Presto

PRESTO-TIMES
The American Music Trade Weekly
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
PRESTO P U B L I S H I N G CO., Publishers.
Editor
F R A N K D. A B B O T T
- - - - - - - -
(C. A. DAN I ELL—1904-1927.)
Managing Editor
J. FERGUS O'RYAN
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 0234.
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, 111., under Act of March 3, 1879.
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1.25; Foreign, $4.
Payable in advance. No extra charge in United States
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on
application.
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if of
general interest to the music trade will be paid for at
space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen in the
smaller cities are the best occasional correspondents, and
their assistance is invited.
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torial or news columns of Presto-Times.
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tion will be charged if of commercial character or other
than strictly news interest.
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quested that their subjects and senders be carefully indi-
cated.
Forms close at noon on Thursday. Late news matter
should be in not later than 11 o'clock on that day. Ad-
vertising copy should be in hand before Tuesday, 5 p. m.,
to insure preferred position. Pull page display copy
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day. Want advertisements for current week, to insure
classification, should be in by Wednesday noon.
Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1927.
er's invitation to join the group piano classes.
All the other methods for spreading piano
study are inspiring and productive of the piano
buying desire. It is encouraging to young peo-
ple to invent easy means to musical under-
standing. But the piano dealer or salesman
who sits down to wait for the spontaneous
rush of piano customers prompted with the
eager desire to buy by any of the admirable
aids, does something that will tax his patience.
The piano promotion plan arms the sales-
man, but it is true that in most communities,
the piano salesmen must depend on their own
personal efforts to realize on the effects of the
promotion plans. The promotion plan makes
the struggle easier, but the trade must fight
for its piano sales. The men of the piano trade
must fight harder than the workers in new and
fascinating lines of business. The lack of music
desire in the public that makes piano selling
harder than before is not always because the
piano is less desirable. It is more often be-
cause the men who should sell pianos are
softer. The successful piano merchant of a
generation back made his way by hard knocks,
by persistent solicitation and continuous pros-
pect seeking. At this time when a convention
announcement says "each industry is lined up
against the music merchant," it is absolutely
necessary for the dealers to get back to first
principles and actually go out and dig for
sales.
December 24, 1927
nishes materials for the imagination, unmixed
with scientific or religious error which all the
acquired knowledge of ripe age can never
wholly eradicate.
Is self-assertiveness a national vice? No,
indeed. Self-assertiveness is that which has
made America great, but it must have a de-
gree of guidance, which doesn't mean that the
child must blindly obey. A child may fail, but
those who try and fail are entitled to more
regard than those who fail without trying.
We have nu>re in our world than is covered by
our hat.
To understand children we must realize that
they have a world of their own, in which they
attend school for ten months in a year for
twelve or fifteen years, with plenty of books
and pictures, good teachers, and all for noth-
ing. If they live in a city they have water
piped into their homes, which are electric-
lighted, and they ride daily on sreet cars, buses
or trains, frequently attend moving picture
plays, etc. Then why not extend their edu-
cation and delights further by making them
familiar with performing brilliant selections
of music on the piano? The ability to do this
is one of the grandest forms of self-expression
for either a boy or a girl.
Competition today is the rivalry for busi-
ness between industries. It is the effort of
one industry to secure public acceptance of its
commodity against the effort of many other
ONLY FAIR TO TUNER
industries, each seeking to do the same thing.
One of the most serious problems confront- It is the effort of the Jones-Smith Piano Co.,
ing the tuning profession today, in the opinion for example, to secure a decision from the
of many tuners, is the modern heating system Brown family to bring itself up to date by
in the modern home, with its rooms so ar- buying a baby grand piano, while at the same
ranged as to accommodate everything except time the Browns are being beset to buy a new
the piano. The only logical place for the in- radio, a new automobile, a new fur coat, or to
strument is occupied usually by a steam radi- join a country club. It is the effort of every
PIANOS AND RADIOS
ator or a hot-air register. The heat problem industry to bring the public to a proper knowl-
In an able address before the Radio Manu- is not only costly to the piano owner, but im- edge and appreciation of its products as a
facturers' Association in New York last week, poses a hardship on the tuner, and when people means to the greater consumption of them.
