute. Every
difference in tracker-bar arrangement requires a
special roll adapted to that arrangement and
useless with any other—a condition which is
very disadvantageous to the industry and
which could have no possible justification save
on the ground of absolute necessity.
Now, no such necessity exists. The statement
must be boldly mad© that there is no need for
numerous arrangements of tracker-bar perfora-
tions. A standard tracker-bar for automatic ex-
pression pianos is not only quite practicable but
is an immediate and crying need.
Facing the Facts
We have to face the difficulty that player
actions are being made to give automatic ex-
pressive playing, in which there exists, as to
tracker-bar arrangements, a quite unnecessary
amount of confusion due to the caprice or policy
of the makers. The music-roll manufacturers
are striving to build for these various instru-
ments rolls which shall fit them rightly and
which shall rightly operate their various expres-
sion devices. But this means that each roll
cutter must produce rolls for half a dozen dif-
ferent tracker arrangements. At the present
moment, in order to satisfy all requirements, it
is necessary to have seven different positions for
the rewind perforation. Other confusing re-
quirements are equally in evidence.
At the recent New York conventions one
action was shown which could be adapted to
three different arrangements of expression per-
forations as shown on three different kinds of
rolls. Whether the reason for this lamentable
complexity lies at the door of the player manu-
facturers or the makers of music rolls we shall
not undertake at this moment to say; but it is
quite evident that the' state of affairs thus dis-
closed must be brought to an end as soon as
possible.
The Needs of Expression Lay-out
Every automatic expression piano (or repro-
ducing piano if the term be used) requires the
following perforations in its tracker-bar, with
corresponding perforations on the margins of
the music roll:
One
One
One
One
perforation for loud pedal
perforation for treble hanimcr-lift
perforation for bass hanimer-Hft
perforation for rewind
and besides these fundamental elements
One, two, three or four treble expression perforations
and one, two, three or four bass expression perforations
which may be organized in various ways. In
some cases the organization is by successive
powers, with the action normally playing soft.
In other cases a canceling perforation on each
side is required. In others again there is a
special crescendo perforation. But these are
matters of detail which, as shall be seen, are
not so complicated as they appear to be.
Where Uniformity Is Easy
Now, it might as well be made quite clear
that there is absolutely nothing gained in hav-
ing any differences about the position of the
four fundamental perforations. They can and
should be positioned uniformly. Thus, to take
one possibility, the perforation which is least
often used is the rewind perforation. Therefore
naturally its place should be nearest to the edge
of the roll, for there it can do least harm. The
best place is probably at the left-hand edge.
Next to this should be placed the bass hammer-
lift perforation, and next to that the loud-pedal
perforation. The treble side should contain,
nearest to the edge, the treble hammer-lift per-
foration.
A Possibility in Expression Arrangement
Now the expression perforations, those which
regulate the use of the pneumatic expression
governors, can be placed as 1, 2, 3, 4, on each
side, inside the others. But can they be ar-
ranged in such a way that they mean the same
thing on the player as they do on the roll?
W r e are now thinking, let us not forget, from
the roll to the player action. Why should not the
four perforations on the tracker-bar, -at each side
of the scale, be always arranged to perform
identical duties? Obviously, no matter what ar-
rangements the manufacturer may have, as ob-
served from the point of view of pure pneu-
matics, it is obvious that his expression per-
forations are intended to control operations fol-
lowed by the same effects as all others propose
to obtain. The expression systems all do much
the same thing, in reality. They start with a
certain normal base of pneumatic power and
they jump from these up to higher levels as re-
quired and as indicated by the positioning of
the perforations on the roll.
Therefore it is only necessary for the manu-
facturers of player actions to agree with the
manufacturers of rolls as to the musical result
which is to flow from the use of each perfora-
tion. Once get this agreement made and every
maker of music rolls can go ahead and get out
a standard edition. Then the manufacturers of
player actions will simply have to fix their,
tracker-bar accordingly, by the simple device of
attaching to each duct the rubber tube leading
to the corresponding pneumatic device. What
does it matter where the rubber tube goes, so
long as it goes to the place where, upon the
operation being started, the anticipated action
will follow?
We are well aware that in starting a dis-
cussion of this sort we may have a good deal
of misunderstanding to deal with. Some will
quite sincerely suppose that they cannot accom-
modate themselves to any scheme of uniformity.
We believe they can and therefore are prepared
to show, from irrefutable mechanical facts, that
our contention is true.
In 1908 the player industry had to get to-
gether at the Buffalo conference and save itself
from destruction by adopting an uniform 88-
note tracker-bar and roll. In 1922 a parallel
danger threatens the industry. It is time for
another conference!