Presto

June. 1930
PRESTO-TIMES
over bad a more loyal executive secretary. As usual, because of the economy of operation, is one that can
the trade journals have co-operated in every way, well be emulated by other communities. During the
and I extend to them my sincere thanks, both official convention I will gladly comment on the details of
and personal."
the plan.
Speaking of the association's financial set-up, he
A Fallacious Assumption.
said it did not take loiig to definitely establish the
"Too many of the remaining piano manufacturers
fact that the board of control had agreed in Chicago and dealers are working with a fallacious assumption,
to a participation in the new financial set-up of the namely, that when more manufacturers and dealers
chamber that "could not possibly be met by our go out of business there will then be enough busi-
association.
ness left to keep the remaining ones 'in clover.' I
"The new budget of the chamber called for an consider this assumption fallacious, for who, may I
assessment on the merchants of $14,500 per year, pay- ask, will then be in a position to pay the cost of pub-
able monthly, and while the precaution had been licity and propaganda so essential in these modern
taken to limit our definite obligation to a three times to sell any new line, or to keep an old line
months' trial, I found that even that could not be sufficiently in public consciousness to get results?
met, and consequently notified the chamber to that My hope is that no more manufacturers and dealers
effect. However, we have struggled through to the will go out of business, except those who are so hope-
best of our ability and here we are again at the end lessly out of step with their responsibility that they
of another association year. We are now confronted cannot see the light and the need for real co-operative
by not only our own condition, but by the condition effort.
of the chamber, which, too, has its financial worries,
No Substitute for the Piano.
and is depending upon us for continued support.
"With
further
reference to the piano, this basic
"While the action of the chamber with reference
to our half of the combination stamps was unques- and master instrument represents a very definite
tionably arbitrary, and while I do not concede the medium of self-expression, and no substitute has yet
right of the chamber to in any way control our half been found, and 1 am sure never will be found, for
of the proceeds, I do feel that those merchants buy- self-expression. Consequently in the piano we have
ing the combination stamps wish the proceeds used a product fundamentally sound in permanent appeal,
for the Bureau for the Advancement of Music. This and an instrument that will positively respond in
matter will, of course, come up for more detailed terms of increased demand, if the correct propaganda
is applied."
discussion.
Delbert Loomis' Good Work.
"The best results in getting new members during
the year were obtained by our executive secretary,
Delbert L. Loomis, executive secretary, National
who not only pounded away by mail, but made sev-
eral trips to dffierent parts of the country in a fur- Association of Music Merchants, in his annual report
ther effort to get new memberships. Until our execu- to the convention, said:
"The activities of the executive office during the
tive office is in a position to make more personal
contacts in many cities where there are many non- past year were divided into four parts: 1. Personal
members, I do not see how we can very materially solicitation of new members and cooperation with the
increase our membership in the association. Our membership committee in the membership drive un-
executive secretary brought in through his own dertaken during the months of August, September,
efforts 77 members, making a total number of 104 October and November. 2. Dealer service, consisting
of monthly merchandising idea bulletins and corre-
new members accepted during the year.
"While piano business generally is 'off,' reports spondence on various subjects pertaining to merchan-
from some sections of the country show gratifying dising helps. 3. Promotional work of various kinds.
improvement, and I feel certain that with intelligent, 4. Routine operation of the office.
"The membership committee brought in 27 new
concerted action on the part of the piano manufac-
turers and piano dealers general improvement can be members. Trips were made by the executive secre-
experienced. However, the concerted action I have tary to Boston, to upper New York state and Mont-
in mind will require the expenditure of a much larger real, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Columbus
(Ohio), Chicago and Detroit, and also to a number
sum than is now being spent.
of cities near New York for the purpose of calling
Destroy the Old Pianos.
on prospective members and for the purpose of tak-
"The real weakness in the piano situation today is ing up other association matters, and the expenses
in the fact that many dealers and some manufac- of the two long trips and several of the shorter ones
turers seem to think that improved conditions will were covered entirely by the executive secretary, who
be created by some unknown cause, instead of only attended by invitation the first fall meeting of the
by an intelligent expenditure of money and applica- Montreal Piano and Musical Merchants' Association
tion of real hard-selling methods. Dealers generally in Montreal. One other trip to southern points was
are holding on to old pianos as if they were family also made during the past winter by the executive
heirlooms of real value. There are thousands of old secretary, at his own expense, on which calls were
second-hand pianos scattered all over the country, made on presidents of architectural chapters.
and there is hardly a dealer who is not paying con-
Increasing the Membership.
siderable rent in storing these obsolete, antiquated,
"Considerable work was done in New York among
worn-out veterans. The piano dealers of America
would do a great service to themselves and to the non-members. The total number of new members
industry if they would without further delay take out brought in by the executive secretary since June 1
of the market permanently, by destroying them, these last is 77. The records show that since the appoint-
many old instruments. In my opinion a second-hand ment of the executive secretary, November 1, 1927,
piano that cannot be sold readily for $100 should be to date, he has added 357 new members.
broken up. I know of one house that in the last year
Ideas Were Furnished.
has destroyed 150 second-hand pianos, and no doubt
"That
the
merchandising
idea bulletins have met
there are a few other houses that have done better
or proportionately as well. Manufacturers with re- with approval of many members is shown by the
tail stores who offer second-hand pianos at $15 and large number of inquiries received for further in-
$20 are doing themselves an injustice, as well as the formation regarding some of the ideas and also for
certain items offered as part of this service. Many
dealers who buy these 'carload offerings.'
of the active members have been very generous in
The Part Radio Is Playing.
supplying the office with ideas for use in the bulletin.
