25
PRESTO
November 6, 1920.
TALKI
SONG WORDS WITH RECORDS
Kansas Dealer Adopts the Plan of Selling Printed
Sheet with Discs.
A trade paper (Presto) wrote to the editor,
says "The Puritan," suggesting that manufac-
turers of records would sell more of them if they
furnished the words of the corresponding vocal num-
bers because even a very close listener often missed
several of the words in a song.
1 he editor commented on the letter by stating that
as the words and music were usually copyrighted,
the manufacturer of records would be liable to a
penalty of one dollar for every copy sold, which is
quite true.
Still, the advantage of having 1 the words, exactly
as engraved in the record, clearly printed and avail-
able for anyone who wanted them, so strongly im-
pressed a Kansas music dealer that he obtained the
names of the publishers of every vocal selection
represented by the new records he received, and
the price of the sheet. With this list before him,
he was able to direct buyers of records to the pub-
lisher of the words and music.
Some people would think that it would have been
better to obtain the printed words and music, and
sell them direct, but the dealer believed that this
would involve the carrying of a great quanity of
sheet music for which he might not have a ready
sale and he contented himself with the list referred
to, as a starter.
Tn the music stock of this store, however, the
dealer had the vocal score of many of the best op-
eratic selections, and well-known songs. He listed
these to correspond with his record stock list, and
when a person bought a record, of which he had
the printed words, it was a very easy matter to sell
both the record and the words and music.
There is no doubt that the enjoyment of a new
song (or an old one, for that matter) is considerably
increased by knowing the words as the record is
played. It is a great temptation also for the listener
to "sing in" with the phonograph, if he can sing
at all. It is a delightful pastime also for a few mem-
bers of a family to follow the singing of a fine
quartette, duet, or chorus, and it is well worth the
dealer's while to introduce this agreeable diversion
in his store, because it leads to sales of both record
and music.
It needs very little explanation. When a record
is chosen by a customer,
the salesperson consults
his list and finding 1 that he has the music, informs
the customer that, "We also have the words and
music of this record; would you not like to have it
so that you can follow the words exactly?" Or, when
a piece of music is being sold, tell the buyer that,
"This piece has been reproduced on the
phonograph; would you like to hear it?" If the
party owns a phonograph, the chances are good that
he will buy the record.
Il requires some intelligent work to carry out this
plan, because the maker of the records must give
the name of the publisher of the exact words sung
in the particular record, unless it is a standard se-
lection, when it can be found through the usual
trade lists kept in every well-managed music store.
Other phonograph dealers will of course have to do
more hunting but it will repay them for the trouble.
A DALLAS EFFORT.
The talking machine had a noticeable part in the
events of Music Week held during the recent State
Fair in Dallas, Tex. The importance of the talking
machine business in the lively Texas city was exem-
plified in the Music Magazine of the Dallas Times-
Herald, a copy of which is to hand. In this ad-
mirable celebration number the advertisements of
the following firms appear: Edison Shop, W. A.
Green Co., Texas-Oklahoma Phonograph Co., C. H.
Jackson, Starr representative; Sonora Shop, Sonora
Distributing Co. of Texas; the Brunswick Phono-
graph Co., Riddle Phonograph Co., Lester-Gunst Co.,
and Field-Lippman.
THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT.
The holiday spirit is expressed in the window
displays of Charles Mayer & Company, Indianapolis.
The windows of "The Gift Store," at 29-31 West
Washington street were made especially attractive
last week when arranged with an alluring display
of gift goods including talking machines and records.
The firm was established in 1840.
NEW BUFFALO OFFICERS.
The Buffalo Talking Machine Dealers' Association
recently elected the following new set of officers:
President, C. E. Siegesmund; vice-president, Albert
F. Schwegler; secretary, C. Kappeland; treasurer,
I. Melzer. It is the propose of the association to
hold regular meetings every month.
MAKE SHAKESPEARE RECORDS.
Edward H. Sothern and Julia Marlowe, noted
Shakespearean actors, are at present engaged in mak-
ing phonographic records of Shakespearean dramas
and comedies for educational purposes. The records
are being made at the Victor Talking Machine plant
in Camden.
The W. E. Tones Piano House, Mansfield, O.,
persistently makes known the fact that "it is a
pleasure to demonstrate talking machines."
The Wolfe Music Co., Cleveland, O., advertises a
"special payment plan" for talking machine pur-
chases.
VITANOLA CO'S AFFAIRS
Receivership Facts of the Talking Machine Com-
pany Given in Letter to Dealers.
The following letter from the Vitanola Talking
Machine Company, Chicago, to dealers handling
the Vitanola line was mailed last week:
To Our Dealers:
Undoubtedly you are aware that this company is
now operating under a receivership, and, in order
that you may clearly understand the situation, we
take this means of informing you that the receiver
was appointed not in bankruptcy proceedings but in
a chancery action, for the purpose of conserving the
vast and valuable assets of the corporation, and pro-
tecting the interests of all concerned.
The assets of the company show a very liberal
margin in excess of its liabilities, but much of its
working capital was tied up in its new plants just at
the time when banks commenced restricting credit As
a result, we found ourselves in the same predicament
that has beset so many concerns during the period of
business depression from which the country now is
emerging.
We are confident that the oft demonstrated loyalty
of VITANOLA dealers will now operate to assist in
effecting a prompt adjustment of the company's tem-
porary difficulties, and the business will be continued
under the same sales and liberal service policies with
which you are familiar from our past relationship.
Every effort of the VITANOLA organization will
now, as always before, be bent on serving you to
your satisfaction.
Yours very truly,
SAM'L S. SCHIFF,
Vice President
Vitanola Talking Machine Company.
NEW INCORPORATIONS.
Baxt Phonograph Co., Inc., $50,000. Oscar Ster-
man, Celia Sterman, Maurice Shapiro, Maurice Gor-
dan, Morris Levinson, Louis Kalla, Pauline Shapiro,
Abraham Adler and Harry Tarlow. Place of busi-
ness, Boston, Mass.
Jacobs, Inc., Philadelphia, deal in talking ma-
chines, $75,000. Samuel Schuman, David Schuman,
Darby, Pa.; Joseph Jacobs, Philadelphia.
The Hub, Washington, D. C, has added the Uni-
versal phonograph to its line.
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