Mr. C. J. Roberts pointed out in a convincing do not understand the real cause of the con-
* * *
way the relation of the music merchant to dition of their instruments it reflects upon his
Nothing holds the disgusted gaze of the
radio. That, he said, used to be considered one ability.
average piano man more fixedly today than to
of the problems of the National Association of
It might be fair to the dealer himself and the see some talented teacher of music attempting
Music Merchants, but is so no longer. Radio, piano manufacturer if he were to raise that
to teach piano lessons to a promising pupil on
he pointed out, "is doing much to reestablish point of possible piano damage in his sales
a worn-out instrument. It is positively pain-
home life in America and an increased in- talks. Many a customer's kick may be avoided
ful to a music teacher to ruin the child's senses
terest in pianos is a result. When people re- by educating piano owners to a realization of
of both hearing and touch by using defective
vive the home entertainment habit, then will the vital importance of avoiding excessive heat
mechanism when there are so many almost
more and more pianos be purchased."
if they wish to keep their pianos in proper tune perfect instruments to be had for so little
Mr. Roberts sees a helpful association in and adjustment.
money and on such easy terms of payment.
radios and pianos, but it is clear his loyalty to
It is difficult to convince people, generally,
the latter is the predominating one. "Thank that heat is the principal cause of their pianos
No salesman fit for his job will stop the
God," he said to the radio men, "there is no not holding their proper tune and pitch, and
selling
of a reproducing grand to tell about
static in a good piano, although some of the they are prone to criticize the piano's con-
the
merits
of a foot-playing upright. But
poor ones emit sounds suggestive of the per- struction. The tuner also comes in for ad-
neither
will
a wise salesman hazard the de-
formance of a poor radio set under most un- verse criticism and piano owners suspect that
livery
of
an
upright
in his enthusiasm to sell
favorable conditions."
faults are due to his incompetency or careless-
a grand. The real salesman has the ability to
ness. They often feel, no doubt, that the tuner
measure accurately the kind of instrument that
uses the heat argument as an alibi.
TIME TO FIGHT
fits his prospect.
The piano promotion plan in any of its forms
* * *
does not mean that piano salesmen should
It
is
certain
that
the trade isn't getting all
PIANO PLAYING CONTESTS
lessen their efforts to seek out the prospec-
it
can
out
of
the
automatic
pianos. As now
The piano men of Chicago and other cities
tive buyers. The nationally wide scheme for
constructed,
and
considering
the
almost limit-
bringing the musical claims of the instrument who are promoting piano playing contests
less
field
it
affords,
the
automatic
and elec-
forward increases the opportunities of the among children of school age are not intrench-
dealers and their salesmen ; the public is being ing on the prerogatives of music teachers or trically operated piano should be a source of
made more receptive of the piano talk. The breaking into the line of pedagogics. They large profits to the dealers almost everywhere.
piano is pitted against a host of things that are helping the teachers of music by furnish-
Now is the time for piano dealers to arrange
allure to money of the public and the piano ing them with recruits.
salesmen have nothing to do but fight.
The men who are doing this work are picked for their lines for the year beginning. A great
It is helpful when piano study is included in men, for it requires genius to point out to the name on the leader reflects also upon the char-
the curriculum of a school. It helps piano awakening mind the lines of beauty and duty acter of the lesser known in the line in any
popularity when children respond to the deal- which it henceforth must follow. Music fur- store. Have a great leader, if possible.
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press
at 11 a. m. Thursday. Any news transpiring
after that hour cannot be expected in the cur-
rent issue. Nothing received at the office that
is not strictly news of importance can have
attention after 9 a. m. on Thursday. If they
concern the interests of manufacturers or
dealers such items will appear the week follow-
ing. Copy for advertising designed for the
current issue must reach the office not later
(han Wednesday noon of each week.
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