December 20, 1924.
RADIO IN MUSIC STORES
Exact Number of Music Dealers Who Have
Added Radio a Question of Doubt, But
Those Who Have, Influence It for Good.
The exact proportion of music dealers who have
adopted radio and given it a more or less prominent
place in the stock has not been officially stated. But
the proportion must be big and increasing so rapidly
that figures printed one day would not represent the
situation a month later. There are many conditions
that favorably influence the music dealers toward
radio. One is that the cut-price methods so disrupt-
ing some time ago are fast disappearing and the deal-
ers generally are maintaining prices.
There are well understood reasons for disorganiza-
tion of prices in any business and very cogent rea-
sons appeared in the radio business at an early stage.
One was the instability of parts. What was desir-
able one day was less desirable on the day following
or maybe entirely obsolete. Wherever price-cutting
is found, the cause or excuse is an accumulation of
ante-dated material.
The reputable music dealers who have entered the
radio business are making no appeals to economy in
radio prices. Many of them have learned such wis-
dom in their piano experiences. A radio set is pre-
sented as a genuine article for entertainment in the
home, not a plaything possible of getting out of
order at any moment. Reputable dealers are staking
their reputation on sets with the same vigor that
they back pianos, players and reproducing pianos.
For this reason there is all the more necessity for
the music dealer to acquaint himself with the char-
acteristics and merits of the various types in the
market. In advertising his new product he will be
advertising a trade name as much as anything else,
so he must learn in advance the meaning of the
terms, types and names in radio. He will learn that •
many of the technical tongue-twisters mean nothing
as regards the operation of the circuit, but are titles
given receivers by their builders to distinguish one
from the others.
An expert classes all radio receivers into four dis-
tinctive types—the non-regenerative straight vacuum
tube circuit, the regenerative vacuum circuit, the radio
frequency circuit and the reflex circuit. There are
many forms of each which in turn are subdivided.
It sounds like setting out a big course of study to
say the music dealer entering radio should learn the
capabilities and advantages of each type of receiver
before making a choice. If he understands the essen-
tial differences he will be the better equipped to make
the most sensible decision.
GREAT SHEET MUSIC SECTION
Under Management of A. J. Seylor, Department in
Nordheimer's, Toronto, Has Grown Amazingly.
In the development of the business of the Nord-
heimer Piano & Music Co., Toronto, Canada, a
notable feature is the growth in extent, importance
and aggregate of sales of the sheet music department.
The company recently took over the stock of the
Colonial Music Co., thereby acquiring a valuable
assortment of English and European music.
To accommodate an increase in sheet music offer-
ings additional space was allotted to the department
on the main' floor, where vocal, piano and popular
music is shown. In addition a new music section has
been formed. The front section of the basement has
been rearranged and decorated to make a bright, at-
tractive, cozy department where organists, choir
leaders, violin teachers, and students may select from
a large stock their music requirements away from the
Best Loved CHRISTMAS CAROLS
25
PRESTO
Wo
^ cnd
Booklet 5x8 for Piano Manufacturers and Dealers.
Used in large editions every year. Order now.
Send for samples to
STATE REGISTER, Dept. A, Springfield, HI.
bustle of the main floor music section. The new
basement department is reached by a new stairway
entrance, cut in from the Yonge street doorway. It
is devoted to the stock of violin, organ and choral
music.
The manager of the progressive sheet music de-
partment of the Nordheimer Piano Co. is A. J. Sey-
lor, who has been with the department for over
thirty-five years and is considered a high authority
on sheet music matters with an amazing knowledge
of catalogs of publishers throughout the world.
A PHENOMENAL RECORD
Soprano Who Strikes Highest Note of Human Voice
Will Broadcast Over WLS.
Radio fans and music lovers will have an oppor-
tunity the evening of December 26th over WLS, the
Sears-Roebuck station, Chicago, of hearing the high-
est note ever recorded by the human voice, when
Edna La Verne Friebe, lyric soprano, who holds this
remarkable record for altissimo, will give a musical
program, beginning at 10 o'clock. This will not only
be of interest to the musical world, but will be an
achievement for radio, according to Edgar L. Bill,
director of the station. The broadcasting of high
notes in singing has been found difficult, but WLS
has made successful tests with Miss Friebe's voice
for her inaugural radio program.
Miss Friebe is able without any effort to record
and sustain B flat above high C—the world's record
in altissimo for the natural tone of the voice. This
is three notes above G. The record for high singing
was previously held by Ellen Beach Yaw, a noted
concert singer, who reached A above high C. Miss
Friebe established her record at the conclusion of
Bishop's "Lo, Hear the Gentle Lark."
Miss Friebe. has a remarkable range and her "bird
trills" have been paid high tribute by musical critics.
She was one season with the Chicago Grand Opera
Company. Among the selections she will sing over
WLS will be the Mad Scene from "Lucia."
