July 31, 1920.
PRESTO
27
SAYS JAZZ IS DEAD
Man Who Put Crimp in "Songs Wanted"
Game Believes the West Is Taking Mu-
sic Publishing from the East.
PROTECTING THE DEALER
In a communication to Presto last week Mr.
W. S. Samuels, music dealer, of Owensboro,
Ky., complained that the publishers do not af-
ford any protection to the retailers. He said
that music teachers, and almost anyone else,
can buy of the publishers on the same dis-
counts allowed to the trade. Mr. Samuels
asked if anything can be done to so far bring
about a readjustment as to return the music
counter to its one-time place as a profit pro-
ducer in the trade.
In years now gone the sheet music publish-
ers gave a trade discount of one-half, ten and
five from, the "marked prices." Thus if a
piece of music was marked with the numerical
6, meaning 60 cents, the retailer bought it for
twenty-five cents. If he ordered as many as
ten copies of this same piece, there was an-
other discount, which brought each copy down
to about nineteen cents; if the price was a
real "seller," permitting of an order for 100
copies, the discount was still larger. And the
teachers were allowed a discount of one-third
from the retail price, and no more.
Things have changed greatly in the sheet
music business. In the old, prosperous days,
the number of publishers did not exceed, say,
fifty to sixty in number. Now every cross-
roads boasts a music publisher and the reds
couldn't blow up a city skyscraper without
scattering sheet music all over the town.
It is plain, therefore, that the "legitimate"
music publishers cannot do business today just
as it was done years ago. But if the business
itself has changed, so have the conditions in
musical life that creates a demand for music
changed even more. The cause of cheap sheet
music is found, at its beginning, in the fact
that its first cost becomes small in proportion
to the volume of its printing. To prepare to
put forth a piece of music is the same whether
the distribution of the sheet is to be twenty
copies or twenty thousand. And if the latter
edition comes forth and is distributed at 5
cents a copy the profit will be vastly more than
will be possible to a sale of the twenty copies
at $10 per copy. Of course at the old whole-
sale price and profit the loss would be enough
to ruin the arverage music publisher who
stayed in the business a little while.
The business head of the late Richard Saal-
efild, and others like him, figured it out that
music sold at ten cents a copy would soon
make them rich if they could sell enough of it.
And they sold enough of it, and enough to
drive most of the old-time publishers out of
the business.
But there are large sheet music publishers
whose methods are encouraging to the retail-
ers. And their catalogues are equally encour-
aging. They offer upon very liberal terms,
supplies that almost "insure" the dealers' suc-
cess. And the local teachers' trade and inter-
ference is not enough to suggest a moment's
uneasiness. It is our belief that if Mr. Sam-
uels, and others like him, will get in touch
with any great music publishing house—like,
for example, the McKinley Music Co., of Chi-
cago and New York—and make the sheet
music counter an attractive feature of the
store, there will be little cause for complaint.
And there is more life and profit left in the
sheet music business than some people in the
trade seem to realize and understand. The
only way for the sheet music dealer to secure
protection is to protect himself by carrying a
representative stock and catering carefully to
the wants of his customers.
In the average music store it's a good plan
to have the sheet music, the player rolls and
the talking machine records constitute a com-
plete department in charge of a competent
person. The three lines intelligently arranged
and looked after constitute a profiatble part
of the business anywhere.
* * *
The first music trade association and the
first music trade convention were organized
and attended by the sheet music publishers,
and the largest single volume ever compiled in
the music interests was prepared and printed
for the use of the sheet music dealers.
* * *
When the ten cent music first came into
the trade troubles, there were the same cries
of protest from the regulars that now arise
about the Hit Alley prints and department
store slaughter. But the sheet music trade has
subsisted, nevertheless.
* * *
The average piece of sheet music is about
two-thirds as large today as it was twenty
years ago. The cutting down of the margins
and the improvement in the typography, are
marked.
* * *
There is an advertisement for a sheet music
manager in this issue of Presto. It seems like
old times. But there are not many thoroughly
capable, well posted sheet music men today.
