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OCTOBER 29, 1927
The Music Trade Review
National Promotion Committee Issues
New Publication on Playing the Piano
"Everybody's Look-and-Play Piano Book" Gives Opportunity for Adults to Learn
Accompaniments for Many Songs in Easy and Direct Fashion
n p H E Sales Promotion Committee of the
-*• National Association of Piano Manufactur-
ers has just issued what may be considered the
most important piece of literature that has
come from the headquarters of that body since
it was established. This is an attractive volume
entitled "Everybody's Look-and-Play Piano
Book," which is designed to enable those who
of the public that it is possible for the amateur
to get real enjoyment out of the piano without
going through an elaborate and lengthy course
of training. Successful means have been pro-
vided for enabling youngsters of school age to
learn the fundamentals of piano playing pleas-
antly and without undue labor, but what is
needed is some means for enabling the grown-
EVERYBODY'S
PIANO BOOK
: " " • ! , ' "ere--,
Andfwj™'*"
" " t»rk' 1
Cover and Specimen Page of New Promotion Publication
have heretofore exhibited no pianistic ability up to get some use of the piano without any
to learn quickly a series of chords on the piano great amount of study or concentration.
that will enable them to play suitable accom-
It is for the purpose of providing the grown-
paniment to many well-known and favorite up with such a medium that the new book
songs.
has been published. When the idea was
It has been the well-founded theory of Ed- originally conceived men particularly well quali-
ward C. Boykin, executive secretary of the fied to develop the idea were brought into
committee, that the problem before the trade consultation and after development it was sub-
is primarily that of impressing upon the mind mitted to competent music teachers and other
authorities for the purpose of criticism. In every
case the idea was strongly endorsed as being
distinctly practical.
The new volume is primarily a book of piano
chords so selected that properly learned they
may be adopted for providing satisfactory ac-
companiment to some twenty-seven or more
songs that are known to practically everybody,
among them "Auld Lang Syne," "Old Folks at
Home," "Silent Night," "Battle Hymn of the
Republic," "Nearer, My God to Thee," "Annie
Laurie" and many others of similar type. With
each song, as presented in the book, are given
two, three or four chords, that properly used
provide the accompaniment, and each of these
chords is carefully illustrated with the hands
of the player shown in their proper position
at the piano keyboard.
Novv's the time to take advantage of
It has been demonstrated that while the new
school and church activities. Go after
book
is not calculated to make one a finished
piano sales in these two big markets.
pianist, or to provide a course of training that
You can get the business with the
Miessner—the original small piano.
will permit of the playing of any piece of
written music without additional training, it
The Miessner is winning a bigger
will serve the purpose of enabling the reader
place in schools and churches through-
out the nation each year. Investigate
to provide very acceptable accompaniments for
now! Write for full information, in-
the songs with which he is familiar, and it has
cluding plans for developing small-
also been demonstrated that the same principles
piano sales in the seven important
that provide for the accompaniment of old
markets open to the Miessner.
favorites can also be applied to much of the
MIESSNER PIANO COMPANY
modern so-called popular music.
136 Reed St.
Milwaukee, Wis.
The members of the Sales Promotion Com-
mittee have been particularly enthusiastic over
the "Look-and-Play Piano Book." C. Alfred
THE LITTLE PIANO WITH THE BIG TONE
Wagner, president of the American Piano Co.,
wrote to Mr. Boykin: "Allow me to con-
Schools and Churches
are Buying Pianos!
gratulate you on your 'Look-and-Play Piano
Book.' I have gone over it with interest and
believe it provides a means for the laymen to
at least undertake to realize the fascination of
personally producing music through perform-
ance on the piano. I cannot help but feel this
will go a long way toward exciting interest in
piano playing."
Mark P. Campbell, president of the Bram-
bach Piano Co., said in his letter: "I have
been looking over the advance copy of the
'Look-and-Play' piano book which you sent to
the writer for his inspection, and I must yield
to the impulse to compliment you and your
associates on the splendid work you have done
in the preparation of this very important book.
"Simplicity hardly seems to be the right
word, but it certainly is so beautifully and
carefully gotten up that anyone could sit down
and play accompaniments to the pieces that are
contained in the book. This work could be
accomplished in a very few minutes.
"I am referring to the real object of the
book, and that is to bring to life pianos that
have not been used and to gratify people who
have so frequently said, 'I'd give anything if 1
could play the piano!'
"With this book they can play a piano. It
is perfectly wonderful and should find a dis-
tribution that will run into the millions!"
W. E. Guylee, president of the National
Piano Manufacturers' Association, and Max J.
deRochemont, chairman of the committee, were
also enthusiastic in their comment.
The "Look-and-Play Piano Book" is priced
at fifty cents retail, and the plan is to have it
exhibited by music merchants throughout the
country. It is believed that the demand itself
will be sufficiently large to warrant the co-
operation of the merchants.
KEYS
ACTIONS
PLAYERS
for
Grand Pianos
This is the time to
investigate, prepara-
tory to the busy
period sure to come.
Write us NOW.
PRATT, READ & CO.
Established 1806
The Pratt Read Player Action Co.
Deep River, Conn.