"Need I. in this report, stress the important part The executive office has worked very closely with the
that radio is playing and should play in the future National Bureau for the Advancement of Music in
to a greater extent in the operations of music stores? furthering in every way possible piano class instruc-
Radio is here to stay, as we all know, and it is com- tion in the public schools.
mon sense on the part of a music merchant to estab-
Mr. Loomis' Forecast
lish his music store as radio headquarters, impressing
"That the industry needs promotion and service
upon the minds of the radio manufacturers the fact activities more than it ever did in its history is ob-
that the music store is the logical outlet for radio.
vious. Many of these activities are now under way,
Band Instruments.
and should be carried on. Additional activities, some
"With reference to band instruments, music dealers of a radical character, can be undertaken if it is the
have an excellent opportunity to increase sales by desire of the association to do so. It is, however,
taking advantage of the present interest and far entirely apparent that the association should be ade-
greater potential interest of the public in organizing quately financed. More money will be needed than
bands. Music dealers not handling band instruments will be produced by the promotion stamps and mem-
should certainly give serious thought to the inaugura- bership dues.
Work With the Children.
tion of a band instrument department. With further
reference to increasing piano business, the music
"Under the heading of promotional activity, it may
teachers should be made to realize that the piano be deemed advisable to give special attention to the
situation as it exists today is affecting them, the same inauguration of broadcasting of children's hour in
as it is the piano manufacturers and piano retailer.
various cities throughout the country, wherever there
Piano Lessons.
are local broadcasting stations. This work can be
"Just recently in New Orleans the Music Teachers' undertaken by the executive secretary. Local broad-
Association sponsored a piano-playing contest which casting of children's hour may properly furnish the
resulted in a vast amount of favorable publicity for ground work for a national piano playing contest on
the piano and piano study. The New Orleans plan, the air.
D. L. LOOMIS' ANNUAL REPORT
He Appreciates Help Given.
"Without the encouragement, unstinted support and
cooperation of President Werlein and other officials
of the association, the task of operating the executive
office under the unusual conditions obtaining during
the past year would have been infinitely more diffi-
cult, if not impossible, and it is the desire of the
executive secretary to express his grateful appreci-
ation for all of this generous assistance. He also
wishes to pay tribute to the trade paper men for their
help through the news columns of their papers
throughout the year."
Scope of the Program.
The Music Industries Convention at the Hotel
New Yorker, June 9 to 12, carried out a comprehen-
sive program. Meetings were held by the piano
manufacturers, dealers, travelers. There were meet-
ings of the sheet music dealers, the organ builders,
the Music Supply Association, the music publishers,
the musical instrument and accessories manufacturers
and the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce.
There was the opening luncheon at which the speaker
was Joseph V. McKee, president of the board of
aldermen of the city of New York, and Anna Case,
soprano, sang. And there was the big banquet
Thursday night, at which Mme. Schumann-Heink
sang and Dr. Walter Damrosch was the speaker.
There were dinners too numerous to list, but the
dance after the big banquet satisfied the devotees of
the terpsichorean art.
Dr. Damrosch's Comments.
Dr. Walter Damrosch, chief speaker at the banquet
the night of June 12, said in part: "I believe that
those engaged in music industries will find that the
radio has been and will be their best ally. 1 hope
with all my heart that this may be so, and especially
that the old idea that no home is complete without a
piano may again prevail. Music in the home is the
very cornerstone of our civilization and our young-
sters should realize that the study of this instrument
will repay them a thousand-fold, not only for the
cultivation of classical music but for the accompani-
ment of songs and for participation in chamber music
generally. May the slogan be, 'That which the
motor car has destroyed the radio and the piano
will again build up.' "
LOMB'S TALK AT MASS MEETING
Henry C. Lomb, president of the National Associ-
ation of Musical Instrument and Accessories Manu-
facturers, at the mass meeting in Hotel New Yorker
on June 10 said: "It is indeed encouraging to see
that the whole music industry has found it wise and
expedient to thus go into executive session, as it were,
and by marshaling all the wisdom and intelligence
and skill that we collectively possess, to seek to find
a way out of the difficult position in which, through
no particular fault of our own, we now find ourselves.
"On the other hand, we should realize that we are
not alone. The music industry is by no means the
only industry that is not enjoying a full measure of
prosperity. In a way, the condition is world-wide.
To cite but one instance, the startling fall of com-
modity prices all over the world, is a symptom or a
portent that is baffling the wisest of experienced men
and it is small wonder that a somewhat specialized
industry like our own should have been affected by
these world-wide conditions or that we should be
somewhat at sea as to the most expeditious remedy
to better our present state. In any event, however,
we must work out our own salvation.
"Our situation is so grave, our stake so large, that
we cannot afford to do aught but lay aside the mean
and petty things that so unnecessarily embitter our
business lives and resolve firmly, honestly and sin-
cerely to cooperate in every feasible way with our
fellow members in the industry.
"Let me give a specific example in which this
cooperative spirit can find very tangible and useful
expression. It is the exploitation of one instrument
or group of instruments at the expense of another.
"An instance of the need of cooperative action,
which in itself should be sufficient to convince us that
if ever there was an industry that should hang to-
gether it is the music industry, is found in the fact
that musical instruments, unlike most other goods,
must not only be sold, but must be actually used or
played upon to remain sold. That is, the sale cannot
be considered to have been completely consummated
until the buyer has learned to play.
"We must ensure in some manner a wide campaign
of general music promotion. Secondly, we must find
a way to popularize or simplify the teaching of music
playing. This does not necessarily imply that we
must make learning easy, because there never was
and never will be a royal road to learning to play a
musical instrument. But we must remove needless
obstacles to such learning by making adequate facili-
ties available to the great number of people in whom,
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