* * *
Make your sheet music counter so attractive
that your neighbors will not think of sending
out of town to supply their needs.
ARIZONA MOONLIGHT.
T. Dunston Collins, of Phoenix, Arizona, has pub-
lished a pretty waltz called "Arizona Moonlight," of
which he is also the composer. The piece carries a
good melody and is arranged with plenty of octaves.
It is a piece which should sell well. Title page has
picture of Roosevelt Lake.
"SNAPPY" DANCE NUMBERS.
The Lorraine Song Shop, of Plainfield, N. J., has
put forth three new selections in which there are ele-
ments of popularity. They are "Pretty Mamie,"
"Loving Mama," and "Heart Like an Irishman." All
of the pieces have been arranged for orchestra.
How Times Have Changed.
In days of long ago, we sang "The Old Oaken
Bucket." Soon we will sing, "That Dear Rusty Old
Can."
S. O. S.
Col. W. B. Brinkerhoff, of the M. Schulz Company,
Chicago, is back in Chicago from his vacation at
Lake Ball, Michigan. He caught more fish than on
any previous fishing trip.
And it came to pass that, after wandering in other
paths, the scribe came back and has taken a bird's-eye
view of the sheet music business. In the past five
years many things have happened.
When last viewed the Popular Song business
seemed to be bunched in New York City, with
branches elsewhere—especially in Chicago. It was
then known as "Tin-Pan" or "Hit Alley." In those
days the association, or combination or general ac-
cumulation, did many and various things. They
were, in effect, if not in aim, the Popular Song
Trust, as they had a strangle hold on the stage, the
press and the distributor, that was beautiful to con-
template from the standpoint of the Independent.
The door to commercialized independent sheet mu-
sic was locked, at least, and Hit Alley held the key.
To what extent this has all been done away with in
the last five years is a matter for mature consider-
ation.
In those days L. Wolff Gilbert and Irving Berlin
were the star attractions. You remember L. Wolff
Gilbert. He was the fellow who wrote "Waiting
for the Robert E. Lee," and he was so impressed with
his accomplishment that he submitted a lyric to the
National Historical Association for a National An-
them and, in doing so, said: "I have written sev-
eral national anthems, chief of which is the national
anthem of the South, "Waiting for the Robert E.
Lee."
And Berlin was then in his zenith. He gave an
interview, and in that interview he said that "the
less you know about music, and the less you know
about grammar, the more liable you are to write a
hit." Some of his work seems to prove this.
But, as you now look over the field, you see that
"westward the course of Empire takes its way,"
and that the sheet music business is scattered hither
and yon the country over. Chicago seems to be
gradually taking the business from New York.
In fact, it is impossible to take up a single thread
of the sheet music business of 1915 and run it into
1920. Like vanity, all is changed—changes innu-
merable.
But some things are not changed. It is notice-
able that where one concern writes a song that
seems to go well, all the other concerns at once get
out a parallel, or "companion" number. Some
months ago some one wrote a song about the
"Blues," and soon the sheet music advertisements
If you are not handling the
McKINLEY EDITION OF
10c MUSIC
Comprising Standard,
Classic and Teaching Music
you are losing an opportunity to make money
Dealers Realize
150% PROFIT
On Sales of McKinley Music
It is the most popular library of 10c music
on the market. Selections contained in this
Edition are used by the most prominent
teachers in the country —Students, Accom-
plished Musicians, and the Music Loving
Public in general.
It is conveniently handled; arranged in
compact form, and is labor saving in serving
the customers.
The dealer is supplied with catalogs bear-
ing the business imprint which serves to
bring more customers to the store than any
other advertising medium that could be em-
ployed.
WRITE US FOR SAMPLES AND PAR-
TICULARS TODAY
Our Jobbing Department is the largest and
most complete in the country. We can sup-
ply you with every want in the sheet music
line. We fill all orders the day they are
received.
McKinley Music Company
The Largest Sheet Music House
in the World
CHICAGO
1501-13 E. 55th St.
NEW YORK
145 W. 45th St.
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