AWAIT HEARST CONTEST RESULTS.
The voting in the unique campaign for featuring
six songs of Hearst Music Publishers of Canada,
Ltd., closed this week and the trade and the song
fans of the United States and Canada await the re-
sults. Voting coupons issued to customers of Hearst
representatives entitled them to vote for the six songs
in the order of their preferences. "Tallahassee,"
"Bobbed Head," "Better Keep Away," "Bringing
Home the Bacon," "In a Wonderful World of Our
Own," and "Broken Dreams," were the numbers
submitted for the contest. The first prize is $500,
the second $200 and the third $100.
GIMBEL DIRECTOR SPEAKS.
Dailey Paskman, director of WGBS, the new
broadcasting station recently opened by Gimbel
Brothers, New York, is of the opinion that radio will
take its place alongside the other forms of major
entertainment, such as drama, motion pictures, etc.
In other words, he believes the field of radio broad-
casting is to be a lasting one and that, thus far, the
surface of this tremendous medium has scarcely been
scratched; that there are practically unlimited sources
of supply to be tapped to develop the radio.
ENDS FAKE PUBLISHING
C. L. Dennis, in Bureau Report, Tells of
Methods Taken for Elimination of
Swindling Schemes.
Definite steps toward the extermination of the song
swindle in its worst phases were gained during the
year now closing, according to C. L. Dennis, man-
ager Better Business Bureau of the Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce, who believes that 1925 will
see the finish of systematic looting of amateur song-
writers through misuse of Uncle Sam's mails. Con-
tinuing, Mr. Dennis says:
"Since the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce
undertook the campaign of exposure over two years
ago, steady progress has been made, but the fraud is
so elusive that it seemed almost an endless task to
cut out what was described by President George
Fischer of the Music Publishers' Association as a
"cancerous growth" in the publishing field.
"Energetic prosecution of the fake publishers in
Chicago by Post Office Inspector R. N. Davis ended
the operations in that city during the first half of
1924, and the biggest fakir left outside New York
was closed up by fraud order in October, when the
New Era Music Company and Music Sales Company,
of St. Louis, both conducted by Robert A. Bell, were
put out of business. A few small operations remain
outside of New York, which is naturally a great cen-
ter for the song sharks as well as for legitimate pub-
lishers. New York is under fire as the last strong-
hold of important song sharks, so that the end ap-
pears to be in sight. One of the biggest groups has
been closed by fraud order, and the principals have
been indicted by a federal grand jury. This group is
the New York Melody Corporation, Broadway Com-
posing Studios and World Music Publishing Corpora-
tion, conducted by Albion S. Keller and George
Graff, Jr.
"Another big New York shark and several lesser
ones have switched their plans to an extent that in-
dicates all are on the run—yet it is not possible to
let up with the campaign until all the big ones are
gone. The smaller ones can then be kept in check.
"By-products of the campaign have been the expo-
sure of stock selling schemes and mail order efforts
to unload $2 'working outfits' of worthless sheet
music on 'agents' who answered want ads for home
work. Several houses were stopped from using the
latter scheme, but others have sprung up and are
being reported as fast as they appear."
S H O W T H E MUSIC.
Sheet music buyers will not -buy if unaware of the
existence of the music. Showing the public what it
might want is a preliminary to selling it what it wants
as far as sheet music is concerned. For that reason
the window display is the most economical kind of
advertising for the sheet music dealer. No matter
how big or effective his display inside may be or no
matter how effective he may feature the music at the
counter, the activities are supplemented with telling
force by the show in the front windows. Many a
wayfarer casually glancing at the window layout
pauses for a closer and more attentive view, sees
something that prompts an investigation of the stock
inside.
ADVERTISING SONG BOOKS
Editor Presto: One of our customers inquires
about a collection of old-fashioned songs, suitable for
giving out to prospects and the general public. If
you can inform us where these are printed, you will
confer a great favor, and incidentally boost the piano
business, as it is a foregone conclusion that every-
one receiving a book will need a piano on which to
produce the accompaniments.—A Jobber.
Reply: About the best book of the kind within
our knowledge is put forth in quantities by the Illi-
nois State Register of Springfield, 111. We believe
if you write to that concern you will get a sample of
about what you want.—Presto.
Over 50 songs, words and music for 4 voices and piano,
'•"i p.p., 6x9, in editions with special illuminated cover
printed to order as wanted. Mention Presto.
REMICK SONG HITS
Mandalay
It Had to Be You
There's Yes, Yes in Your Eyes
Dreamer of Dreams
Follow the Swallow
New Kind of Man
My Best Girl
Me and the Boy Friend
Little Black Buddy
Until Tomorrow
Old Pal
Goodnight, Sleep Tight
Where the Lazy Daisies Grow
Bring Back the Old Fashioned Waltz
The Grass Is Always Greener (In the
Other Fellow's Yard)
J. H. REMICK & CO.
New York
Chicago
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