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MUSICAL MERCHANDISE
SOME OF THE SPECIAL MUSIC N O W
AVAILABLE FOR FRETTED INSTRUMENTS
T several meetings recently of manu-
facturers, distributors and dealers in
the fretted instrument field, the gen-
eral subject of discussion has been the ques-
tion of a suitable supply of music written
or arranged for that type of instrument. It
has been claimed by the instrument men that
there is something of a dearth both of suitable
instruction books of a character to simplify
the process of learning to play fretted in-
struments and of standard and popular music
arranged especially for them.
It is a pertinent subject, for unquestionably
the appeal of any instrument lies in its play-
ing and to maintain the interest of the owner
and make him an enthusiast it is essential
that a sufficient supply of music be available
and at his command. Investigation indicates
that in principle the fretted instrument men
are right in bemoaning the scarcity, or rather
lack of variety, of teaching and playing
music especially arranged for their instru-
ments. Nevertheless, there is available a
very substantial amount of such material, al-
though generally it is not featured by the
publishers as widely as it might be. The
dealer who takes his fretted instrument busi-
ness seriously should be thoroughly ac-
quainted with the music for those instruments
and should have on hand for use and for
sale as great a variety as possible. Certainly
he cannot ask that the purchaser of a high-
class banjo, mandolin or guitar be content
with only a limited selection or otherwise
hunt out his own playing material; that is,
if the dealer has ideas of developing a sub-
stantial business for the future.
With a view to putting the fretted instru-
ment dealer in touch with such music for
those instruments as is at present available
both for study and general playing purposes,
The Review has communicated with a num-
ber of prominent publishers to ascertain just
what they had to offer. The supply of ma-
terial, though not as generous as some might
desire, nevertheless seems to be adequate for
A
ordinary teaching and playing purposes.
A short list of publishing houses who have
something special to offer for the fretted in-
strument student and player follows and
should prove interesting:
The Alfred Music Co., Inc., New York,
have several publications for fretted instru-
ments and particularly for the banjo. These
include Joe Tarto's arrangements of W. C.
Handy's famous blues, including "St. Louis
Blues" and "Beale Street Blues," as well as
Daley's system of improvising for banjo and
a study in jazz breaks for that instrument
by Frank Anderson.
Belwin, Inc., New York, are among the
publishing houses who have a very liberal
amount of material for the fretted instrument
player. The company's educational library
includes several teaching methods for the
tenor banjo, the ukulele and the guitar, as
well as collections of numbers for banjoes,
banjo duets, ukuleles, etc. A special feature
is the modern dance arrangement of many
selections for fretted instruments.
Carl Fischer, Inc., New York, issues a
comprehensive catalog of music for the man-
dolin, guitar, banjo, ukulele and practically
every type of fretted instrument, as well as
for the accordion, harmonica and ocarina, in-
cluding methods, studies and combinations.
It is a catalog that should be on file in every
dealer's store. In addition, this company,
together with Leo Feist, Inc.; Davis, Coots &
Engel and other concerns affiliated with the
Radio Music Corp., have adopted the "Mul-
ti-Part" method of publishing the popular
music of the day whereby with each piano
copy there are included arrangements for the
mandolin, tenor banjo, Hawaiian steel guitar
and other instruments.
Forster Music Publisher, Inc., Chicago,
comes to the fore with several impressive
methods for guitar, tenor banjo and plectrum
banjo. The methods are the work of Charles
McNeil, recognized authority, and each vol-
ume represents a thorough handling of the
subject; in fact, they are in general use.
The Sam Fox Publishing Co., Cleveland
and New York, also has a variety of pub-
lications for fretted instruments, including
a complete series of instruction books for
beginners for tenor and plectrum banjo,
Spanish and Hawaiian steel guitar, ukulele,
etc., which are offered at very modest list
prices. In addition, there are collections of
solos for the same instruments. Many of the
company's standard and popular publications
include arrangements for fretted instruments.
Walter Jacobs, Inc., Boston, Mass., is a
house that for many years has been noted
for its fretted instrument publications, in-
cluding methods, studies and collections for
practically all instruments in that class. Par-
ticularly interesting is the supply of music
for mandolin and guitar, orchestras and
banjo bands, as well as for small groups.
Mills Music, Inc., New York, publish sev-
eral instruction methods for the banjo as
well as a number of arrangements from the
regular catalog particularly suited for that
instrument.
Robbins Music Corp., New York, is par-
ticularly strong on instruction methods and
special arrangements for the tenor banjo.
These including manuals and methods by
such recognized authorities as Harry Reser,
Mike Pingitore, John Tait and Ralph C'o-
licchio designed for the use of both beginners
and advanced pupils. In addition there is
available in the company's catalog banjo ar-
rangement of popular, standard and novelty
numbers by Reser, Pingitore, Colicchio and
others.
G. Schirmer, Inc., New York, publish
music of the better class specially arranged
for mandolin and guitar and also for the
zither.
This list will give some general idea of
the music that is available and where and
there is no question but that other publishers
have things to offer along this line. It might
be well for the Musical Merchandise Manu-
facturers' Association or some other agency to
develop a composite catalog of fretted instru-
ment method books and general music
arrangements for the convenience of the trade.
The Factory that RICHTER Originality Built
This large, modern and perfectly
equipped plant of the RICHTER
MANUFACTURING CO., corner
of Irving Park Boulevard anj
Maplewood Ave., Chicago, is ad-
mitted to be a model of manufac-
turing efficiency.
The RICHTER ideal is Quality
first, and always based on RICH
TER originality, which has made
the RICHTER line of guitars.
ukes and other fretted instruments
a standard among dealers who
know that Quality pays, because
it is the basis on which an endur-
ing business is built..
Ask our distributors!
RICHTER MFG. CO.
Irving Park Blvd. and Maplewood Ave.
CHICAGO
34
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
May,
1931