24
PRESTO
every well-known act by heart, so he writes a line of
chatter for June Rose—gratis, of course. Another
performer enters and offers to use a song if the writer
will switch the scenery. "You see," he explains, "I
work with a drop showing a Main Street scene, and
your sono: is written around an apple orchard in
Maine." The obliging song waiter shifts the scenery
so that his song can win another adherent.
Many-Sided Activities.
The requirements of a pair doing a sister act in
vaudeville, the wants of the manager of a burlesque
show, are met by the song factory. Teaching the
burlesque "ponies" to sing the accepted number is
usually in the contract. '"This is one of a few of the
odd jobs a writer must do for the sake of his songs.
Writing ragtime ditties is the easiest part of the har-
mony business. Successful song writers put in longer
hours in song factories than plumbers or bricklayers
devote to their tasks," is the statement. How a song
is accepted is told:
Do you see those two excitable fellows talking to
the professional manager? They are a couple of free-
lance writers pleading for a new song they have just
invented. There they go into one of the piano rooms
to demonstrate the number, If the professional man-
ager likes it, he will cull in song pluggers, stenog-
raphers, officials of the company, performers, the
porter, anybody, just so long as he can get a diversi-
fication of opinion. Every song "plugged" for a hit
costs more than $5,000, so a music publisher cannot
accept everything that rhymes. But if that song
those writers are demonstrating- is accepted, it will
be tried out in an act, the professional manager will
go to hear it, and if it "knocks them off their seats,"
those boys have a chance at a hit because their song
will be "plugged." And "plugged" is Tin Pan Alley
terminology for "advertised."
Many songs are accepted because the first demon-
stration by song-writers skilled in the art enthuses
the publisher to such an extent that he calls for a
music arranger to take down the melody, gets a sten-
ographer to make out contracts and a substantial
check as advance money against royalties that never
accrue. In fact, some song manufacturers now rec-
ognize the opportunity to beguile them with a skillful
demonstration. Therefore they make it a rule to
have all numbers played by an uninterested person
before acceptance. I know one, in particular, who
insists on this.
Hard for Amateurs.
And just as the literary rhymesters worry weary
editors, so do amateur song-writers plague Tin Pan
Alley manufacturers with song-poems. But the syn-
copated art requires more than the acquisition of a
sheet of foolscap, a penny pencil and State Hospital
mentality. Probably the best way to sustain this
contention is to compare popular song writing with
advertising. A song hit is just a clever ad. set to
music.
The aspiring ad. man is compelled to live in the
atmosphere of an advertising agency; he has to min-
gle with the makers of publicity; he must study mar-
kets and watch competitors; likewise, must a white
hope song writer study theatrical performers, their
methods, their ragtime desires. He needs the good-
will of performers so that he can assist in "plug-
ging" his compositions, which, by the way, is some-
thing every music publisher expects when he accepts
a song. The more performer friends a song writer
has, the more songs he lands in Tin Pan Alley.
Then again, the amateur must learn the most effec-
tive method of stage presentation for popular songs;
he must help the performer pull down the house with
every line; he should know what words sing easily
on high notes and what combination of syllables to
avoid so that an actor does not tie his tongue into
knots when syncopating over the footlights.
Plugging for Popularity.
This, and similar knowledge, can only be acquired
by serving an apprenticeship in Tin Pan Alley. Song-
writers are recruited from the ranks so it is useless
for an amateur to mail song poems to music pub-
lishers. Most of the recognized song writers were
song "pluggers" or piano players for publishers be-
fore arriving at their goal and it is more than likely
February 24, 1923
that Tin Pan Alley will always pick her masters in
that way
Many people criticize the popular songs o[ today
and sometimes rightly so, but beautiful poetry, if set A Few Items Interesting to People in Sheet Music
to popular music, would sound like a Babylonian jar-
Department Are Printed.
gon. The masses have only a musical voice range
of eight notes, so what can a ragtime king do but
The Shuck Music Co., Glendale, Cal., carries a fine
pass out musical baby food to his subjects? Many
successful Tin Pan Alley writers have exceptional stock of classical and popular music. Particular at-
musical ability and could, without a doubt, produce tention is given to the professional and teacher busi-
creditable musical compositions, but if you should ask ness in music and books.
them why they do not strive for the better, they xv'-U F. G. Council, "The Music Man," conducts the.
inform you that: "Wagner died broke. Irving
Berl'n
music department of the Brook Mays Piano
has a million dollars." What do they care i f poster- sheet
ity fails to applaud their musical labors. They are Co., Dallas, Tex.
A biographical course dealing with the lives of
eating three square meals now.
great composers has been latm'ched by the University
of California.
CARL FISCHER DIES.
F. C. Mills, chairman of the executive board of
Carl Fischer, founder and head of the music pub- the Music Publishers' Protective Association, is en-
lishing and musical instrument business bearing his joying a vacation in Cuba.
' • i
name at 48 Cooper Square, New York, died Feb. 14,
Schmoller & Mueller Piano Co., Lincoln, 1 -NebJj fe?
at his home in the Althorpe Apartments, 2211 Broad- installing a sheet music department.
- ^/; , * '
way. He had suffered from diabetes for over a year.
The annual meeting of the American Society of
Mr. Fischer was born in Germany and came to this Composers, Authors and Publishers will be held
country when a young man. He established his March 1 at Keene's Chop House, New York.
business in 1872 and up to about a month ago took
an active part in its management. He leaves three
daughters and a son, Walter, who succeeds to the
JAZZES JAZZ.
business in which he has been a partner of his father
Another blow has been dealt to jazz. Dr. Ruby
for several years. Mr. Fischer was a sterling charac- Cunningham of the hygiene department of the Uni-
ter in the mystic industry and trade, and he leaves a versity of California, Berkeley, Cal., wields the ham-
name high among New York's business men.
mer this time, against it. "Jazz," she says, "is in-
jurious. It addle's one's best senses and disturbs
F. F. Lapham, of Grosvenor & Lapham, Chicago, poise." Dr. Cunningham declared that a high type of
has been re-elected vice chairman of the Illinois Re- emotional expression is beneficial. Jazz, she says,
lations Committee of the Chicago Chamber of Com- appeals to the primitive instinct and is a low type of
merce.
expression.
SHEET MUSIC TRADE NOTES
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PRESTO BUYERS' GUIDE
Contains Complete Lists with Concise Classification and Description of a
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Makers. Edition for 1923 now ready. Price 50 cents, post paid.
NO PIANO DEALER OR PROSPECT CAN AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT IT.
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.,
407 S. Dearborn St., CHICAGO
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